Displaying items by tag: United Kingdom

London City Mission said they love London and are privileged to be working among the rich mixture of ages, cultures and languages sharing the good news of Jesus and the love of God with Londoners. The realities and needs of London are - 34% of people are born outside the UK. 112 homeless people died in 2017. 51% of children live in households below 'Minimum Income Standard’. Across the UK most church outreach events are based around friendship evangelism, so if people have Christian friends they are more likely to have opportunities to hear the gospel than those without Christian friends. People recently arrived in the UK from a country that is closed to the gospel or those with few educational qualifications are much less likely ever to set foot inside a church or even the home of a believer.

More than 15,000 cannabis plants with a street value of £4million were found at an industrial unit in North Lincolnshire. The operation was so big that four former Tesco home delivery vans were used to distribute drugs to cannabis dealers across Scunthorpe, Grimsby, Doncaster and large parts of Lincolnshire and from the factory in Scunthorpe. Five Vietnamese men, who are the suspected growers, were found inside. It is believed they were illegally trafficked to look after the farm. Three of the men were caught. Another two fled the scene and are being hunted by police. The estate where the farm was found was being used by a mixture of major distribution and manufacturing companies and small car repair and business units.

Ralph Findlay was moved by God to offer a lifeline to some of the UK’s most vulnerable men and created the Christian charity called ‘BLAST Foundation’ to offer inmates and ex-offenders vital training and support, to help free them from the vicious cycles that can result in a lifetime behind bars. As BLAST nears its tenth birthday, a milestone has been marked by a growing awareness of the insufficient assistance available to former prisoners, as well as much-welcomed success stories of lives turned around. They are slashing reoffending rates by building relationships in prison, out through the prison gate and on into the community. Pray for more Christians to support the rehabilitation of prisoners through prayer, volunteering, mentoring and giving.

Christ Apostolic Church in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent's monthly late-night worship meetings start at 11pm and finish in the early hours. Their worship on 2 August finished at 4am the next day. Residents, in their pyjamas, went to the church in the middle of the night to object to 'unacceptable' noise levels but their pleas were ignored. One resident said, ‘It woke up half of Hamil Road and could be heard at Stanfield. A lot of people couldn't get back to sleep, especially the elderly. A couple of us went over to ask if they could please lower the music and close the door and the reply was 'no, we have a licence so we will carry on. At 6:25 am the last person left the building. I have no problem with religion but there is a time and place to worship. I'm sure God would not want us to go without sleep.’ Pastor Amos Nuga said he was aware of complaints and would cooperate with the council.

Up and down the country there are Christian festivals and conferences over the summer holiday season tailor-made for families, youth, bible study and worship in a variety of uplifting styles; all are united in the belief and declaration that Jesus Christ is Lord. We can pray for the army of volunteer helpers to have an abundance of energy as they serve their brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray for the worship groups to be powerfully anointed, entering the throne room of heaven and taking thousands with them, all worshipping in spirit and truth with fresh expressions of adoration and declaration. Pray for God to protect and inspire the teachers as they share what God has been showing them in their preparations for the event. May all those travelling to and from venues have safe journeys and be powerfully blessed and refreshed while there. The ‘More’ link mentions a few of the many dozens of festivals and conferences.

Last week we prayed for God to direct the UK’s defence ministry and the Royal Navy as they organise safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, either individually or in groups. This week the foreign secretary Dominic Raab announced, ‘The Royal Navy will join a US-led taskforce to protect merchant ships travelling in the Gulf.’ The decision goes against plans laid out by his predecessor, Jeremy Hunt, for a European-led mission in the area which was not favoured by some European countries invited to participate. The US/UK move comes amid growing tensions between the two western powers and Iran over the shipping route in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Bank of England's quarterly inflation report predicted modest growth in the coming months amid uncertainty over future relationships with Europe, global trade tensions, and worldwide growth slowdown since 2017. Economists are saying, ‘The bank has pulled into a lay-by, got out of the car, and is awaiting clearer indications of influences it cannot control’. Let us pray to the God who controls our destiny; Deuteronomy 28:12 says, ‘The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.’ On 1 November, may the UK enter a fruitful season of trade that is blessed by God and aligned to His purposes. Let us ask God to bless businesses with an inspired workforce who embrace opportunities with heaven’s wisdom, so that commerce and industry grow.

Heavy rain in northern England has left people stranded and blocked roads and railway lines. Firefighters rescued 22 people from flooded properties in Cheshire and Greater Manchester after days of heavy rain - 19mm of rain fell in eight hours. Rivers have burst their banks and ambulances have been taking injured to hospital. One firefighter, rescuing a child, had to be rescued himself from fast-flowing water. That rescue was described as ‘difficult, involving acts of bravery’. Pray for residents and shop-owners when flood waters subside, leaving buildings full of mud and silt, with possessions ruined. Pray for those who have been evacuated twice in three years, having newly replaced items ruined for a second time. Pray for those who were homeless for almost a year last time, now facing the same trauma.

Supported by Humanists UK, atheist parents Lee and Lizanne Harris want a judicial review by the High Court into ‘harmful and divisive’ Christian messages taught in Burford Primary School assemblies. They say their children's human rights are breached because the school isn't offering any alternatives when the children are removed from assemblies. The children go into a separate room with a teaching assistant and an iPad. The school is not a faith school, and the parents enrolled their children there believing it would have no religious character. They said, ‘Our children shouldn't have to participate in Christian prayers, or watch biblical scenes such as the crucifixion being acted out, nor should they hear evangelical preachers spouting harmful and divisive messages.’ Humanists UK want an overhaul of the laws surrounding school assemblies. Currently schools must have a daily act of broadly Christian worship.

A community of Benedictine nuns is under threat. Developers are seeking permission for a housing estate of 65 homes next to their secluded ancient abbey, where they live simply, with an emphasis on silent and isolated worship. The community provides residential retreats and heritage open days for schools in the historic park and gardens. The nuns are being asked to tolerate an enormous building site alongside the abbey building with its historic park and garden. Revd David Green said the order of around 10 to 15 nuns, whose ages range from 35 to 95, required a quiet environment for worship: ‘The side of the abbey grounds nearest the development houses the nuns’ personal accommodation, cloisters, chapel and burial ground.’ Pray for the public inquiry starting on 20 August to have empathy with the abbey and community.