The Dail, (the Irish Parliament), is expected to conduct the first of a series of votes on the controversial issue of abortion in the coming days. If passed, the new legislation will allow abortion in Ireland in limited circumstances. Until now, abortion has been banned in the Republic, a traditionally Catholic country. But figures suggest at least 11 women leave every day for an abortion in Britain. BBC NI Dublin correspondent Shane Harrison reports on current Church-State relations in Ireland. There was a time when the Irish state and the Catholic Church had a very cosy relationship. But the revelations of child sex abuse by priests and its cover-up by bishops who were more worried about the Church's reputation than the plight of the victims, changed all that. Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Enda Kenny told the House: ‘I am proud to stand here as a public representative, as a Taoiseach who happens to be a Catholic, but not a Catholic Taoiseach.’
Pray: for the Taoiseach as they vote on this issue that they will be guided to make the right decision. (Ps.48:14)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23061276
Abortion follows in the wake of contraception
17 Jan 2011There have been two important stories in recent days linking abortion and contraception. Firstly, among British women hundreds of women have become pregnant after a long-term contraceptive implant failed and subsequently went on to have abortions. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1344132/Contraceptive-implant-alert-Hundreds-women-pregnant-birth-control-fails.html?printingPage=true Secondly, a study of women in Spain has found that abortion rates and contraception rates rose in parallel between 1997 and 2007. Both stories need to be examined closely regarding the data used and the individual circumstances involved, but both stories provide evidence of the close association between contraception and abortion. The provision of contraception not only fails to prevent unplanned pregnancies but results in unborn children being victimised, to death as the unwelcome consequences of so-called contraceptive failure.
Pray: that abortion trends will not continue to grow as contraception failure increases. (Ps.139:15-16)
More: http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/2011/01/05/abortion-follows-in-the-wake-of-contraception/
Perhaps the Queen had an inkling of how bad things were when she used her historic speech to Parliament last month to call on the nation to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee by being a good neighbour. It turns out 13 million of us (or 26 per cent) don’t know the name of the person who lives next door, 22 per cent don’t know what they do for a living, 7 per cent have absolutely no idea who they are and 3 per cent feel threatened by them, according to new research by FindaProperty.com. But the days of borrowing a cup of sugar might not be completely behind us, as the survey reveals that a fifth of us (or 19 per cent) say they would actually like to have a better relationship with their neighbours. Knowing the person next door can improve security and quality of life. We all want to feel safe and comfortable in our homes and the strength of our relationships with the people who live nearby affect this.
Pray: for neighbours to get to know each other and to be willing to reach out the hand of friendship. (Matt.7:12)
More: http://blog.zoopla.co.uk/2012/04/10/neighbour-dont-know-name/
A prayer for Pentecost
16 May 2013The National Day of Prayer and Worship (NDOPW) is encouraging Christians to pray for the world this Pentecost. NDOPW has written a special prayer that Christians can use: See: http://www.ndopw.com/content/pages/documents/1368179709.pdf Jonathan Oloyede, NDOPW convener, said: 'I believe strongly that this Pentecost Sunday must demonstrate even more than ever before the current move of God in our land. Let us celebrate the growing unity and increasing levels of prayer and collaboration amongst many groups and organisations. The NDOPW is encouraging Christians to pause at 12 noon each day o say the Lord's Prayer over the land. Christians are also being invited to share what God is saying to them via Twitter using the hashtag #pentecost13 It is our vision to see the British Isles and Ireland saturated with prayer so that God's Glory may fill the land. Join us in this quest to see the hand of God show up in these Isles as we unite in prayer.’
Pray: together with the many thousands of Christians across the world praying for the nations. (2Chr.7:14)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/a.prayer.for.pentecost/32478.htm#
A fifth of Britons dreading the New Year
05 Jan 2012The results of a Salvation Army survey suggest it may not be such a happy New Year for some Brits after all. A Populus survey of more than 2,000 adults for the charity found that 15% of people, particularly younger respondents and divorcees, feel less able to cope with problems over Christmas. Seventy-five per cent of respondents said they planned to spend Christmas with family, although nearly a third of 18 to 24-year-olds (30%) said they would like to spend Christmas with friends. The results of the survey suggest, however, that after the Christmas decorations have been packed away for another year, some people will struggle to find something to cheer about. A fifth of respondents said they were dreading the New Year. When asked why, 11% cited money worries, 7% loneliness, and 12% concerns about the future in general.
Pray: that those who struggle with worries, loneliness and concerns about the future will find their hope in Christ. (Ro.15:13)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/a.fifth.of.britons.dreading.the.new.year/29076.htm
The Service of Thanksgiving and Celebration held at York Minster last week was a special service to celebrate 200 years of Church schools led by the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu . The Christian Churches were the first to provide mass education in England and Wales, and the National Society was established to provide schools for poor children. These schools were to teach basic skills and also to provide for the moral and spiritual welfare of the children. There are now over 4,600 Church of England primary schools and more than 220 secondary schools in England and Wales educating approximately 1 million children. The Society also became the first organization to train teachers. The Revd Jan Ainsworth, General Secretary of the National Society said ‘Education for children in this country should also allow them to understand something of what the Christian faith offers and to use that as they find their own way through life.’ Pray: for Church schools, their staff and children; also for the National Society. (Ex.18:20)
Andrew Johnston, Christian Solidarity Worldwide's advocacy director is cycling the length of Britain to raise money for Christians in Egypt. Andrew set off from John O' Groats on Sunday and will be working his way 888 miles south to Land's End where he hopes to arrive by August 31st. Funds raised will go towards the ‘No Way Out’ campaign supporting the church in Egypt. He will pass Manchester on Friday before stopping over at the Greenbelt Festival at the Cheltenham Racecourse this weekend. For decades Christians in Egypt have faced discrimination and violence, he hopes to raise £1,000 to support Egyptian Christians through prayer, solidarity and action. Over 15,000 people have already supported the campaign by signing a petition urging the UK and US Governments and the European Union to do what they can to bring an end to religiously-motivated violence. According to CSW there have been at least 20 attacks on religious minorities since the January revolution.
Pray: for Andrew's stamina and protection and for minorities to be treated equally in the new Egypt. (Pr.29:14)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/888mile.cycle.to.raise.money.for.egyptian.christians/28480.htm
One in three people could not pay their rent or mortgage for more than a month if they lost their job, new figures from the housing and homelessness charity Shelter have revealed. The research reveals families with children are in the most precarious situation: 43 per cent could not pay for their home for more than a month, and nearly a quarter (23 per cent) could not meet their payments at all. Campbell Robb, Chief Executive of Shelter said: "These figures paint an alarming picture of a nation where the buffer between having a home and potentially becoming homeless is a single paycheque. "Millions are living on the edge of a crisis, only secure in their homes for a matter of weeks. At the same time, support for people who have lost their homes is being stripped away - it’s easy to see why every fifteen minutes, another family in England finds themselves homeless."
Pray: for a more robust economy that allows for greater security in the tenure of homes.. (Lev.25:35)
More: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/18305