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The Church of England has published prayers to help voters as they consider their options in the forthcoming General Election. The prayers remind voters that they can make a difference, ask that the concerns of all may be heard and seek protection from despair and cynicism. The prayers, for personal use or during church services, were specially written by the Mission and Public Affairs Division and the Communications Office in association with National Worship Development Officer the Rev Peter Moger. They are published on the web alongside details of relevant debates in the General Synod over the last five years.
Pray: that through the Holy Spirit these prayers will have the power to encourage those who use them. (Ep.6:18)
The Church of England and Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales have released new prayers ahead of the royal wedding this month. The Church of England’s prayer for Prince William and Kate Middleton is posted on its website and is also for all those ‘made one in marriage’. The prayer has been adapted from Common Worship and joins one made available earlier for schools and young children. The new prayer asks God to ‘look in favour’ on the royal couple and ‘all who are made one in marriage’. It also asks God to ‘deepen their love’ and help them to keep their vows to each other. The Catholic prayer asks for God’s blessing upon Prince William and Miss Middleton and to give them strength to serve God, the country and the Commonwealth ‘with integrity and faithfulness’. Pray: for William and Kate as they prepare to marry and for their wedding to be a positive model for many other young couples. (Jn.2:1-2)
Church planting is back on the Baptist agenda - but though more congregations are being started it's harder to reach people, as fewer know the Christian story. The results of a survey about new Baptist congregations from 2005 and the denomination's latest work were posted on the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB) website last week. The information shows the number of new churches is rising with more on their way, while a renewed focus on the subject at national level is seeking to recapture the Baptist heritage of 'radical mission, risky pioneering and planting', and fund and equip those who wish to do it. Nevertheless, for this activity to have a meaningful impact there needs to be a sustained commitment across the denomination. 'Church planting is harder now than 20 years ago as we increasingly encounter communities and individuals with little or no knowledge of the gospel and negative perceptions of the institutional church,'
Pray: for all new churches and those that are planned that they will be effective in delivering the Gospel message to more and more people. (Ac.16:5)
More: http://www.baptisttimes.co.uk/news1.htm
A co-founder of Church on the Streets in Greece Malcolm Bradshaw is working with other Christians to feed the destitute in Athens. Unemployment in Greece has spiralled in the last year, with more than half of young people out of work. The things that were once considered basics are now luxuries, says the Rev Jimoh Adebayo. He and his church are helping to run a soup kitchen in central Athens that is feeding around 700 people each day. Church on the Street was set up four years ago to assist destitute migrants but after the country plunged into economic crisis, more and more Greeks are lining up for the free lunch. Malcolm Bradshaw, of the Anglican Church in Greece, a co-founder of the project, estimates that around a third of the recipients are Greek. ‘The situation is very dire,’ says Rev Jimoh, who pastors Faith Apostolos Ministries, a Pentecostal church in Athens.
Pray: for the Church as it reaches out into the community to help those in need. (2Cor.9:12)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/church.on.the.streets.in.greece/31303.htm
The life of the Church of Scotland is to be celebrated with a special outdoor event in Princes Street Gardens in May. Roll Away The Stone will showcase the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens, in front of the iconic castle. The Church's work will be brought to life in a variety of ways, including through worship, entertainment, stalls, music, drama, storytelling, puppets, juggling, drumming and crafts. Co-organiser Rev Dr George Whyte, Deputy Principal Clerk of the Church of Scotland, said up to 4,000 visitors are expected to take part in the free festival on May 22, during the Church's General Assembly week. Dr Whyte said ‘We are there to publicly celebrate the life of the Church of Scotland. It’s for those who know nothing about the Church and those who are deeply involved. We are encouraging anyone in the broader church family within a reasonable travelling distance to come to Edinburgh on the day.’ Pray: for spiritual protection for those staging this event and for its success in reaching out to people. (Ps.145:7)
A former Church of Scotland Moderator is leading the charge for better rights and safer working conditions for Bangladeshi garment workers in the run up to Christmas and the winter sales. The Church of Scotland and an alliance of British churches and other agencies have united to help end the many injustices faced by the garment workers. The Very Rev John Christie in his year as Moderator of the General Assembly of The Church of Scotland was deeply affected by the plight of garment workers and the injustices they face daily during a visit to Bangladesh. Mr Christie has put his weight behind the campaign, the aim of which is to mobilise church members and others in the United Kingdom, America and Canada to lobby retailers and politicians to improve wages, safety and working conditions for Bangladeshi garment workers.
