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This week the Church and Community Fund (CCF) launches a new website, www.ccfund.org.uk, to promote its work and share the many good news stories of parish-linked community projects around the country, securing the £½million in grants each year. From adventure playgrounds and Street Pastors to Superkidz in Southwark, which works with youngsters drawn into local gang culture, the CCF is committed to supporting local projects as well as the central body of the Church. Some projects gain national interest like ASCEND in South Oxhey (linked to All Saints’ Church in St Albans diocese) that gives local people the opportunity to find a route to employment.The chair of CCF, the Archdeacon of Westmorland and Furness, the Ven George Howe said: ‘I'm delighted to commend our attractive new web-site which clearly demonstrates how the Fund is helping the Church to engage more effectively with local communities, in imaginative and creative ways’. Pray: that in a climate of Government cuts, the CCF will continue its excellent work in the community. (1Ti.6:18)
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has changed its mind over how it will intervene in the four cases of discrimination against Christians that will be heard in Europe soon. (See Prayer Alert 23-2011 & 34-2011) The EHRC said in July that it would intervene on behalf of Nadia Eweida, Shirley Chaplin, Gary McFarlane and Lillian Ladele in the European Court. It also said that the British courts had got it wrong in these cases, stating in a press release that ‘Judges have interpreted the law too narrowly in religion or belief discrimination claims’ and that the courts had given ‘insufficient’ protection to those manifesting religious beliefs. However, in a subsequent consultation document, the EHRC has said that it will now act to support Chaplin and Eweida (relating to the right to wear a cross) but will oppose Ladele and McFarlane (relating to providing certain services to homosexual couples), stating that the ‘domestic courts came to the correct conclusions’ in these two cases.
Pray: God for this initial success but now pray that the EHRC will reconsider Ladele and McFarlane’s judgement. (Ps.9:19)
Another street preacher in the UK has been arrested for proclaiming Christian teachings about the sinfulness of homosexual behaviour. Dale Mcalpine was handing out leaflets in Workington when he was approached by a police community support officer identifying himself as homosexual. The officer arrested Mr Mcalpine because in the course of a conversation he said his belief was that homosexuality is a sin because it is against the word of God. This is the second time in five weeks that a Christian has been arrested in the UK for preaching Christian sexual ethics. By law a police officer has no right to call upon a citizen to desist from lawful conduct. (See) Article 9 of the Human Rights Act confirms that ‘everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion’ and ‘in public or private, to manifest this religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.’
Pray: for police guidance to recognise the rights of free speech of all parties including Christians. (Ac.20:20-21)
The Coalition Government must not lose sight of its ‘moral imperative’ for caring for society’s most vulnerable and those in need of assistance, the Archbishop of Westminster will urge in his annual Mass for the Sick address. The Most Reverend Vincent Nichols will say that Christian generosity towards care of the elderly and the vulnerable ‘stands in contrast to some apparent prevailing attitudes in our society’. Archbishop Nichols, will urge the Government to provide extra support for those who care for elderly relatives amid claims they are being unfairly targeted by public sector cuts. He will say that the general public are ‘deeply anxious’ about forthcoming cuts in public expenditure that are ‘seeming to fall, too easily and too quickly, on services due to the vulnerable and elderly’. In his homily to be delivered at Westminster Cathedral later on Saturday, Archbishop Nichols will instead urge that ‘special attention’ should be ‘given to the sick and vulnerable’. Pray: for the Government to ensure that such vulnerable members of the community are properly cared for. (Ps.72:13) More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/8334397/Archbishop-of-Westminster-Coalition-must-not-to-lose-moral-imperative-over-elder-care.html
The Church Mission Society has begun its search for a new Executive Director. It is asking supporters to pray as it seeks a successor to current leader the Rev Canon Tim Dakin, who has been appointed as the next Bishop of Winchester. The recruitment process for Community Leader and Executive Director is being overseen by Martyn Snow, Vice-chair of Trustees. The agency, founded in 1799, is looking for ‘an extraordinary individual’ who is ‘a spiritually mature, committed Christian, passionate about mission and prayer, who can be a compelling role model for the evangelical ideals, ethos and values of CMS’. Mr Snow said the appointment panel had received lots of feedback from supporters about the role. ‘I am therefore writing to ask for your continued prayers for the process,’ he wrote in a message to supporters. Christians are being invited to pray each Friday at noon until the new appointment is made.
