Australia: Church leaders speak out for traditional marriage
Twenty of Australia’s senior church and denominational leaders have urged the Government to protect the definition of marriage in Australian law. The Joint Statement on the Significance of Marriage follows: Marriage is the lifelong commitment and faithful union of one man and one woman. As such, marriage is the natural basis of the family because it secures the relationship between biological parents and their children. As Christian leaders representing different denominations or churches, we join together and affirm our shared commitment to promote and protect marriage. We honour the unique love between husbands and wives; the vital place of fathers and mothers in the life of children; and the corresponding ideal for all children to know the love and role modelling of a father and mother. We call on ourGovernment to: protect this definition of marriage in Australian law, and not change the meaning of marriage by adding to it different kinds of relationships.
Praise: God for this stand by the church and that the Government will protect traditional marriage. (Jer.29:6)
More: http://ausprayernet.org.au/newsletter/DisplayNewsletter.php?e_id=00000002315#st2
Doctors pray for patients in Western Ukraine
Prayer meetings for doctors and medical staff are taking place in St. Jehoshaphat Church in Lviv, Western Ukraine, reports The Christian Telegraph in reference to The Ukrainian Greek- Catholic Church website and credo-ua.org. Such cooperation of clergy and medics is called to help patients that are in need of healing. The meetings were founded by Father Vladimir Gruz who, while studying in Austria, took a great interest in the idea of one doctor, who started a prayer group with her staff. ’Although medicine in the West has an abundance of resources, doctors understood that they are merely instruments in God’s hands and, without Him, these doctors could not treat patients,’ notes Father Vladimir. He adopted this Western practice for Ukraine in light of the mass violations of patient rights and late medical aid, leading to cases of death and disability in the country.
Praise: God for the prayers of the doctors and that He would heal those who are in need. (Lk.9:2)
More: http://www.christiantelegraph.com/issue13865.html
Doctors pray for patients in Western Ukraine
Prayer meetings for doctors and medical staff are taking place in St. Jehoshaphat Church in Lviv, Western Ukraine, reports The Christian Telegraph in reference to The Ukrainian Greek- Catholic Church website and credo-ua.org. Such cooperation of clergy and medics is called to help patients that are in need of healing. The meetings were founded by Father Vladimir Gruz who, while studying in Austria, took a great interest in the idea of one doctor, who started a prayer group with her staff. ’Although medicine in the West has an abundance of resources, doctors understood that they are merely instruments in God’s hands and, without Him, these doctors could not treat patients,’ notes Father Vladimir. He adopted this Western practice for Ukraine in light of the mass violations of patient rights and late medical aid, leading to cases of death and disability in the country.
Praise: God for the prayers of the doctors and that He would heal those who are in need. (Lk.9:2)
More: http://www.christiantelegraph.com/issue13865.html
Government under fire from former Archbishop of Canterbury
The Government has been heavily criticised by Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, over its decision not to back four British Christians who have taken their cases to the European Court of Human Rights. Lord Carey had appealed to Prime Minister David Cameron, asking him to support the four Christians who were ruled against by British Courts. Among these were Shirley Chaplin and Gary McFarlane, whose cases were handled by the Christian Legal Centre. Two of the four cases relate to the freedom of Christians to wear a cross in the workplace and two concern instances where the freedom of Christians to act in accordance with their conscience has been trumped by homosexual rights. The Government has stood by the British courts and argued that these Christian individuals have not been discriminated against. It further argued that neither the wearing of a cross nor the following of conscience are an integral part of the Christian faith.
Pray: that Lord Carey’s comments will be listened to and lead to a change of heart. (Pr.31:9)
Scotland: 95% of religious violence is against Christians
In 2010 and 2011 there were 693 charges aggravated by religious prejudice in Scotland. This means a nearly 10 per cent increase in a year and the highest level in four years. 95% of this violence was directed against Christians. Statistics published by the Scottish Government today provide new detail on the scale of religious hate crimes across Scotland. The information has been made available following a pledge made by the First Minister. The data shows that in 2010-11 58 per cent of charges related to offences which were derogatory towards Roman Catholicism and 37 per cent of charges related to offences which were derogatory to Protestantism. 2.3 per cent related to Judaism, and 2.1 per cent related to Islam. There were charges with a religious aggravation in 27 out of Scotland's 32 Local Authority areas.
