Campaign to stop funding NHS Chaplains
The NHS should stop funding chaplaincy services and put the money towards frontline services instead, it has been claimed. A campaign has been launched to persuade the Welsh Assembly Government to set up a charitable trust to fund religious and faith services for patients. Alan Rogers, a member of the National Secular Society, believes that NHS money would be better spent on clinical services for patients. His comments come as the NHS in Wales is facing the prospect of making savings of £1.9bn over the next five years. The NHS currently spends £1.3m a year on chaplaincy services across Wales and 33.83 whole time equivalent staff are employed in this area. Unite, which represents NHS chaplains, said they are as much a part of the health service as physiotherapists. Mr Rogers’ campaign comes after Health Minister Edwina Hart issued fresh guidance and new standards to the NHS to ensure patients have access to spiritual and religious support. Pray: for the continued availability of hospital chaplains to those in need, however funded. (Mt.10:1)
11 and 12-year-olds on the pill
Over 1,000 girls in the first year of secondary school were prescribed the contraceptive pill last year, according to new figures. This represents a fivefold increase in the past decade, and critics are concerned about the increasing sexualization of the nation’s children. The figures, from the General Practice Research Database, also revealed that 200 girls between the ages of 11 and 13 were prescribed long-term implanted or injectable contraceptives last year. Dr Trevor Stammers, a GP and chairman of the Christian Medical Fellowship, said: ‘These figures illustrate the fact that the UK is facilitating the sexualisation of young people at an ever younger age’. If sex education is introduced in primary schools in the way being proposed, we will see many more 11-year-olds seeking contraception and if we pay GPs to give out contraception without pointing out the risks we are going to make matters worse’. Pray: for our youngsters, and for guidance and support to resist the sexualisation of the young. (Ps.34:11) More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/more-than-1000-11-and-12-year-olds-are-on-the-pill/
Violence in schools
Tens of thousands of school pupils were suspended from English schools last year for attacking their teachers or classmates. Almost 17,000 of these suspensions involved primary school pupils aged 11 and under, and over 63,000 of them involved children in secondary schools. The Department for Education’s statistics also revealed that there were 1,240 cases of children aged four and under being suspended for a variety of reasons during 2008/09. According to the report, boys are three times more likely to be suspended than girls, and three and a half times more likely to be permanently excluded. Schools minister Nick Gibb has responded by reiterating the Government’s commitment to improving behaviour in schools and raising academic standards. He said: ‘We will introduce further measures to strengthen teacher authority and support schools in maintaining good behaviour’. In February a survey revealed that one in four parents avoid disciplining their children because they want an ‘easy life’ and fear upsetting them. Pray: that all families of disaffected pupils are granted strength to instil respect for those in authority. (Ex.20:12) More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/over-80000-suspensions-for-violence-at-school/
Billionaires to give away over half their fortunes
Forty of USA's richest people pledged on Wednesday to donate over half of their fortunes to charity as part of ‘The Giving Pledge’ campaign organised by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and legendary investor Warren Buffet. The group includes CNN founder Ted Turner, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Hollywood director George Lucas, as well as Microsoft mogul Gates and investment guru Buffett. The idea, which was announced just six weeks ago as ‘The Giving Pledge,’ is to convince billionaires across the country to give up most of their money - 50 percent or more - to charity. ‘The pledge is a moral commitment to give, not a legal contract,’ a statement released Wednesday said by www.givingpledge.org Praise: God for the generosity of these people and pray that their gifts will bless the most needy. (2Cor.9:11-12)
Billionaires to give away over half their fortunes
Forty of USA's richest people pledged on Wednesday to donate over half of their fortunes to charity as part of ‘The Giving Pledge’ campaign organised by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and legendary investor Warren Buffet. The group includes CNN founder Ted Turner, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Hollywood director George Lucas, as well as Microsoft mogul Gates and investment guru Buffett. The idea, which was announced just six weeks ago as ‘The Giving Pledge,’ is to convince billionaires across the country to give up most of their money - 50 percent or more - to charity. ‘The pledge is a moral commitment to give, not a legal contract,’ a statement released Wednesday said by www.givingpledge.org Praise: God for the generosity of these people and pray that their gifts will bless the most needy. (2Cor.9:11-12)
