Success of online church services
16 Jul 2020
Most churches have reported an increase in interest and 'attendance' of their services since lockdown, but since mid-March Methodist Central Hall Westminster has reached over 156,000 viewers from all over the world through its live stream. The service on 5 July had over 20,000 views in its first week, a congregation that would have filled its Great Hall, just off Parliament Square, ten times over. It has been streaming via YouTube to reach the maximum number of people, but will now launch a new website (MCHW.LIVE) as a permanent home for online services. Since rules for places of worship were eased in June, Revd Tony Miles, its superintendent minister, has been broadcasting live from the chapel inside the building, and has been joined by other contributors from across the country via Zoom.
In response to US parents not knowing what to do with their children who had been sent home from closed schools, Verses for Zion (VfZ)was born, a biblically-rooted project connecting Christian children to Israel, as an opportunity to engage them in a multigenerational project with parents and grandparents. Now, as summer is starting and schools that had opened are closing again, it offers parents a way to add meaning and substance to their children's extended vacation. VfZ, the brainchild of an Orthodox Israeli Jew and an evangelical Christian pastor in Texas, aims to give children the opportunity to learn more about God, His Word and His people. One mother said, ‘It entrenches children’s faith and deepens their understanding of God, the Bible and how that relates to us today through Israel.’
UK countries in different stages of lockdown
16 Jul 2020
In much of the world, coronavirus lockdowns are easing. In the UK some normality is returning with the reopening of businesses and public spaces. However, the four countries are at different stages of lockdown, as politicians in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland take diverse approaches from their English counterparts. At the same time the coronavirus threat is still very real. On 15 July Public Health England data showed there have been 291,911 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK and 45,053 associated deaths. Pray for a spirit of peace, prosperity and safety to rest on our streets as the new normality emerges. Pray also for God's wisdom to flow through Parliament, the Cabinet, MPs, civil servants and advisors. Also pray for the safety of people in Leicester who have to endure a second lockdown of shops and schools and reinstated shielding measures.
Virtual drama classes for asylum-seekers
16 Jul 2020
Lockdown has been challenging for young asylum-seekers. Ali used wi-fi at the college he attended to contact his family back home, but in lockdown this has not been possible. With little money, he is unable to afford internet access, leaving him isolated. But a non-profit theatre company called Compass Collective (CC) have been providing young asylum-seekers with data packages so they can stay in touch with their families and also access virtual creative workshops. Ali and other young refugees used the workshops to stay connected and to rehearse their acting and singing skills for a film that was streamed nationally on Refugee Day. CC also connects organisations and develops partnerships, collaborating with charities like the British Red Cross and theatres such as the Globe to offer a platform for cultural sharing and celebration in a social environment; building their confidence, developing life skills and reaching their potential. See https://www.compasscollect.com/about-compass
Crackdown on channel dinghy crossings
16 Jul 2020
On 12 July as many as 180 migrants crossed the English Channel to the UK (see https://news.sky.com/story/number-of-migrants-crossing-english-channel-hits-new-daily-high-12027639) In six months 2,600+ people have crossed illegally into the UK, compared with 1,850 during the whole of 2019. The home secretary met her French counterpart Gerald Darmanin to push for fresh action to curb the ‘unacceptable’ daily crossings and tackle the ruthless people-smuggling gangs behind them. The two ministers will establish a joint intelligence unit based near Calais, where UK Border Force and National Crime Agency officers will work alongside their French counterparts. The new unit will consist of six British and six French police officers. Also, Miss Patel said France should start towing boatloads of illegal migrants back to its shores, saying it was not beyond the collective experience of French and UK officials to create a plan for returns at sea.
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, called on the Church of England to ‘learn afresh how to share the gospel in the world’. He said the Church’s voice remains over-dominated by people who are usually white, male, with a certain education, and over 60. He is engaging in wide-ranging discussion with people from across the church, and intends to draw in and listen to the voices of younger Christians and those whose voices are not usually so easily heard in Church. He said we are going to have to learn again how to love one another, love the world, and love God so that we can be the place where God is revealed, adding, ‘We have allowed ourselves to become tribal and divided, with secondary things obscuring our belonging to each other. The Holy Spirit reveals Christ in us; and through us may we learn afresh how to share the gospel in the world.’
PM: York to be Parliament's temporary home?
16 Jul 2020
MPs voted on 1 February 2018 to approve the renovation work at the Houses of Parliament, which will entail their moving out. The building is a safety risk for all those who work in it, and urgent action is needed. As well as the fire threat, it is vulnerable because of an antiquated sewage system and areas riddled with asbestos. Plans have been reviewed due to the impact of coronavirus on public finances. Although the move, if it happens, is expected to take place around 2025, we can pray for decisions being made now. Boris Johnson has suggested that Parliament could move to York while the Palace of Westminster undergoes renovation: see.
Huge rise in online child abuse images
16 Jul 2020
For months both adults and children, many of whom are working at home, have spent significantly more time online. Now the Internet Watch Foundation reports that images of child abuse images online have increased by almost 50% during lockdown. In the eleven weeks from 23 March its hotline logged 44,809 reports of images, compared with 29,698 last year. The Government has promised to draw up legislation to reduce online harm. The fastest-growing category of images being removed in recent years has been those generated by children after grooming or coercion. The updated figures are likely to renew the debate about how to keep children safe, after months of parents grappling to limit children’s online activity. There are now growing concerns that appropriate draft legislation will be delayed by the pandemic.