Freemason William Wilson was buried in a churchyard in Cumbria in 2012. His niece asked the Church of England for permission to have the freemasons’ square and compass emblem put on her uncle's stone. The church had no objections, but Geoffrey Tattersall QC, the Chancellor of the Diocese of Carlisle, in his capacity as a consistory court judge, said it would be inappropriate to allow it. He quoted a report on compatibility of freemasonry and Christianity, debated by the General Synod in 1987: ‘Christians have found Masonic rituals disturbing and a few perceive them as positively evil. Some believe Masonic rituals are blasphemous because God's name must not be taken in vain, or be replaced by an amalgam of the names of pagan deities.’ He added that the Synod's primary theological objections centred on freemasonry’s use of the word 'Jahbulon' - the name used for the Supreme Being in Masonic rituals - which is an amalgamation of Semitic, Hebrew and Egyptian titles for God.

Pray for tolerance and integrity to be exercised by leaders during this time of heightened Brexit tension. Five current Scottish issues are: - 1. The number of homeless has been unchanged for 20 years. Pray for a new strategy to tackle this problem. 2. Nicola Sturgeon has told the SNP that she intends to call for a second referendum on Scottish independence if the Brexit negotiations are not in the country’s best interests. 3. Holyrood ministers were warned that centralising power in Edinburgh will only lead to growing inequality. Pray for the God of the nations to direct Scotland’s MPs in their decision-making. 4. Secondary teachers are to take industrial action over their ‘excessive workload’. Nine out of ten union members back the move. 5. Young people are highlighted in the justice system, as judges and sheriffs are given new guidelines in an attempt to ensure consistency in the sentences they pass. Pray for the Scottish youth of today.

Christian, Jewish and Muslim faith leaders asked Theresa May to allow nearly 400 children in the Calais’ 'Jungle' camp to enter the UK, labelling the camp a ‘stain’ on the consciences of Britain and France. Francois Hollande announced that the camp would be bulldozed before Christmas, with 9,000 inhabitants dispersed around the country - a move welcomed by residents of Calais but causing disquiet elsewhere. The charity Care4Calais said, ‘Neither government has made any attempts to identify these children, make assessments, or even put in place the legal framework necessary to get them to safety in the UK.’ Demonstrators took to the streets in towns across France last weekend protesting against Hollande's plan. So far no children have been helped to leave the camp, despite changes to Britain's Immigration Act four months ago which were meant to assist them.

Ukraine is waging war on its own soil; Kiev has a daily 2:30 pm announcement of the communiqué from the front. The Minsk Agreement between Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces is floundering. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch report civilians being held in prisons that authorities say don't exist, and there are ongoing killings. Meanwhile from 6 to 9 October the second World Congress of Christians of Evangelical Faith was held in Lviv with 2,200 delegates from 16 countries, with the theme ‘Pentecost - the answer to the challenges of our time’. A Ukrainian bishop said, ‘We gathered from different countries to pray in unity and reflect on challenges. As Christians, it is important to understand the time in which we live.’ His Russian counterpart replied, ‘No matter what happens, we will pray for you and empathise with you. I am honoured to serve God with you. We love you!’