Soldiers killed on active service
The continuing loss of life of our Armed Forces in Afghanistan is distressing but when it is allegedly due to ‘friendly fire’ it becomes more poignant. Each soldier’s life is precious, but needless accidents, including for example road traffic accidents, are more difficult to comprehend. Most recently the Ministry of Defence has named a soldier killed in Afghanistan as Private John Howard, from 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment. The 23-year-old New Zealand-born soldier was serving with 16 Air Assault Brigade's Reconnaissance Force when he was killed last Sunday, 5 December. Our prayers thank him for his selfless giving and seek the Lord’s support for his grieving family.
Pray: for the safety of our troops deployed in Afghanistan and for the families of those killed and seriously injured. (Ps.29:10-11)
Teenagers search for family values
Young people want to learn about responsible parenting rather than sexual mechanics in sex education, a recent survey has revealed. Around three quarters of teenagers interviewed said that a relationship does not need to involve sex. The findings challenge the current emphasis in sex education on the mechanics of safe sex. The survey, conducted among over 2,000 13 to 16-year-olds from a range of schools and backgrounds, has surprised experts in the field. Researchers from Hull University said that they were surprised that the majority of those surveyed supported ‘moral’ ideas about having sex. The survey revealed that the single most important ‘fact of life’ for both boys and girls was parenting. Commenting on the findings, Norman Wells of the Family Education Trust, said: ‘Young people are clearly tiring of the negative messages they are receiving about pregnancy and parenthood from sex educators obsessed with contraception’.
Pray: that Christian morality supporting the ideals of marriage and family values is disseminated strongly to our young people. (Heb.13:4)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/teach-us-more-about-family-values-say-teenagers/
Sexualisation of children
Proposed laws against clothing that sexualises children would be impractical, parenting experts have warned the Government. MPs would struggle to draw up rules on the acceptable length of skirts or height of heels that could be worn by young girls, it is claimed. It emerged at the weekend that the Government is to commission a review of inappropriate products and images targeting girls as young as 10. The chief executive of the Mothers’ Union, Reg Bailey, will produce a report on the ways in which children are put under pressure by retailers and advertisers to grow up too fast. This could lead to industry standards being established or individual businesses being prosecuted, while parents could be given new powers to challenge inappropriate adverts or products. Pippa Smith, co-chairman of Safermedia, said: ‘Unfortunately children are quite a high priority on the marketers’ list. I think there’s got to be willpower with the Government’.
Pray: for clarity in formulating standards and laws that will see an end to much of the commercial sexualisation of children. (Jn.17:15)
Poland welcomes first black MP
A Nigerian-born pastor has become the first black member of Poland's lower house of parliament (Sejm) in what is being seen as a large step forward in the nation's race relations, reports Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent, Assist News Service. According to the website www.newspoland.pl John Godson has held Polish citizenship for ten years. He will take the place of Civic Platform’s Hanna Zdanowska, who resigned from her parliamentary post after winning Sunday’s local government elections in Lodz. Godson was previously serving as a local councillor in Poland’s central city. In an interview with Polish Radio Lodz, Godson declared that he will still remain active in promoting his home city even though he will be spending much of his time in Warsaw on national affairs. Godson is also the president of the African Institute in Poland as well as a pastor of the Church of God in Christ, a Christian Pentecostal church active in Poland.
Pray: that Godson will live up to his name and Jesus will be seen in him in all that he does. (1Cor.2:5)
Poland welcomes first black MP
A Nigerian-born pastor has become the first black member of Poland's lower house of parliament (Sejm) in what is being seen as a large step forward in the nation's race relations, reports Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent, Assist News Service. According to the website www.newspoland.pl John Godson has held Polish citizenship for ten years. He will take the place of Civic Platform’s Hanna Zdanowska, who resigned from her parliamentary post after winning Sunday’s local government elections in Lodz. Godson was previously serving as a local councillor in Poland’s central city. In an interview with Polish Radio Lodz, Godson declared that he will still remain active in promoting his home city even though he will be spending much of his time in Warsaw on national affairs. Godson is also the president of the African Institute in Poland as well as a pastor of the Church of God in Christ, a Christian Pentecostal church active in Poland.
