The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, was among the Christians praying for the world's children on Sunday. The World Day of Prayer and Action for Children has the backing of UNICEF, Religions for Peace, and Save the Children. The day serves as a reminder to adults of the preciousness of children and the need to ensure they grow up in loving and safe environments. "In every faith community, our children are the treasure that we value beyond price," said the Archbishop. "A child born into health and safety is a sign of hope in our common life. In children we recognise the preciousness and dignity of the human being as well as a vulnerability which calls for our care and protection." This year's day of prayer is concentrating on an end to violence against children. The Archbishop said all forms of violence against children demand action and prayer. (See also last week’s P.A. ’Secret Children’).
Pray: for children in the UK and around the world especially those who suffer violence. (Matt.19:14)
The recent energy price hikes make people understandably angry, says the Archbishop of Canterbury, who called on big power companies to be ‘conscious of their social obligations’. Justin Welby insisted the Big Six power companies had an obligation to behave morally rather than just maximising profit. Last week Scottish and Southern Electricity announced an 8.2 per cent price rise, and British Gas followed that with the announcement that its electricity prices were to surge by 10.4 per cent and its gas prices by 8.4 per cent from 23 November. The rises would mean £125 a year added to the bills of almost eight million customers. Whilst blaming a range of external factors, the company said it ‘understood the frustration’ of consumers. Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, Mr Welby said: ‘The impact on people, particularly on low incomes, is going to be really severe'.
Pray: that the energy firms will consider their moral obligations rather than just maximising profit. (Lk.12:15)
In his most significant political intervention since taking office, the Most Rev Justin Welby has warned that “children and families will pay the price” if plans to change the benefits system go ahead in their current form. He and the Archbishop of York have backed a letter to The Sunday Telegraph written by 43 bishops who say the benefits cuts will have a “deeply disproportionate” effect on children. The move will come as a blow to Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, who is attempting to steer the reforms through Parliament. He has said the Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill, which will cap benefit rises at 1 per cent a year until 2016, is needed to help get spending “back under control” and create a fairer deal for taxpayers. However, Mr Welby said the legislation will remove the protection given to families against the rising cost of living and could push 200,000 children into poverty.
Pray: for Government will ensure the most vulnerable in our society will be protected from severe hardship. (Ps.82.3)
More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9919844/Archbishop-of-Canterbury-attacks-Government-welfare-reforms.html
The Archbishop of Canterbury has spoken out to mark the beginning of Hate Crime Awareness Week. He said, ‘Hate crime is a fundamental challenge to an individual’s dignity and identity. As such it should have no possible place in a society that respects the dignity of all and it should find no possible justification in any kind of religious belief. Christian faith has at its core the conviction that God values each of us infinitely and it should spur us on to combat hatred and prejudice wherever we encounter them.' An act of remembrance for the victims of hate crime was held in St Paul’s Cathedral last Saturday and was supported by 17-24-30, an organisation founded to support the victims of the London nail bomb attacks in 1999.
Pray: for God to change the hearts of mankind to quench hatred and nurture caring love towards one another. (1Jn.2:9)
The Archbishop of York has launched a new initiative to address homelessness in the city. Dr John Sentamu launched the 'No Second Night Out' initiative at The Salvation Army, Gillygate. 'No Second Night Out' aims to be the link between the homeless, the communities they come from, and the agencies that are able to offer help. The support includes helping rough sleepers to access emergency accommodation and healthcare, and finding long-term solutions to their homelessness. Members of the public are also being encouraged to play an active role by calling a helpline if they see a rough sleeper. The Salvation Army will then attempt to make contact with the rough sleeper and offer them support. In addition to The Salvation Army, the ‘No Second Night Out’ scheme has been developed with the Peasholme Charity, Arc Light, City of York Council, the Foundation, YACRO, Restore and Richmond Fellowship.
Pray: that the needs of the homeless in York and the many other city and town centres with initiatives by church and charities will bring relief to the needy. (Pr.14:21)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/archbishop.launches.homelessness.initiative.in.york/31399.htm
The Archbishop of Canterbury has launched an appeal in aid of suffering Christians in the Holy Land. Dr Rowan Williams appealed to Anglicans and others to give generously towards the fund that will be used to support community projects aimed at helping to sustain vulnerable Christian communities. ‘We know our brothers and sisters there are suffering, and we don't always ask ourselves often enough what our response needs to be,’ he said. The funds will support Christian communities in the West Bank in particular. The appeal has been launched ahead of a conference next week on Christians in the Holy Land that is being hosted jointly by Dr Williams and the Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols. Around 200,000 Christians live in Israel and the Palestinian Territories but many have left their homeland for a more secure life abroad. (See World article 6 below)
Pray: for our Christian brothers and sisters and God’s anointing on their work in building the Kingdom. (1Ch.22;10)
Justin Welby has used his first Easter sermon as archbishop of Canterbury to warn of the dangers of investing too much faith in frail and fallible human leaders, be they politicians or priests. Blind belief in the power of the individual to bring about true change in any sphere, he said, was simplistic and wrong, and led inevitably to disillusionment and disappointment. In a lengthy broadside against what he termed the "hero leader culture" – with its automatic expectations of quick, easy and gratifying solutions to even the most intractable problems – Welby said that only by acknowledging God and trusting in his power could human beings escape "cynical despair" and fear. "Human fallibility recognised, God's sovereignty trusted; these are also the only stable foundations for human beings in society," he said. "Setting people or institutions up to heights where they cannot but fail is mere cruelty."
Pray: for us all, including our leaders, to heed God's call and place our trust in His ways. (Ps.119:60)
More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/mar/31/archbishop-justin-welby-warns-against-trusting-leaders
The head of the Roman Catholic Church in England has warned that vulnerable families may be hit worst by the Government’s welfare cuts. The Archbishop of Westminster, the Most Rev Vincent Nichols, outlined his concerns in a letter to the Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith that has been seen by The Times. According to the newspaper, the Catholic leader spoke of the risk to thousands of poor families, who face being forced out of their homes as a result of cuts being made to housing benefit. He said that the loss of £93 a week for 50,000 families was a ‘significant sum for those struggling financially’. He warned that if media reports of 40,000 families being made homeless were correct ‘it would surely be a perverse result of policies aimed at reducing dependency of the ‘benefits culture’, since emergency support would immediately need to be put in place’.
Pray: for Government and Local authorities to be sensitive to the needs of the most vulnerable as they plan financial cuts. (Lk.11:41)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/archbishop.fears.impact.of.welfare.cuts.on.families/28317.htm