More people in the UK are turning to church-run food-banks to cope with the rising cost of living. The Trussell Trust said 100,000 people had received emergency food from its network of foodbanks in the last six months. New food-banks are being opened by the Christian charity at a rate of three a week to meet the demand. The network has fed almost 110,000 people across the UK since April 2012, compared to just under 129,000 people during the whole of the 2011 to 2012 financial period. Trussell Trust is expecting to feed over 200,000 people by the end of the 2012 to 2013 period. The increase in demand is being put down to rising food and fuel costs, together with static incomes, high unemployment and changes to benefits. With winter just around the corner, the Trussell Trust said it feared more Britons would be so hard up that they cannot afford to eat.
Pray: that the ability of the Church to provide for the needy will match the demand. (Ps.20:2)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/churches.meeting.growing.demand.for.emergency.food/30821.htm
Churches mark 10.10.10
15 Oct 2010
From Carlisle to Penzance thousands of Christians in the UK joined an estimated 60 million people across the world to stand up for the poor on 10.10.10. The iconic date saw events and gatherings across 70 nations, focusing on ending extreme poverty through the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Micah Challenge inspired Christians across the world to pray and promise to play their part in seeing an end to poverty. There were also special church services in Australia, India, the UK and Zambia. In the aftermath of 10.10.10, the Micah Challenge Head Office in London is expecting a deluge of promises to be posted through its doors. One recent promise came from former Prime Minister Tony Blair. Blair pledged to encourage his Tony Blair Faith Foundation's volunteers and supporters across the world to give at least 2015 hours of community service to help further the United Nation's targets. Pray: that God would answer these prayers according to His will. (2Ch. 6:19)
Autism Sunday takes place on February 13 this year and cathedrals and churches are being asked to get involved in the day. Also known as the International Day of Prayer for Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome, Autism Sunday has received the support of Prime Minister David Cameron. He said: ‘I would like to express my support for Autism Sunday. As many as one in a hundred people could be affected by some form of autism and it is important that we recognise and raise awareness of the difficulties and challenges that they can face.’ Autism Sunday was founded in 2002 by Ivan and Charika Corea, whose 15-year-old son has autism. ‘We urge cathedrals and churches of all denominations to celebrate the lives of all children and adults with autism on Sunday 13 February.’ Pray: for those who are autistic and all with learning disabilities and for a positive response by church communities. (1Co.12:22)
Christians must not only serve the hungry and homeless in practical ways, but speak out against the economic injustice behind their poverty, says the head of Church Action on Poverty (CAP). Writing in the September edition of Reform magazine, Niall Cooper praised the work of Christians who are running hundreds of foodbanks and debt counselling centres across the country. However, he echoed the sentiments of Jim Wallis who recently said that Christians were “prophetic interrogators” who should not only “keep pulling bodies out of the river, but send people upstream to see who or what is throwing them in”. Mr Cooper said the “prophetic duty” of Christians demanded more than providing social services and issuing statements. So what can we do to ‘go upstream’ and work for economic justice locally?” he asked. Mr Cooper proposed harnessing the power of the fairtrade movement to achieve economic justice closer to home.
Pray: for God to inspire and encourage us all in His work. (Pr.14.31)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/churches.have.prophetic.duty.to.challenge.poverty/30566.htm
Churches are being invited to pray for their parent and toddler groups on 2 June. The National Day of Prayer for Parent and Toddler Groups is being coordinated by 1277, an alliance of churches and agencies supporting the work of church-based toddler groups. Many churches run parent and toddler groups as a way of reaching out to their local communities. “For many young children and their parents, the parent and toddler group is a highlight as they meet up with friends to play and chat, but for many it is also the only time they will come into contact with a local church community," said Alison Clark, chair of 1277 and children's evangelist with Praise and Play. The day of prayer has been timed to coincide with National Family week and is described as a fantastic opportunity for the church to serve their community and share the gospel at the same time.
Pray: for all parent and toddler groups, for the churches who run them and for the relationship between them. (Ps.90:16)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/churches.encouraged.to.pray.for.parent.and.toddler.groups/32502.htm
Churches condemn u-turn on alcohol pricing
22 Jul 2013The Government has broken its pledge to introduce a minimum unit price for alcohol. The Church of England, the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church, the Salvation Army and Quaker Action on Alcohol & Drugs are deeply disappointed that the Government has abandoned this vital policy. Jeremy Browne, the Minister for Crime Prevention, has said minimum unit pricing will remain 'under consideration'. But his claim that there is not enough 'concrete evidence' to implement it flies in the face of five years of medical research. There were over 1.2 million alcohol-related hospital admissions in 2011-12 in England, and the cost to the NHS was £3.5 billion. The total bill to the taxpayer caused by alcohol misuse, including crime and lost productivity, is currently £21 billion. James North, Policy Advisor for the Methodist Church, said: "The Government's failure to introduce minimum unit pricing for alcohol will cost lives. As Churches we are deeply concerned at the effect of alcohol misuse on problem drinkers, families and communities.
Pray: for all those affected by alcoholism and that any government policies adopted will have a significant impact on this problem. (Pr.20:1)
More: http://www.methodist.org.uk/news-and-events/news-releases/churches-condemn-u-turn-on-alcohol-pricing
Churches challenged over money and ethics
26 Oct 2013With church investments in the national spotlight, a website launched on 17 October will provide church groups and individual believers with a host of new resources to make ethical and spiritual decisions about their use of money. Your Faith Your Finance website – www.yourfaithyourfinance.org – contains facts, links and case-studies covering issues ranging from banking and shopping to biblical parables about money. The new website provides quotes and explains a range of different views on the subjects in question and includes resources for personal reflection and group discussion. The site was launched at an Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility (ECCR) debate on church investment. It has been developed jointly by ECCR and Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW). They aim to meet the growing demand from faith groups for help with the complex ethical and practical questions around the use of money.
Pray: that this new website will provide insight in making ethical and spiritual decisions about the use of money. (Ps.37:30)
Churches challenge Government's green commitment
11 Oct 2012The Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church, the Quakers in Britain and the United Reformed Church have warned that the draft Energy Bill undermines the Government's commitment to meet the UK's carbon targets. They say the Bill will encourage the construction of more coal and gas-fired power stations, which environmentalists oppose because they produce high levels of carbon emissions. The Churches back recent recommendations from the Committee on Climate Change advising the Government to cut down on carbon-producing energy sources in order to reach the UK's carbon targets. They pointed to a recent study by World Wildlife Fund -UK, which showed that the UK could achieve at least 60 per cent of electricity generated from renewable sources by 2030. The Churches want the Bill to incorporate the Committee on Climate Change’s recommendation of a 2030 decarbonisation target.
Pray: that the Government will consider the study seriously as it reviews the Energy Bill and the UK’s carbon targets. (Is.45:8)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/churches.challenge.governments.green.commitment/30781.htm