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The Church must be an example of reconciliation to the rest of society, says the Bishop of Edmundsbury and Ipswich. The Right Reverend Nigel Stock said he had been impressed by the new Archbishop of Canterbury's own priority on reconciliation within the Church and the nation. Bishop Stock said: "The Church can influence society and make a real difference, but we do need to be a model of living together and reconciliation ourselves not least over the issue of women becoming bishops and over the differing views on issues of human sexuality." Part of leading by example, he said, meant taking care of the least well off in society. He praised the church-run Ipswich Winter Night Shelter which has provided shelter and hospitality for 12 homeless people through the winter. Bishop Stock said: "This project continues to rely on the hard work and dedication of many people whose willingness to help is an inspiration for the whole of Ipswich.
Pray: for reconciliation in the Church so that it will be able to lead the nation by example. (2Co.5:18)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/bishop.church.must.lead.by.example/32006.htm
The Bishop of London has warned that fundamental concepts vital to British society will be unsustainable without a Christian underpinning. The Rt Revd Richard Chartres said Britain’s culture and civilisation were founded on the Bible, and expressed concern at any undermining of that foundation. Rt Revd Chartres, who gave the sermon at last month’s Royal Wedding, was speaking at a symposium in the House of Lords on the Bible. He said: ‘The economy and politics must have ground beneath them. In Britain that ground has been biblical since our earliest days – and you do not sacrifice that without sacrificing much of what has been built upon that ground.’ The Bishop also commented that concepts such at dignity and tolerance would be ‘very difficult to sustain without a Christian ground’. Pray: for recognition of the Word of God as fundamental to our society and culture. (Dt.31:12) More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/bishop-warns-of-threat-to-society-without-the-bible/?e270511
Listening to the Holy Spirit must be brought back to the heart of church leadership, says the Church of England’s Fresh Expressions leader. Bishop Graham Cray said planting successful churches would come through listening to the Holy Spirit, not ‘cloning’ existing churches. Speaking at the end of last week’s Christian Resources Exhibition, he said that old strategies that had worked 20 or 30 years ago were no longer suitable for mission and church-building in today’s diverse society. Today’s church leaders need to look at their specific local contexts and lead their congregations in prayer to ‘discern corporately’ the best church for their areas, he said. The bishop warned that it was an ‘endemic temptation’ among church leaders to make plans based on previous experience and ask God to bless those plans, rather than ‘shutting up’ and listening to Him in prayer.
Pray: that the Holy Spirit would speak loudly into the minds and hearts of all those who lead. (Ro.15:13)
More:http://www.christiantoday.com/article/bishop.tells.church.leaders.to.listen.to.the.holy.spirit/25902.htm
Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali has lent his support to a Bill tabled in the House of Lords this week to scale back the influence of Sharia law. Sharia - or Islamic law - is used in around 85 Sharia councils and Muslim arbitration tribunals across the UK. The Bill, tabled by Baroness Caroline Cox, proposes banning the use of Sharia law where it conflicts with English law in discriminating against women and non-Muslims. It proposes to protect women by stopping discriminatory rulings that are contrary to UK law and ensuring that Sharia law does not appear to have jurisdiction where it does not. The baroness said, ‘Cases of criminal law and family law are matters reserved for our English courts alone'. Expressing his support for the Bill in the House of Lords, Bishop Nazir-Ali said Sharia was inherently unequal. Muslims and non-Muslims are treated unequally. Similarly, men and women are treated unequally.
Pray: for those who debate and rule on this matter so that an equitable solution may be found that affords protection to all. (Dt.8:11)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/bishop.supports.bill.to.restrict.sharia.law/28146.htm
Malcolm McMahon, chair of the Catholic Education Service and the bishop of Nottingham, said the current Government seemed to have more ‘heartfelt sympathy’ for the aims of religious educators than previously. ‘There aren't the secularists trying to close things down,’ he said, making a reference to a law, introduced in 2007 under the Labour Government, that made it illegal for Catholic adoption agencies to prevent gay couples from adopting. ‘Ministers in the Coalition appear to understand more the role that faith plays in society,’ Bishop McMahon said. He said that 'while Labour ministers had been ‘straightforward’ and ‘fair’, the Coalition had ‘more of a general understanding of what faith means to people’ and a ‘heartfelt sympathy’ for faith schools. One of the Coalition's flagship education reforms - free schools - allows parents, teachers and charities to apply to set up their own faith, or non-faith, school. Pray: that our politicians would see the benefits of religious education for our children. (Dt.4:9) More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/feb/23/faithschools-schools
The Bishop of Portsmouth has said he is 'uncomfortable' with the closure of two prisons in his diocese. The Right Reverend Christopher Foster has promised support for prisoners and staff at Kingston Prison in Portsmouth and Camp Hill Prison on the Isle of Wight. The government announced this week that Kingston, Camp Hill and several other prisons across England would be closing on economic grounds. The Ministry of Justice is planning to replace the facilities with a new 'super prison' holding more than 2,000 prisoners. Bishop Foster, who has visited the prisons in person, said: “I admit to feeling uncomfortable at closing prisons purely on ‘economic’ grounds.'For me, the bigger question is whether prisons are doing their job in terms of social justice. 'Are they able to rehabilitate prisoners so that they are better educated, understand the impact of their crimes and want to turn their lives around?
