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The housing and homelessness charity Shelter has called for a new kind of tenancy to be introduced across the rental market in England. The Stable Rental Contract would provide greater stability to the growing numbers of people who rent their homes from a private landlord, says the charity. It would also provide landlords with more certainty of a good return on their investment. Shelter’s proposals are outlined in a new report, ‘A better deal? Towards more stable private renting.’ The changes could be introduced immediately within the existing legal framework for private renting in England, without the need for new laws. Campbell Robb, Chief Executive of Shelter, said: ‘With a generation priced out of home ownership, renting is the only choice for growing numbers of people but with the possibility of eviction with just two months’ notice, and constant worries about when the next rent rise will hit, the current rental market isn’t giving people – particularly families – the stability they need to put down roots.
Pray: that this initiative will well received and form the basis of a new rental agreement throughout the country. (2Sa.7:10)
More: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/17069
Church Action on Poverty has called for a closing of the growing gap between rich and poor in the UK. They are also mobilising faith communities to conduct their own counts of street homeless people, as official statistics have been shown to underestimate the numbers of people sleeping rough. The charity is using Poverty and Homelessness Action Week, which runs from 29 January to 4 February, to highlight that while the UK remains one of the five richest nations on the planet, more than one in five here live below the poverty line. CAP supports its case for inequality pointing out that the wealth of the top 10 per cent is now 100 times higher than the net wealth of the poorest 10 per cent. The three-year Close the Gap campaign will aim to mobilise thousands of people across the faith communities to give, act and pray to close the wealth gap (www.church-poverty.org.uk). Pray: for such initiatives that seek to support the most vulnerable in our communities. (Ac.20:35)
Marolin Watson of Hope UK has expressed concern that we are quick to support international outreach, but may be neglecting the needs on our own doorstep? Children and young people in Great Britain are losing their way for want of spiritual guidance and direction. Many children and young people have little more than a rudimentary understanding of the Bible. A recent article in the Telegraph (Prayer Alert 2410) reported an Ofsted finding that ‘Schools are neglecting to teach children the core beliefs of Christianity in religious education lessons’. This is illustrated in the article by a recent survey of more than 500 12-year-olds which revealed that only 54% knew that Christians celebrated the Resurrection at Easter. Is it any wonder, then, that practically a whole generation have no core values by which to order their lives and their behaviour? Marolin writes ‘The Church must do more to help save this generation.’ Pray: for our young people and for the many initiatives that are beginning to address these concerns. (Jdg.2:10) More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/charity.begins.at.home/26496.htm
A Scottish children’s charity is hoping to establish a joint pilot project with the Police to tackle the growing problem of ‘sexting’ in Scotland. ‘Sexting’ – the practice of sending sexually explicit images via text, email and social networking websites – has become an increasing concern amidst other types of sexual exploitation of youngsters on the internet. The
news comes following recent research by Plymouth University, which found that 40 per cent of 14 to 15-year-olds did not see anything inappropriate about a topless photo. The pilot is being set up by Stop it Now! Scotland (SNS), which campaigns against child abuse, along with Lothian and Borders Police, Barnardo’s Scotland and the Scottish Crime and Enforcement Agency. Initially it will involve SNS workers visiting children who have been reported to the Police and their parents to talk through the impact of such behaviour. If successful, it will be rolled out across Scotland.
Pray: that this pilot scheme will lead to solving this form of abuse of the young. (Pr.2:7)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/charity-aims-for-joint-sexting-prevention-pilot-with-police/
Church Action on Poverty and Oxfam have called for a parliamentary inquiry into the rise of food poverty in the UK. The two charities say that more than half a million people in the UK are hungry and reliant on food aid, with many turning to food banks. Changes to welfare and delays, errors or sanctions regarding the payment of benefits are two areas they want the inquiry to look into. In a joint report, Walking the Breadline, the two charities say the most common reason for people approaching food banks is the changes to crisis loan eligibility rules, delays in payments, Jobseeker's Allowance sanctions, and sickness benefit reassessments. Other contributing factors identified in the report are unemployment, the rising cost of food and fuel, and low and falling incomes. Oxfam chief executive Mark Goldring said: "The shocking reality is that hundreds of thousands of people in the UK are also now reliant on food aid.
