2015 celebrates 800 years since the sealing of the Magna Carta, which paved the way for the House of Commons and democracy. This week, 20 January is the 750th anniversary of the birth of our parliament In 2015 sittings in both houses commence with Christian prayers. A well-established parliamentary prayer is as follows:- ‘Lord, the God of righteousness and truth, grant to our Queen and her government, to Members of Parliament and all in positions of responsibility, the guidance of your Spirit. May they never lead the nation wrongly through love of power, desire to please, or unworthy ideals but laying aside all private interests and prejudices keep in mind their responsibility to seek to improve the condition of all mankind; so may your kingdom come and your name be hallowed.  Amen.’ In the months leading up to the general election we can use the helpful prayers at 

Thousands of patients whose operations have been cancelled because of the growing turmoil in the UK’s A&E departments are facing prolonged anxiety, discomfort and pain while they wait for a new date for their surgery. A sharp rise in the number of procedures hospitals are postponing has prompted the leader of Britain’s surgeons to warn that patients affected will suffer ‘considerable distress’. Clare Marx, president of the Royal College of Surgeons, said: ‘The continued rise in the number of operations cancelled for non-clinical reasons remains of deep concern. Telling a patient that they cannot have the operation they have waited and planned for can cause considerable distress to the individual and their family. As surgeons we are doing our best to manage our patients’ conditions and to make sure they can have the surgery at a time when they need it.’

A local council in Northern Ireland is calling for a taxpayer-funded equality quango to drop its legal case against a Christian-run bakery.(Previously reported in Prayer Alert.) Members of Craigavon Borough Council voted 13 to 8 in support of Ashers Baking Company, which is facing court action for declining to make a pro-gay marriage campaign cake last year. Councillor Philip Moutray tabled the proposal, as the case could have significant financial implications for Ashers. He explained: ‘I am appalled at the targeting of a small bakery because of its Christian beliefs. The commission has tens of thousands of pounds of pu blic money at its disposal. Ashers haven’t resources like that’, he added. Moutray also put forward the motion in light of DUP plans to amend equality legislation to introduce a conscience clause.The DUP has launched a consultation on introducing a conscience clause, which closes on 27 February.’

An Anglican bishop is among those backing a call on all prospective MPs to pledge a time limit on the detention of migrants. The campaign he is supporting is being led by Citizens UK, the alliance of civil society organisations. Jonathan Clark, the Area Bishop of Croydon within the Church of England, said: 'Detaining people indefinitely in prison-like conditions without judicial oversight is unjust, ineffective and inhumane. That’s why [we] are calling on people of goodwill across the country to join them in taking this issue to their parliamentary candidates in the UK general election. We will ask politicians to pledge their support for a time limit on the detention of adults – and to work with us to make it happen.’ Independently, some 30 charities and NGOs are specifically calling for a time limit of 28 days’ detention. Eiri Ohtani, coordinator, Detention Forum, explained:‘The practice of locking up migrants indefinitely has no place in Britain.’

Patients are to be given the option to refer themselves for cancer tests, as part of an NHS England bid to diagnose an extra 10% of people early. It said it would start testing new ways of speeding up diagnosis, including offering patients the option to book appointments directly with a hospital or testing unit ahead of seeing a GP. The body will also fund further trials of a pioneering form of radiotherapy. Currently, around 25% of cancer diagnoses are made too late. The plans are part of a drive to improve cancer survival rates in England, which are below the European average. Simon Stevens, Chief Executive, NHS England, said, ‘It's time for a fresh look at how we can do even better - with more focus on prevention, earlier diagnosis and modern radiotherapy’

The Church of England will no longer be able to carry on in its current form unless the downward spiral in its membership is reversed ‘as a matter of urgency’, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have warned. It could face a dramatic shortage of priests within a decade as almost half of the current clergy retire, according to the Most Rev Justin Welby and Dr John Sentamu. Meanwhile dwindling numbers in the pews will inevitably plunge the Church into a financial crisis as it grapples with the ‘burden’ of maintaining thousands of historic buildings. The two archbishops also called for the Church to invest more in building up its presence on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to get its message across as part of a ‘major programme of renewal and reform’. Their blunt assessment of the Church’s prospects came in a paper for members of its ruling General Synod, which meets in London next month

The Eastern Daily Press writes ‘We believe that some of the most vulnerable people in Norfolk and Suffolk are not getting the support they need or deserve and we cannot stand by and watch that happen. So we’re stepping up our Fighting for the Vulnerable campaign, originally launched in response to worrying failures in care for people with mental health problems. We know there is suffering, anguish and loneliness to tackle, so we are extending the reach of our campaign to other vulnerable people, such as the lonely elderly, the homeless and people getting social care. The mentally ill, the homeless, the elderly and those with social care needs deserve our support, yet some of the services which are meant to help them are being stretched to breaking point. A spokesman for the Diocese of Norwich said:  It is a model that the church has aspired to for centuries and we would wish to support the EDP in this important campaign.’

Scottish Churches Housing Action, which brings together 13 Christian denominations and organisations nationwide, with a commitment to ending homelessness, will be 20 years old this month. The precise anniversary is 17 January 2015 and it will be marked with a service of celebration, challenge and commitment at St Andrew's Roman Catholic Cathedral, Clyde St, in Glasgow at 2.30 pm. Worship will be led by the Scottish Churches Housing Action associate convener, the Rt Rev Bruce Cameron, and the sermon will be given by Very Rev Dr Andrew McLellan from the Church of Scotland. Scottish Churches Housing Action has a substantial track record in developing local volunteer-based initiatives such as its recent befriending initiatives for homeless people. It encourages the development of affordable housing from redundant or under-used church property. The group also works to increase church and public understanding of homelessness and policies that will end it.

Schools are struggling to deal with rising numbers of students self-harming, two major teaching unions say. The number of pupils hurting themselves is said to be at a high. NHS figures obtained by BBC Newsbeat show a 20% rise in the number of 10 to 19-year-olds admitted to hospital because of self-harm injuries across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The government says it has asked experts to examine how to tackle self-harming and related issues in schools. The NHS figures show the number of hospital admissions rose from 22,978 in 2012-13 to 28,730 in the following year. Figures for Scotland were not available. According to the National Association of Head Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, spending cuts to local services have left schools without as much expert medical help as in the past.

A British nurse who was diagnosed with Ebola after returning from Sierra Leone is still in a critical condition, but has stabilised, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt says. He said Pauline Cafferkey was getting the ‘best possible care’ at the Royal Free Hospital in London. He went on to say ’she stands for the very best of NHS values’ and that the whole country was proud of her. Mr Hunt said screening measures had been ‘strengthened’ at airports. Ms Cafferkey, a public health nurse, was diagnosed with Ebola in December after volunteering with Save the Children in Sierra Leone. She is being treated with experimental drugs and Mr Hunt confirmed she had received blood plasma from another British nurse, William Pooley, who recovered from an Ebola infection.