Pray: for the prison service, inmates and staff. Pray that any changes will support the criminal justice system and improve re-offending rates. (Ps.142:7)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/bishop.regrets.prison.closures/31434.htm
A new centre to rehabilitate drug addicts in mid-Wales has been officially opened by the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon. The Rt Rev John Davies marked the opening of the Kaleidoscope Centre in Llandrindod Wells with a call for greater understanding of addicts' needs. Bishop Davies said it was too easy to stigmatise people with drug or alcohol addictions
and to blame them for their situation; and that while there may be a small number of people who find themselves in addiction out of choice, there were many more who turn to substance abuse out of despair or because of a failure to cope with the pressures of their lives. The Kaleidoscope ministry began in a Baptist Church in Kingston-upon-Thames in south-east England in the 1960s. It now runs a number of centres across England and Wales. It is a major substance misuse service in South Wales, providing support to people with drug and alcohol problems.
Pray: that the Kaleidoscope ministry in Llandrindod Wells and other centres will bring relief and freedom to those who are addicted. (2Cor.3:17)
More: http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2013/07/bishop-opens-drug-rehabilitation-service.aspx
St Paul's has become the first of Britain's top public schools to pull down its chapel and do without a place of worship. It is one of Britain's oldest and most prestigious public schools, founded 500 years ago by the Dean of St Paul's Cathedral. St Paul's School has knocked down its chapel to make way for new science classrooms, becoming the first of the country's leading public schools to do without a place of worship. The decision has upset the Church of England and brought complaints that the institution is turning its back on its Christian heritage in favour of a more secular approach to education. The Bishop of London, the Rt Rev Richard Chartres, has expressed his dismay in a letter to the school and the Rev Robert Stanier, an Anglican chaplain and former pupil said he was appalled, ‘This is a school with a Christian foundation. They're spending nearly £80 million and yet they can't find any space for a chapel.’
Pray: for the school authorities to reconsider their decision and also that this does not mark the start of a new trend. (2Ki.17:37)
The next Bishop of Durham, current Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham, the Right Reverend Paul Butler, has identified his priority issues as growing the church, tackling poverty, and addressing the role of children and young people in the church. Bishop Butler was announced as the Bishop of Durham-Designate this week, taking over from the Most Reverend Justin Welby, who left the post to become Archbishop of Canterbury earlier this year. He said growing the church in numbers, depth and discipleship was the "highest priority" for the Diocese of Durham."It will not be an easy task but a healthy, growing church is good for the community. I want the church to be good news for the area. I know it is already is but I want it to be better and people to talk more positively about it." He added: "Tackling poverty together must also be a priority.”
Pray: for Paul as he prepares to take up his new role and also that he will be successful in leading the church in the North East towards his declared goals. (Ac.20:28)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/bishop.of.durham.designate.focuses.on.church.growth.poverty.and.young.people/33979.htm
The Bishop of Croydon, the Rt Rev Nick Baines has written a series of prayers for the World Cup. The first prayer calls for all who work and play in the tournament to be guided, guarded and protected and that fans will find the tournament a ‘source of celebration’. In his second, Bishop Baines asks God to smile on the host country, South Africa, and all those who travel to ‘join in the party’. Another, written for those with no interest in the game, asks that they may be granted ‘the gift of sympathy’. The Church of England's Bishop Baines, a Liverpool fan, said: ‘More than half the population pray at some time and everyone will be affected by the World Cup in one way or another, so it makes sense to have some prayers for those that want to use them.’ Pray:for all those involved directly or indirectly in this major event both in South Africa and around the world. (2Ch.30:23)