Christian Weekly News
24 June 2016
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Healing a divided and broken nation
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In this piece, Christian Concern's Head of Operations, David Lindsay, discusses how we can look to the Lord at this uncertain time. He points to 2 Chronicles 7:13-14, where God invites His people to call upon Him that He may "forgive their sin and heal their land". David writes: "We need to pray with a passion, with a determination and commitment that we have not recently shown". He adds that times of testing but also of opportunity lie ahead - as long as we keep our eyes on Jesus.
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After the referendum: 'The Lord still reigns'
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In this piece, Christian Concern's Tim Dieppe responds to the UK's momentous decision to leave the EU. Tim acknowledges that the chosen path will be "very difficult" and has exposed a "bitterly divided nation". In light of this, he encourages us as believers to pray earnestly for healing between the opposing groups, to "rebuild a vision of hope for our nation under God". He also calls us to pray for the government, for Europe and for God's mercy as we move forward.
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How can we pray after the referendum?
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Last week, Christian Concern joined other Christian organisations in urging prayer for the referendum. The joint statement encouraged Christians to pray not only for wisdom for voters but also for political leaders as they respond to the outcome. Please continue to pray. In this article we have provided some brief prayer points to help you pray for the church, the government, for the UK and for the European Union and its leaders.
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Pro-life campaigner to appeal to ECHR
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Christian Legal Centre client Aisling Hubert, who has been involved in a legal challenge to bring two doctors caught offering 'gender abortions' to justice, is now to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Aisling's application for Judicial Review of the court's refusal to prosecute the doctors, was rejected in December. Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, her appeal to the ECHR will call on “all of Europe to prohibit abortion on grounds of sex”.
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'Abortion should be used as birth control'
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The head of Britain’s largest abortion provider has stated that women should be free to use abortion as a means of birth control. Ann Furedi, Chief Executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), outlined arguments for the decriminalisation of abortion in a new book, 'The Moral Case for Abortion'. Mrs Furedi wrote that: "Abortion may be an act of killing - but it kills a being that has no sense of life or death, and no awareness of itself as distinct from others."
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Irish bill to allow FFA abortions
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A proposed bill in Ireland to legalise abortion on the grounds of fatal foetal abnormality is expected to be ruled unconstitutional. Currently abortion is illegal in Ireland. The Attorney General is to advise the government that the Bill by Wexford Independent TD Mick Wallace, to be proposed in the Dáil next week, is unconstitutional, meaning that the government must oppose it. Independent members of the Dáil have said that they will seek a free vote on the issue.
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Attend pro-life bootcamp this summer
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Are you a young person passionate about protecting the unborn child? Abort67 (including Ruth Rawlins and CLC client Aisling Hubert) are hosting a 3-week summer bootcamp where you can learn how to use your passion in practical ways. You will receive training in pro-life apologetics, social reform strategy and get to experience life on the 'front-lines' of pro-life campaigning. There are only 5 spaces available, so, if you are interested, find out more and sign up here.
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BMA rejects assisted suicide liberalisation
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Doctors this week reiterated their opposition to assisted suicide, at their annual conference. Delegates at the British Medical Association’s (BMA) Annual Representative Meeting in Northern Ireland debated the issue after a motion calling on the organisation to adopt a neutral stance was put forward. But doctors, representing BMA’s 170,000 members, voted 198 to 115 to reject the proposal, meaning the BMA’s current stance, which opposes assisted suicide, stands.
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BMA to lobby for 'opt-out' organ donation
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The British Medical Association (BMA) is to push for an ‘opt-out’ system for organ donation, as doctors voted this week in favour of the proposals. The BMA, which represents 150,000 doctors, believes an 'opt-out' system would be the best way improve the issue of donor shortages. Medics voted actively to lobby the government to implement the move. However, Christian Concern and other Christian medical groups believe that the idea of presumed consent is unethical.
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Same-sex 'marriage' to be drafted in NI
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Northern Ireland’s Finance Minister has asked officials at Stormont to begin work on a draft bill to introduce same-sex 'marriage'. In a written response to Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir said he wants his officials to "do the groundwork now" so his department can "move swiftly towards introduction [of same-sex 'marriage']". Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where same-sex 'marriage' is not legal, having rejected motions for it 5 times in under 4 years.
