Spain: Ferry fire forces more than 150 passengers to evacuate
A fire broke out on a ferry off Spain’s Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean on Tuesday, forcing the evacuation of 156 passengers and crew in lifeboats and injuring three crew members, officials said. The ferry operated by Trasmediterranea was travelling from Palma de Mallorca, the capital of the Balearic Islands, to the eastern Spanish port of Valencia when the blaze broke out in its garage for still unknown reasons, the company said in a statement. ‘Everyone has been evacuated,’ a company spokeswoman told AFP. Passengers and crew abandoned the Sorrento ferry in lifeboats after it became clear that the fire could not be brought under control with the means on board, Spain’s coastguard said in a statement. Three crew members who were rescued by helicopter suffered smoke inhalation, the Mallorca port authority said. It had initially said there were about 170 passengers on board the ferry.
NI Assembly rejects gay marriage for the fourth time
The Northern Ireland Assembly has rejected same-sex marriage legislation by an outright majority for the fourth time. (See last week’s Prayer Alert) Today MLAs voted 49 to 47 against a motion calling for the redefinition of marriage. There were three abstentions. Traditional marriage supporters had warned that the motion sought to limit the free speech of Christians. Callum Webster, spokesman for The Christian Institute, said: ‘This is now the fourth time in three years this motion has been defeated. We’re thankful to those MLAs who have resisted this constant and co-ordinated pressure from activists to redefine marriage.’ He had previously highlighted that a sentence supporting ‘freedom of religion’ in last year’s motion was deleted from this year’s version. Mr Webster said this indicated that supporters of gay marriage only want to allow free speech within church services.
Egypt: Muslims raise funds to build Coptic church in Cairo
Muslims in Egypt have donated money towards the building of a Coptic church in Al Manufiyya, north of Cairo, signalling another step towards solidarity in a country previously divided along sectarian lines. Coptic Orthodox Bishop Benyamin, of the Diocese of Al Manufiyya, began a collection of donations for the church, which will be dedicated to the Virgin Mary. According to Fides news agency, a number of Islamic leaders in the area encouraged local Muslims to contribute, a suggestion that was taken up most eagerly by young people and children. Pleased with the success of the initiative, Bishop Benyamin has urged other communities to follow suit, and said there is a message to learn from the way that Christians and Muslims are working together. Though Egypt has in the past been plagued by sectarian violence, members of both faiths have been making a concerted effort to unite in the wake of brutality perpetuated by Islamic State in the Middle Eastern region.
NI Assembly rejects gay marriage for the fourth time
The Northern Ireland Assembly has rejected same-sex marriage legislation by an outright majority for the fourth time. (See last week’s Prayer Alert) Today MLAs voted 49 to 47 against a motion calling for the redefinition of marriage. There were three abstentions. Traditional marriage supporters had warned that the motion sought to limit the free speech of Christians. Callum Webster, spokesman for The Christian Institute, said: ‘This is now the fourth time in three years this motion has been defeated. We’re thankful to those MLAs who have resisted this constant and co-ordinated pressure from activists to redefine marriage.’ He had previously highlighted that a sentence supporting ‘freedom of religion’ in last year’s motion was deleted from this year’s version. Mr Webster said this indicated that supporters of gay marriage only want to allow free speech within church services.
Egypt: Muslims raise funds to build Coptic church in Cairo
Muslims in Egypt have donated money towards the building of a Coptic church in Al Manufiyya, north of Cairo, signalling another step towards solidarity in a country previously divided along sectarian lines. Coptic Orthodox Bishop Benyamin, of the Diocese of Al Manufiyya, began a collection of donations for the church, which will be dedicated to the Virgin Mary. According to Fides news agency, a number of Islamic leaders in the area encouraged local Muslims to contribute, a suggestion that was taken up most eagerly by young people and children. Pleased with the success of the initiative, Bishop Benyamin has urged other communities to follow suit, and said there is a message to learn from the way that Christians and Muslims are working together. Though Egypt has in the past been plagued by sectarian violence, members of both faiths have been making a concerted effort to unite in the wake of brutality perpetuated by Islamic State in the Middle Eastern region.
