Marriage not dead, says work and pensions secretary
Marriage is not dead but a force for good in society, and something which churches should do their bit to support, according to the secretary of state for work and pensions. Speaking at the launch of Marriage Week UK on Tuesday, the Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP called marriage ‘our most basic institution’ and said it was now an important political topic not to be shied away from. He said: ‘The financial costs of family breakdown are incredibly high. But what is most painful to see is the human cost - the wasted potential, the anti-social behaviour, and the low self-esteem.’ Speaking at the launch at the House of Commons, Mr Duncan Smith added: ‘The commitment of two people to put selfish interest to one side for the sake of each other and the children they raise is simply the very best of us as human beings’. Pray: for all the activities promoting Christian marriage during this Marriage Week. (Heb.13:4)
EU to send expert team to Sudan
The EU is preparing to send a team of technical experts to Sudan in the coming weeks, with senior officials warning that Africa's largest and soon to be divided state continues to pose the greatest risk to the continent's security, despite recent competition from Egypt. ‘The mission will be sent to south Sudan to make a strategic assessment of what support the EU should provide for stability, building, development and security sector reform.’ Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for EU high representative Catherine Ashton, said on Tuesday. Final results from last month's referendum, released on Monday, showed that nearly 99 percent of the 3.9 million voters in south Sudan elected to separate form the Arab-led and Muslim north. A complete lack of development in southern Sudan for the past 25 years, security failings and a history of epidemics and floods are among the challenges facing the region, set to gain independence in July, said the official. Pray: for the teams of experts that they will be given God’s wisdom in ways to help this new nation. (Pr.2:6)
EU to send expert team to Sudan
The EU is preparing to send a team of technical experts to Sudan in the coming weeks, with senior officials warning that Africa's largest and soon to be divided state continues to pose the greatest risk to the continent's security, despite recent competition from Egypt. ‘The mission will be sent to south Sudan to make a strategic assessment of what support the EU should provide for stability, building, development and security sector reform.’ Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for EU high representative Catherine Ashton, said on Tuesday. Final results from last month's referendum, released on Monday, showed that nearly 99 percent of the 3.9 million voters in south Sudan elected to separate form the Arab-led and Muslim north. A complete lack of development in southern Sudan for the past 25 years, security failings and a history of epidemics and floods are among the challenges facing the region, set to gain independence in July, said the official. Pray: for the teams of experts that they will be given God’s wisdom in ways to help this new nation. (Pr.2:6)
Russia: Clergy may run for office
The Russian Orthodox Church has ruled that hierarchs (church leaders) and clergy can run for office in exceptional cases when their presence is needed to fight ‘forces striving to use electoral power to fight the Orthodox Church.’ A document passed on 2 February by the Bishops' Council, which was meeting in Moscow, describes potential opponents of the church as forces ‘including schismatics and those of other religions,’ without naming any specifically, and says the church has the right to pass moral judgment on political programs and statements when they touch on issues including moral relativism, family values, historical monuments and the environment. The document also makes clear that it is referring not just to clergy within Russia’s borders but extends across the former Soviet Union. In another document, passed on 4 February, the Bishops' Council said clergy and lay people must use all legal means to fight ‘blasphemy and slander’ against the church in modern society. Pray: that God will speak through His chosen leaders into the political arena. (Pr.10:2) More: http://www.eni.ch/featured/article.php?id=4704
Russia: Clergy may run for office
The Russian Orthodox Church has ruled that hierarchs (church leaders) and clergy can run for office in exceptional cases when their presence is needed to fight ‘forces striving to use electoral power to fight the Orthodox Church.’ A document passed on 2 February by the Bishops' Council, which was meeting in Moscow, describes potential opponents of the church as forces ‘including schismatics and those of other religions,’ without naming any specifically, and says the church has the right to pass moral judgment on political programs and statements when they touch on issues including moral relativism, family values, historical monuments and the environment. The document also makes clear that it is referring not just to clergy within Russia’s borders but extends across the former Soviet Union. In another document, passed on 4 February, the Bishops' Council said clergy and lay people must use all legal means to fight ‘blasphemy and slander’ against the church in modern society. Pray: that God will speak through His chosen leaders into the political arena. (Pr.10:2) More: http://www.eni.ch/featured/article.php?id=4704
