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Nearly 200 church leaders and medics gathered in Birmingham, England, this week to plan new initiatives in health care. Against the backdrop of rising chronic illness in the UK, churches and Christian general medical practitioners (GPs) will outline their initiatives to reverse this trend. Conference convener, and coordinator of the Anglican Health Network, Revd Paul Holley, said, ‘Whilst the UK’s National Health Service delivers medical services, people’s mental and physical health depends far more on their lifestyles. Poor diets, lack of exercise and relentless stress are taking their toll. More people live alone and lack the support of intimate and community relationships to promote wellbeing’. Mr Holley pointed out that churches have supported people in their various circumstances through prayer, ‘but now they are increasingly taking practical action to tackle these causes of poor health. The conference will make visible the wide range of activity already in play.’
Pray: for the opportunities that the Church has in partnering health services bringing God‘s perspective and the power of prayer into health care. (3Jn.1:2)
More: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/news.cfm/2013/4/23/ACNS5384
The Anglican Communion and the Methodist Church say they must address the areas that continue to divide. Representatives of the two churches were in Cape Town, South Africa, this week for the Third Annual Meeting of the Anglican-Methodist International Commission for Unity in Mission. The Commission was set up in 2007 to advance the full visible communion of Anglicans and Methodists at every level. A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting said there was a ‘much clearer awareness of the need for the Commission to identify and begin to tackle some of the issues that are at the heart of our present denominational divisions’. The Commission went on to acknowledge the bilateral conversations taking place between the two communions particularly in the UK, Ireland, US and New Zealand. Pray: for the unity of God’s church in all its diversity. (Jn.17:23)
A high-powered group of traditionalist Anglican church leaders are to gather in London to address a growing ‘crisis’ over openly homosexual bishops. They want to restore ‘orthodox’ values to the worldwide Anglican Communion and outlaw liberal church leaders who have rejected traditional teaching. They will meet for the first time since more than 200 bishops boycotted an official summit for Anglican leaders in 2008 in protest at the presence of bishops from the US Episcopal Church, which had consecrated the first openly homosexual Anglican bishop. The decision by the leaders to hold talks in Britain is likely to increase tensions between the traditionalists and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, who will this year step down amid criticism he has failed to heal divisions over sexuality. The gathering of 200 clergy and laity will be led by Dr Peter Jensen, the Archbishop of Sydney, who is General Secretary of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans.
Pray: that the discussions at this gathering, led by the Holy Sprit, will bring unity and not added dissension. (Jn.17:22)
Ryanair has come under fire over plans to develop apps that will allow passengers to watch adult film content during flights. The budget airline wants to launch apps that passengers can log into via their iPads or smartphones and then pay to watch movies that include sex scenes. Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said: ‘Hotels around the world have it, so why wouldn’t we?’ The airline is also considering apps for in-flight gambling. Morality in Media (MIM) has reacted with anger to the plans. It is asking pro-family organisations based in Europe to contact Ryanair in opposition to the plans. The US-based group’s President has advised travellers to avoid using Ryanair. ‘We will stop this outrage before it gets started,’ said Dawn Hawkins, Executive Director of MIM. ‘Ryanair, which hopes to expand its market to US destinations as well, is creating an unsafe environment for every individual who travels on their planes.’
Pray: for Ryanair to recognise the unsuitability of such content within an aircraft carrying a ‘general audience’. (Ps.119:115)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/anger.over.ryanairs.plans.for.sex.scene.apps/28879.htm
The head of a leading anti-trafficking movement has slammed the Government’s new strategy on human trafficking. Steve Chalk said the Government was moving in a ‘dangerous direction’ by focusing its strategy on immigration. He said, its the strategy would address the symptoms but not the causes of the trade in human beings. ‘It will do little to stem the tide,’ he said. ‘It could also increase the vulnerability of the men, women and children who are trafficked into the UK and exploited, by concentrating more on their immigration status than their position as victims of a horrible crime. Human trafficking is a human rights abuse, not an immigration offence.’ The Government launched its strategy yesterday, committing itself to tightening border controls. Ruth Dearnley, Chief Executive of Stop the Traffik, said: ‘Prevention is better than cure. Human trafficking starts in communities and can be stopped by communities.'
