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The Methodist Church has criticised the Government's ‘responsibility deal’ to tackle alcohol abuse, saying that it prioritises the drinks industry over the vulnerable. Rachel Lampard, Public Issues Team Leader for the Methodist Church, said:’ We are totally unconvinced that the Government’s proposed ‘responsibility deal’ on alcohol regulation will be effective in reducing the problem of harmful drinking.’ The deal covers voluntary agreements with the drinks industry on matters such as promotions and labelling. Six medical organisations, including the BMA and Alcohol Concern, have walked away from this deal on the grounds that it favours the drinks industry, and places no limits on pricing or advertising. ‘We have an opportunity to reverse the devastating effects of years of under-regulation of the drinks market. If the Government means to keep its promises around harm reduction, alcohol policy should be informed strongly by medical evidence and not sidelined by the pressures of the industry.’ Pray: that the needs of the consumer, especially the vulnerable will take priority over commercial profit. (Lk.21:34) More: http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=494
Five denominations have formed a coalition to raise their shared concerns with the three main parties during conference season. The coalition is formed of senior leaders from the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church, the Quakers, the Salvation Army and the United Reformed Church. They hope to keep the Government’s Big Society initiative, affordable housing and poverty on the agenda when they attend the conferences of the Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative parties during September and October. These denominations are encouraging members of the public to attend the fringe events that they and Christian political fellowships are staging alongside each of the conferences. The Rev Martyn Atkins, General Secretary of the Methodist Conference said: ‘Some people believe that politicians don’t ‘do God’ and that the churches shouldn’t get involved in political life. Our delegation demonstrates that the churches value the vocation of those who work to improve our society through political life’. Pray: that our politicians will take into account our Christian values when planning change. (Ps.103:6) More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/churches.form.coalition.at.party.conferences/26752.htm
Ministering to children’s spirituality is a core function for the Church rather than a luxury add-on, argues Dr Rebecca Nye in ‘Children's Spirituality’, a new book from the Church of England’s official publishers. Local churches have a crucial role in listening to children’s verbal and non-verbal expressions of spiritual searching and wonder, and must be careful in how they use ‘teaching’ methods to ensure they do not inadvertently stifle long-term spiritual development, she says. Alister McGrath, Head of the Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture at King's College, London, describes the book as ‘a powerful reaffirmation and exploration of the importance of childhood spirituality for the ministry and mission of the Church, which will be welcomed by all working in this field.’ Dr Nye argues that children’s capacity for exploring faith is significant and that churches should be more concerned with nurturing children’s ways of ‘being with and knowing God’, rather than the transmission of religious knowledge.
Pray: for churches to place children at the heart of their ministry nurturing their spiritual growth. (Ep.6:4)
Church bells across the country will ring in tune with the United Nations next month to mark crucial international talks on biodiversity. As the bells toll at the UN headquarters in both New York and Nairobi, bell ringers from small parish churches to large cathedrals and minsters are being encouraged to ring on September 22, the day the UN General Assembly will discuss for the first time ever the crisis affecting the world’s biodiversity. This year was declared the UN 2010 International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) and the Church of England is one of the official partners in the UK. With a Christian presence in every community, around 6,000 of the CofE’s 16,000 churches have a peal of bells (not including those with a single bell). IYB in the UK is encouraging bell ringing by faith groups, schools and organisations from 12-2pm. Pray: that this sign of unity and its message will be recognised by the wider community. (Gen.1:24-28) More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/church.bells.ring.to.highlight.toll.of.biodiversity/26480.htm
Churches all over the country will be ringing out their bells simultaneously for three minutes at 8 am on 27th July as part of the London 2012 Festival in celebration of the beginning of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. On the 19 May the Olympic torch began its journey around the country. Churches in the land are invited to ring their bells as the torch passes. The central council of church bell ringers state on their website, ‘If your bell tower is on the route, you should contact your local authority to tell them that you would like to ring as the torch passes. If the route doesn't pass your tower, but goes through the town, it is still worth contacting your local council to see whether they are planning any events to mark the occasion,that you might be able to contribute to.’
Pray: for a mighty call to ring out from our churches across our nation.
