Franklin Graham has called on Christians to be faithful in preaching the Gospel message as he visited the UK to launch this year’s Operation Christmas Child an annual Christmas initiative aiming to deliver 8 million shoeboxes filled with Christmas gifts for children in impoverished communities around the world, including parts of Europe. ‘Secularism has conquered much of Europe and the West and it came in overnight,’ he told reporters. ‘As evangelicals and Christians we need to be more outspoken than we’ve ever been about our faith and not be ashamed.’ Mr Graham said some schools in the UK had dropped out of the project because they were upset about the Christian faith being shared with children receiving the boxes. However, he said: ‘I don’t apologise for sharing Christ. This is who we are. This is what we do.’ Mr Graham encouraged everyone giving a box to say a prayer for the child receiving it. ‘For many of these children, it’s the first gift they’ve had in their lives.

Pray: for all those involved in Operation Christmas Child and for the children as they receive their gifts. (Ps.100:5)

More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/dont.be.ashamed.franklin.graham.tells.uks.christians/30714.htm

Christian development agencies are urging the Government not to divert aid money to peacekeeping operations. The plans were unveiled this week by Prime Minister David Cameron who is under pressure to save the Armed Forces from further spending cuts. However, charities are warning that the move could jeopardise stability in regions benefitting from British aid. Justin Byworth, Chief Executive of World Vision UK, said: “The Prime Minister's correct that security and peace are essential, but long-term stability is about far more than peacekeeping. "In reality, it’s a complex mix which includes nutrition, health, education, and protecting vulnerable children, which all help to prevent conflict and empower people to cope with challenging circumstances. “Spending on peacekeeping from the aid pot is already limited by international standards. We’d be concerned if this statement means these standards are being challenged.” Christian Aid warned that linking aid to military spending in fragile states could put aid workers on the ground at risk.

Pray: for legislation to be revised so that Christians can serve their communities as Christians – not in a way that forces them to ‘leave their faith at the door'. (Pr.31:9)

More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/dont.use.aid.money.for.peacekeeping.pm.told/31697.htm

Anti-poverty campaigners delivered a copy of the Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol to George Osborne. Alan Pinch, a Quaker, Stephen Pennells, a Roman Catholic, and Graham Martin, an Anglican, are all supporters of Church Action on Poverty. They fear that Britain may be returning to the levels of poverty and contempt for the poor described by Dickens in A Christmas Carol. The trio cycled to the Chancellor's constituency office in Knutsford where they dropped off the festive classic. The 20-mile journey started at Manchester's Albert Square Christmas Market and stopped along the way so that members of the public could sign a statement to the Chancellor. Pinch said: ‘Chancellor Osborne is at severe risk of turning into a modern day Scrooge, and we want to add our voices to the many calls for him to change track.’

Pray: that the message behind this topical one will be taken seriously and encourage the Chancellor to change track. (Ecc.8:1)

More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/dont.be.a.scrooge.christians.tell.chancellor/31213.htm

One in 10 emergency calls to police are categorised as domestic violence related, rising in some areas to a fifth of all 999 alerts. The figures, obtained following freedom of information requests, have prompted fresh demands for a long-term strategy to tackle Britain's 'hidden crime.' Home Office data reveals that more than a million British women a year experience domestic violence, although experts believe the vast majority of incidents remain unreported. However, domestic violence conviction rates in the five years to 2011 stood at just 6.5% of incidents reported to police. Yvette Cooper, shadow home secretary, said: 'Last year the domestic violence rate was twice as high as the burglary rate. Two women every week are killed at the hands of their abuser in England and Wales, yet it still isn't given enough priority to keep people safe.' Cooper is currently consulting on ways to better protect women, saying too much complacency surrounds the issue.

Pray: for all those affected by domestic abuse and for measures to be taken to reduce the level of such abuse. (Col.3:19)

More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/nov/24/domestic-violence-emergency-calls-data

Doctors will stop providing non-urgent care on the 21st June in the first industrial action by the profession for nearly 40 years. The move comes after a majority of doctors voted in favour of action in a British Medical Association ballot of 104,000 members over pension changes. Emergency care would still take place as doctors did not want to put patients at risk. By targeting non-urgent care, elective operations such as knee and hip replacements will be cancelled. Doctors are among the best paid public sector employees - and as such they also have the most lucrative pensions. The average hospital consultant retiring today will enjoy a pension of £48,000 a year and a lump sum of over £140,000. Among public sector pensions being paid out, doctors account for two thirds of the top 1% of pay outs.

Pray: for no patient safety to be compromised on the 21st June.(Ps.41:1)

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18254499

Obtaining a divorce is now easier than getting a driving licence, a senior judge said yesterday. Sir Paul Coleridge said a cultural revolution has made it possible to end a marriage quickly with a basic form-filling exercise. He added that the stigma attached to divorce in the past has also disappeared. The judge – who presided over the bitterly-fought divorce of Sir Paul and Heather McCartney – blamed 50 years of relationship free-for-all for the spread of divorce on demand. He said the result was that 3.8million children were now left at the mercy of the courts because of the break-up of their parents. The judge, who sits in the High Court Family Division as Mr Justice Coleridge, has called repeatedly for legal reforms to clear up
the mess left by the decline of marriage. He has blamed youth crime, child abuse, drug addiction, binge drinking, truanting and bad behaviour in schools for the 'meltdown' of the family.

Pray: that the experience and wisdom of Mr Justice Coleridge will be heard and lead to reforms. (Jer.26:13a)

More: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2014285/Its-easier-divorce-driving-licence--says-judge-Sir-Paul-Coleridge.html