Christian giving charity responds to 2000th request for help
An online giving charity set up by the Archbishop of York in 2010 has responded to its 2,000th request for help. Acts435.org.uk connects those in need with those who can help, while protecting donor anonymity and applicant confidentiality. Donors around the country are giving on average £7,000 a month through the platform, more than triple the level of donations this time last year. Since its launch, Acts435 has provided over £175,000 in donations to people needing help with things like school uniforms, furniture, food and debt relief orders. The charity says many of the applicants are people struggling to cope after a relationship breakdown, redundancy or a change to their benefits. ‘As the country goes through tough economic times, many people are struggling to cope with unexpected expenses and even everyday ones. Acts 435 is bringing real hope for these situations.’
Praise: God for the success of Acts435.
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christian.giving.charity.responds.to.2000th.request.for.help/32831.htm
300 new churches planted in Norway
In Norway 300 churches have been planted in the last 15 years. This is reported by Oivind Augland, director of DAWN Norge, a national network for church planting in which many denominations and churches participate. DAWN Norway is serving a network of people who recognize that when we stand together as the Body of Christ, we have the opportunity to see the nation filled with living cells, groups and congregations of believers in all geographic areas, ethnic and cultural groups in the nation. Churches in Norway are actively working together and have a vision beyond their own nation. They want to ‘ignite multiplying church planting movements all over Europe.’
Praise: God for this encouraging cross-denominational growth in Scandiinavia and beyond
300 new churches planted in Norway
In Norway 300 churches have been planted in the last 15 years. This is reported by Oivind Augland, director of DAWN Norge, a national network for church planting in which many denominations and churches participate. DAWN Norway is serving a network of people who recognize that when we stand together as the Body of Christ, we have the opportunity to see the nation filled with living cells, groups and congregations of believers in all geographic areas, ethnic and cultural groups in the nation. Churches in Norway are actively working together and have a vision beyond their own nation. They want to ‘ignite multiplying church planting movements all over Europe.’
Praise: God for this encouraging cross-denominational growth in Scandiinavia and beyond
Preview to the 2013 G8 Summit
Eight of the world’s leading financial powers will work on advancing trade, ensuring tax compliance and promoting greater transparency during the 2013 G8 summit in Northern Ireland next week. The UK, which took the annual rotating presidency of the G8 in January, will host this year’s summit in Lough Erne, Fermanagh from June 17 to 18. The eight global leaders hoping to address international issues and tackle the most pressing global challenges, and ‘advance growth and prosperity across the world, include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the US and the UK President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy will represent the EU at the summit. In a May 12 editorial in the Wall Street Journal, Cameron called his agenda ‘pro-business and pro-development,’ citing his plan to cut Britain’s corporate tax rate to 20 percent, the lowest rate in the G7.
Pray:for the gathering of G8 leaders that they will be given wisdom and discernment to judge the needs of the peoples. (Is.58:10a)
More: http://www.neurope.eu/article/preview-2013-g8-summit
Government demands action on web safety
Google, BT and a clutch of other web giants and internet service providers have been put on notice - the government wants action on sorting out the problem of harmful content on the internet. The Culture Secretary Maria Miller has summoned them to a meeting on 17 June where they will be expected to come up with plans to do more to stop access to material such as child abuse images or material designed to promote terrorism. In her letter to the companies, the culture secretary says there is widespread public concern. Whether these concerns focus on access to illegal pornographic content, the proliferation of extremist material which might incite racial or religious hatred, or the ongoing battle against online copyright theft, a common question emerges. An aide to Ms Miller says. ‘Enough is enough - concentrated effort is now needed by the whole industry.’
Pray: that the meeting on 17 June will lead to significant developments and changes in web safety. (Pro.1:33)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22794498
Number of lone parents rising by 20,000 a year
The number of lone parents is rising by a rate of more than 20,000 a year with ‘devastating’ consequences for children and adults alike, warns the Centre for Social Justice. In a report, the CSJ says the number of lone parents will pass two million by the time of the next election. The increase is not being fuelled by divorce but by the surge in cohabitation. Since 1996, the number of people cohabiting has doubled to nearly six million but cohabiting parents are three times more likely than married couples to separate by the time a child is five. The number of lone parents increased by almost a quarter between 1996 and 2012. Britain has one of the highest rates of family breakdown in the developed world, with a quarter of families with dependent children being headed by a lone parent. Around a million children are growing up without any contact with their father.
