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The Bishop of Down and Dromore is asking Christians to pray following weeks of violence in Belfast over the city council's decision to fly the Union flag on certain days only. Protests have been held over the flag dispute for the last month and the past week has seen an intensification of violence, with rioting causing injury and damage. The Right Rev Harold Miller said the recent unrest had been ‘tragic and difficult’ for Northern Ireland and particularly East Belfast, which falls within the Diocese of Down and Dromore. He said he was ‘deeply concerned’ about the ‘potential trajectory’ of the current situation, in light of the divisions and violence of Northern Ireland's past. ‘Lying behind all of this is the sense in parts of the Loyalist community that they have lost a great deal over the past years, especially in terms of identity, and that has led to a fear of the future being uncertain,’ the bishop said.
Pray: that there would be a breakthrough leading to reconciliation and peace in NI. (2Cor.5:17-19)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/call.for.prayer.for.belfast.after.union.flag.riots/31414.htm
The public policy think tank ResPublica has called for a ‘radical’ overhaul of the Gift Aid system to bring it up to speed with the digital age. It said the system was ‘antiquated’ and ‘bureaucratic’ and that it was ‘an anomaly in this day and age’ that charities are still unable to claim Gift Aid online. A new report warned that charities were losing out on as much as £750 million each year because of the current paper-based system. It claims that the current system places unnecessary burdens on HMRC and individual charities and is so inefficient that the cost to the taxpayer of processing each claim amounts to around £5. The think tank said that the high administrative costs had created a ‘perverse disincentive’ for the Treasury to encourage more people to use Gift Aid on their donations. It wants the current system to be digitised to make it easier for charities to claim Gift Aid. Pray: for more efficient systems to ensure a greater part of donations being effectively used. (2Cor.8:20-21)
Tory MP Nadine Dorries urged the Government to instruct clinics to provide counselling to women who seek terminations. She said such ‘informed consent’ would lead to a reduction in UK abortion figures, currently around 200,000 a year. Opening a short Commons debate, former nurse Ms Dorries said: ‘If any of us were referred to a hospital today for a minor procedure, e.g.an ingrowing toenail operation, the procedure would be explained to us in detail. We would be aware of the level of pain we would experience, told exactly what would happen while we were under the anaesthetic and be given follow-up appointments. A woman who has an abortion has none of that: she is discharged at the end of the day out onto the street and left to come to terms with the roller coaster emotional journey she will still be in the midst of.’ Pray: that very sensitive consideration is given by health professionals to the spiritually vulnerable. (Ps.34:18)
Another financial crisis threatens unless tougher banking regulations are introduced and borrowers learn to live within their means, the Association of Christian Financial Advisers has warned. ACFA Aidan Vaughan attacked the more aggressive activities of investment bankers, namely credit derivatives, as he warned that unrestrained investment banking activities could lead to even bigger financial crises in the future. ‘ACFA strongly encourages Mervyn King, the Governor of the Bank of England, to stand up to the banks,’ he said. ‘The public is angry especially when they see bankers again earning huge bonuses when it is tax payers’ money that has rescued the day. For most people, taxes are rising, wages are static, inflation is rising, living standards are falling and government expenditure is being cut dramatically. The basic biblical principle of ‘spending less than you earn’ has been ignored on a massive scale.’ Pray:for the banking industry to adopt an open and fair approach to their role in the economic life of Britain. (Ps.15:5)
The Jubilee Debt Campaign is calling on the British government to exert pressure on international institutions to cancel Pakistan's debt. The Pakistani government is currently in negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the country’s most important creditor, to ask for debt relief for the disaster-stricken country. The IMF is believed to be insisting that Pakistan introduces a value-added-tax system and removes energy sector subsidies in order to receive further loans. A range of charities, church and campaign groups, including the Methodist Relief and Development Fund and Christian Aid, have joined the call for Western borrowers to take some responsibility for Pakistan's heavy indebtedness. They argue that Pakistan needs an immediate freeze on debt repayments, expressing fears that the country's annual $3 billion repayments dwarf current levels of emergency aid. Campaigners argue that it is inappropriate for the IMF to hold the country to ransom amidst the current disaster. Pray: for governments and the IMF to review their stance and grant debt relief to Pakistan. (Dt.24:6)
