Ex-army colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon became a volunteer in Syria and said, ‘I’ve never seen anything as horrific as what is going on in Ghouta. Its starving people live underground in cellars, caves and tunnels. Three times in the past four days chlorine bombs were dropped by Syrian forces. Outlawed by the Geneva Convention, the chlorine combines with water in the lungs to produce hydrochloric acid, which dissolves the lungs. When civilians are flushed out onto the streets, they face death from the barrel-bombs and high-energy explosives that rain down from Putin’s Russian jets and Assad’s aircraft. Water is contaminated. Hospitals are targeted in air strikes. Ghouta is the last bastion to hold out against Bashar al-Assad and its inhabitants are being bombed, gassed and starved into submission.’ He added, ‘Putin can do as he pleases, and there will be chilling consequences for Britain’s security unless we act.’

Following a meeting with the Prime Minister, the former education secretary, Justine Greening, left the Government, to be succeeded by Damian Hinds. The women and equalities portfolio will be held by Amber Rudd. These changes will give the Government the opportunity to review many of Ms Greening’s more extreme proposals before they begin to impact upon families: for example, using compulsory relationships education to teach children as young as five about same-sex marriage, and allowing anybody, whatever age, to choose their gender. It is not too late to halt either of these policies, nor is it too late for the Government to note the views of the 59% of party members who oppose same-sex marriage (according to a new YouGov poll).

Theresa May has appointed Tracey Crouch, the minister for sport and civil society, to head a government-wide group with responsibility for policies connected to loneliness. She will implement one of the main recommendations of a report by the Jo Cox Commission. The Government said it would develop a wider strategy on the issue, gather more evidence and statistics, and provide funding for community groups to start activities which connect people. Researchers say that nine million people often or always feel lonely; the prime minister said, ‘For far too many people, loneliness is the sad reality of modern life’. Pray for Social Services, churches, charities and community leaders to address loneliness endured by the elderly, carers, new parents, refugees and the bereaved. Pray for Ms Crouch and her team to have a specific God-given anointing for the new role they have been given. See also

There are around 13.8 million 18-34 year olds who fall into the category of millennials. The Church Army is releasing guidance on how to evangelise millennials as we face a lack of young people in the pews. Research based on observing twelve different approaches to mission and evangelism around the UK from a variety of church traditions suggests a way forward. 'The findings are really encouraging and suggest that mission with young adults, while challenging, is not as difficult as one might think,' said Dr Tim Ling, the Church Army's director of research. In the churches studied, at least sixty people became Christians, with a further 48 reporting that the church had helped them rediscover a lost faith. The report urged churches to create 'spaces where young adults can belong and feel part of a community before they believe'.