Pray: that all aspects of trafficking would be recognised and challenged. (Is.40:10-11)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/anger.over.human.trafficking.strategy/28300.htm
A graphic Channel 4 show which will provide sexually explicit advice to teens has been branded ‘pornographic’ by the UK’s leading media campaign group. The controversial show, entitled The Joy of Teen Sex, is due to be broadcast later this month amid news reports of teenage girls being lured into sex slavery, and a Government investigation into the sexualisation of childhood. Vivienne Pattison, director of MediaWatch UK, said: ‘This programme crosses the line into prurience, with graphic scenes of sex that can only be described as pornographic. Also, if you make a programme with the words ‘teen sex’ in the title, you are surely asking for trouble. A teenager who enters that into a search engine will surely yield rather different results on top of the advice programme they were looking for’. The programme centres around visitors to a walk-in sex clinic.
Pray: that the broadcasting channels 'programme planners’ standards are raised by insights into the grace of God. (Ro.5:20)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/the-joy-of-teen-sex-anger-over-channel-4s-new-show/
The Scottish Bible Society (SBS) has come under fire from the National Secular Society for sending thousands of Bibles to Scottish law courts and judges. The campaign was launched in July by the organisation’s honorary president, Lord Mackay of Clashfern, to make the Bible readily available to judges as a reference book. Terry Sanderson of the National Secular Society said the campaign ‘could put the Sharia laws of the Middle East to shame.’ SBS is sending Bibles to judges in the Court of Session and each of the Sheriff Courts in Scotland, the Faculty of Advocates Library, the Crown Office, and countrywide offices of the Procurator Fiscal Service. SBS has produced a pamphlet, entitled The Bible in Scots Law: A Guide for Legal Practitioners, to accompany the Bibles. In it, Lord Mackay, a former Conservative Cabinet member, speaks of how ‘vitally important’ the Bible is in giving guidance for daily living. Pray: that this initiative will help Judges understand the Biblical foundations of Scottish law and its relevance today. (Heb.4:12)
A provision to make same-sex marriages illegal in the Church of England and Church in Wales has done little to assuage opponents of a change to the law. The plans were outlined in the House of Commons yesterday by Culture Secretary Maria Miller. Other religious organisations would be able to ‘opt in’ to offering same-sex weddings to gay couples, she said. However, it will be unlawful for religious organisations or their ministers to wed same-sex couples unless their respective governing bodies have opted in. Changes will also be made to equality laws to ensure that discrimination claims are not brought against clergy or religious leaders who refuse to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies. Ms Miller said the provision making it illegal for the Church of England and Church in Wales to marry same-sex couples ‘recognises and protects the unique and established nature of those Churches’.
Pray: that the Government will listen to the many organisations which are standing up for traditional marriage as recognised by the majority. (Heb.13:4)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20680924
Northern Ireland is faced with the opportunity to stride ahead of the rest of the UK in its support for victims of trafficking, or to simply turn its back on our strong abolitionist heritage and do the bare minimum. If the Government chooses to look the other way, then the situation will only worsen with gross violations of the victims' human rights. After a declaration by the Government in 2010 that they would not opt into the EU Anti-Trafficking Directive (in the mistaken belief that we were already fully compliant), charities spoke up and revealed the extent to which this was not the case. The Government U-turned and announced it would opt-in in 2011. The beginning of 2012 saw amendments made in the Lords to a Westminster Bill in an attempt to bring compliance with the Directive.
Pray: for the NI Government that it would opt-in to the EU Anti-Traffiicking Directive. (Ps.94:8)
With a new study predicting that more than a 10th of Britain’s over-65-year-olds will be spending Christmas alone, Christians are being advised to ensure that older people in their communities are cared for this festive season. Research published last week by the public theology think tank Theos has revealed that people who are aged 65 years or above are most likely to be without the company of family or friends this Christmas. According to the study, 11 per cent of those in this age range will be on their own during next week’s celebration, compared to just six per cent of the population as a whole. As a consequence, the director of Theos, Paul Woolley, is now warning that people ‘should be concerned’ at these findings. At the same time, church members have been reminded of the need to befriend and look after elderly people in their communities.
Pray: that the Church will reach out to the lonely this Christmas and that God will bless them with His presence. (Pro.18:16)