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There are over 450 Service Chaplains both full and part time attached to ships, units and stations, at home and abroad, ministering to Service personnel and their families. Some deploy to operational theatres such as Afghanistan and other areas of the world, others remain based at home. They spend time with service personnel and their families wherever they may be. They all offer spiritual and moral support and guidance, they live in the same conditions and share the same dangers and stress as all service personnel. They visit the sick, injured and bereaved and spend time with those who may have been involved in a variety of traumas. The demands on the Chaplains continues to increase and yet at the forefront of the ministry is prayer and worship.
Pray: for Chaplains in what can be a demanding and increasingly busy and challenging role. For spiritual wisdom, guidance, the right words, encouragement and that the Holy Spirit would continue to refresh and replenish them. For civilian clergy to offer themselves for ministry in the Royal Navy, Army or Royal Airforce. (Col.4:2-6)
150 years ago the Methodist Church purchased land in the garrison town of Aldershot to provide a place of worship for the men stationed in the camp. The Methodist Conference has celebrated 150 years of this ministry, which has provided support to military personnel and their families throughout more than 15 conflicts, from British colonial rule in South Asia to the ongoing war in Afghanistan. Revd Stephen Hancock, an army chaplain from Abingdon, said; ‘From the centurion at the Cross to chaplains serving today in the UK or overseas – Navy, Army and Air Force – little seems to have changed. People still need to experience the love of God in places where war is the norm. It is not always pleasant, not always fun, not always rewarding, but it is part of the Great Commission to ‘go’ and we few who serve today press on in the hope that we can direct people to the Son of God.’ Pray: for all chaplains working in places of war that they will be safe and that they may hold the Gospel message as a light in a dark place. (Jn.12:46) More: http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=449
Three couples, including a gay couple, will have sex in a box in front of a studio audience as part of a new Channel 4 series. But the broadcaster has been accused of grabbing ratings under a cover of trying to counteract the ‘explosion of online pornography’ During the programme, to be aired on 7 October, volunteer couples will be interviewed by presenter Mariella Frostrup after they have had sex in a sound-proofed and opaque cube. Comedian Bridget Christie highlighted that showing more sex ‘isn’t necessarily the answer’ to the problem of pornography. She said: ‘How to boost your ratings while pretending to help society? Fight sex with sex!’ And relationships expert Donna Dawson said in a BBC Radio 5 Live interview that this is an ‘extremely unnatural’ situation, and is being shown simply to excite viewers.
Pray: that this show will not over glorify sex as so many Channel 4 shows do. (1Th.4:3)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/channel-4-to-feature-couples-having-sex-in-a-box/
The Church of Scotland announced major plans on how it aims to grapple with the changing face of ministry in Scotland. Reports of the Ministries Council and Panel on Review and Reform, to be considered by commissioners at the General Assembly, affirm that the Church must restructure now if it is going to grow in the future, particularly with the current financial climate. In 2010 the Ministries Council is budgeting for a deficit of £5.7 million – an ‘unsustainable’ situation. Since ministries receive 87 per cent of ministry and mission funds from congregations, the budgeting deficit poses a problem for the whole Church and not just the Council. The reports warn that if a balanced budget is not achieved in the next few years the Council’s resources would be exhausted and unable to sustain ministry across the country.
Pray: for God’s guidance for the Church of Scotland so that any reforms may help the Church better to meet the needs of the people of Scotland. (Pr.1:5)
Roman Catholics have a new leader, and the wider world has a new ministry to watch. The direction the new Pope takes his flock is important for committed Catholics. The pope wields vast influence as the world’s most powerful moral leader and the public face of Christianity. The Orthodox Union lauded Pope Francis for his solidarity with the Argentine Jewish community and expressed hope that the Pope ‘will be an active force in the battle against those who would use religion as a justification for violence and intolerance.’ New Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby was formally installed two days after Francis’ official installation on March 19th and said he will keep his Catholic counterpart in prayer.
