Violent assaults in Northampton have dropped by around two-thirds after church volunteers took to the streets.The volunteers, known as Street Pastors, have been working in conjunction with local police officers since 2008, and in the twelve months to March this year there were only 38 violent incidents recorded. This is a significant drop from the previous year when there were 110 recorded violent incidents. Rev Mark Lees, the local architect of the national scheme, said: ‘I think it is reassuring for people to see somebody else there that’s obviously involved and cares.’ Earlier this year it was revealed that prayer and the work of the Street Pastors was helping Devon and Cornwall police tackle crime. Churchgoers in the Barnstaple area were asked to pray that crime detection rates, which were then at 26 per cent, would increase. And in February it was revealed that the detection rates had risen to 40 per cent, one of the highest in the country. (See also Prayer Alert 0910)

Praise: God for the way He uses His people in prayer and practical action to make changes that transform the community. (1Ch.29:10-11)

More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/crime-drops-after-street-pastor-patrols/

The number of church hustings registered on CARE’s election web site Make the Cross Count broke through the 200 mark over the weekend, with more than 220 church hustings now registered. Nola Leach CARE’s chief executive said, ‘The number of hustings registrations surpassed all expectations. When we set out we hoped we might get 50, never expecting that two weeks into the campaign we would have over 200! We continue to be unaware of any larger single source of hustings. It’s wonderful to see the church playing such a strategic role during this election.’ Dan Boucher, CARE’s director of parliamentary affairs said of the site, which addresses subjects as diverse as human trafficking and euthanasia, child poverty and religious liberty. ‘We really hope that Make the Cross Count empowers Christians to make the most of their hustings and to ask challenging questions, putting Christian concerns and priorities right at the heart of this election.’

Pray: for the Holy Spirit to empower Christians to voice God’s will and purposes in the run-up to the election. (Ro.12:2)

More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/one.in.three.constituencies.to.hold.church.hustings/25743.htm

Tony Blair's spokesman Alastair Campbell famously once said the prime minister didn't ‘do God’ when talking to the media illustrating how Christianity is generally treated at Westminster. Explicit mention of religion is seen as ‘un-British’, a bit ‘American’ and a ‘turn-off’ to the electorate. But, with a closely fought election in the offing and a desperate fight taking place for marginal seats, might candidates become more open about their beliefs if it means a few more votes? The preacher Canon J Johns thinks they should. He urges his fellow believers to ‘do our best to find out about our local candidates’. He adds: ‘We might want to ask whether they are genuinely committed to moral values or do they simply adopt whatever is the current fashionable view? Does the candidate place their party's ideology above everything else? Would they be prepared to vote against the party line on moral grounds?’

Pray: for wisdom and discernment when ‘weighing’ political rhetoric to recognise honesty in moral issues. (1Ch.29:17)

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8607964.stm

Methodists are being encouraged to speak ‘words of blessing’ over the Church, its vision, planning, ministry, members and leaders, as part of a new Connexion-wide prayer initiative. Entitled ‘The Power of Blessing’, this initiative has been launched by Methodist Evangelicals Together (MET) – a movement of British Methodists ‘committed to prayer and revival’ which is believed to be the biggest independent organisation in the Connexion. With the support of the Connexional Team, MET will be releasing a series of resources during the coming months, designed to stimulate Methodists of all traditions to use prayer to bless the work of the Church, their communities and the nation. ‘The Power of Blessing’ follows in the footsteps of the Church’s ‘Year of Prayer Without Ceasing’, which promoted a programme of continuous prayer across the Connexion. After this programme ended, in August 2006, the MET executive began to consider new ways of building on the scheme and encouraging more prayer within the life of the Church.

Pray: for the success of this prayer initiative. (Jas. 5:15-17)

More: http://www.methodistrecorder.co.uk/mrhlines.htm