Pray: for the success of this campaign and that it will help to bring better working conditions for Bangladeshi garment workers. (Pro.29:4)
The Church of England has launched a major offensive against bonus culture in the City pledging to use its own multi-billion investments to attempt to block what it sees as excessive payouts. In an overhaul of its own investment policy announced Wednesday, the Church - which controls more than £8 billion of assets - announced it will attempt to vote down any bonus worth more than an executive’s basic salary. It issued an outspoken attack on what it called a ‘culture of entitlement and greed’ among the highest paid as it set out a list of demands which it will seek to implement in companies in which it owns shareholdings in the coming AGM season. Although, on its own, it is unlikely to revolutionise the City, the Church hopes that its stance – backed up by its financial presence – could start a ‘domino effect’ among disgruntled investors.
Pray: that the stance taken by the Church will have the desired effect across the financial world. (Is.57:17)
Religious leaders within the Church of England believe there is a real crisis when it comes to the future of the church, saying it will be dead in the next 20 years. The Rev Patrick Richmond, a Synod member from Norwich, warned the national assembly last week that the Church of England is entering into a ‘perfect storm’ with an overabundance of elderly members. Rev Richmond basically believes the Church of England as a whole is ‘dying off’ because of the number of senior citizens attending church in comparison to younger members. However, records from the Archbishops' Council's Research and Statistics Unit tell a different story. Updated records show that more than 36 per-cent of those who worship within the Church of England are under the age of 45. New statistics show that weekly services in cathedrals in 2011 is at 1.7 million people each month, a level that has been maintained since the turn of the millennium.
Pray: that the Church will rise from the ashes and soar like an eagle to glorify the Lord. (Is.40:31)
More: http://www.christianpost.com/news/records-show-church-of-england-will-not-be-dead-in-20-years-52454/
The Church of England has expressed concern that the BBC's controversial strategic review could lead to less religious programming. In its submission to the BBC Trust on director general Mark Thompson's strategy review, the Church of England said plans to refocus programme output must not mean giving up on content that appeals to smaller audiences, including religious output. The Church of England also had concerns that the BBC's online plans to cut half of the web pages it publishes might affect religious output. The church was ‘particularly concerned’ about online religion and ethics content provided by BBC Regions that it believed was under threat. The church is also concerned with making sure there is ‘appropriate resource’ set aside to ‘ensure high-quality provision of content that reflects and explores religion’. The church, at its general synod in February, reiterated a ‘deep concern’ about the overall reduction in religious broadcasting on British TV.
Pray: for the protection of religious content as the BBC seeks to make changes to the content it provides. (Pr.31:8)
More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/may/12/bbc-church-of-england
The Church of England risks a ticking “time bomb” if it does not take urgent action to prevent further incidents of child abuse, a report has warned. A single new case of abuse will immediately expose any weakness in the system if corners are cut when implementing the best professional standards, it said. Investigators looking into child protection policies following abuse scandals in the Chichester diocese found that safeguarding of children and other vulnerable people had fallen “woefully short” of what should be expected. They said the church should not be daunted by the difficulties ahead and that positive action was essential. The report, which was ordered by Dr Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, said it was “inevitable” that there were victims of abusing clergy in Chichester who had not yet come forward and that, however difficult it may be, church leaders should do all they could to encourage those people to do so.
Pray: for courage and determination for the church to 'get its house in order' on this matter. . (Eph.4:15-19)
More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10036297/Church-of-England-urged-to-take-urgent-action-on-child-abuse.html