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'Radical' Archbishop of York set to attend Kirk's National Gathering

10,000 expected at Ingliston this weekend

10,000 people are expected to descend on Edinburgh this weekend to take part in the Church Without Walls National Gathering and to hear Dr John Sentamu the Ugandan Archbishop of York challenge the churches to become more radical. Sentamu has already called for the removal of Robert Mugabe from power in Zimbabwe.

The Bishop may invite ministers to join with him in cutting up their clerical collars in protest against the injustice in the world.

Apart from bands, artist, urban street dancers, and an auditorium to seat 5000, a village of some 200 tents has also been erected to show solidarity with the poor. The tents will be used by communities as far apart as Stornoway and Upper Tweedale to share their stories of personal and community renewal. Immediately after the event they will be packed up and used by two relief agencies in disaster areas.

The tents have been partially sponsored by the Scottish Bible Society and local congregations. Each tent will carry a text from the Bible in five languages.

Two very special tents will be erected one will tell the story of a woman in Uganda who has opened her home to take in 500 street children and make them her own, another will feature a church that was set up in Argentina by a group of people who sailed from Leith in 1825.

Ends.

Note to Editors

nr/30/05/2008

Thursday 1, May 2008

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