Egypt: Thousands of Christian children pray to become change-makers
In a country rocked by change and division, some 1,400 eight to fourteen-year-old Egyptian children gathered to worship and ask God to change them to be the salt and light for Jesus in their communities. The first ever One Thing Kids festival was held at the desert oasis of Wadi El Natroun and televised live by Christian broadcaster SAT-7. ‘Our vision is to have this generation praying and worshipping God, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit to be able to change the world,’ say festival organisers Kasr El Doubara Evangelical Church (KDEC) and the children's prayer ministry of the Synod of the Nile of the Presbyterian Church. The Wadi el Natroun area was long an historic centre for Christian prayer by monks and pilgrims. Many of the children took a prominent role – some as part of the worship choir, others helping to lead prayers for themselves and their nation.
Praise: God for the faith of the Christian children, for their prayers, that will lead to change. (Ps.127:3)
More: http://www.inspiremagazine.org.uk/Stories/International?storyaction=view&storyid=413
Christian street preacher arrested in Scotland
A Christian street preacher was arrested in Perth on Wednesday for ‘breach of the peace’. The Reverend Josh Williamson, pastor of Craigie Reformed Baptist Church, is the third Christian street preacher to be arrested in the UK since July. The Christian Legal Centre, which reported his arrest, said the trend pointed to ‘an increasing hostility towards Christianity’. Mr Williamson, who regularly takes to the streets to hand out Christian flyers and engage in open air preaching, was arrested whilst addressing a crowd on one of the main streets in Perth. The arresting police officer told him he was breaking the law by being in ‘breach of the peace’. When asked to explain further, the officer contended that the MP3 recorder Mr Williamson was using was too loud. A second man, who spoke up in defence of Mr Williamson's right to preach was also arrested at the scene. (See Prayer Alert 28-2013, 31-2013, 37-2023)
Pray: that the authorities will issue clear guidance over freedom of speech. (Ps.58:1)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christian.street.preacher.arrested.in.scotland/34071.htm
Banks to block internet porn sites
Websites which fail to stop children accessing pornography will have payments to them blocked by banks and credit card companies as part of a government plan to help clean up the internet. Purveyors of explicit images will be starved of paying customers under the proposals, even if the material itself is not illegal. It is thought to be the first time banks have been asked effectively to police the internet in such a way. A ‘summit’ between financial organisations and the video services regulator will be held next month in an effort to finalise the agreement. The move is intended to address the growing exposure of under-aged children to legal but highly explicit internet pornography, which David Cameron has said is ‘corroding childhood’. Restricting such exposure is a priority for Downing Street. (See Prayer Alert 30-2013)
Pray: that this move will lead to a blocking of this form of pornography. (Col.3:23)
Number of families living in B&Bs at 10-year high in England
The number of homeless families living in emergency bed and breakfast accommodation is at its highest in nearly ten years, says the housing and homelessness charity Shelter. The charity says 2,090 homeless families across England have been placed in B&Bs after losing their homes, an eight per cent rise on the same period last year, and the highest since September 2003. Overall homeless figures also rose by more than five per cent in the last year. This includes 8,790 families with children – the equivalent of one family losing their home every 15 minutes. A Shelter poll found that six in every ten working families paying mortgage or rent are struggling with their payments. Campbell Robb, Shelter’s chief executive, said: ‘These figures are a wake-up call. Ordinary families are falling through the net and risk losing everything.’ The charity reports that it sees many families placed in unsuitable B&B-style accommodation, often for weeks at a time.
