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A Christian group has reached an agreement with the Law Society after its marriage conference was cancelled at the last minute. Christian Concern was due to hold a conference in May last year at the Law Society's headquarters exploring the nature and meaning of marriage, but the booking was cancelled after a member of the society complained that the conference was ‘anti-gay’. As part of a mediation process, Christian Concern and the Law Society met last week to discuss the cancellation. A joint statement released after the meeting said that both organisations ‘uphold the right and freedoms of other members of society based on the principles of a democratic society and debate’. The Law Society has announced it will organise a full debate on the issue of same sex marriage joined by a speaker from Christian Concern, and that it welcomes bookings from the Christian advocacy group in the future.
Pray: that, following the meeting between the two organisations , a meaningful open debate will allow Christian views to be discussed. (Ps.119:137)
Parents should spend less on presents because commercialisation is ruining Christmas, according to David Cameron’s top adviser on childhood, who urged families not to give in to ‘pester power’ and resist the temptation to get into debt by buying lavish gifts. Mr Bailey, who is the chief executive of Mothers’ Union, a Christian charity, warned that commercial pressures threatened to undermine the message of Christmas. ‘Parents have high levels of anxiety about presents,’ he said. ‘They feel as though they have to purchase expensive gifts because that's what all the other children have.’ He said that children should not be treated as ‘mini-consumers’ and said they would benefit in the long run from having fewer possessions. ‘This is a stressful time of the year. There's pressure to buy expensive things. Children admit they pester their parents but it's terribly sad that we end up leaving parents feeling utterly guilty after Christmas, having desperately tried to make ends meet.’
Pray: for all those for whom Christmas merely presents a financial worry rather than a simple celebration of our Lord’s birth. (Pr.14:15)
A Christian advocacy group has launched a new campaign defending the right of Christians to express their faith and beliefs in public. The former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey is among the supporters of the nationwide ‘Not Ashamed’ campaign launched by Christian Concern for our Nation. The campaign criticises the discrimination some Christians have experienced in school or the workplace as a result of being open about their beliefs. It points to the recent high profile cases of Gary McFarlane, a relationships adviser who was dismissed by Relate for refusing to counsel same-sex couples, and Shirley Chaplin, a nurse who was taken off wards after refusing to remove her crucifix. The group is asking Christians to wear the Not Ashamed logo during Advent and on December 1, which it has declared ‘Not Ashamed Day’. Lord Carey is writing a leaflet to accompany the campaign, to be delivered to every household, in which he explains why Jesus Christ is good news for all. www.notashamed.org.uk
Pray: for this campaign to be successful in empowering Christians to express themselves unashamedly. (2Pe.2:2) More:http://www.christiantoday.com/article/new.campaign.to.defend.place.of.christians.in.public.life/26765.htm
The recent judgment in the case of Owen and Eunice Johns 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. 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. You can download the petition forms here. Please forward the petition to your friends and colleagues, and download the forms to gather signatures locally. Pray:that this petition and other submissions to the Government will encourage them to review and amend recent legislation. (Isa.10:1) More:http://www.christianconcern.com/our-concerns/social/launch-of-equalities-and-conscience-petition
The strike weapon is being deployed yet again with its knock on effect to millions of the travelling public. The sick, elderly and infirm will be as badly hit as the hale and hearty. Last-ditch talks aimed at averting yet another strike by London Underground workers are under way. Leaders of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) and the Rail Maritime and Transport union are meeting, as we go to print, London Underground at the conciliation service Acas. Thousands of workers are due to walk out for 24 hours at 7pm on Sunday 3rd October in a row over 800 job cuts, which will cause travel chaos across the capital following another strike earlier in September. TSSA’s leader said: ‘We hope that the mayor, Boris Johnson, is now genuine in his wish to secure a settlement ahead of the walkout from Sunday.’ Two further strikes are planned for November if the dispute remains unresolved. Pray: for a fair resolution to all industrial disputes so that the innocent are not harmed. (Dt. 25:1) More: http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/late-attempt-to-avert-tube-strike-2093788.html
Jobs in an explicit lap-dancing club have been placed on a Government vacancies site, despite the Coalition banning such adverts from appearing three years ago. Vacancies for a Norwich-based club – which offers ‘topless to fully nude dances’ – featured on the Universal Jobmatch website last week. They included jobs for a table top dancer and an entertainment dancer, and sought candidates who were ‘very well-groomed’. The lap-dancing club says as well as offering ‘main-stage entertainment’, it also provides ‘private dances in our basement booths’, or on ‘dance beds from topless to fully nude’. It adds: ‘Some of our booths are also equipped with poles for your very own private pole dancer to perform for you.’ Labour MP Stella Creasy criticised the job adverts, telling The Independent newspaper they were ‘degrading’.