Shop manager dissuades would-be armed robber
A 20-year-old Christian mobile phone shop manager in Florida stopped a would-be armed robber by preaching to him about Jesus. Nayara Goncalves spent nearly five minutes persuading the man that he was doing the wrong thing. The man eventually apologised, explained his gun was a replica and left the shop in Broward County. ‘She was able to remain calm and keep him calm,’ a sheriff's office spokeswoman said. During the incident on 23 July, Ms Goncalves told the would-be robber: ‘I'm just going to talk with you about Jesus.’ The man said he was a Christian and was ‘embarrassed’ to be doing what he was doing but that he needed $300 (£190) to avoid being evicted. Praise: God for Nayara and the initiative of the Holy Spirit. (Ac.4:29) More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/world-us-canada-10822923?SThisFB
Shop manager dissuades would-be armed robber
A 20-year-old Christian mobile phone shop manager in Florida stopped a would-be armed robber by preaching to him about Jesus. Nayara Goncalves spent nearly five minutes persuading the man that he was doing the wrong thing. The man eventually apologised, explained his gun was a replica and left the shop in Broward County. ‘She was able to remain calm and keep him calm,’ a sheriff's office spokeswoman said. During the incident on 23 July, Ms Goncalves told the would-be robber: ‘I'm just going to talk with you about Jesus.’ The man said he was a Christian and was ‘embarrassed’ to be doing what he was doing but that he needed $300 (£190) to avoid being evicted. Praise: God for Nayara and the initiative of the Holy Spirit. (Ac.4:29) More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/world-us-canada-10822923?SThisFB
USA: Petitions to stop Ground Zero Mosque
A conservative group is preparing legal action to challenge last Tuesday’s vote that cleared the way for a mosque to be built near the site of the Sept. 11 attacks. The American Center for Law and Justice is representing New York City fire-fighter Timothy Brown, a first responder who survived the 2001 terrorist attacks but lost nearly 100 friends. It is planning to file a petition in state court alleging that there has been an abuse of discretion in the Landmarks Preservation Commission's decision. The city commission voted 9-0 Tuesday to deny landmark status to a building on Park Place that a Muslim group wants to convert into a mosque and Islamic community centre. Landmark status would have made it difficult for the group to build the centre there. (See Prayer Alert 2410) Thousands have protested the proposed ‘mega mosque,’ arguing that an Islamic centre just two blocks away from Ground Zero is insensitive and insulting to the families of the 9/11 victims. Pray: for God to weave His purposes into the atmosphere over and on Ground Zero. (Ps.2:1) More: http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100804/aclj-petitions-to-stop-ground-zero-mosque/index.html
Kyrgyzstan: Six more churches attacked and robbed
Following news that an Evangelical church in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgystan, was robbed three weeks ago, comes news that six other churches in the city have since been attacked. Sending details of the original attack Jed Courley the church’s pastor said ‘At about 1am in the morning four men climbed over the fence and broke into the back door of the church. A parishioner called Valya was badly beaten, tied up with tape, and then beaten more when very little money was found. Rooms trashed, safe demolished. Some music equipment, a computer, and other things were taken. Since our church was robbed we have heard of six other churches who were robbed recently and a couple of other people also beaten in the process. The police are doing nothing. In one case, they never even arrived on the scene. Please pray against these obvious attacks of the enemy.’ Pray: this escalation of violence against Christians will end and for no retributions to be considered. (Ps.119:86)
Iran: Authorities arrest 15 Christian converts
A pre-planned and coordinated attack by security forces on a bus full of Christians in the city of Mashhad resulted in all the occupants being arrested. They were travelling to join fellow believers when security forces arrested and transferred them to a central detention centre. After a week of inhumane interrogations13 were freed on bail. Stephen Reza and Ehsan Behrooz remain detained. Ehsan Behrooz is a university student and an active member of the Assemblies of God church in Mashhad. Mr. Reza is married with two children. Mashhad city is a centre of pilgrimage and despite Muslim clerics claims of having full control over the minds of locals, evidence shows that God has been doing a wonderful work in the minds and the hearts of the people of this great Islamic centre as many people have come to faith in Jesus Christ in the last few years. Pray: the Holy Spirit to keep in perfect peace these and other detained Christians in Iran. (SS.4:16) More: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2010/August/Iran-Arrests-15-Christian-Converts-/