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Rioters have been warned against ‘holding Belfast to ransom’ after a petrol bomb attack on a police officer by suspected loyalists which is being treated as attempted murder. A gang of 15 men targeted, surrounded and smashed the unmarked vehicle on Monday night outside the offices of Alliance Party MP Naomi Long in Newlands Road. It was the worst incident in nine nights of violence in parts of east and south Belfast involving loyalists who took to the streets again in protest against a decision to restrict the flying of the Union Flag at Belfast City Hall. In a statement to the House of Commons, Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said that while the matter was a sensitive issue, the clashes would not be tolerated. ‘There can be absolutely no excuse or justification for this kind of thuggish and lawless behaviour,’ she said. ‘It is a disgrace. We condemn it unreservedly and it should stop immediately.’
Pray: that God would stay the hand of the enemy and bring about a peaceful resolution to this situation. (2Th.2:9-10)
More: http://news.sky.com/story/1023570/belfast-flag-protest-riots-a-disgrace
The ongoing conflict in Syria has prompted a number of prayer and worship events around the globe, with Belfast next to have a special Day of Prayer for the country locked in civil war. St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast will be hosting a Day of Prayer for Syria on Wednesday 23 October. An estimated quarter of Syrians have left their country in huge numbers for neighbouring countries. According to the Lebanese government, it has received nearly a million as refugees. St Anne's Cathedral is inviting people from across Belfast and beyond to visit the cathedral at any hour of the day to pray and hear readings from a number of guest speakers. To end the day, a Service of Reflection will take place with Psalms-based prayers for those affected by conflict and persecution.
Pray: that the call to pray will lead many to seek the Lord for Syria and the refugees in neighbouring countries. (Eph.6:18)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/belfast.cathedral.to.host.day.of.prayer.for.syria/34341.htm
During a visit to the UK the United Nations' special investigator on housing has told the British government it should scrap the bedroom tax, after hearing ‘shocking’ accounts of how the policy was affecting vulnerable citizens. Britain's record on housing was also worsening from a human rights perspective, Raquel Rolnik, the UN special rapporteur on housing, said in a Guardian interview after presenting her preliminary findings to the Government. After speaking to dozens of council house tenants in Britain during her visit over the past fortnight, Rolnik said she was particularly concerned by the impact of bedroom tax, officially known as the new spare room subsidy. The policy was introduced by the Government in April, and is designed to charge tenants extra for under-occupying homes that are supposedly too large for them.
Pray: that the Government will reconsider its decisions on the so called bedroom tax. (Lk.20:22)
More: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/sep/11/bedroom-tax-should-be-axed-says-un-investigator
Nearly one in three council housing tenants affected by the bedroom tax have fallen behind on their rent since its introduction earlier this year, according to new figures released on 17 September. Figures provided by 114 local authorities across Britain in response to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests by False Economy show that since the bedroom tax was introduced this April, over 50,000 council housing tenants - 31 per cent of all tenants affected by the tax in these areas - have been pushed into arrears. However in some areas the proportion of tenants that have been pushed into arrears is far higher. In Barrow, three-quarters of all council house tenants affected by the bedroom tax have been pushed into arrears since April. With emergency funding from councils rapidly drying up, the situation is likely to get far worse over the coming months, warns False Economy. (See Prayer Alert 37-2013)
Pray: that the government will take notice of the serious problems that are being caused. (Lk. 20:22)
More: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/19083
‘The Archbishop of Canterbury has used his Christmas sermon to call on rich and poor alike to share in the hardships brought on by the financial crisis and cuts in public spending. Reflecting on the mutual dependence of humans, Dr Rowan Williams urged people not to give in to the temptation of abandoning others to suffering, whilst they secure their own safety. ‘Faced with the hardship that quite clearly lies ahead for so many in the wake of the financial crisis and public spending cuts, how far are we able to sustain a living sense of loyalty to each other, a real willingness to bear the load together?’ he said. ‘How eager are we to find some spot where we feel safe from the pressures that are crippling and terrifying others? ‘As has more than once been said, we can and will as a society bear hardship if we are confident that it is being fairly shared.’
