Preparations for King Charles III’s coronation are underway. A particularly symbolic ritual took place recently in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre when the Holy Oil that will be used to anoint the new monarch was consecrated by  Jerusalem’s Patriarch and the Anglican Archbishop. It was created using olives from the Mount of Olives and the Monastery of Mary Magdalene and perfumed with essential oils including sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, and orange blossom. The Holy Oil anointing is at the centre of the most sacred part of the Coronation ceremony when the Archbishop of Canterbury pours the oil into the Coronation Spoon and anoints the sovereign on the hands, breast and head. The tradition goes back to the Old Testament (the anointing of Solomon by Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet). Anointing was one of mediaeval holy sacraments emphasising the spiritual status of the sovereign. The anointing ceremony is not expected to be shown on television, but under a canopy instead. 

The Psalms and prophetic texts proclaim that fruitfulness from the land is a clear sign of God's blessing on the people and something for which to be grateful. His withholding of crops is a sign of our sin and His displeasure. Yet, notwithstanding the rhetoric and celebration of country life, the UK still seems to fail to appreciate or grasp the value of the land entrusted to us and the harvest it yields. We remain heavily reliant on imported food, whilst some of our own farmers are ceasing to produce food as costs escalate. Growers cannot make a living, consumers cannot afford the food in the shops and, despite clear evidence from our supermarket shelves, there are still no assurances that the government is taking domestic food security seriously. Pray for an awakening to the reality of the situation, humility, and God’s wisdom and understanding, amongst policy makers, business, church leaders and retailers.

A level three cold alert was issued all over England. Heavy snow and travel disruption are expected across central and northern England, an amber warning is in place over mid and north Wales where major disruption is likely. There are warnings over the Peak District, Leeds, the Yorkshire Dales and North Pennines for 10 – 40 cm snow and blizzard conditions. People in the worst affected areas are advised to work from home. On March 7th the National Grid used two reserve coal power units to be synced into the National Grid. This wasn't the first-time reserves were ready to go, but it was the first time they were used. Pray for the National Grid and coal plants to continue preventing homes, hospitals or businesses losing heat. Pray for the safety of elderly and frail living in rural communities who could be isolated by snow drifts. Pray for drivers to pack warm clothes, snacks, a charged phone and a shovel.

PM Richard Sunak has made ‘stopping the boats’ one of his top priorities, saying, ‘Make no mistake if you come here illegally, you will not be able to stay.’ He wants Channel migrants removed from the UK, banned from future re-entry and unable to apply for British citizenship under proposed new legislation. These tactical measures will apply to anyone arriving on UK shores in a small boat. The Refugee Council has criticised the plans and says that thousands of people will be left ‘permanently in limbo’ as a result. There are many reasons for seeking asylum in the UK. One of the main reasons, recognised in the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees, is Religious Persecution. Across the world today there is considerable religious persecution, mostly targeting Christians, so it is no surprise that Christians claim asylum in the UK on that basis. See However Christian persecution rarely makes the news. 

A new campaign has been launched to encourage more people to become religious studies (RS) teachers as the number of people applying to teach RS is down by a third compared to last year. Now, parliamentarians have joined religious groups in their plea for more applicants. The new campaign, ‘Beyond the Ordinary,’ aims to draw attention to the positives of the role. In the last decade, the Department for Education has missed their annual recruitment targets for the subject nine times. Yet despite concerns about the number of teaching staff, the subject is growing in popularity. Around 30% more students are taking the subject at GCSE level, compared to a decade ago. Politicians are united in the belief that religious education is fundamental to ‘life in modern Britain,’ yet the figures are ‘deeply worrying’ and young people are ‘missing out’.

Former DUP leader Arlene Foster has expressed ‘sadness’ that the Girl Guides organisation is to omit reference to God in campfire songs enjoyed by generations of girls. Girl Guides said the tradition of singing songs could have ‘references that have been hurtful to people’ and suggested groups could make changes ‘so everyone can join in’. The original version of Brownie Bells stated ‘Oh Lord, our God; Thy children call; Grant us thy peace; And bless us all; Goodnight.’ The altered version reads ‘Time for the end; our meeting’s past; Brownies is great; time flies so fast; Goodnight.’ A Christian Institute member said, ‘The Girl Guides and Scouts should remember that their founders, Robert Baden-Powell and his sister Agnes, were motivated by their faith. Erasing our traditions does not promote inclusion or diversity. Quite the opposite. I hope they reconsider this decision.’

Linzi McLaren, who served in the Police Service of Northern Ireland for 18 years, said a dissident republican threat against relatives of Northern Ireland police could deter new recruits and was a new low that could lead to resignations. She also said that this threat will affect the very junior in service or those at the end of their career. Officers will now have to reassess their own personal security. ‘As police officers you're always very conscious of the threat towards you personally, and conscious of what has happened in the past,’ she told BBC Radio Ulster. ‘You never expect that something as personal as danger to your loved ones would be a consequence of your decision of being a police officer.’

Dame Deborah Bronnert, Britain's ambassador to Moscow, ran a gauntlet of loud-mouthed propagandists following her down the street shouting repeatedly, ‘You are not welcome here,' and ‘Britain sponsors terrorism.' She told the protesters, ‘We want peace,' and tried to continue speaking but was cut off and told repeatedly that Britain sponsored terrorism. She reiterated, ‘Russia must stop the war.’ Reports say she had no official meetings with the pro-war authorities in Vladivostok, but was hauled into their foreign ministry and forced to walk through what appeared to be stage-managed propagandists. Russia has increased rhetoric against the UK as its Ukraine invasion falters.  Western officials say the wild claims are a distraction tactic. Moscow protests are rare and quickly crushed by police - suggesting this protest had tacit support from authorities.

A general strike is causing cancellations to flight, ferry and rail services plus disruption on the roads, over plans to raise the pension age from 62 to 64. 9th March was the seventh day of walkouts since the new year with more action expected to cause further upheaval in the coming days. President Macron’s proposals to increase the number of years of work required to claim a full pension are being debated in the French senate. President Macron is severely undermined on the domestic front as his centrist grouping failed to win a majority in parliamentary elections last June amid gains for the far right and radical left. Without a majority, the government must rely on the right-wing Les Républicains to back pensions changes, but their senators and lawmakers are pressing for alterations. Macron has not met with the Unions. Several unions have called for rolling cross-sector strike action. Next strike is 11th March. See

It was International Women's Day this week to draw attention to how slavery disproportionately affects women and girls and is a huge violation of human rights. One of the many missions working to establish a world where women can know their full potential is the Nomi Network. They categorize modern slavery as bonded labour, domestic servitude, commercial sexual exploitation, and child labour. Poverty and economic marginalisation make women and girls vulnerable to exploitation. Nomi Network creates pathways to safe employment and economic stability, empowering women and girls to break cycles of slavery in their families and communities by:- Training women in life skills and technical skills. Connecting women to jobs with private sector employers and promoting fair labour standards. Creating transparent supply chains with responsible sourcing with ethically-made products. Raising public awareness of human trafficking. The organisation is named after Nomi, an 8-year-old Cambodian who was trafficked by her stepfather and suffered unthinkable abuse. Nomi Network provides a future for thousands of other women and girls like her.