Displaying items by tag: British Isles

In February we praised God for the growth of The Turning since launching in 2016. In the coming weeks the vision will be shared at various locations across London. Organisers are working with denominations and city leaders in a vision for equipping believers in London to share the Gospel and disciple those who respond over the next three years. Their first step is running envisioning events for people to hear the story of how this outpouring of God’s grace landed in Reading, and hear Pastor Jonathan Oloyede share the vision of bringing the vision to London - and what that means for London churches. The first such event will be in Tottenham on 28 April, followed by ones at City Gates Church, Ilford and New Life Christian Centre, Stonebridge Park. Various meetings will then be held across London on following days.

The vision for The Turning is to equip every church member to be confident in sharing their faith - to start that simple conversation that could lead to someone encountering the saving grace and love of Jesus Christ. At the February envisioning meetings in Aberdeen, Inverness, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, 320 leaders and team members heard Pastor Yinka share the vision and history of The Turning. He returned with a small team to Scotland from 17 to 19 April for a second round of meetings for leaders who learnt more about what is involved in preparing for, holding, and, very importantly, following up a Turning mission. They also discussed what should happen in the months that follow, so that they can sustain an ongoing outreach in each community.

41 Guernsey church leaders wrote an open letter opposing introducing assisted suicide. Their letter said, ‘We believe the proposal to introduce a legal provision for assisted dying to be misplaced and dangerous for us as a community, particularly for the most vulnerable in our island. We believe the States of Guernsey should focus on the care of vulnerable people, support hospice care, increase mental health provision, and care well for those with age-related dementia. As a community we need to celebrate and support all of life, and not actively seek to terminate life. We fully support the care that our wonderful nurses, doctors, specialists and those in the caring professions provide on the island.’ The signatories include a hospice chairman and members of the Catholic, Anglican and Methodist churches. If the measure is passed by its parliament, the island will be the first place in the British Isles to legalise assisted suicide. Guernsey is a largely self-governing British Crown dependency.

An increasing number of teenagers are carrying knives to school; some are fearful of being stabbed or being told to stab someone else. Children as young as eleven carry knives. When asked why, some said, ‘it’s to protect ourselves: stab first or risk getting stabbed yourself’, and ‘once you’re caught up in this way of life, it’s hard to get out.’ There are government initiatives tackling knife crime: tougher policing, mental health support, education, youth activities. But there’s never enough money or manpower to make real differences to complex problems. Each new solution barely scratches the surface. Above all, our young people need Jesus, love, kindness, time and security as part of God’s family. Pray for the growth of the ‘knife crime and forgiveness’ course run by London City Mission in schools. Pray for Christian outreach into the darker places of our communities.

Many believe that the Northern Ireland peace process is ‘tarnished’. The ‘Peace People’ are well-known in Northern Ireland, but other groups of Catholic and Protestant women are not. At recent seminars in Belfast, Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist and Church of Ireland women recorded experiences of the ‘Troubles’ and how women of faith are ahead of their time in developing approaches to repairing the harms of today caused by the conflicts of yesterday. They gave innovative examples of ecumenical activism and community living that defied and transcended sectarianism, including the secret back-channel talks between politicians from different Backgrounds, critical in bringing about a cessation of the violence. We can pray for the continued work of ‘Cornerstone,’ a live-in, praying Community for reconciliation who network with other groups to be a ‘presence’ in their communities; and for ‘Widows Against Violence Empowered’ (WAVE), who help women traumatised after tragedy.

Speaking during the House of Commons debate, Labour MP Luciana Berger said that after she spoke out about anti-semitism, people have accused her of being a ‘paid-up Israeli operative’, a traitor, and an ‘absolute parasite’, and told her to ‘get out of the country and go back to Israel’. A new survey of 1,500 people by the Independent newspaper revealed almost two-thirds of them believe Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party has a problem with racism or religious prejudice. A majority believed Mr Corbyn had handled anti-semitism claims badly. The party has been subject to protests from the Jewish community, and Israel’s Labour Party has severed ties with the leader’s office. Labour’s Ruth Smeeth, who has received many abusive messages (such as ‘Hang yourself you Zionist filth, you’re a cancer of humanity’. She said it was truly heartbreaking that she had to stand in Parliament Square to protest against the anti-Semitism that was ‘engulfing’ parts of the party.

In 2018 Churches in towns, villages and cities are trying a risky, whole-church activity that has us all praying and getting into conversations of worth. Trypraying, a seven-day prayer guide for people who wouldn’t darken a church door, is available as a booklet or a smartphone app. Many people who would not consider themselves religious do pray. ‘Trypraying’ is written for them. It is a simple challenge, in accessible language, to try praying for seven days and see what happens. It includes short stories of answers to prayer. There are things to do each day and a short prayer to pray. It is not a preach, but it does help people to open their lives to their Maker and find His influence and truth. It explains clearly the good news of Jesus, and anyone who works their way through the booklet runs the risk of becoming a Christian.

Last month, Archbishop Justin Welby offered to do what he could towards peace negotiations in Nigeria as violence escalates. Last week we reported that Justin, ‘once again exhorted President Buhari and other authorities, civil and religious, national and international, to build a coalition to end violence immediately.’ On 11 April, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and High Commissioner George-Oguntade met Archbishop Welby and the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Josiah Idowu-Fearon, in London to discuss ‘inter-religious harmony in Nigeria and the world’. Pray that their efforts will end the suffering resulting from raids on Christian communities and villages as far south as Delta State. May their discussions lead to God-inspired actions against escalating violence in Nigeria, and the end of the suffering of the poor. President Buhari will have more meetings in London ahead of next week’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has appointed a team of atheist priests after demand for pastoral support from patients with no religion. These ‘Clerics’ will be working under a non-religious chaplain for the first time in NHS history. Humanist Lindsay van Dijk was appointed head chaplain at Stoke Mandeville Hospital after a British Social Attitudes survey found 53% of Britons had no religion. Ms van Dijk told a meeting at Stoke Mandeville Hospital that the chaplaincy team will visit patients to lend a listening ear, provide ‘spiritual’ and emotional support and won’t specifically say ‘I’m from this faith’.  She said that in her new role she has experienced 'mostly curiosity' rather than objections. Pray for the church to declare more loudly that Christian Chaplains support for hospital patients is for those of all faiths and none and that putting a humanist in charge of a chaplaincy team takes us further away from the NHS’s Christian roots.

In June, Falkirk hosts the Celebration of Hope. Thousands will gather in football stadia or be out on the streets talking about Jesus. Some will not be directly involved, but everyone can intercede  and ask for God’s blessings for abundant harvest. Scotland desperately needs a fresh move of God, a breakthrough, a turning of direction, another Pentecost. What would have happened to past revivals if Christians had not prayed? Would they have happened? How many potential harvests have been lost because the church did not appreciate and use the power of prayer? Also the Church of Scotland may start training people over 55 to be ministers for the first time to shore up dwindling cleric numbers. They are considering overhauling the rules that prevent men or women being ordained unless all aspects of their training are completed by the time they reach 55. see https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/older-clerics-are-answer-to-kirk-s-prayer-57tqnr336