In a report to the annual Methodist Conference, taking place this week in Southport, the Methodist General Secretary, the Rev Dr Martyn Atkins, spoke of tough decisions ahead and his belief that the Church must change to fulfil its calling in contemporary society. ‘As disciples of Jesus we are called to become the Church God wants us to be,’ said Dr Atkins. ‘This will involve making some tough decisions’ he said. ‘We don’t have all the resources we would like to have but God has not given up on us. We must work hard to become a Church that demonstrates our faith through a commitment to justice and serving our local, national and international communities.’ He continued, ‘A more sacrificial, strategic approach is needed. Our churches must not exist simply to perpetuate the status quo, but to provide a place where people can come to faith and be nurtured in their journey with Christ.’

Pray: for the Methodist Church and indeed the whole church as we face the challenge of the future. (2Sa.7:19)

More: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/15051

The London 2012 Organising Committee has given the go-ahead for a community arts project linked to the Methodist Church to feature as part of the Cultural Olympiad. LOCOG awarded an Inspire Mark – its official seal of approval – to the Outside/In project, which will see young people and adults from different parts of Newcastle telling stories about themselves, their history, culture and communities through art. The artists’ work will feature as four exhibitions at The Holy Biscuit from March through to July 2012. The Holy Biscuit (formerly Shieldfield Methodist Church) is a community arts space partnered with The Methodist Church and The Biscuit Factory – an independent art gallery in Newcastle upon Tyne. Ish Lennox, Olympic and Paralympic Games Coordinator for the Methodist Church said: ‘It’s fantastic that a Methodist project has won an Inspire Mark. We are completely committed to engaging with the Cultural Olympiad. Methodist Christian Discipleship is life-long and whole life.'

Pray: for this project and all those involved in running it in 2012 and beyond. (Ps.5:12)

More: http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=548

Methodist Church investment decisions are now being guided by a new policy on human rights which focuses on companies operating in areas of conflict around the world. While governments are ultimately responsible for upholding human rights, the policy recognises that companies have obligations too. The policy has been adopted by the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church, which manages £1 billion of Methodist Church investments. The Church is urging companies to extend their engagement with human rights issues beyond their own operations by entering into dialogue with major suppliers and business partners. Bill Seddon, Chief Executive, said: "This new policy will help us engage with companies operating in areas where human rights are being ignored, often due to armed conflict. It will help us structure our on-going human rights engagement with companies." The Church said companies have responsibilities, not only to shareholders but also to their employees and people in the societies in which they operate.

Pray: for other groups and companies to follow the lead from the Methodist church and that their new policy will have a real and practical impact for good. (Pr.31:8-9)

More: http://www.methodist.org.uk/news-and-events/news-releases/methodist-church-promotes-humans-rights-with-new-investment-policy

The Methodist Church has launched a national consultation on evangelism. Methodists across Britain will be asked what evangelism means to them and what they find challenging about it. The online survey will ask them what they think it means to be called by God to share the Good News and what shape evangelism should take in 21st century Britain. A consultation day will take place on 27 November at Methodist Church House in London, bringing together up to 80 Methodists from different contexts. The day will be hosted by the Rev Dr Martyn Atkins, General Secretary of the Methodist Church. He said. ‘The reality is that many Methodists are doing wonderful and creative things to share God’s love with their communities. We want to affirm that, but also help others to engage more fully with the calling we all have to make disciples of Jesus Christ.’

Pray: for the Methodist Church as it focusses on creative ways to boost evangelism. (2Th.2:14)

More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/methodist.church.looks.to.boost.evangelism/30632.htm

Methadone has killed more people in Scotland than heroin for the second year running, according to the latest Government figures. The findings come after a review commissioned by the Scottish Government raised concerns about the £36 million methadone programme. Methadone, the heroin substitute, caused 237 deaths last year, amounting to 41 per cent of all drug-related fatalities. Methadone is provided by medics to addicts as a legal substitute for heroin, funded by the taxpayer. It is supposed to reduce dependency on heroin, but critics say users just become “parked” on methadone instead. The review chaired by Dr Brian Kidd, an addictions expert, said they found little evidence of a “real impetus” for addicts using methadone to recover. A Times newspaper investigation in 2010 concluded that addicts were pleading with the Government to help them get off drugs completely instead of just parking them on the heroin substitute.

Pray: for an effective programme to help addicts quit drugs completely. (Php.4:13)

More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/methadone-bigger-killer-than-heroin-in-scotland/

Independent Police Complaints Commission's Deborah Glass, reports that victims have been encouraged to drop rape charges in order to improve the Met's sex crime squad's performance results is ‘a sorry indictment of the performance culture.' This most recent case reported by the IPCC said: ‘There is no doubt from the evidence that a woman made an allegation of rape at Walworth police station which should have been believed and thoroughly investigated.’ The IPCC said the Southwark Sapphire squad's approach of ‘failing to believe victims’ was ‘wholly inappropriate’. It also said it was ‘underperforming and over-stretched’. Deputy chairwoman of the IPCC Deborah Glass said: ‘There's no doubt this was an incredibly serious and shocking incident. We know with all the cases that we've dealt with that the consequences of not dealing with allegations of rape can be extremely serious. This case is yet another tragic illustration of that.’

Pray: that all reported rapes would be investigated thoroughly and that the Police would be given training to enable them to be sensitive from first contact and throughout their investigations. (Dt.13:14)

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21586786

Only a quarter of people under 65 with mental health problems are receiving care, according to a landmark report that is highly critical of the lack of access to therapy. The authors of the report, led by academics at the London School of Economics, say those who cannot get treatment are essentially being discriminated against. They say that mental health now accounts for almost half the total burden of ill health suffered by people under 65. However, they found that only a quarter of children and adults of working age received treatment, due in part to poor provision. Ministers have promised to raise the profile of mental health services - using such slogans as ‘no health without mental health’, but the report’s authors want them to back up their words with action. They say: ‘The under-treatment of people with crippling mental illnesses is the most glaring case of health inequality in our country.

Pray: for all those affected by such illness and their needs may be better met. (3Jn.1:2)

More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9334977/Mental-health-shockingly-under-treated-claims-report.html

A group of 11 men plied girls as young as 13 with drink and drugs so they could use them for sex, a court has heard. The offences are said to have happened in and around Rochdale, Greater Manchester, in 2008 and 2009. Liverpool Crown Court heard how the men, aged between 22 and 59 and from Oldham and Rochdale, ‘acted together to sexually exploit the girls’. All deny conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child under 16. Rachel Smith, opening the case for the prosecution, said: ‘No child should be exploited as these girls say they were.’ The Court heard that some of the girls were raped and physically assaulted and some were forced to have sex with ‘several men in a day, several times a week’. Miss Smith said the girls were given alcohol, food and money in return for sex and there were times when violence was used. The Court was told that some of the defendants also took payments from other men to whom they supplied the girls for sex.

Pray: that the authorities and the justice system would come down hard on the perpetrators of this crime. (Ps.96:13)

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-17117530