Pray and Fast for the Climate Earth Hour was celebrated on 28 March. It is described as the world’s largest environmental event. At 8:30 to 9:30 pm local time in 172 participating countries lights are switched off on monuments, public and office buildings. With over 1,400 landmarks and close …
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The challenge of Palm Sunday
There are many ways in which God’s people are called to worship; sometimes through the great words of a Psalm, maybe a choral anthem, a shared recited response, or perhaps a simple invitation through silence and stillness to “tune in” to his presence. However we are summoned – worship is an …
#rethinksanctions: How I lost my income for a month
Below is a blog post by a colleague who has been sanctioned. It is not the most egregious story nor is it particularly unusual but it is by a person who had good jobs and after a short spell being unemployed went on to get a good job. He contributes taxes, worked hard at finding a new job and is …
Je suis – Prayer Update January 2015
“Je suis Charlie” – until a few weeks ago, it was a phrase that people would have struggled to understand, yet the recent attacks in Paris and the world’s response to them have turned it into a global expression of solidarity. For people of faith, it is a phrase we may well have mixed feelings …
UK Government announces attendance at Humanitarian Impacts of Nuclear Weapons Conference in Vienna
Governments do listen sometimes. The UK Government has stated today that it will attend next week’s conference in Vienna on the Humanitarian Impacts of Nuclear Weapons. The UK boycotted the first two humanitarian impacts conferences but has come under much domestic pressure to join with 150 nation …
Homelessness and the Housing Crisis – Prayer Update November 2014
With Advent fast approaching, many Christians will be reflecting on the circumstances of Jesus’ birth. There was no welcome for a mother about to give birth to a unique child, ‘no room at the inn’ for the Light of the World. As John’s Gospel reminds us, this was to be the pattern of Jesus’ life: “He …
Personal Tax Summary: Redefining the words “Tax”, & “Welfare” while shaming the word “transparency”
In the story of the widow’s mite the authorities praise the rich man, while the widow, who gives proportionately much more of her money, is shunned. The Personal Tax Summaries due to be sent to 24 million people look like a modern day retelling of that story. By design the Personal Tax Summary …
Why Fast for the Climate? – Prayer Update October 2014
Saturday 1st November sees the launch of Pray and Fast for the Climate – a campaign calling on Christians to pray and fast on the first day of every month until December 2015 when Paris will host the 21st UN Climate Change summit. Fasting is a longstanding spiritual discipline within the …
Truth Justice Peace – Prayer update September 2014
Party conference season is once again upon us, and no doubt the airwaves will be filled with claims, promises, counter-claims and better promises as each party competes for our allegiance at the next general election. The party faithful will gather at a significant time in the political life of our …
DWP uses figure which says over 5 million go hungry to deny increased need for foodbanks
The DWP was faced with questions about why over 900,000 people needed help from Trussell Trust foodbanks last year – up from just over 340,000 the year before. The answer given has been used in literally hundreds of media outlets and is a master class in obfuscation, manipulation and …