B&B owners: Targeted by homosexuals
Following the award of damages against Peter and Hazelmary Bulls, (See Prayer Alert 02-2011) who refused to allow a homosexual couple to share a double bed in their guesthouse, another Christian B&B owner is now being taken to court. Michael Black and John Morgan, are claiming that they were discriminated against after being turned away from a B&B in Cookham, Berkshire. They have launched legal proceedings against Susanne Wilkinson, the Christian owner of the B&B. This follows the experience of the Bulls, who have suffered many abusive phone calls from homosexuals following the ruling and have even had fake and damaging reviews of their B&B posted online. The Wilkinsons have also been subjected to abusive phone calls, text messages and emails since the facts of their story emerged in the media. Mr Wilkinson told the police: ‘There must have been 900 emails, and I would say half of them are really abusive and threatening’. Pray: for the Wilkinsons and Bulls at this time of great challenge and distress in their lives. (2Sa.22:7)
Re-establishing relationships in the Anglican Communion will be a ‘long task’
The Archbishop of Canterbury has acknowledged the ‘critical’ situation facing the Anglican Communion at the end of a six-day meeting of Primates in Dublin. Around 10 Primates from the Global South were absent from the meeting out of opposition to the attendance of Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church in the US. The Church has angered large parts of the Anglican Communion by continuing to bless same-sex unions and consecrate partnered same-sex bishops. Dr Rowan Williams said the absence of the Primates had been ‘felt and noted every day’, and that the names of the missing Primates had been placed on seats in the meeting and candles lit for them. In spite of their absence, Dr Williams said there was still a lot of solidarity between churches in the Communion on a broad range of issues and that the meeting had met his hope of clarifying the role of the Primates standing committee. Pray: for healing and unity so that the Church can focus on delivering the Gospel message. (Ep.4:3)
Luton protest raise fears of disorder
Police expected to mount their biggest operation in the town's history, as thousands of English Defence League activists from across England will descend on Luton. Anti-racism campaigners are holding a counter demonstration in Luton also on Saturday. Unite Against Fascism, which is organising the event, says it expects supporters to travel from across the country. Luton councillor Mahmood Hussain said, ‘This event is creating more fear than anything else, especially among the elderly who have seen the pictures of what has happened at these events in the past. Everyone is very much concerned about what could happen because you only have to look at the record of this group to see what we face'. Community leaders and politicians have been working with different community groups in Luton since the EDL announced it was going to stage the protest. Pray: for the people of Luton this weekend and against confrontational, violent protests. (Je.29:7) More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jan/31/edl-protest-luton-fears-disorder
Charity calls for action to close gap between rich and poor
Church Action on Poverty has called for a closing of the growing gap between rich and poor in the UK. They are also mobilising faith communities to conduct their own counts of street homeless people, as official statistics have been shown to underestimate the numbers of people sleeping rough. The charity is using Poverty and Homelessness Action Week, which runs from 29 January to 4 February, to highlight that while the UK remains one of the five richest nations on the planet, more than one in five here live below the poverty line. CAP supports its case for inequality pointing out that the wealth of the top 10 per cent is now 100 times higher than the net wealth of the poorest 10 per cent. The three-year Close the Gap campaign will aim to mobilise thousands of people across the faith communities to give, act and pray to close the wealth gap (www.church-poverty.org.uk). Pray: for such initiatives that seek to support the most vulnerable in our communities. (Ac.20:35)
Western Isles' to fall foul of new equality law
Councillors on the Western Isles could be forced to abandon a centuries-old religious tradition of keeping sports and community centres closed on a Sunday because it breaches new equality legislation, the Guardian has learned. The islands of Lewis, Harris and North Uist are the last places in the UK where publicly owned and lottery-funded facilities such as leisure centres, golf courses, school grounds and community halls are closed because of sabbatarianism, which bans work and play on Sundays on religious grounds. The tradition, promoted vigorously by the staunchly protestant Free Church and the Church of Scotland, has caused deep divisions on the islands and bitter rows between pro-opening campaigners and senior figures in the church and council. Pray: for God to be the authority and have the last word in this dispute. (Gen.2:3) More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jan/31/western-isles-sunday-laws-equality-act