Archbishop marks the beginning of Hate Crime Awareness Week
The Archbishop of Canterbury has spoken out to mark the beginning of Hate Crime Awareness Week. He said, ‘Hate crime is a fundamental challenge to an individual’s dignity and identity. As such it should have no possible place in a society that respects the dignity of all and it should find no possible justification in any kind of religious belief. Christian faith has at its core the conviction that God values each of us infinitely and it should spur us on to combat hatred and prejudice wherever we encounter them.' An act of remembrance for the victims of hate crime was held in St Paul’s Cathedral last Saturday and was supported by 17-24-30, an organisation founded to support the victims of the London nail bomb attacks in 1999.
Pray: for God to change the hearts of mankind to quench hatred and nurture caring love towards one another. (1Jn.2:9)
PM warned not to ignore Christian voters
The head of Britain's largest Christian broadcaster has warned the Government that it would be ill-advised to ignore the rights of Christians. Peter Kerridge, Chief Executive of Premier Christian Radio, has written to the Prime Minister reminding him that the number of regular church attendees across Britain outnumbers the combined membership of the three main political parties by nearly 10 to one. ‘Politicians would do well to heed the views of Christians who are, quite clearly, more faithful to their beliefs than the dwindling numbers of party members,’ said Mr Kerridge in his letter. He said the attendance at the three main party conferences had been ‘embarrassingly low’ this season and that the ‘deserted conference halls’ were an accurate reflection of the declining membership of the three main parties from a total of around 1.4 million in 1991 to less than half a million in 2012.
Pray: that politicians would heed the rights of Christians and the power of the Church. (Ps.74:23)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/dont.ignore.christian.voters.pm.warned/30823.htm
Universal Credit: Disabled people 'to lose out'
Up to half a million disabled people and their families stand to lose out under the government's proposed Universal Credit, a report says. The Children's Society, Citizens Advice and Disability Rights UK say 100,000 households with children could have incomes reduced by up to £28 a week. They are urging ministers to reconsider their plans. But the government called the report ‘highly selective’ and said it could lead to ‘irresponsible scaremongering’. The Universal Credit will replace Jobseeker's allowance, tax credits, income support, employment and support allowance - formerly known as incapacity benefit - and housing benefits with a single payment. The system will be ‘piloted' in parts of north-east England next April and will come into force across Britain for new claimants from October 2013. Existing claimants will be transferred to the new system in stages until 2017. Universal Credit will be capped at £26,000 per household.
Pray: that the Government will reconsider their plans affecting disabled and children and adults from low income families. (Job.6:29)
Churches meeting growing demand for emergency food
More people in the UK are turning to church-run food-banks to cope with the rising cost of living. The Trussell Trust said 100,000 people had received emergency food from its network of foodbanks in the last six months. New food-banks are being opened by the Christian charity at a rate of three a week to meet the demand. The network has fed almost 110,000 people across the UK since April 2012, compared to just under 129,000 people during the whole of the 2011 to 2012 financial period. Trussell Trust is expecting to feed over 200,000 people by the end of the 2012 to 2013 period. The increase in demand is being put down to rising food and fuel costs, together with static incomes, high unemployment and changes to benefits. With winter just around the corner, the Trussell Trust said it feared more Britons would be so hard up that they cannot afford to eat.
Pray: that the ability of the Church to provide for the needy will match the demand. (Ps.20:2)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/churches.meeting.growing.demand.for.emergency.food/30821.htm
