Christian Concern have launched a petition over last week’s judgment in the case of Owen and Eunice Johns which provoked huge national interest and wide scale media coverage. The Judgment highlighted once again the difficulties that Christians can encounter when attempting to participate in some parts of public life without compromising their beliefs. On Monday this week, the Johns, along with Christian Concern, have launched a major new petition, calling on the Prime Minister to respect Christian conscience and take urgent action to address the problems created by equalities legislation. You can read and sign the petition here. http://christianconcern.com/equalities-and-conscience

Pray: that this petition would receive wide support and lead to a change in the equality legislation. (2Th.2:13)

More: http://www.theway.co.uk/feature.php?id=8392&this=Christian_Concern_launch_new_petition_over_equalities_legislation

Christian prayers have been dropped from the beginning of council meetings by the new mayor of Bridport in Dorset. David Rickard has decided to replace the prayers at full meetings of Bridport Town Council with a ‘short time of quiet, private contemplation’. He announced the move at his mayor-making ceremony but the decision has proved highly controversial. Councillor Sandra Brown, a former mayor, warned that many members of the council were against the decision. She said: ‘I feel very strongly about it and there are several of us on the council who are quite dismayed by it. Sadly though I don’t think there are enough of us to make him change his mind’. David Tett, another former mayor and independent councillor, said: ‘I am a traditionalist. I am disappointed to see the prayers thrown out of the window like that. It is totally uncalled for.’

Pray: that those who support prayer would receive backing to see this ruling reversed. (Ps.20:2)

More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/new-mayor-bans-christian-prayers-at-council-meetings/

The Methodist Church has formally changed its learning structure to offer more training from locally placed staff across 11 regions. The Discipleship and Ministries Learning Network will work through two institutions, Cliff College and the Queen's Foundation in Birmingham, as well as from homes or regional offices. The changes will result in more staff being based regionally than before. Jude Levermore, head of Discipleship and Ministries, believes the changes hold enormous potential for the Church's growth. "This is a response to the challenge of being a 'Discipleship Movement shaped for Mission'. To be a vital, growing church, we need to be a learning church," said Levermore. "By having more Connexional Team members in the regions, we can combine the strengths of being a Connexional church with the strength of local mission. Being closer to where people are allows the Church to get the best out of what is already happening and what will be developed. The potential is huge."

Pray: for this 'new era' in the Methodist church and that it will bring the Gospel to even more people. (Eph.4:11-12)

More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/new.era.of.learning.for.methodist.church/33833.htm

HCJB Global and Feba UK have joined forces to equip Christians with new media skills and resources that will help them reach non-Christians more effectively. They hope other Christian organisations will join the OneSheep consortium and pool their know-how and experience towards researching and developing new ways of communicating the Gospel through social media. Part of the research will look at how young people are consuming and communicating via social media. Projects that impact un-reached and limited-access people groups will be prioritised, the organisations say. Social media content to emerge from the consortium will be published on a dedicated website, www.onesheep.org The organisations will also work together on providing mentoring and training on the use of new media and how it can be used to link online and offline ministry. ‘Working together is far more effective than working alone,’ said Wayne Pederson, president of HCJB Global.

Pray: that this new initiative will lead to a unity of like minded organisations. (Jn.17:22)

More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/new.consortium.to.equip.christians.in.social.media/28842.htm

Four major British churches have criticised government proposals for a new way of measuring child poverty in the UK, which they say masks the problem. The Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Church of Scotland, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church have accused the Government’s consultation on the proposals of being "confused" and "surprisingly badly evidenced". “Child poverty is an unacceptable injustice,” said Paul Morrison, Public Issues Policy Adviser for the Methodist Church. “While we applaud the Government’s commitment to eradicating child poverty in the UK, the proposed new measure is fatally flawed. It is a confusion of targets, measures and, most disturbingly, the Government’s beliefs about what causes poverty, backed by very little solid evidence.” “As Christians we believe that we all have a duty to take responsibility for the injustices that have become embedded in the society we have built," added Marie Trubic, United Reformed Church spokesperson on public issues.