Pray: or less family breakdowns. And for lone parents and their children to establish sound relationships compensating for any loss of stability and family breakdown. (Ps.79:6)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/number.of.lone.parents.rising.by.20000.a.year/32814.htm
Humanists want the church out of schools
A group of humanists are demanding that faith schools should be open to all children, regardless of their parents’ religion. The Fair Admissions Campaign wants all state-funded schools in England and Wales to be open equally to all children, without regard to religion or belief. The Church of England’s website says: ‘Latest available statistics indicate one in four primary schools and one in 16 secondary schools in England are Church of England schools. Approaching one million pupils are educated in more than 4,700 Church of England schools.’ The Fair Admissions Campaign claims that it is ‘widely supported’, by those at its meetings. In the real world, according to the Church of England: ‘Seven in ten (72%) of the population agree that Church of England schools help young people to grow into responsible members of society and 8 in 10 (80%) agree that they promote good behaviour and positive attitudes.’
Pray: that faith will continue to be central in our schools' teaching and the developing of positive attitudes. (Rom.15:5)
More: http://www.christianvoice.org.uk/index.php/2013jun07fac/
Marriage Bill to be scrutinised in Committee
On Wednesday, the House of Lords voted against a motion which would have vetoed the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill by 390 votes to 148. Whilst this is disappointing, there are grounds for hope as we approach Committee Stage. Many Peers said that although they had serious misgivings about the Bill they did not feel able as members of an unelected House to vote it down at this stage. However, some of these Peers indicated support for amendments and did not write off the possibility of voting against the Bill at a later stage. Far from being the end of the battle in the Lords, Wednesday's vote was just the beginning. We were very grateful for some excellent speeches on Monday and Tuesday. Please click on ‘More’ to see an analysis of the vote and excerpts from some of the speeches given by Peers supporting the current legal definition of marriage.
Pray: for the ongoing work of parliament as it seeks support for amendments. (Job.12:12)
Boy, 3, taught about gay marriage in nursery
A three-year-old boy has been taught by his nursery carer that when he grows up he will be able to marry a boy or a girl. The boy’s identity is being protected, but his parent wrote a letter to a local newspaper about the incident. ‘In response to my three-year-old son’s question as to what marriage was, I told him that it was when a man and woman loved each other very much and wanted to spend their lives together. My son then told me that ‘boys’ could get married, too. As he doesn’t read the newspapers, I was keen to understand how he had formed this view. Apparently, his carer at nursery, a homosexual, told the entire class that he had great news: when they grew up, they could get married to a girl, or a boy.
Pray: that the teaching of those who are young should be wise and not be directed along non conformist ways. (Ps.25:5)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/boy-3-taught-about-gay-marriage-in-nursery/
Our beliefs risk being made ‘illegal’, says adoption agency
Scotland is ‘on the brink of declaring illegal the belief that every child where possible deserves a mother and father’, the chairman of a threatened Roman Catholic adoption agency has said. It follows the agency being told to end its pro-marriage policy by officials who say it discriminates against gay couples. But one board member of the agency commented: ‘The ultimate irony is that apparently in the name of tolerance, societies such as Saint Margaret’s are no longer to be tolerated.’ St Margaret’s Children and Family Care Society, which is based in Glasgow, lost a ruling in March from the charity regulator. The regulator backed a previous decision which forces the agency to end its policy of prioritising couples that have been married for at least two years. And he added: ‘The reality is that the issue is not one about equality or diversity, but about freedom of religion and belief.’
Pray: that those organisations that hold to a belief in the centrality of marriage will be able to follow those convictions. (2Cor.8:13)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/our-beliefs-risk-being-made-illegal-says-adoption-agency/