A MAJOR conference is to be held at Whalley Abbey to discuss the possibility of uniting the Church of England with the Evangelical Church in Germany.

The Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope, will lead the Church of England delegation at the conference, which is to be held at Whalley Abbey in the Blackburn Diocese, from February 9- 14.

The theme of the conference is 'Passing on the faith to the next generation' and delegates will be encouraged to experience this theme through a series of talks, studies and visits to local schools and churches.

The Bishop of Blackburn, Rt Rev Alan Chesters, who is Chair of the Church of England's Board of Education, will lead a number of the sessions.

The conference follows the signing of the Meissen Agreement at Westminster Abbey in 1991, which commits the churches to work towards full and visible unity. The Most Rev Manfred Kock, Chairman of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), is leading the German delegation.

Dr Hope said: "I am looking forward to meeting with our European friends in Blackburn. It will be an occasion to worship together and discuss a number of areas of common interests in the unique surroundings of Whalley Abbey and in the wider Blackburn Diocese."

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