Churches across the country will be using 2013 Education Sunday (January 27) to pray and work towards new ways of reaching out to those who are easily overlooked in the education world. The Rev Jan Ainsworth, the CofE's Chief Education Officer, said this theme should challenge education successes, whether flourishing schools or highly achieving pupils, to support those who are struggling. A Prayer for Education Sunday calls for 'equality rather than privilege' calling for the whole task of education to 'be devoted to justice rather than self- seeking. In Church schools we try and make inclusivity the heart of our message, underpinned by our Christian values. But Education Sunday reminds us that it is a challenge for everyone linked with the education world. We need each other and flourish much better with support. I would urge everyone to take five minutes this Sunday to think how they can include an outsider,' said Jan Ainsworth.

Pray: for Education Sunday to prompt renewed work to promote inclusivity in education. (Php.2:5-7)

More: http://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2013/01/include-outsiders,-challenges-the-cofe's-chief-education-officer.aspx

Faith communities may encourage their members to contribute to society – but can politicians harness their benefits? Robert Putnam, Harvard professor of public policy, has been in London, channelling the wisdom of social capital at No 10, as well as talking at St Martins-in-the-Fields on Monday evening. That venue is the big clue to his latest findings. It could be summarised thus: 'if you want big society, you need big religion. In the US, over half of all social capital is religious. Religious people just do all citizenish things better than secular people, from giving, to voting, to volunteering. Moreover, they offer their money and time to everyone, regardless of whether they belong to their religious group. It could be, of course, that the religious already have the virtues of citizenship. The evidence is that strong faith communities make for both strong interfaith and wider social links'.

Pray: for governments both national and local to recognise the importance of encouraging and working with faith groups. (2Co.9:2)

More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jun/23/big-society-needs-big-religion

The head of Church Action on Poverty has warned hunger is becoming an increasing reality for families in the UK. Niall Cooper said stagnant or falling incomes were combining with rising food and fuel costs to leave many parents unable to feed their children on a regular basis. There are now an estimated quarter of a million people relying on emergency food aid in the UK. Mr Cooper warned that one in five mothers were going without food on a regular basis so that their children could eat instead ‘Do these figures relate to Ethiopia, Sudan, the Congo – or the UK?’ he said. ‘Hunger is no longer a reality only for families in drought stricken, war torn or ‘underdeveloped’ countries in sub-Saharan Africa.’ Mr Cooper welcomed discussions in the EU on extending its Food Aid Programme to all 27 member states, including the UK.

Pray: or all those relying on emergency food aid in the UK that their needs will be met.

More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/hunger.exists.in.uk.too.says.church.group/31667.htm

The Hungarian government has been criticized for changes to the country’s constitution that threaten religious freedoms and other rights. Constitutional amendments adopted by the government in March were the latest in a series of changes described by Human Rights Watch (HRW) as ‘problematic’. For example, a new law granted state recognition to only 14 religious groups while refusing to recognize the rest, resulting in the loss of official status for more than 300 Protestant groupings and minor Catholic religious orders. Although the Hungarian Constitutional Court struck down some of the laws introduced by the government, the latest amendments reintroduced the same laws by changing the constitution and cancelling the Constitutional Court’s power to overrule those changes. HRW has called for the EU to consider suspending Hungary’s voting rights and a spokesman for the European Commission said it won't rule out sanctions to ensure that Hungary complies with EU law.

Pray: that the government will reconsider its constitutional amendments which are threatening religious rights. (Pr.31:9)

More: http://www.worthynews.com/12198-hungarian-constitutional-changes-threaten-s-religious-freedom

A group of humanists are demanding that faith schools should be open to all children, regardless of their parents’ religion. The Fair Admissions Campaign wants all state-funded schools in England and Wales to be open equally to all children, without regard to religion or belief. The Church of England’s website says: ‘Latest available statistics indicate one in four primary schools and one in 16 secondary schools in England are Church of England schools. Approaching one million pupils are educated in more than 4,700 Church of England schools.’ The Fair Admissions Campaign claims that it is ‘widely supported’, by those at its meetings. In the real world, according to the Church of England: ‘Seven in ten (72%) of the population agree that Church of England schools help young people to grow into responsible members of society and 8 in 10 (80%) agree that they promote good behaviour and positive attitudes.’

Pray: that faith will continue to be central in our schools' teaching and the developing of positive attitudes. (Rom.15:5)

More: http://www.christianvoice.org.uk/index.php/2013jun07fac/

The Salvation Army has won a government contract to oversee help for victims of trafficking, but humanists have hit out at the move. The £6m contract went to the Christian group because it had put in a stronger bid than a secular group which had held the contract, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said. But the British Humanist Association (BHA) attacked the move, calling it ‘deeply concerning’. The Salvation Army will oversee support and accommodation for male and female victims of all types of trafficking, including sex trafficking. It said its aim was simple: ‘To ensure that every woman and man who is identified as trafficked will receive a quality support package that is tailored to their individual needs.’ The MoJ said the previous group, Eaves Housing, ‘had done a very good job’ in recent years but Salvation Army had put in a stronger bid for the contract.

Pray: that the Salvation Army through this contract will be enabled to make a huge difference in this area. (Ep.4:16)

More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/humanists-angry-over-6m-contract-salvation-army-win/

For a number of years Christian organisations have rightly campaigned on the issue of global human trafficking, leading national and international debate on the issue. Organisations such as International Justice Mission, Stop the Traffik, and CARE have raised awareness of both trafficking within and outside the Church. Most recently, a group of Christian musicians came together to produce the song Twenty Seven Million. The song tells the true story of a girl trafficked from Eastern Europe into London's sex trade. In Scotland the issue is also gaining momentum both within and outside the Christian community. Recently the Scottish Parliament held a debate looking into the extent of human trafficking in Scotland and the possibility of legislating to strengthing the law. Subsequently the Equal Opportunities Committee brought together a number of key stakeholders to begin the process of developing a holistic strategy for tackling trafficking in Scotland.

Pray: that the Scottish Parliament will strengthen the law legislating against trafficking. (Ps.119:53)

More: http://www.eauk.org/current-affairs/politics/human-trafficking-in-scotland.cfm

The 2012 Games are likely to be a key target for criminal gangs who will look to take advantage of a larger than usual number of visitors heading to the UK. In July Theresa May launched a human trafficking strategy and started working with other countries to combat the expected increase in human trafficking in the British Isles in the run up to the Games. Police estimated that 2,600 people were trafficked for sexual exploitation alone in 2009 and fear around 300 children are smuggled in to the UK every year. Anti-trafficking campaigners are saying, ‘Human trafficking may increase during the 2012 Olympic
Games in London because of a heightened demand for sexual services and cheap labour,’ and Bex Keer of Stop the Traffik said, ‘There is always talk around any big sporting event of how it increases the demand for trafficking victims, whether that’s for sexual exploitation, forced labour or street begging and crime.’

Pray: for unity between experts in the fields of clubs and vice, human trafficking, immigration and crime, as they work together to powerfully to eliminate human trafficking. (Ps.29:11)

More: http://www.stopthetraffik.org/ourwork/olympics/