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A week after Prime Minister David Cameron re-launched the initiative, the Jubilee Centre warned that the Big Society would be judged a failure if all it accomplished was the proliferation of charities and volunteers while poverty, inequality and crime remained high. The Centre said that 'the Government should not be allowed to sidestep its responsibilities by passing them on to third sector organisations. I In particular, the Centre pointed to the need to promote religious freedom as it warned that red tape was preventing people from volunteering, particularly people of faith. ‘In reality it is therefore highly unlikely that any Big Society ambitions can succeed without the help of faith groups,’ the Centre said. (See Prayer Alert 3010) Pray: against confusion and pray for clarity and understanding. (Gal.5:10b)
The Government has been heavily criticised by Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, over its decision not to back four British Christians who have taken their cases to the European Court of Human Rights. Lord Carey had appealed to Prime Minister David Cameron, asking him to support the four Christians who were ruled against by British Courts. Among these were Shirley Chaplin and Gary McFarlane, whose cases were handled by the Christian Legal Centre. Two of the four cases relate to the freedom of Christians to wear a cross in the workplace and two concern instances where the freedom of Christians to act in accordance with their conscience has been trumped by homosexual rights. The Government has stood by the British courts and argued that these Christian individuals have not been discriminated against. It further argued that neither the wearing of a cross nor the following of conscience are an integral part of the Christian faith.
Pray: that Lord Carey’s comments will be listened to and lead to a change of heart. (Pr.31:9)
An investigation into how Sharia courts are operating in the UK has been dropped after the inquiry faced ‘challenges to undertaking more robust research’, reports Christian Concern for our Nation. The Ministry of Justice probe was launched due to concerns that some judgments of Sharia courts contravene English law. The Ministry of Justice said ‘The challenges to undertaking more robust research were that the councils are generally run on a volunteer basis, were short staffed and very busy, so there were practical difficulties in speaking with respondents.’ Andrea Williams, CEO of Christian Concern, commented: ‘The activity of Sharia courts in this country is shrouded in secrecy. The failure of these councils to co-operate with the Government investigation does not alter this impression. It is important that the truth comes to light both to ensure that they are complying with English law and for the protection of women and children.’
Pray: against the bland acceptance of a situation just because it is challenging to investigate it. (Rev.3:2)
The Church of England is to make a rare direct political intervention in the House of Lords this week over legislation to enshrine the ‘military covenant’ in law. The proposals will guarantee soldiers that their sacrifice is honoured by provisions including council tax rebates for those on operations, extra NHS help for the injured and free bus travel for those who have been wounded. But senior bishops, who are backed by former chief of the army staff General the Lord Dannatt, say that the scheme needs to go further. Under the current plans, the Ministry of Defence would be solely responsible for governing the level of care given to troops. The Rt Rev Stephen Platten, the Bishop of Wakefield, will move an amendment to the Armed Forces Bill in the House of Lords on Tuesday, arguing for the Government to set up an independent review of the welfare needs of serving armed forces personnel.
Pray: for all those who are injured in action and that our Government will respond to requests that their welfare needs be independently administered. (Lk.10:9)
The number of households declared homeless so far this year is up by 13 per cent from the same period last year, according to Government figures. According to Homeless Link, the umbrella group for over 500 charities, 35,680 households have been accepted as homeless by local authorities since the start of 2011 and the numbers of people placed in bread and breakfast accommodation has risen by 30 per cent to 9,240 compared with the same period last year. Jacqui McCluskey, of Homeless Link, said: ‘As a result of the recession, cuts and the high cost of living, the number of homeless people continues to rise. Especially alarming is the jump in number of people becoming homeless because they have had to leave their privately rented homes. We are concerned that this trend will accelerate as the government's changes to housing benefit bite. Becoming homeless shouldn't be inevitable. Urgent action is needed to keep more people in their homes.’
