Displaying items by tag: United Kingdom

Liz Truss has told Israel’s prime minister, Yair Lapid, she is considering moving Britain’s embassy to Jerusalem. Downing Street said the PM reaffirmed her leadership campaign pledge ‘about her review of the current location of the British embassy in Israel.’ The two met in New York during their visit to the UN General Assembly. Lapid tweeted praise to Truss for considering the move, adding, ‘We will continue to strengthen the partnership between the countries’. 2023 will mark 75 years since the re-establishment of the state of Israel. The recent announcement by the PM could signal a shift in the UK’s foreign policy towards Israel. Britain has embassies in all countries’ capitals except Israel’s. There is a consulate in Jerusalem, but only for Palestinians and not Israelis.

Her Majesty wanted to communicate love and hope through the hymns and Bible verses she chose for her funeral. Every word and song had been planned by Queen Elizabeth before her death. The ceremony resonated with the many millions around the world who watched and heard it. Ruth Bushyager, Bishop of Horsham, said, ‘Our late Queen knew what she was doing when she chose the Bible readings for her funeral. An evangelist to the nation. Thank you, Ma’am.’ Telegraph columnist Tim Stanley remarked, ‘In an age of atheism and suppression of faith, perhaps the largest TV audience in history went to an unafraid statement of Christian belief. The Queen’s gift.’ The Archbishop of Canterbury’s six-minute sermon quickly became evangelistic. ‘Christian hope means certain expectation of something not yet seen. Christ rose from the dead and offers life to all, abundant life now and life with God in eternity. We will all face the merciful judgement of God: we can all share the Queen’s hope which in life and death inspired her servant leadership.’

Father, we ask You to give the King knowledge of Your ways; may Your Spirit guide all his decisions. May he rule with righteousness and justice. In his days may the United Kingdom flourish and peace abound. May he lead with a servant's heart and humility. And should his tasks and agendas appear to be overwhelming, Father, give him strength from heaven so that the role of leadership never tires him. May he not rely on himself but rely on You. Your Word reminds us that we can do all things through You who strengthens us. Therefore, Lord, we pray that King Charles will freely trust and lean on You. May he realise that You see things better than he ever will, and that he can do all things through Christ. Father, please help him to uphold our laws and rule with compassion and understanding in every situation.

The High Court has been told that Christian Concern was blocked from holding a conference at Fitzwilliam College Cambridge because its values were ‘not compatible with the values of the college’. Christian Concern has accused the college of refusing permission because it believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman, and has alleged discrimination, which the college denies. The case arose after a Christian Concern representative tried to book conference facilities for 100 people on behalf of Wilberforce Academy - an initiative for young, professional Christians. Andrea Williams commented, ‘Anyone who knows what we teach and stand for can see that our “general beliefs” are simply Christianity. The widespread silence of the Church on moral issues for decades has allowed activists to paint mainstream Christian beliefs as beyond the pale. We must return to speaking the truth with courage and rebuild Christian institutions - exactly what we do each year through the Wilberforce Academy.’

After a cricket match between India and Pakistan on 28 August, aggressive crowds chanted hate slogans and began fighting in Leicester in what has since become weeks of violence. By 18 September Hindu-Muslim disorder had escalated, with violent acts against places of worship and people of faith. Many say the increasing influence of Indian politics (the BJP) and underlying social-economic tensions are being intensified by radical groups. On 20 September 47 people were arrested after masked men protested outside a Hindu temple. Riot police with helmets and shields attempted to move them on as protesters threw firecrackers and bottles. Amos Noronha, 20, was jailed for ten months for possession of an offensive weapon in connection with the violence. People are frightened to leave home; some factory workers have downed tools to go home and protect their families. Some are fearful of neighbours they’ve grown up with. See also

Scotland has been marked by the devastating impact of drug and alcohol addiction in many ways. Today, the nation is at the forefront of addiction related issues and deaths in Europe, with health, economic, and educational repercussions, and social challenges for families and communities in urban and rural environments. The widening mental health crisis, socio-economic challenges, and limited clinical support exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic have led to the highest increase in addiction issues in over ten years. But we are a nation with hope. For decades, Christian organisations have invested tremendously in the building of in-person and online spaces for drug addiction recovery. Within the last decade, over 2,300 individuals have been directly treated and successfully recovered from their addictions through faith-based recovery programmes, with thousands more impacted in some way. The Scottish government has appointed a minister for drugs policy and increased funding to reduce addiction.

Christian charity Benefact Trust has awarded a grant of £67,000 to XLP, a London charity that uses music and the arts to bring harmony into the lives of young people growing up in communities with a lack of opportunity. It will use the grant to supply youth workers with recording studio equipment to use in the hearts of communities. They aim to create safe spaces for young people who struggle daily with issues like family breakdown and gang violence. Jonathan, one of the youth workers on the project, said, ‘Music is an incredible way to experience freedom when opportunities around you feel chained up and you can't see a way out.’ XLP works with over 2,500 young people across nine inner-city London boroughs, empowering young voices to seek positive futures. It was set up in 1996, in response to a stabbing in a school playground.

UK businesses, hospitals, schools and charities will have their energy bills cut by half their predicted level under a support package that fixes wholesale gas and electricity prices for six months from 1 October, shielding businesses from crippling costs. The scheme will be reviewed after three months and possibly extended for vulnerable businesses. Government officials have not said how much the package will cost taxpayers: Cornwall Insight estimates £25bn. Energy-intensive industries, like steel manufacturing, could close because of energy costs surging after Russia's invasion. Household bills would be limited to £2,500 annually until 2024 under a separate scheme. Business analyst Simon Jack said few businesses plan with only a six-month time horizon. There will be some whose plans to cut production, close premises and let staff go will not change in spite of this intervention. Retail and hospitality organisations see this as giving them a fighting chance over the commercially crucial Christmas trading period.

The Bank of England has raised interest rates to 2.25%, the highest level for 14 years. This will make it more expensive to borrow, which should - theoretically - encourage people to borrow less and spend less. It should also spur people to save more. However, there is also a risk that it can drag on growth, harming the economy. The bank's monetary policy committee, which sets rates, believes that the economy is already shrinking, which would officially push the UK into recession. The Bank of England has also warned that the government’s energy price freeze will push up inflation in the medium term. With energy bills rising less sharply, households will have more money to spend on other goods and services (although some people are already having to skip meals due to rising bills).

Barnabas Aid invited people to join them for their Suffering Church Action and Awareness Week launch on 22 October at their new UK offices in Swindon. It also launched its new medical.gives project. The meeting provided an overview of the increasing suffering endured by Christians, and how we can understand the times we are living in. There were also updates on recent projects supported by Barnabas Aid, under God’s guidance. If people were unable to get to Swindon, Barnabas Aid were livestreaming the event.