Support Christian festivals
11 Mar 2021
The leaders of seven well-known Christian festivals and events are encouraging people to support them this year. They say, ‘We are asking for you to stand with us; we need your help more than ever. Some of us have postponed events, some have moved to free digital alternatives, or chargeable digital and hybrid events. We have all had to decide what is best for us in our unique situation now; we all need the wisdom of the Lord. Please pray regularly for us as we lead our organisations, listen to His leading, and do all we can to serve Him and you. Please join 2021 events and buy tickets. If you wait until 2022, your preferred event may not have the finances to be there.’
NHS: waiting for surgery
11 Mar 2021
The Covid surge hit key NHS services including cancer and routine surgery. Less than half the expected number of operations or scans were done, pushing the waiting list to a record high of 4.6 million. More than 300,000 of those have been waiting more than a year for treatment, compared to 1,600 before the pandemic began. Surgeons described a dire situation which would take a long time to turn around. One surgeon said, ‘Behind today's statistics are people waiting in limbo. Many will be in considerable pain; others will have restricted mobility and be at risk of isolation and loneliness. Dealing with this daunting backlog will take time, and sustained investment in the NHS.’ The true picture could be much worse with nearly 6 million fewer referrals made by GPs for routine treatments, including knee operations and hip replacements creating an additional hidden backlog.
Archbishop and royal 'marriage' claim
11 Mar 2021
Archbishop Justin Welby has declined to comment on the claim that he officiated over Harry and Meghan's vows three days before their royal wedding at Windsor Castle. According to the Duchess of Sussex, the secret ceremony took place in the couple's garden with only Welby in attendance. The details were revealed in the couple's interview with Oprah Winfrey, which aired at the weekend. ‘You know, three days before our wedding, we got married’, Meghan explained. ‘We called the archbishop, and we just said, 'Look, this thing, this spectacle is for the world, but we want our union between us. ‘However, some have pointed out that the couple were not technically wedded at the alleged ceremony, as the CofE stipulates that weddings must take place in the presence of at least two witnesses. In addition, wedding ceremonies are not allowed to take place in outdoor venues such as gardens, though this limitation is under review.
Iran: Nazanin’s future still unclear
11 Mar 2021
On 10 March Boris Johnson phoned Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, to tell him the British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe must be allowed to return home to be with her family as she finished her five year prison sentence on 7 March. He said that while the removal of her ankle monitor was welcome, her continued confinement remains completely unacceptable. Rouhani complained to Johnson that no practical progress had been made in solving Iran’s demand for the UK to return a £400m debt. Nazanin now faces a new court date. Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said, ‘When I meet this family I feel there's not much more they can take of this, to be honest. Other countries have made more progress in getting their nationals home. We need to see a real concerted effort now.’ See
Outreach to those in financial distress
11 Mar 2021
There is refreshing news of Covid infections decreasing, and talk of a financial recovery as affluent households are ready to spend again. However, families on the very lowest incomes have been more impacted and will face even more hardships in 2021. The Body of Christ plays a vital role in ministering to those around us in distress and shining the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This challenge will be discussed at a free London City Mission webinar, ‘Hope for those in financial distress’, on 25 March. It will be a chance to put questions to a panel of missionaries and a training director. They will discuss how churches can build new connections with people, and opportunities to develop a culture of loving, committed gospel outreach.
With his life and freedom on the line as he challenged Russia's dictatorial regime, opposition leader Alexei Navalny reached out to Christian leaders in a search for ‘eternal values’. Sergey Rakhuba of Mission Eurasia says Navalny found God as he was facing great challenges and ‘fighting for his life’. Navalny proclaimed that he abandoned atheism and professed faith in God at a court hearing in January. ‘I believe he pronounced the most powerful sermon out of that cage in the courtroom,’ Rakhuba said. ‘He referred to the Bible as an ancient book that the world should adopt and build their rules on for daily living. I think it was the most powerful presentation of the Gospel.’ Navalny quoted Matthew, ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled’.
In January the AstraZeneca vaccine was approved in Europe for all adults. But several countries, including France and Germany, restricted its use in over-65s due to a lack of data about its effectiveness. France’s Emmanuel Macron claimed the vaccine was ‘quasi-ineffective’ in older age groups, and the German newspaper Handelsblatt had a similar report; but these statements are unfounded. In the over-80s, a single shot of either the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccine appears to be over 80% effective at preventing hospitalisation. Although the regulators have both now reversed their advice, the majority of their AstraZeneca doses are yet to be used. It seems that the regulators’ prevarications, and loose talk from politicians and bureaucrats, have undermined confidence in the AstraZeneca vaccine.
USA: new denomination
11 Mar 2021
Conservatives within the United Methodist Church have announced their plans to form a new denomination, the Global Methodist Church, with a doctrine that does not allow for LGBTQ and same-sex marriage. The move is expected to hasten the long-anticipated split of the nation's largest mainline Protestant denomination. The conference at which such a split would be debated has now been postponed to August 2022. ‘The church is basically stalemated right now,’ said Rev Keith Boyette, chair of the Transitional Leadership Council, which is guiding the creation of the Global Methodist Church. Another member of the council said, ‘I am convinced the Global Methodist Church will be a vibrant, vital expression of Methodism in terms of its teachings and ethics’.