Schools block Gideons offering Bibles
18 Apr 2011
Two schools in Staffordshire have been accused of trying to ‘silence Christianity’ by banning the Gideons from offering children a free Bible. Despite thousands of schools welcoming the respected group each year, Abbot Beyne School and Paget High School claimed the offer of a Bible was inappropriate. Critics say the schools are being overly sensitive and questioned whether they may be pushing an agnostic agenda. Each year the Gideons offer copies of the New Testament and Psalms to children in thousands of British secondary schools. The Bible Society’s Canon Dr Ann Holt said: ‘I have never met a single person of another faith in this country who objected to distribution of Bibles and the robust teaching of Christian Faith. They expect it. Such actions tend to come from white agnostics with an agenda of their own, or from people who really do not know how to manage the co-existence of a number of faiths.’ Pray: for a change of heart from the school leaders at these schools. (2Sa.22:31) More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/two-schools-block-gideons-offering-bibles/
A school receptionist, Jennie Cain, who sued her employers for religious discrimination after a row over her Christian faith has reached an out-of-court settlement. Mrs Cain, who was suspended for nearly four months last year before receiving a written warning, lodged a complaint with Exeter employment tribunal. The case was due to be heard at the end of last month, but the school council and Mrs Cain came to a financial agreement on Tuesday. They said all parties ‘jointly acknowledge that all faiths, including Christianity, must be treated equally and with sensitivity while also recognising the freedom of ‘individuals to hold, talk and write about their beliefs. My family and I look forward to getting on with our lives and putting this matter behind us’. She has decided to resign from the school.
Pray: for Jennie as she tries to return to normal life after this difficult time and having resigned her post. (Eze.37:14)
School children encouraged to 'go for it'
08 Aug 2013Hundreds of primary school children breaking up for the summer were encouraged to ‘go for it’ in life and look after others. A special service at Llandaff Cathedral before the start of the school holidays was led by the Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, and the Assistant Bishop of Llandaff, David Wilbourne. The service was attended by year 6 pupils from 21 Church in Wales primary schools across the Diocese of Llandaff who will be starting their secondary schools in September. They were joined by their parish priests who are regular visitors at the school, helping out in lessons and with services and assemblies. Bishop Wilbourne said ‘So in life, go for it. Be bothered, go for every opportunity you are handed and wherever you arrive, make sure you share and look after others.’ After the service, the pupils were each handed a bookmark as a symbol of the diocese's love and care for them.
Pray: for all year 6 pupils around the country who have left their primary schools and will be starting their secondary education in a few weeks time. (Heb.12:1)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/school.children.encouraged.to.try.their.best/33284.htm
Governments need to spark a lightweight revolution in the way things are made so the world can keep up with the demand for resources, say scientists. They say homes will have to be built with less cement; cars with less steel; and gadgets with less plastic. And it will need to be done in a way that radically cuts emissions from producing the materials, they add. These are among the conclusions presented in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. The journal tackle the dual problem created by the increased demand for goods as people grow richer and population increase, coupled with the threat of climate change. It warns that unless demand for materials from UK primary industry is reduced, Britain will need the equivalent of a four-fold increase in nuclear power or a 40-fold increase in wind power to meet its target of a 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050 from pre-industrial levels.
Pray: that we will manage the resources provided by God is a responsible way. (Gen.1:28)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21203336
Volunteers from Samaritans are hoping to reduce the numbers of suicides on Welsh railways by visiting stations to raise awareness of help available. The charity says the number of suicides in general is rising, with anecdotal evidence that people are concerned about jobs and benefit changes. Leaflets will be given to passengers at south Wales stations to encourage them to call the charity if they need help. On average, one person a day tries to take their life on the UK's railways. The volunteers from Samaritans' Cardiff branch - which also covers the south Wales valleys - decided to "reach out to the community" because they said they were getting more calls for help. It is part of a wider national campaign being run by the charity and Network Rail, launched in 2010, to reduce suicide on the UK's railways by 20% in five years.
Pray: for the Samaritans, their work and the people they help. (Ps.51:12)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-23641945
The head of Sainsbury’s has stepped into the row over Sunday trading with a warning to ministers not to extend opening hours all year round. Justin King, the group’s chief executive, said the restrictions on opening hours — suspended during the Olympics and Paralympics — were ‘a great British compromise’ and should not be abandoned. In a second attack, the Church of England teamed up with a union and a shopkeepers’ group to call for curbs on opening hours to remain in place. The interventions come as some Conservative ministers seek to scrap the law that restricts big stores to six hours’ trading on Sundays, in a measure aimed at boosting economic growth. Mr King says the regime has ‘great merit’ for both shoppers and workers. ‘Maintaining Sunday’s special status has great merit for our customers and our colleagues, and relaxing Sunday trading laws is certainly not a magic answer to economic regeneration.’
Pray: for any move to further extend the Sunday trading hours will be firmly rejected by government. (Ex.20:8)
Safeguard Children
20 Jun 2013This article is not an advertisement for the Sunday Times Campaign to Safeguard Children, however the initiative needs our prayers to protect it as it gains momentum across the nation. The grim statistics of Child pornography are 36% of the internet is pornography; 1 in 4 search queries is about porn; A third of all downloads are porn; Online porn makes $3,000 a second; Latest child victim is 16 year old Charlie Booth who shot himself after receiving a police warning for sexting a girl. Following on from their Symposium last week, The Sunday Times launched a campaign to safeguard children from online pornography. This is intended to increase public pressure on the Government as it goes into talks with the search engines and Internet Service Providers (ISP's): there was a Summit hosted by the Culture Secretary Maria Miller Tuesday during the G8 summit.
Pray: that the Sunday Times campaign will achieve all it has set out to do, pray also for the Culture Secretary Rt.Hon Maria Miller as she speaks out on this issue. (Ps12:6-8)
More: http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/2013/06/19/safermedia-campaign-to-safeguard-children/
Sacked for being white and Christian
05 Jan 2012A Christian couple are taking their employers to an employment tribunal claiming racial and religious discrimination and unfair dismissal. Professor Malory Nye said he was dismissed from the Al-Maktoum College of Higher Education in Dundee because he is white and Christian and seen by superiors as a threat to its core Muslim values. The college states its aim is to promote multiculturalism. Mr Malory said he was dismissed so he could be replaced by a Muslim. His wife Isabel alleges she was forced from her position as head of the English language centre because she attracted too many students who were not Muslims or Arabs. The independent college’s patron is the Deputy Ruler of Dubai. The couple were removed from the college grounds in June and not allowed to return. They were dismissed in November despite no evidence of any wrongdoing. Employment tribunal proceedings are expected.
Pray: for the professor and his wife to have wise legal advisers, and for justice to prevail throughout this case. (Ps.82:3)