Pray: for these two men as they take up the most visible Christian leadership roles. (Nu.6:23-25)
More: http://www.religionnews.com/2013/03/14/non-catholics-greet-pope-francis-with-guarded-optimism
Faithworks’ founder Steve Chalke is calling upon the next Prime Minister to acknowledge the indispensible contribution to the economy made by the Christian voluntary sector. Chalke said that such recognition from the incoming Prime Minister would be a vote of confidence that would drive Christians to serve their local communities even more. ‘The Christian contribution to society is hugely significant,’ he said. ‘Local churches contribute millions to regional economies across the country and if Westminster more openly acknowledged this, the encouragement it would bring to the unsung army of volunteers and paid staff in churches and other Christian groups would release a tsunami of care which would help compensate for the inevitable forthcoming public spending cuts.’ According to the group, an estimated 370,000 Christian volunteers contribute services to the value of around £486 million each year in England alone, donating around 65 million hours of their time.
Pray: for recognition and encouragement of the Christian voluntary sector by the incoming government. (Is.61:9)
There has been a drop in the number of people in Britain identifying themselves as Christians, according to new data released from the 2011 Census. The statistics reveal that the number of Christians has fallen from 37 million to 33 million since 2001. Christians now make up 59% of the population, as opposed to 72% in 2001. The number of Muslims has risen from 1.5 million to 2.7 million - or 5% of the population - while the number of people describing themselves as having no religion rose by 10% to 25% of the population. Obviously the fall in those choosing to identify themselves as Christians is a challenge. Knowsley had the highest percentage of Christians, while Norwich registered the highest number of people with ‘no religion’. Newham, Haringey, Brent, Boston and Lambeth all showed increases in the number of Christians. There has also been a fall in the number of people who are married, from 50.9% in 2001 to 46.6% - or 21.1 million - today.
Pray: for the Church to take up the challenge by raising God’s standard across the nation in all areas where we have influence. (1Sam.2:9)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/census.reveals.fall.in.number.of.christians/31225.htm
Two Roman Catholic nurses have won the right not to work in an abortion clinic after they accused the NHS of breaching equality laws. The case is believed to be the first in which the Equality Act has been used successfully to defend a ‘pro-life’ position as a philosophical belief and could have implications for other Christian medical staff. The nurses were moved from their normal nursing duties at a London hospital to work once a week at an abortion clinic. When the nurses discovered that they were participating in abortions they objected but were told by managers that they must continue with the work. One hospital manager allegedly told the pair: ‘What would happen if we allowed all the Christian nurses to refuse?’ The case marks a rare example of equality laws being used to protect the rights of Christians. Previously judges have been criticised for interpreting equality and human rights legislation in ways that allegedly ‘marginalise’ religious beliefs.
Pray: that this is a turning point and that the Equality act will, in future, protect the rights of Christians. (Dt.12:28)
The head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales is to call upon churchgoers to take a stand against the Government’s plans to legalise gay marriage. Archbishop Vincent Nichols has outlined his opposition in a pastoral letter to be read out during mass this Sunday. It warns that the proposal ‘threatens the true meaning of a sacred union’ and signals a ‘profoundly radical step’ that will strip marriage of its ‘distinctive nature’. The letter is co-signed by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Southwark, the Most Rev Peter Smith. It argues that marriage as a union between a man and a woman should remain the ‘foundation of our society’. The head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, was more scathing in his attack on the Government’s plans at the weekend. He said it was clear that the proposal was ‘not
about rights but rather is an attempt to redefine marriage at the behest of a small minority of activists’. See ‘Coalition for Marriage’ petition http://c4m.org.uk/ and last week’s Prayer Alert.
Pray: that this pastoral letter will challenge its church members to take a stand and pray that the wider church will also take up the challenge. (Heb.13:4)
The Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has launched its first outreach campaign to get people back into church, with its lapsed membership thought to number as many as five million. It started at the weekend in York with Crossing the Threshold, a national tour of talks and workshops to help clergy and parishioners re-evangelise friends and family. Around a million people regularly attend mass on Sundays, but church leaders say there are many more who are baptised but do not go. Kieran Conry, Bishop of Arundel and Brighton, said ‘There are probably people out there who would like to come back but don't know how to go about it. There is a fear of standing out, of doing the wrong thing.’ Churches could be intimidating places, said Conry, and it was important for those taking part to offer a personal invitation to lapsed Catholics to return. The tour will also take in Birmingham, Crawley and Cardiff.
Pray: for all those who have drifted away from church of any denomination that they may once again find fellowship there. (Mal.3:6)
More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/13/catholic-church-reevangelise-campaign