Pray: for all those who are homeless or likely to become so and that safeguards will be put in place by the Government to protect them. (Ps.70:5)
The Government’s chief drugs adviser has heavily criticised a Channel 4 programme showing volunteers taking ecstasy. Professor Leslie Iversen, chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, said the programme may ‘glamorise’ drug-taking as a ‘form of entertainment.’ The Oxford University professor made the criticisms in a letter to The Daily Telegraph. He said: ‘Viewers were repeatedly told this was groundbreaking research that had never been done before.However, a search of scientific literature reveals that there have been no fewer than 68 human studies of Ecstasy using brain-imaging techniques.’ The programme showed 25 volunteers, including a former MP, being given an MDMA tablet (pure ecstasy) or a placebo. They then underwent tests including a brain scan. Almost 2 million people watched the programme, and campaigners accused the show of being an advert for drug taking.
Pray: that TV shows such as this will be halted and not be allowed to glorify drug taking. (1Jn.5:19)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/government-drugs-chief-criticises-channel-4-show/
Google, BT and a clutch of other web giants and internet service providers have been put on notice - the government wants action on sorting out the problem of harmful content on the internet. The Culture Secretary Maria Miller has summoned them to a meeting on 17 June where they will be expected to come up with plans to do more to stop access to material such as child abuse images or material designed to promote terrorism. In her letter to the companies, the culture secretary says there is widespread public concern. Whether these concerns focus on access to illegal pornographic content, the proliferation of extremist material which might incite racial or religious hatred, or the ongoing battle against online copyright theft, a common question emerges. An aide to Ms Miller says. ‘Enough is enough - concentrated effort is now needed by the whole industry.’
Pray: that the meeting on 17 June will lead to significant developments and changes in web safety. (Pro.1:33)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22794498
The new Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Rev Stephen Cottrell, has issued an Advent challenge – make a difference with ‘God’s big society’. Bishop Stephen is one of the authors of Church House Publishing’s 2010 Advent book Ready Steady Slow, which includes contributions from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. Preaching at his installation service the day before Advent Sunday, in Chelmsford Cathedral, Bishop Stephen said: ‘If we live prayerful, faithful lives, if we shine with the light of the risen Christ, then our world will be changed. For God’s big society is made up of a thousand little deeds of sacrifice and kindness.’ The pocket-sized Ready Steady Slow urges readers to take five minutes to change the world by following the daily ‘tread gently’ challenges. Examples include making your own compost, taking a go-slow coffee break, having a paperless party and slowing down on the roads. All the challenges are accompanied by a reflection and prayer.
Pray: for a huge response to this initiative and that it will contribute to a positive change in the world. (Php.4:5)
A new form of worship, removing words such as ‘Lord, he, his, him’ and ‘mankind’ from services, has been written by the church in an attempt to acknowledge that God is ‘beyond human gender’. Episcopalian bishops have approved the introduction of more ‘inclusive’ language, which deliberately removes references suggesting that God is of male gender. The controversial changes were discussed at the Church's General Synod recently. The minutes of the Synod reveal that female priests had asked why God was still referred to as a man. ‘It is political correctness,’ said Rev Stuart Hall of the Scottish Prayer Book Society. ‘It is quite unnecessary. The word man in English - especially among scientists - is inclusive of both sexes. Those who try to minimise references to God as the Father and Christ as his Son have great difficulties, because the New Testament is shot through with these references.’ Pray: that the import of God’s Word is not minimised by shallow linguistic arguments. (Jn.1:1)
There may be chaos in our lives and in the nation too, but Christians serve a God who can bring order out of that chaos and use what little we give to bring about big changes. That was the message from Gavin Calver to thousands of Christians at Spring Harvest last Friday. Calver spoke honestly about the challenges of leading a ministry when so many people in Britain are turning away from Christianity. ‘But we as a church need to start hoping, believing and praying for more because I am not prepared to accept the recent state. I read that in two generations time the church will be considered in the past tense in this nation. That is not going to happen. God is not done with this island yet. He can breathe life into nothing.’ Calver suggested that the church start really believing that the Christian faith is all about life, rather than accepting decline as inevitable.
Pray: for the Church to respond by confidently proclaiming the Gospel and working for revival. (Phl.1:14)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/gavin.calver.god.is.not.done.with.britain.yet/27835-2.htm