One in three constituencies to hold church hustings
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)
Will Christians swing the 2010 UK election?
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
The power of positive prayers
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)
Wycliffe, DOOR to translate Bible for deaf people
Wycliffe Associates and a ministry to the deaf have announced a new partnership to translate the Bible into sign language for the millions of people who do not have access to the Scriptures. Deaf Opportunity Outreach International (DOOR) will work with Wycliffe Bible Translators and teams of deaf translators to bring the Scripture to video format. ‘Being blind separates you from things, but being deaf separates you from people,’ explained Bruce Smith, president/CEO at Wycliffe Associates. ‘We want to make sure that being deaf doesn’t separate you from God,’ Smith said. According to Wycliffe Associates there are more than 200 identified sign languages being used in the world and some 70 million people worldwide communicating with sign language.
Praise: God for the work of Wycliffe and DOOR bringing the Word of God alive to all people. (Ro.8:35a)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/wycliffe.door.to.translate.bible.for.deaf.people/25825.htm
Wycliffe, DOOR to translate Bible for deaf people
Wycliffe Associates and a ministry to the deaf have announced a new partnership to translate the Bible into sign language for the millions of people who do not have access to the Scriptures. Deaf Opportunity Outreach International (DOOR) will work with Wycliffe Bible Translators and teams of deaf translators to bring the Scripture to video format. ‘Being blind separates you from things, but being deaf separates you from people,’ explained Bruce Smith, president/CEO at Wycliffe Associates. ‘We want to make sure that being deaf doesn’t separate you from God,’ Smith said. According to Wycliffe Associates there are more than 200 identified sign languages being used in the world and some 70 million people worldwide communicating with sign language.
Praise: God for the work of Wycliffe and DOOR bringing the Word of God alive to all people. (Ro.8:35a)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/wycliffe.door.to.translate.bible.for.deaf.people/25825.htm
Right to appeal refused for Christian counsellor
Lord Justice Laws today refused permission to Gary McFarlane to have his case heard before the Court of Appeal. Mr McFarlane, a relationships counsellor from Bristol, sacked by the Relate Relationship organisation after he refused to provide sexual counselling to homosexual couples because of his Christian beliefs, asked that his case be heard by different judges to those who ruled against Lillian Ladele in December 2009. Church leaders have been deeply concerned by the ruling by Lord Neuberger, the Master of the Rolls, on behalf of the Court of Appeal, in the case of Lillian Ladele - a registrar who refused to conduct civil partnerships ceremonies because they were against her Christian beliefs - and have argued that the Court of Appeal’s decision effectively means that the right to express a strong Christian faith must take second place to the rights of homosexuals under Labour's equality laws. (See also Prayer Alert 1610)
Pray: that despite this refusal ways will be found to reverse this decision. (Ps.7:6)
Church cannot afford to ignore children's spirituality
Ministering to children’s spirituality is a core function for the Church rather than a luxury add-on, argues Dr Rebecca Nye in ‘Children's Spirituality’, a new book from the Church of England’s official publishers. Local churches have a crucial role in listening to children’s verbal and non-verbal expressions of spiritual searching and wonder, and must be careful in how they use ‘teaching’ methods to ensure they do not inadvertently stifle long-term spiritual development, she says. Alister McGrath, Head of the Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture at King's College, London, describes the book as ‘a powerful reaffirmation and exploration of the importance of childhood spirituality for the ministry and mission of the Church, which will be welcomed by all working in this field.’ Dr Nye argues that children’s capacity for exploring faith is significant and that churches should be more concerned with nurturing children’s ways of ‘being with and knowing God’, rather than the transmission of religious knowledge.
Pray: for churches to place children at the heart of their ministry nurturing their spiritual growth. (Ep.6:4)
Changing face of Scotland will mean major Kirk reforms
The Church of Scotland announced major plans on how it aims to grapple with the changing face of ministry in Scotland. Reports of the Ministries Council and Panel on Review and Reform, to be considered by commissioners at the General Assembly, affirm that the Church must restructure now if it is going to grow in the future, particularly with the current financial climate. In 2010 the Ministries Council is budgeting for a deficit of £5.7 million – an ‘unsustainable’ situation. Since ministries receive 87 per cent of ministry and mission funds from congregations, the budgeting deficit poses a problem for the whole Church and not just the Council. The reports warn that if a balanced budget is not achieved in the next few years the Council’s resources would be exhausted and unable to sustain ministry across the country.
Pray: for God’s guidance for the Church of Scotland so that any reforms may help the Church better to meet the needs of the people of Scotland. (Pr.1:5)
Sexual lyrics lead young girls astray
Sexually explicit song lyrics are encouraging vulnerable young girls to experiment with sex, according to a psychologist. This latest warning by Dr Jane McCartney is likely to add to concern about the increasing sexualisation of the nation’s children. Warning about the dangers of explicit lyrics, Dr McCartney said: ‘I think it is making children think this social behaviour is the norm and the danger is when you have girls listening to girls singing about it.’ The psychologist also warned that the suggestive lyrics, used by artists such as Lady Gaga, could give girls the impression that they are in control, when the stark reality is often quite the opposite. Dr McCartney’s warning echoes the findings of a previous report, commissioned by the Home Office, which warned that children are being harmed by exposure to violent and sexual images.
Pray: for our young people that, with quality support they will be better able to resist the sexual pressures put on them. (Pr.10:17)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/sexual-lyrics-lead-young-girls-astray/
I could be dead but God saved me, says top footballer
A Premiership football star has revealed just how important a part God has played in his life. On the brink of appearing in the final of Europe’s second most prestigious competition, Fulham star Zoltán Gera, 31, revealed the life story of how his Christian faith has helped him to overcome many problems in his youth. As a youngster, Mr Gera was driven to the brink by drink, drugs and gambling. He claims he was saved by finding God and now he hopes his remarkable story will serve as an example of how a life tainted by despair can become one graced with hope. His story, which appeared in The Evening Standard, becomes all the more remarkable taking into account that doctors once told him he had subjected his body to so much abuse, through the imbibing of alcohol and illegal substances, that he would never realise his dream of playing football at the highest level.
Praise: God for the testimony of Zoltan and others in the public eye. (Jn.19:35)