Pray: for God to raise up the right person for this important post (Nu.16:5)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/cms.looks.for.next.leader/28948.htm
Church Missionary Society (CMS) Ireland is delighted to announce the appointment of Ronnie Briggs to the post of Mission Director. Ronnie has previously worked as part of the staff team, but for much of his 30 years with CMS Ireland, he and his wife Maggie have served as Mission Partners, working alongside the Church in Kajiado Diocese, Kenya. Ronnie brings to the role a genuine passion for mission, a wealth of experience of the Global Church and an intimate knowledge of the unfolding story of CMS Ireland. Speaking about this important and strategic appointment, the Chair of CMS Ireland’s Board of Trustees, Clifford McSpadden remarked: ‘We’re thrilled with this appointment and we really look forward to Ronnie joining the team and helping to lead the Society at a time when God is doing new and exciting things, both in Ireland and with our Global Partners in Africa and Asia. We thank God for this answer to prayer.’ Pray: for Ron ie as he takes up this important post. (Isa.48:15) More: http://ireland.anglican.org/index.php?do=news&newsid=3119
Christians will join a Campaign Against Climate Change march in London on 1 Dec that starts at the US Embassy. The US consistently rejects the Kyoto protocol and is still the biggest immediate barrier to effective internationally coordinated action on climate. The march finishes at the Houses of Parliament. Christians, Ecology Link and Operation Noah will be joining together ahead of the start of the march for an ecumenical worship service at Grosvenor Chapel. Global climate change is having a devastating impact on the lives of people around the world. In the UK Christian Aid is lobbying the Government to give the poorest people a voice in climate negotiations. They ask us to support their partners by bringing the issues to God in prayer. See: http://www.christianaid.org.uk/resources/churches/prayer/climate-change.aspx
Pray: that this march will motivate governments to take further positive actions. (Eph.2:10)
More: http://www.campaigncc.org/
Scotland's religious leaders have described the West's failure to help developing nations cope with climate change as a ‘moral outrage’. Senior members of the country's Christian and Islamic communities outlined their position in a letter to Prime Minister David Cameron. They urged the UK government to do all it could to ensure progress was made at the UN climate change conference. The summit is due to open in Cancun, Mexico, on Monday. The letter to Mr Cameron has been signed by the Moderator of the Church of Scotland's General Assembly, John Christie, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, David Chillingworth, and Shaykh Ruzwan, a senior figure in the Islamic community. It adds: ‘It is a moral outrage that as yet developed countries appear unwilling to find the money so urgently needed to deal with this issue.’
Pray: for the Cancun summit and that world leaders will strive to make significant progress. (Job.22:28)
The Church of England will this week vow to fight ‘new atheism’ in an attempt to combat the rise of secularism and defend Christianity in Britain. Clergy are to be urged to be more vocal in countering the arguments put forward by a more hard-line group of atheists such as Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, who have campaigned for a less tolerant attitude towards religion. A report endorsed by Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, warns that the Church faces a battle to prevent faith being seen as ‘a social problem’ and says the next five years are set to be a period of ‘exceptional challenge’. It expresses concern that Christians are facing hostility at work and says the Church could lose its place at the centre of public life unless it challenges attempts to marginalise religious belief. Pray: for a new vision to ensure a strong future for the Church. (Ac.18:9)
Rev Tim Codling, Rector of St John the Baptist, Tilbury Docks, in Essex, has said his church has been ‘violated’ by fraudsters targeting it for sham marriages. The diocese has admitted that the problem has become unmanageable. Mr Codling has referred 64 marriages in the past three years to the Police and Immigration Authorities, after becoming suspicious. Once married, non-European nationals can apply for British citizenship. Mr Codling said that he has undoubtedly married bogus couples. On four occasions he interrupted wedding ceremonies and escorted couples from the building. On one occasion he inserted the names of railway stations into the vows to catch out a bride who failed to notice the interpolation. His church may have been targeted because of its good links to Stansted and London City airports. ‘When a couple come with a bishop’s licence you’re in a difficult position. You assume everything is in order.’ Pray:for divine protection for vicars and their families from dangerous criminal gangs orchestrating sham marriages.