Pray: for all those who face food poverty and for the organisations that support them. Pray also for the government to agree to a parliamentary inquiry. (1Jn.3:17)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/charities.want.parliamentary.inquiry.into.uk.food.poverty/32616.htm
A total of about 300 Uniformed Service Chaplains are attached to ships and units of all 3 Armed Services around the world. 15-20 of them are deployed in Afghanistan at any one time. Theirs can be a dangerous, demanding, fulfilling and rewarding role as they live and work with other deployed servicemen and women. For an insight into what their work entails, visit the website below. Pray: for all Chaplains in whatever unusual and unique pasturing situations they find themselves. For spiritual wisdom, guidance, the right words, encouragement and that the Holy Spirit would continue to refresh and replenish them. (Col.4:2-6) More: http://britisharmy.wordpress.com/2011/04/05/that-we-had-no-kind-of-font-or-baptistry-was-irrelevant/
There are over 450 Service Chaplains both full and part time attached to ships, units and stations, at home and abroad, ministering to Service personnel and their families. Some deploy to operational theatres such as Afghanistan and other areas of the world, others remain based at home. They spend time with service personnel and their families wherever they may be. They all offer spiritual and moral support and guidance, they live in the same conditions and share the same dangers and stress as all service personnel. They visit the sick, injured and bereaved and spend time with those who may have been involved in a variety of traumas. The demands on the Chaplains continues to increase and yet at the forefront of the ministry is prayer and worship.
Pray: for Chaplains in what can be a demanding and increasingly busy and challenging role. For spiritual wisdom, guidance, the right words, encouragement and that the Holy Spirit would continue to refresh and replenish them. For civilian clergy to offer themselves for ministry in the Royal Navy, Army or Royal Airforce. (Col.4:2-6)
150 years ago the Methodist Church purchased land in the garrison town of Aldershot to provide a place of worship for the men stationed in the camp. The Methodist Conference has celebrated 150 years of this ministry, which has provided support to military personnel and their families throughout more than 15 conflicts, from British colonial rule in South Asia to the ongoing war in Afghanistan. Revd Stephen Hancock, an army chaplain from Abingdon, said; ‘From the centurion at the Cross to chaplains serving today in the UK or overseas – Navy, Army and Air Force – little seems to have changed. People still need to experience the love of God in places where war is the norm. It is not always pleasant, not always fun, not always rewarding, but it is part of the Great Commission to ‘go’ and we few who serve today press on in the hope that we can direct people to the Son of God.’ Pray: for all chaplains working in places of war that they will be safe and that they may hold the Gospel message as a light in a dark place. (Jn.12:46) More: http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=449
Three couples, including a gay couple, will have sex in a box in front of a studio audience as part of a new Channel 4 series. But the broadcaster has been accused of grabbing ratings under a cover of trying to counteract the ‘explosion of online pornography’ During the programme, to be aired on 7 October, volunteer couples will be interviewed by presenter Mariella Frostrup after they have had sex in a sound-proofed and opaque cube. Comedian Bridget Christie highlighted that showing more sex ‘isn’t necessarily the answer’ to the problem of pornography. She said: ‘How to boost your ratings while pretending to help society? Fight sex with sex!’ And relationships expert Donna Dawson said in a BBC Radio 5 Live interview that this is an ‘extremely unnatural’ situation, and is being shown simply to excite viewers.
Pray: that this show will not over glorify sex as so many Channel 4 shows do. (1Th.4:3)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/channel-4-to-feature-couples-having-sex-in-a-box/
The Church of Scotland announced major plans on how it aims to grapple with the changing face of ministry in Scotland. Reports of the Ministries Council and Panel on Review and Reform, to be considered by commissioners at the General Assembly, affirm that the Church must restructure now if it is going to grow in the future, particularly with the current financial climate. In 2010 the Ministries Council is budgeting for a deficit of £5.7 million – an ‘unsustainable’ situation. Since ministries receive 87 per cent of ministry and mission funds from congregations, the budgeting deficit poses a problem for the whole Church and not just the Council. The reports warn that if a balanced budget is not achieved in the next few years the Council’s resources would be exhausted and unable to sustain ministry across the country.
Pray: for God’s guidance for the Church of Scotland so that any reforms may help the Church better to meet the needs of the people of Scotland. (Pr.1:5)