Christian hoteliers from Liverpool who were subjected to a criminal trial because of comments they made about Islam have called for a change to the law. Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang, declared innocent last December, were prosecuted under Section 5 of the Public Order Act after a female Muslim guest complained that she had been offended by their comments. To protect other Christians from a similar ordeal, the Vogelenzangs have encouraged Christians to visit their MP and ask for the word ‘insulting’ to be removed from the Public Order Act as part of the Coalition’s forthcoming Freedom Bill. ‘We stood trial, accused of a crime. It was awful. After a two-day hearing, the judge threw out the case against us. As Christians we should help each other. We want to help people by making sure that this can’t happen again to anyone else.’ Pray: for Christians to have freedom of expression without fear of prosecution. (Mt.24:14) More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/video-vogelenzangs-call-for-change-to-public-order-law/
Newspapers should not be allowed to print pictures of women that would not be shown on pre-watershed television an inquiry into press standards was told. Four groups challenged the objectification of women by the media and called on Lord Justice Leveson to back a ban on sexualised images in newspapers, claiming that such images would not be broadcast on television before the 9pm watershed. Anna Van Heeswijk, from Object, a group that challenges the objectification of women by the media, said Page Three tabloids portrayed women as the ‘sum of sexualised body parts.’ She said: ‘We have to ask ourselves what kind of story does it tell young people when men in newspapers wear suits, or sports gear, are shown as active participants, and women are sexualised objects who are essentially naked or nearly naked. She added: ‘You will find there is a gradient of extremity running from the Sun to the Daily Star.
Pray: for the media to recognise their responsibility in this area. (Ti.2:12)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/call-for-ban-on-sexualised-images-in-the-media/
Catholic aid agency CAFOD has launched a new food campaign to hundreds of supporters at Westminster Cathedral in London. 250 campaigners from all over England and Wales met to launch a new initiative that aims to improve the food system. The campaign highlights the fact that a handful of supermarkets and food companies dominate the food system, making the rules that decide cost, price and standards. They often also control access to vital resources such as land, seeds and water. Yet 50 per cent of the world’s food is grown by small-scale farmers in developing countries. With little power in the global food supply chain, these farmers are often forced to agree to big companies’ demands regardless of how unfair they may be. The Hungry for Change campaign is calling for fundamental changes in the global food system so that power is more justly shared between rich and poor people, and more people can have access to enough food.
Pray: for the Hungry for Change Campaign to be well supported and have a very real impact in bringing about change to the global food food system.. (Pr.14:31 )
All three main Westminster parties have been reshuffling their teams. David Cameron has promoted three women, though none of them have been given a cabinet post. Across the board, women are taking more prominent roles - a net increase of four in government, and 44% of Labour's shadow cabinet are female. The only change in the coalition cabinet comes with the Liberal Democrat Alistair Carmichael as the new Scottish Secretary. There have also been changes to the Labour team.Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg has been replaced by Tristram Hunt while Jim Murphy, another senior figure, is moved from defence to international development. Andy Burnham is to stay as shadow health secretary. Mr Moore was the only cabinet minister to lose his job in Monday's coalition reshuffle, which has largely focused on middle-ranking and junior ministerial positions. Has the political territory shifted, or is it just the personalities that have been moved?
Pray: for the members of our government and those involved in the reshuffle that God will give them insight and guidance in their role. (Pr.1:5)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19475248
Former leader of the Scottish National Party, Gordon Wilson, has been kicked off the board of Dundee Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) – because of his support for traditional marriage.
Earlier this month Mr Wilson responded to a Government consultation on redefining marriage, saying he was opposed to the idea. He said: ‘You attack the building block of society at your peril’ and he called for a referendum on the issue. But expressing his beliefs appear to have cost him his position at Dundee CAB – a group that offers free advice to the public about legal rights. At yesterday’s annual general meeting of Dundee CAB, members blocked his re-election as one of twelve directors. Mr Wilson was accused of being anti-equality and a total of 21 members voted against his re-election. At the meeting he pointed out the irony that CAB receives taxpayers money for tackling religious discrimination.
Pray: for Mr Wilson and his courage to speak out. Also pray for the CAB to recognise the double standards they are operating and to reconsider their action. (Dt.31:6)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/cab-dumps-former-snp-chief-for-traditional-marriage-views/