The Church of England's use of the internet is expanding in efforts to keep up with advancing technology, with an electronic news bulletin and trial podcasts now available on its website.

The Church is promoting a new Communications Update, which is a monthly e-bulletin for anyone wanting to catch up with what the Church of England is doing nationally - it aims to provide a round-up of news about the Church's work and mission to the nation.

The Communications Update already has more than 800 subscribers.

In addition, a trial podcast of two items at the July Sessions of the General Synod has been created to supplement the audio files already available on the Church of England website.

Podcasts currently available to listen to on MP3 players are the Archbishop of York's Presidential Address and the debate on the Anglican Covenant proposal.

Peter Crumpler, Director of Communications for the Archbishops' Council, said: "Both these initiatives are designed to help parishioners keep in touch with the wider work of the Church.

"The Communications Update contains a range of items also likely to interest parish magazine editors, while the trial Synod podcasts have been produced in response to a number of requests."

For more information please visit the Church of England's official website: www.cofe.anglican.org/

You can sign up for Communications Update at: www.cofe.anglican.org/commsupdate.html/

Or see the current edition at: www.cofe.anglican.org/info/cofegazette

For more information on how to listen and subscribe to the podcast: www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/gspodcast.html.

The podcasts complement full information about July's General Synod available on the Church of England website at: www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/july2007.html