Pray: that accommodation may be found for homeless families that will bring stability. (Ps.113:9)
Rowan Williams pledges support for arms trade activists
Former archbishop condemns treatment of campaigners who are due to stand trial for blocking entrance of London arms fair. Justin Welby's predecessor as the archbishop of Canterbury has sent a message of support to five Christian activists who will appear in court this week after blocking one of the entrances to the London arms fair earlier this month. Telling them that he wished them well, Rowan Williams added: ‘I am very grateful for those who have courageously drawn attention to the scandal of this situation, and to the wider question of the way governments support and subsidise the arms trade. Outrage about one kind of horrific and illegal weaponry will not be taken seriously unless it is part of a comprehensive willingness to tackle all forms of collusion with technologically advanced violence against human beings.’ (See Prayer Alert 37-2013)
Pray: for those who have been arrested and are taking a stand against the arms trade. (Is 2:4)
More: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/sep/22/rowan-williams-arms-trade-activists
Bedroom tax has pushed one in three council tenants into arrears
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
B&B Christians suffer hate in name of tolerance, says writer
The Christian owners of a Cornish B&B have suffered a ‘campaign of hatred, vilification and intimidation’ under the guise of tolerance, a national newspaper columnist has said. Peter and Hazelmary Bull have been hit by crushing equality laws and a court case over their married couples only policy for double rooms. Following the legal case the couple have received death threats and vandalism, and have now decided to sell the business – which is also their home. Writing in the Daily Mail, Richard Littlejohn said some who preach tolerance are actually the ‘most vile, intolerant bigots imaginable’. He added that the idea of ‘celebrating diversity’ never extends to those with devout Christian beliefs. And while the columnist said he didn’t agree with the Bulls’ policy, Mr Littlejohn strongly criticised the ordeal they have been subjected to. He wrote that when the case first hit the headlines he had said the couple are ‘in the wrong line of work’.
Pray: that God will bless the Bulls and protect them from further intolerance. (Mk.13:13)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/bb-christians-suffer-hate-in-name-of-tolerance-says-writer/
Marriage tax break at £150 ‘not enough’ say faith leaders
Current marriage tax break proposals could be seen as an ‘empty gesture’ and should be paid at a much higher rate, a group of faith leaders and political activists have warned. In a letter to the Sunday Telegraph, politicians have been urged to back the transferable tax allowance as ‘a sensible first step’ to counter the ‘devastating trend of family breakdown’. But the leaders, Bishop Nazir-Ali, Lord Singh, director of the network of Sikh organisations, Robert Woollard, chairman of Conservative Grassroots and others, called for all political parties to ensure the tax break is ‘meaningful’ by making it worth more than the ‘low level’ of £150. The letter said the introduction of the marriage tax break is ‘long overdue’. The Conservatives promised to bring in a transferable tax allowance, which would save married couples £150 when one spouse stays at home, in their election manifesto in 2010.
Pray: that the government will look closer at the decisions to bring in a transferable tax allowance. (Pr.2:9)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/marriage-tax-break-at-150-not-enough-say-faith-leaders/
MEPs unite in fight against organised crime, corruption and money laundering
Parliament's organised crime, corruption and money laundering special committee (CRIM) has adopted a report which calls for a comprehensive acti organisations active in the EU, of which most have members from more than one country. The new report, adopted on Tuesday, calls for the creation of a European public prosecutor, for corrupt politicians to be banned from office and for a common definition of organised crime which includes the involvement with mafia-type organisations. Tanja Fajon, S&D spokesperson on organised crime and corruption, said, ‘EU countries are not immune to political corruption and we need to introduce stronger and more efficient measures to tackle it, including enhanced transparency for political parties' budgets and a five-year ban for corrupt politicians.’
Pray: for the authorities to be granted success against criminals. (Ecc.8:13)
MEPs unite in fight against organised crime, corruption and money laundering
Parliament's organised crime, corruption and money laundering special committee (CRIM) has adopted a report which calls for a comprehensive acti organisations active in the EU, of which most have members from more than one country. The new report, adopted on Tuesday, calls for the creation of a European public prosecutor, for corrupt politicians to be banned from office and for a common definition of organised crime which includes the involvement with mafia-type organisations. Tanja Fajon, S&D spokesperson on organised crime and corruption, said, ‘EU countries are not immune to political corruption and we need to introduce stronger and more efficient measures to tackle it, including enhanced transparency for political parties' budgets and a five-year ban for corrupt politicians.’
Pray: for the authorities to be granted success against criminals. (Ecc.8:13)