Pray: for a reversal of these trends; and that God will restrain the hand of the enemy. (Pr.10:11)
Archbishop calls for action on care for older people
The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu has today called for urgent and lasting reform of the way care is funded for older people in England, stating that the system is no longer fit for purpose. Writing an open letter to the Prime Minister and his fellow Taxpayers in England, the Archbishop has asked the Government to consider a new social covenant to protect the most vulnerable in society. He said, ‘A truly caring and Christian society is one that sees older people, not as a growing and irrelevant burden, but as a rich treasure store of energy, experience and wisdom to be placed at the service of the young and of its future. Ensuring the conditions under which older people can make the special contribution of which they are capable is key to releasing this treasure. Providing a sustainable long term funding arrangement for the care of older people is a vital part of ensuring those conditions.
Pray: for a society that respects and honours its senior citizens and values their role in partnership with its younger members. (Job.12:12)
‘Trans equality’ teaching for 5-year-olds considered
Schoolchildren as young as five may be taught about ‘transgender equality’, a Government document has disclosed. Theresa May, the Home Secretary, signed the foreword to the new plan along with Lynne Featherstone. The move, which is being considered by the Department for Education (DfE), was highlighted in the Government’s new action plan for advancing transgender equality. But one campaigner has warned that these issues are adult ones and should not be discussed in class at such a tender age. Margaret Morrissey, founder of campaign group Parents Outloud, said: ‘These are adult issues and we should leave it until children are older or until they ask. The problem is we are overloading our children with issues that they should not have to consider at a young age. PSHE is already overloaded with other issues.’
Pray: that our education standards will be upheld and young minds be protected. (Ps.12:5)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/trans-equality-teaching-for-5-year-olds-being-considered/
Belgium: Liege reeling after killing spree
A gunman opened fire on passers-by and threw grenades in a central square of the Belgian city of Liege, fatally wounding at least four people and injuring scores more before apparently killing himself. Separately, on Wednesday police found a woman's body in a warehouse used by the gunman, who has been named as Nordine Amrani. Late on Tuesday a Liege hospital announced that a 17-month-old girl had become the fourth victim of the shooting spree, after two teenage boys and a 75-year-old woman were earlier confirmed killed. Officials said at least 120 others were also wounded in the attack. Daniele Reynders, the public prosecutor for Liege, told reporters ‘Amrani committed suicide with a bullet to the head. He left no message to explain his act’. Police had recently raided his Liege home seeking cannabis plants, but had found arms instead. In 2008, he was sentenced to almost five years in prison for illegal possession of arms and growing cannabis.
Pray: for all those caught up in this atrocity that God will bring them physical, spiritual healing and peace. (Col.1:2)
More: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2011/12/20111213125725322987.html
Belgium: Liege reeling after killing spree
A gunman opened fire on passers-by and threw grenades in a central square of the Belgian city of Liege, fatally wounding at least four people and injuring scores more before apparently killing himself. Separately, on Wednesday police found a woman's body in a warehouse used by the gunman, who has been named as Nordine Amrani. Late on Tuesday a Liege hospital announced that a 17-month-old girl had become the fourth victim of the shooting spree, after two teenage boys and a 75-year-old woman were earlier confirmed killed. Officials said at least 120 others were also wounded in the attack. Daniele Reynders, the public prosecutor for Liege, told reporters ‘Amrani committed suicide with a bullet to the head. He left no message to explain his act’. Police had recently raided his Liege home seeking cannabis plants, but had found arms instead. In 2008, he was sentenced to almost five years in prison for illegal possession of arms and growing cannabis.
Pray: for all those caught up in this atrocity that God will bring them physical, spiritual healing and peace. (Col.1:2)
More: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2011/12/20111213125725322987.html
Turkey: Al Qaeda accused of planning to bomb churches
A large-scale Al Qaeda plot to bomb ‘all the churches in Ankara,’ as well as the Turkish Parliament and U.S. Embassy in the Turkish capital, was made public today (Dec.9). According to Compass Direct News (CDN), the 50-page indictment, following the arrest of suspects last July, outlined the militants’ revised ‘jihad’ strategy to begin focusing their attacks against Turkey before waging war against the United States and other countries. Police seized 700 kilos (1,500 pounds) of explosives, along with assault rifles, ammunition, bomb-making instructions and detailed maps of Ankara. Among the CDs, detailed maps, sketches and building diagrams, police also discovered lists of the names and home addresses of Christian clergy and other church workers residing in Ankara. The news took Christian leaders in Ankara by total surprise, according to one Turkish Christian leader in Ankara. ‘No one has had any news about this until now,’ he said.
Pray: for the work of the authorities as they combat the Al Qaeda menace and protect those under threat. (Ps.32:7)
More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/turkey/article_124391.html