Pray: that Godson will live up to his name and Jesus will be seen in him in all that he does. (1Cor.2:5)
Belgium: Court allows to sue for ‘wrongful birth’
The Brussels Court of Appeal has ruled that parents may sue physicians who fail to diagnose ‘serious disabilities’ of pre-born children, assuming that had the parents known they would have had the disabled child killed through an abortion, reports LifeSiteNews.com. The September 21st ruling said, ‘certainly, the misdiagnosis did not cause the child’s disability, which existed before the error and which could not be remedied.’ But, the court said, ‘the injury [that] must be compensated is not the disability itself, but the fact of being born with such disabilities.’ The court commented that abortion is in the best interest of the child whose parents would have it killed, noting that since abortion was legalized, ‘the legislature must have intended to help avoid giving birth to children with serious abnormalities, having regard not only to the interests of the mother but also to that of the unborn child itself.’
Pray: that this ruling will be reversed and life would be honoured. (Is.42:5)
Belgium: Court allows to sue for ‘wrongful birth’
The Brussels Court of Appeal has ruled that parents may sue physicians who fail to diagnose ‘serious disabilities’ of pre-born children, assuming that had the parents known they would have had the disabled child killed through an abortion, reports LifeSiteNews.com. The September 21st ruling said, ‘certainly, the misdiagnosis did not cause the child’s disability, which existed before the error and which could not be remedied.’ But, the court said, ‘the injury [that] must be compensated is not the disability itself, but the fact of being born with such disabilities.’ The court commented that abortion is in the best interest of the child whose parents would have it killed, noting that since abortion was legalized, ‘the legislature must have intended to help avoid giving birth to children with serious abnormalities, having regard not only to the interests of the mother but also to that of the unborn child itself.’
Pray: that this ruling will be reversed and life would be honoured. (Is.42:5)
Traditional Christian Christmas
Local authorities should celebrate Christmas in the traditional Christian way and stop worrying about the PC brigade, said Communities Secretary Eric Pickles. He called for an end to ‘Christianophobia’. Mr Pickles said councils should stop introducing ‘politically correct’ versions of Christmas such as ‘Winterval’, which combines secular and inter-faith religious elements. The Communities Secretary called for councils to take pride in British Christian heritage by celebrating the nativity and all the traditions surrounding it. He said: ‘We should actively celebrate the Christian basis of Christmas, and not allow politically correct Grinches to marginalise Christianity and the birth of Christ. The war on Christmas is over, and the likes of Winterval, Winter Lights and Luminous deserve to be in the dustbin of history’. John Midgely, founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said ‘It is absolutely right in our country that Christmas should be celebrated and it does not cause offence to other religions’.
Pray: for local authorities and councils to have the courage and confidence to celebrate a Christian Christmas. (2Co.3:4)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/celebrate-traditional-christian-christmas-says-govt-minister/
Day of prayer for Ireland
Christians from different churches in Ireland have felt drawn to join together to issue a call for prayer for their nation at this time. Ireland is undergoing a period of economic, political and social upheaval, shaking the very fabric of its society. In the midst of this upheaval Christians are calling for prayer to seek God’s help in a very definite way, and meeting to ask God for His intervention. They have invited churches to plan events and gatherings for prayer. Join with them on Friday the 3rd December 2010, to pray for Ireland. They are asking people to pray individually at home, in groups, at special church services, at work, at school, in colleges, wherever. They suggest that times of prayer can be short or long, using favourite forms of prayer, or at a church service, mass, bible study etc.
Pray: for the Lord to help Ireland in response to their day of prayer. (2Ch.6:19)
More: http://www.irishchristians.ie/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=13:a-day-of-prayer-for-ireland
Christmas and credit
Christians Against Poverty is urging people not to give into the temptation of taking a loan to cover the cost of their Christmas celebrations. The debt counselling charity says it is not out to kill the festive season but that it wants people to have a clear spending strategy to see them safely into the New Year. Chief Executive Matt Barlow believes such a strategy is wise as yet more economic uncertainty looms on the horizon. ‘These are difficult times for a lot of us and the temptation is to say 'at least we’ll have a great Christmas' and use that as an excuse to spend what we haven’t got,’ he said. The charity has released its top ten tips for avoiding festive debt. These include being honest with family members if things are tight, not buying gifts for others out of obligation, and clubbing together with relatives to buy the kids’ presents.
Pray: for Christmas to be a simple, honest celebration of Jesus’ birth rather one of financial excess. (Pr.1:3)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/dont.do.christmas.on.credit.debt.charity.warns/27142.htm