Pray: for a sense of fairness and justice throughout all levels of our society as we face financial cutbacks. (Am.5:24)
The BBC has been criticised for giving too much coverage to Halloween. Not the occasionally terrifying outfits that the Strictly Come Dancing contestants were treated to last weekend but a news report about a coven of witches who gathered to celebrate Samhain, the turning of the year from light to dark. The decision to allow so much airtime to the minority event in Weymouth, Dorset, was questioned at a time of a 16% cut in the corporation's budget. 'I understand the BBC might choose to concentrate on something for one day, but I consider it to be symptomatic of a much bigger problem across the BBC,' said Christian Institute spokesman Mike Judge. 'They downplay Christianity and up-play paganism which is unreflective of British society. It does create an atmosphere where it's OK to marginalise Christians.' We can only hope that Christmas gives the corporation a chance to redress the balance. Pray: for the BBC to ensure programme planning better reflects the requirements of a mainly Christian nation. (Mi.5:12) More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/mediamonkeyblog/2010/nov/02/bbc-halloween-row
Pentecostal church leaders are concerned the BBC has purposely misled the public with its story about pastors advising sick patients to give up their medicine and rely on faith alone to be healed. The story went out across BBC TV, radio and online platforms over the weekend, and was based on anecdotal evidence from 19 doctors and health professionals. Ten doctors said they had encountered HIV patients over the last five years who had felt under pressure by their pastors to stop taking their anti-retroviral drugs. But the story has been labelled ‘biased and unfounded’ by Rev John Glass – a member of the Alliance's One People Commission and general superintendent of Elim Pentecostal Churches, and Rev John Partington, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God. Together, the men lead the UK's two largest and longest established Pentecostal denominations.
Pray: that the truth will be exposed and any misleading reports be ignored. (Pr.12:7)
More: http://www.eauk.org/current-affairs/news/bbc-under-fire-for-misleading-public.cfm
Christians feel marginalised and pushed out of public life while other faiths are handled with kid gloves, according to a flagship BBC documentary shown on Easter Sunday. The film was presented by Nicky Campbell and featured two cases backed by The Christian Institute: Lillian Ladele, the registrar disciplined for her stance on civil partnerships, and Ben & Sharon Vogelenzang, the Christian hoteliers charged with a crime for criticising Islam. The hour-long programme called ‘Are Christians Being Persecuted?’ investigated widespread claims that Christianity is being sidelined in modern Britain. A poll conducted for the documentary showed that 44 per cent think Britain has become less tolerant of religion. Mr Campbell concluded the documentary asking: ‘So, are Christians being persecuted? No they’re not being tortured or killed like Christians in Pakistan and the Sudan. But a minority believes they are being sidelined and victimised. By the standards of a liberal society that can feel like persecution.’ Watch on BBC iPlayer available until Sunday. See link Highly recommended
Pray: that each one of us will live our lives as a clear expression of our Christian faith and not be ‘sidelined’. (1Th.1:3)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/watch-bbc-tv-show-on-marginalised-christians/
Religious coverage is seen as a ‘rather tiresome obligation’ by ‘secular and sceptical’ BBC television staff, a Radio 4 broadcaster has said. Roger Bolton called for the appointment of a BBC religion editor to improve coverage of faith matters. He was speaking at the Sandford St Martin Trust awards for religious programmes, for which he was chairman of the judges. The BBC replied that its commitment to religion broadcasting was ‘unequivocal’. Mr Bolton, who presents BBC Radio 4's Feedback programme, told the London ceremony that a religious perspective was often ‘bafflingly absent’ both on air and in editorial discussions behind the scenes. A BBC spokeswoman said there was ‘no downward trend in our religion and ethics television output’. Earlier this year, the Church of England's general synod expressed ‘deep concern’ at a perceived cut in religious programming by mainstream broadcasters. (See Prayer alert 2010)
Pray:for God to protect the religious content of the BBC and pray that believers would speak out boldly for their faith. (Ph.1:9-10) More:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8705560.stm
The BBC broadcasted a reality-style children’s programme on a gay couple preparing for their civil partnership ceremony. The show had been re-named for the edition, and was called Marrying Dad and Dad instead of Marrying Mum and Dad. The format of the series involves the couple’s children organising the day as a surprise, and the episode showed the same-sex couple’s children putting together a James Bond-themed day. Monday’s show featured Mark and Paul, who were the first same-sex couple to adopt children on the island of Jersey. Marrying Dad and Dad was aired on the digital channel CBBC on Monday 12 August. In January this year a BBC report recommended that children should be introduced to homosexuality from an early age on TV. The report said ‘incidental portrayal’ of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people should be incorporated within programming aimed at children.
Pray: for the BBC programmers that they will not increase the number of such shows aimed at young children. (Pr.3:1)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/bbc-to-air-kids-show-on-gay-marriage/