Churches that serve rural communities
11 Nov 2010
Rural Presence is the new interactive website for Christians engaged in rural mission. It provides a forum for all Christians to share good news stories and information about the church in rural communities. The aim is to encourage and inspire mission and discipleship in rural churches. By sharing the wealth of ideas and practical approaches from churches around Britain it is hoped that an effective Christian presence can be promoted and sustained in the countryside. ‘This site offers an opportunity to share in all that is good and exciting about the rural church,’ said Rev Graham Jones, National Rural Officer for the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church. ‘Whether it’s setting up community cinemas or hosting local post offices, the opportunities for rural churches to serve their communities are endless. We want to resource, enthuse and inspire Christians to think differently about their ministry in the countryside.’ Experiences may be shared at www.ruralpresence.org.uk where creative ideas can be found. Pray: for the mission and work of rural churches and for their leaders. (Ac.16:5) More: http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=474
Churches are struggling to cope with the rise in demand for homeless and housing services. Housing Justice says that churches in its network have reported an increase in the number of people turning to them for help with housing. New church shelter schemes that opened up this winter in Milton Keynes and Birmingham were filled to capacity. Newly published Government statistics show that rough sleeping has risen in England by 23% in the last year. Figures from the Department of Communities and Local Government state that 2,181 people are sleeping rough on any one night, up from a total of 1,768 in last year's count. The figure is based on street counts carried out by 53 local authorities between October and November of last year, and estimates made in partnership with local homelessness agencies. Housing Justice director Alison Gelder said: ‘This increase is sadly part of a familiar picture of chronic and growing housing need in society.'
Pray: for God to enable the Church to meet this challenge and for the Government to ensure the most vulnerable are adequately supported. (Ps.140:12)
Churches pray for healthcare workers
22 Oct 2012Churches across the UK are said prayers last Sunday for doctors, nurses and others working in healthcare. Healthcare Sunday is held each year by the Christian Medical Fellowship, Christian Nurses and Midwives, and the Healthcare Christian Fellowship. It is an opportunity to show their support for healthcare workers as they live out God's call to care for the sick. Dr Peter Saunders, Chief Executive of Christian Medical Fellowship, said: ‘Many more people pass through our hospitals and GP surgeries than through our churches, and Christian doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers play a key role as Christ's hands and feet with the opportunity to touch people's lives at what can be their greatest time of need. ‘They also face big ethical and moral pressures in a workplace which is often hostile to Christian faith and values. As ordinary Christian disciples facing these challenges and with their own personal, spiritual and emotional needs, they need our prayer and encouragement.’
Pray: for all those who work in healthcare often under severe pressure of work, and for some, of their faith too. (Pr.16:24)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/churches.pray.for.healthcare.workers/30832.htm
Churches offer homeless rolling night shelter
17 Jan 2011Twelve churches in Tower Hamlets have clubbed together to open a rolling night shelter for homeless people in the East London borough. The GrowTH project is offering homeless people a safe and warm place to sleep seven days a week until the end of February. Participating churches are taking it in turns to open their doors to guests from 7.30pm and provide a hot dinner in the evening and breakfast the following morning. Tony Uddin, of Tower Hamlets Community Church, is one of the project organisers. He said the churches were inspired to set up GrowTH because of the gap in service provision for local homeless people in their area. ‘Our volunteers’ generosity means that we can make a real difference this Christmas and throughout the winter,’ he said. ‘It is important for churches to be involved in the local community and our initiative is proof that we can make a real difference and implement the much publicised Big Society ethos.’
Pray: for this and similar initiatives across the country and that the Gospel message will be lived out in practice. (Pr.28:27)
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