ALCESTER MALE VOICE CHOIR:

The Alcester Male Voice Choir and Guests will be performing at St Matthias & St George Church in Astwood Bank on Saturday May 12th at 7.30pm

Tickets (£8.00) are available from Hancox Stores in Astwood Bank High Street.

Diamond Jubilee New Testament:

The Church of England has worked with HOPE and Biblica to produce a Diamond Jubilee edition of the New Testament; 44,300 copies were ordered over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.

The limited edition, launched in the run-up to Easter, is on sale online in packs of 50 at cost price for £25 until 1st May.

The souvenir Diamond Jubilee edition of the New Testament has been created to be given away by local churches in schools, at street parties and via other Diamond Jubilee events and initiatives. It includes eight pages of images from the Coronation and the Queen's life, linking her 60-year reign and her Christian faith. There is a suggested reading section with Bible references on various topics and a clear guide to help readers understand the significance of Christ's birth, life, death and resurrection.

The text is the British New International Version 2011, which has been gifted by Biblica.

Dr Rachel Jordan, National Mission and Evangelism Adviser, said in a new Church of England podcast: "The Queen was given a commemorative version of the Bible herself on her Coronation Day with the words that it was the best gift she was ever going to receive. Wouldn't it be fantastic if the Church in this land gave back to the nation, in marking her Diamond Jubilee, the best gift they will ever receive - the free gift of the New Testament?"

Roy Crowne, Executive Director of the national mission movement HOPE, said: "We are thrilled with the response so far. We are making this souvenir New Testament available at cost price - just 50p a copy - so that churches can give them away as a lasting reminder of the Queen's 60 years of faithful service to the country and Commonwealth. We hope that many churches will use this opportunity to give this special gift to people in their communities as they celebrate the Diamond Jubilee."