Pray: for the Government that in seeking to address the issue of child poverty, they will listen to the people who are working with the people affected by it. (Pr.1:5)

More: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/18006

Cornish speakers can now read the complete Bible - An Beybel Sans - in their chosen language. The New Testament was translated into Cornish by Prof Nicholas Williams and published in 2002. It has taken him about six years to translate all the books of the Old Testament, using a variety of versions, including Hebrew and Greek texts. An Beybel Sans is written in standard Cornish and its 10 maps also have place names in Cornish. The 69-year-old professor from London, who is considered to be one of the leading experts on Celtic languages, taught himself Cornish at the age of 15 because it seemed ‘a bit odd and a bit bizarre’. He told BBC Radio Cornwall: ‘One of the reasons we lost the language was because there was no Bible in Cornish. ‘Once you have the Bible you have created your literary heritage and I hope this book will be influential in the Cornish revival.’

Pray: for this new version of the Word of God to raise interest and reach new audiences. (Acts12:24)

More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/new.bible.for.cornish.speakers/28768.htm

The Christian Institute and other civil liberty organisations have launched a campaign to reform clause 1 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill that could catch street preachers and carol singers. Under the clause, a court can grant an Injunction to Prevent Nuisance and Annoyance (IPNA) if someone “has engaged or threatens to engage in conduct capable of causing nuisance or annoyance” to any person. IPNAs are easier to grant, and require a lower threshold of evidence than Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, known as ASBOs. In a piece for The Daily Telegraph, Philip Johnston said the new IPNAs would be deployed against “easy targets” while others “get away with terrorising their neighbourhoods. Lord Macdonald also said: “Of course political demonstrations, street performers and corner preachers may be ‘annoying’ to some but, he added, “The danger in this Bill is that it potentially empowers State interference against such activities in the face of shockingly low safeguards”.

Pray: for the concerns raised to be heeded and for Clause 1 to be amended to exclude preaching, carol singing. etc. (Gal.5:1)

More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/new-asbo-law-could-catch-carol-singers/

From 24th to 31st October 2011 Christians across the British Isles will set aside time to pray for the Nation based on the extensive network of Street Pastor projects. The focus for the week is asking God’s blessing on our nation and ‘Thy kingdom come Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven’. Praying locally for a change nationally. Asking God what he wants his church to do in their area and then involving as many people as possible from other churches and ministries to join Street Pastor groups. Participating churches are being encouraged to do as much or as little during the week as they ask God to bless our towns and nation. Churches can ask their Council if there is something they can do to help. As this falls in half-term week in many areas it will be a good opportunity to involve the children and young people in prayer events.

Pray: for many churches to catch this vision of corporate prayer for our nation. (Ps.20:4)

More: http://www.streetpastors.co.uk/WeekofPrayer/tabid/781/Default.aspx

Samaritan’s Purse UK is joining thousands of believers on their way to Wembley Stadium for the National Day of Prayer and Worship (NDOP) on September 29th, when the Christian charity will be leading prayers for some of the poorest and most vulnerable children around the world, reports Peter Wooding, Europe Bureau Chief for Assist News Service. ‘We are

really excited to be part of this historic event, where we will be highlighting the plight of some of the neediest children around the globe,’ said Samaritan’s Purse UK Executive Director Simon Barrington. On September 29th, as tens of thousands of Christians gather together at Wembley, there will be a time of prayer for the children in over 105 countries who’ll be receiving gift-filled shoeboxes through this year’s Operation Christmas Child campaign. ‘We will also praise God and celebrate all that’s been done through the 94 million shoeboxes that have been delivered to needy children through Operation Christmas Child over the past 22 years.

Pray: for the NDOP and especially for the work of Samaritan’s Purse. (Gal.2:10)

More: http://www.christiantelegraph.com/issue17393.html

Please will you pray earnestly as we enter a crucial period in the campaign to defend the true meaning of marriage? And can you encourage your church to join our National Day of Prayer for Marriage on Sunday 3 February? Any day now, we expect the Government to introduce its Bill which seeks to redefine marriage. The Government may very well go on a charm offensive, telling the media that people who believe in traditional marriage have nothing to worry about. But we know that’s not the case. European judges have recently shown that people who believe in traditional marriage can be forced out of their jobs. On Tuesday 5 Feb, we expect MPs to have the first opportunity to debate and vote on the Bill. We don’t need an outright win at this stage – so don’t worry if the Bill passes this first hurdle – but it is important that as many MPs as possible vote ‘no’.

Pray: that marriage will not be redefined, and that real marriage will be promoted in society for the good of all. (Mt.18:19-20)

More: http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/2013/01/27/please-pray-for-marriage-on-3-feb-as-campaign-reaches-crucialperiod-2/