Christians called to join 'prayer surge' for General Election
Christians across Britain are being invited to join an ‘election prayer surge’ on the eve of the general election in a bid to pray in ‘God's will’ for the nation. In a pastoral letter, Dr Jonathan Oloyede, convenor of the National Day of Prayer and Worship, has issued a prayer summons to evangelical, charismatic and any other committed Christians to gather outside Parliament on the evening of Wednesday 6 May between 7.14 and 8.14, or those who cannot travel down to London are encouraged to meet where they live in small and large groups. Thursday 7 May 2015 will be a significant day in the life of this nation as we head to the polling stations to vote for the next government, our local councillors and in some places for mayoral candidates,’ he writes. ‘I urge you to renew the call to prayer for the UK and the government. I know many of you are already praying, but I believe we need to raise the bar in praying for God's Kingdom to come and His will to be done.’ If you want to organise an event where you are, Jonathan invites you to email him directly at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Smartphones making children borderline autistic, warns expert
Children struggle to read emotions and are less empathetic than a generation ago because they spend too much time using tablets and smartphones, a leading psychiatrist has warned. Iain McGilchrist said children as young as five were less able to read facial expressions because of too much interaction with technology. He added that he had evidence that more pupils were displaying borderline ‘autistic’ behaviour. Dr McGilchrist, a former Oxford literary scholar who retrained in medicine, said he had heard of increasing numbers of teachers who had to explain to their pupils how to make sense of human faces. He said ‘plausible’ theories as to why children are less empathetic are to do with the disruptive effects of technology in the family unit. ‘Children spend more time engaging with machines and with virtual reality than they used to in the past,’
Pagan 'church' is recognised in Northern Ireland
A Presbyterian church minister has issued a warning following the first legal recognition of a Pagan 'church' in Northern Ireland. Minister of Magheramason Presbyterian Church in Londonderry, Rev Graeme Orr, told the Irish News Letter: ‘There is a dark spiritual side involved with paganism that I would like people to be wary about. I would invite people to come and speak to me and find their answers through God.’ While most religions go back hundreds, even thousands of years, The Order of the Golden River – Northern Ireland's first official Pagan church – was established just six years ago, in 2009. Led by Patrick Cranberry, now legally recognised as a Pagan priest in the country, the group's members have remained anonymous since its founding. Though Cranberry says he has recieved a lot of support in the last few weeks, Orr says he is worried for the people of Londonderry, where The Order has been offered a building.
Migrants are 'helpless victims', says bishop
Britain needs leaders who will look on asylum seekers from Africa with 'compassion', the Bishop of Manchester has said. Rt Revd David Walker said there was a ‘political rhetoric that characterises them as wilful criminals rather than helpless victims’. Writing for the Observer newspaper the bishop said migrants are attempting to come to Europe through desperation and not want. ‘They are pushed, not pulled, towards the EU, forced out of their homelands by war, terrorism and the persecution of minorities,’ he wrote. Bishop David said: ‘Twenty-first-century Britain still aspires to be an international player. The moral cost of our continual overseas interventions has to include accepting a fair share of the victims of the wars to which we have contributed as legitimate refugees in our own land,’ he urged. Just days away from the General Election Bishop David said he wanted a government that looked upon refugees with compassion.
Archbishop of York calls for more minority ethnic vocations
More minority ethnic Anglicans are needed for ordained ministry in the Church of England, the Archbishop of York said last week. In a foreword to a new booklet on minority ethnic vocations, Dr John Sentamu said there has never been a better time for Christians from minority ethnic backgrounds to respond to God's call to ordained ministry in the Church of England. ‘There is a greater need than ever for minority ethnic Anglicans to respond to God's call to ministry and servant leadership - we need people who are equipped for cross-ultural ministry in our increasingly diverse society,’ Dr Sentamu said. ‘We need more minority ethnic clergy as deacons, priests and bishops. We need ethnic diversity at all levels in the Church's ministry. This booklet shows how crucial it is for our ongoing vocations work in the Church of England.