Re-establishing relationships in the Anglican Communion will be a ‘long task’
The Archbishop of Canterbury has acknowledged the ‘critical’ situation facing the Anglican Communion at the end of a six-day meeting of Primates in Dublin. Around 10 Primates from the Global South were absent from the meeting out of opposition to the attendance of Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church in the US. The Church has angered large parts of the Anglican Communion by continuing to bless same-sex unions and consecrate partnered same-sex bishops. Dr Rowan Williams said the absence of the Primates had been ‘felt and noted every day’, and that the names of the missing Primates had been placed on seats in the meeting and candles lit for them. In spite of their absence, Dr Williams said there was still a lot of solidarity between churches in the Communion on a broad range of issues and that the meeting had met his hope of clarifying the role of the Primates standing committee. Pray: for healing and unity so that the Church can focus on delivering the Gospel message. (Ep.4:3)
Luton protest raise fears of disorder
Police expected to mount their biggest operation in the town's history, as thousands of English Defence League activists from across England will descend on Luton. Anti-racism campaigners are holding a counter demonstration in Luton also on Saturday. Unite Against Fascism, which is organising the event, says it expects supporters to travel from across the country. Luton councillor Mahmood Hussain said, ‘This event is creating more fear than anything else, especially among the elderly who have seen the pictures of what has happened at these events in the past. Everyone is very much concerned about what could happen because you only have to look at the record of this group to see what we face'. Community leaders and politicians have been working with different community groups in Luton since the EDL announced it was going to stage the protest. Pray: for the people of Luton this weekend and against confrontational, violent protests. (Je.29:7) More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jan/31/edl-protest-luton-fears-disorder
Charity calls for action to close gap between rich and poor
Church Action on Poverty has called for a closing of the growing gap between rich and poor in the UK. They are also mobilising faith communities to conduct their own counts of street homeless people, as official statistics have been shown to underestimate the numbers of people sleeping rough. The charity is using Poverty and Homelessness Action Week, which runs from 29 January to 4 February, to highlight that while the UK remains one of the five richest nations on the planet, more than one in five here live below the poverty line. CAP supports its case for inequality pointing out that the wealth of the top 10 per cent is now 100 times higher than the net wealth of the poorest 10 per cent. The three-year Close the Gap campaign will aim to mobilise thousands of people across the faith communities to give, act and pray to close the wealth gap (www.church-poverty.org.uk). Pray: for such initiatives that seek to support the most vulnerable in our communities. (Ac.20:35)
Western Isles' to fall foul of new equality law
Councillors on the Western Isles could be forced to abandon a centuries-old religious tradition of keeping sports and community centres closed on a Sunday because it breaches new equality legislation, the Guardian has learned. The islands of Lewis, Harris and North Uist are the last places in the UK where publicly owned and lottery-funded facilities such as leisure centres, golf courses, school grounds and community halls are closed because of sabbatarianism, which bans work and play on Sundays on religious grounds. The tradition, promoted vigorously by the staunchly protestant Free Church and the Church of Scotland, has caused deep divisions on the islands and bitter rows between pro-opening campaigners and senior figures in the church and council. Pray: for God to be the authority and have the last word in this dispute. (Gen.2:3) More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jan/31/western-isles-sunday-laws-equality-act