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LGBT congregation to launch in Lichfield
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A congregation specifically for individuals who identify as LGBT will be launched this summer by the CofE. Monthly services for the initiative, True North, will begin in August and will initially take place at St Matthew's Walsall, despite most of the church’s leaders opposing same-sex 'marriage'. "We as the church do need to be inviting people to come as they are, but not allow them to stay as they are," Andrea Williams said.
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Pastoral care or Accommodation?
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In this piece for the CofE newspaper, reprinted on Anglican Mainstream, Chris Sugden and Vinay Samuel discuss the upcoming 'conversations' on same-sex 'marriage' at July's General Synod. They state that true pastoral care is loving without compromising Scripture: "So we take a pastoral approach that for us as pastors keeps our conviction of the truth of biblical teaching intact while enabling us to respond pastorally with people in same sex attraction and relationships."
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Schools take part in LGBT diversity week
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This week, about 38,000 pupils across the United Kingdom were required to take part in the first ever 'School Diversity Week' to combat 'homophobic bullying' in the classroom. It comes after 80 state schools are changing their uniform policy to take advantage of a government funded 'gender neutral' dress code. Speaking on Channel Five news, Andrea Williams said that schools shouldn't have to promote the idea that "all lifestyles are equivalent".
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'Deradicalisation' referrals rising sharply
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More than 1,000 children were referred to the government's 'deradicalisation' programme in the past year, according to The Times. The currently optional programme, called Channel, is part of the government's 'counter-extremism strategy', which was recently used to ban a Christian Union from holding meetings on college premises. The figures, covering England and Wales, showed only half of those referred were assessed as needing no intervention.
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Praise for Christian schooling
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In this piece Gill Robins of Christians in Education discusses the value of Christian schooling. She refutes the criticisms of the British Humanist Association against Accelerated Christian Education schools, and says: "Antagonists of Christian schooling would do well to consider all the evidence, not just make judgments based on predetermined prejudice." Christian parents have a right, enshrined in human rights legislation, to send their children to these schools, she says.
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Christians lead in charitable action
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Almost a quarter of charitable giving in England and Wales is received by faith-based charities, according to a new report. Released this week, the report by think thank New Philanthropy Capital showed that almost half of all overseas aid and human rights charities are religiously based. Of this number 60% of faith-based overseas aid groups are Christian, along with 43% of human rights charities. The report follows a parliamentary debate on faith-based groups last month.
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Please help us spread the word
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Watch Andrea Williams discuss 'School Diversity Week' on Channel 5 News (5 mins).
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Listen to Andrea Williams discuss 'gender-neutral' uniform policies on BBC Radio Tees
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Please join us in thanking God for the following:
- Media opportunities to speak of Jesus Christ and God's good pattern for society
- The BMA's rejection of liberalising assisted suicide policy
Please join us in praying for the following:
- For the aftermath of the decision to leave the EU; for peace and healing to be restored and for the nation to move forward in hope
- For our MPs and their personal safety
- That the Church would respond in both biblical truth and love to those who identify as LGBT
Thank you for praying. For more information about the issues above, please visit our website or contact us.
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Sat 25 Jun: Walthamstow, London
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Pastor Ade Omooba will be speaking at Elpis Christian Ministries' Intercessory Prayer Conference on Saturday 25 June.
Pastor Ade will be speaking about the 'Erosion of Christian Values in our Nation'.
Click here for more details.
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Sun 10 Jul: Westcliff on Sea, Essex
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Campaigns Director Andrew Marsh, will be speaking at Westcliff Free Church on Sunday 10 July from 10am.
Andrew will be updating the congregation on Christian Concern's latest work, campaigns and legal cases.
For more information email: nvbuckland@aol.com
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Sat 6 Aug - Sat 13 Aug: Aberystwyth
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We will be exhibiting at the Evangelical Movement of Wales' Aberystwyth Conference this year please come and visit us. We look forward to meeting you.
Click here for more details.
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Please use Twitter, Facebook and email to let others know.
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