Pray: that the authorities will impose the ban on this type of advertising and deal with those responsible. (Ps.36:1)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/lap-dancing-jobs-advertised-on-govt-website-%E2%80%93-despite-ban/
Ed Miliband tells the Evening Standard today that Labour will give ‘wholehearted’ backing to gay marriage and says that churches and religious bodies should be allowed to conduct these ceremonies. At the same time Labour has let it be known to the Standard that the party is ‘highly likely’ to impose a three-line whip on the gay marriage bill, though it can’t say so for certain until it knows the wording. Same as the Lib Dems, then, but unlike the Tories, who are allowing a free vote. As Mr Miliband says, ‘I think whether you’re gay or straight, you should be able to signify your commitment, your love, with the term ‘marriage’.
Pray: for the Labour Party to allow its MPs a free vote on this important matter. (2Co.1:12)
The Methodist Central Hall in Westminster last week saw hustings where every candidate presented themselves as motivated by firm convictions. David Miliband explained, ‘I'm not a religious person but actually I'm a person of faith’ and that the Labour Party can learn from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. His brother Ed said hehad learnt ‘not a religious faith but a simple faith’ that ‘if you saw an injustice then you had to do something about it’. Andy Burnham, a Roman Catholic, emphasised the Christian origins of his politics insisting that ‘the basic tenets of the Labour Party and socialism are one and the same with those of Christianity’. Ed Balls had positive early memories of his parents' Anglican church and that his father's commitment to Labour had grown out of Christianity. Diane Abbott emphasised the values with which she had been brought up, saying ‘We could do worse than return to those values of faith, community and family’. Pray: for these candidates that they might gain a true understanding of Christian faith. (Jas.2:14)
Home-made knives were found hidden under prison prayer mats after an inmate was stabbed in a jail war. Officers discovered 13 razor-sharp weapons following a brawl between Muslim gangs. A young man was knifed in the back in what is believed to have been revenge for another stabbing at Swaleside Prison in Kent. A source said: ‘There is a battle for power going on between Muslim gangs at the prison. There could easily have been serious injuries or deaths and the level of violence is terrifying.’ The category B jail on the Isle of Sheppey holds 1,112 inmates, including a large population of Muslim prisoners. Staff have to hold two sets of Friday Prayers - at the chapel and an overflow in the Multi Faith Room where the attack took place. Glyn Travis, of the Prison Officers’ Association, said: 'This is a worrying escalation. The number of weapons recovered is unprecedented and shows a determination to cause violence.’
Pray: for the safety of all the staff and prisoners alike. Pray against violence and gang culture. (Ps.122:7)
More: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/thirteen-home-made-knives-found-hidden-2844154
The churches should act together to get the British government to act for an end to the Israeli blockade on Gaza, the Kirk Assembly has agreed. The vote came in response to an amendment to a motion at the Church of Scotland's governing body meeting in Edinburgh. The need for the Kirk's Church and Society Council to work in cooperation with the World Mission Council and UK ecumenical partners to this end was proposed by the Moderator of the General Assembly of theChurch of Scotland, the Rt Rev John Arnott. He spoke of his own direct experience in the territory of Gaza and the sufferings of its people, following Operation Cast Lead and other subsequent developments. ‘Lives are still being wasted, oppression is still happening and children are still dying,’ he declared with quiet passion.
Pray: the Kirk would engage successfully on behalf of the Church in the national, political and social issues affecting Scotland and the world today. (Jas.2:24)
More: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16668