More: http://cccbr.org.uk/olympics/torch-relay/
The Catholic Church is the latest organisation to come out in support of a campaign to end the detention of families seeking sanctuary in Britain. It follows in the footsteps of other major denominations in backing the Citizens for Sanctuary pledge. The pledge warns that Britain’s history of providing sanctuary to people in difficulty is being threatened by the rise of extremist politics, ‘media scare stories’ and Home Office failings. It asks politicians to support policies aimed at ending the detention of children and families for immigration reasons, and not to ‘demean’ those seeking sanctuary in Britain. It goes on to ask politicians to preserve the UK’s legacy of providing refuge for victims of persecution and promote a ‘culture of sanctuary’ by helping the public to understand why it is important to offer a safe haven. Catholic Bishop for Migrants, Patrick Lynch, urged politicians to back the pledge.
Pray: for the persecuted and displaced people who seek sanctuary with us that they may find a compassionate helping hand. (Na.1:7)
UK-based Christian organisation Church Army, has launched its newest campaign, ‘Inside Out Mission in Community’, featuring projects where their evangelists are seeing lives transformed. In a Church Army press release the charity said that in the coming months various projects will be highlighted: Where our evangelists are transforming whole neighbourhoods by living and working in communities. As it says in John 1:14: ‘The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.’ Church Army, which has been going since 1882 aims to be a leading organisation in the training, equipping and deploying of evangelists, to develop appropriate and relevant forms of Christian community for pioneering situations. Wilson Carlile founded Church Army and believed the Christian message had to be shared through words and action and he encouraged all manner of people to witness to their faith.
Pray:
that this new campaign will reach the very heart of the communities with the gospel. (Jn.1:14)
More:
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2013/s13040022.htm
An Oxford congregation lost its appeal on 30th June 2010 to overturn the variation of a licence to run a lap-dancing club just 50 yards from their church. The Rev Vaughan Roberts, Rector of St Ebbe’s Church, lodged an appeal after Oxford Council’s Licensing Committee granted the variation to Greene King to run Thirst Lodge in Pennyfarthing Place, off St Ebbe’s Street. He said: ‘We still feel that granting the licence to permit lap-dancing at this sort of establishment was totally inappropriate because of its proximity to the church and because these types of clubs can make women feel vulnerable - there are hundreds of young female students who live nearby and women who park their cars in the nearby Westgate Car Park. We wouldn’t be keen to see such a club anywhere because lap-dancing degrades God’s gift of sex.’ Would the licence have been granted had the club been sited next to a mosque Pray: for local churches to stand up for Christian values in the public square. (Mk.16:15)
A respected Baptist academic has called upon churches to ensure they are a welcoming home for Britain's ageing population. Dr Roy Kearsley, of South Wales Baptist College, admitted that ageing was a challenge for church, mission and pastoral care. He said that recent headlines about poor levels of care for older people in Britain were ‘disturbing’ and indicative of a ‘social and spiritual crisis’. Recent reports, including most recently the Which? report last month, have revealed shocking levels of neglect by care workers across Britain. In some instances, older people do not have enough food and water, are forced to sleep in soiled beds, and are missing taking their medication. The study was published just days after the Royal College of Nursing declared that care homes for the elderly are in crisis. Dr Kearsley said: ‘These shocking revelations are impacting not just the elderly but also their family carers, voluntary carers and professionals of varied kinds.’
Pray: that the church would take a lead by example in support of the elderly and challenge those whose roll is care in our society. (Lev.19:32)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/church.must.never.see.older.people.as.problem/29576.htm
Christmas trees should be removed from public places to avoid making non-Christians feel ‘excluded’, scientists have suggested. The scientists conducted the study using 77 Christians and 57 non-believers, including Buddhists and Sikhs. The participants did not know the survey was about Christmas, and were asked to fill in questions about themselves both when a 12-inch Christmas tree was in the room and when it was not. ‘Non-celebrators’ reported fewer positive feelings and less self-assurance in the Christmas room. Christians were mostly cheered by the tree. Michael Schmitt, a social psychologist behind the research, said: ‘Simply having this 12-inch Christmas tree in the room with non-Christians made them feel less included in the university as a whole. ‘We're not suggesting 'no Christmas' or 'no Christmas displays at all,' but in contexts where we really do value respecting and including diversity in terms of religion, the safest option is not to have these kinds of displays.
Pray: that such spurious research will never undermine public displays of Christmas celebration. (1Co.15:33)