Christmas and credit
Christians Against Poverty is urging people not to give into the temptation of taking a loan to cover the cost of their Christmas celebrations. The debt counselling charity says it is not out to kill the festive season but that it wants people to have a clear spending strategy to see them safely into the New Year. Chief Executive Matt Barlow believes such a strategy is wise as yet more economic uncertainty looms on the horizon. ‘These are difficult times for a lot of us and the temptation is to say 'at least we’ll have a great Christmas' and use that as an excuse to spend what we haven’t got,’ he said. The charity has released its top ten tips for avoiding festive debt. These include being honest with family members if things are tight, not buying gifts for others out of obligation, and clubbing together with relatives to buy the kids’ presents.
Pray: for Christmas to be a simple, honest celebration of Jesus’ birth rather one of financial excess. (Pr.1:3)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/dont.do.christmas.on.credit.debt.charity.warns/27142.htm
God’s big society
The new Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Rev Stephen Cottrell, has issued an Advent challenge – make a difference with ‘God’s big society’. Bishop Stephen is one of the authors of Church House Publishing’s 2010 Advent book Ready Steady Slow, which includes contributions from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. Preaching at his installation service the day before Advent Sunday, in Chelmsford Cathedral, Bishop Stephen said: ‘If we live prayerful, faithful lives, if we shine with the light of the risen Christ, then our world will be changed. For God’s big society is made up of a thousand little deeds of sacrifice and kindness.’ The pocket-sized Ready Steady Slow urges readers to take five minutes to change the world by following the daily ‘tread gently’ challenges. Examples include making your own compost, taking a go-slow coffee break, having a paperless party and slowing down on the roads. All the challenges are accompanied by a reflection and prayer.
Pray: for a huge response to this initiative and that it will contribute to a positive change in the world. (Php.4:5)
Climate change failure is moral outrage
Scotland's religious leaders have described the West's failure to help developing nations cope with climate change as a ‘moral outrage’. Senior members of the country's Christian and Islamic communities outlined their position in a letter to Prime Minister David Cameron. They urged the UK government to do all it could to ensure progress was made at the UN climate change conference. The summit is due to open in Cancun, Mexico, on Monday. The letter to Mr Cameron has been signed by the Moderator of the Church of Scotland's General Assembly, John Christie, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, David Chillingworth, and Shaykh Ruzwan, a senior figure in the Islamic community. It adds: ‘It is a moral outrage that as yet developed countries appear unwilling to find the money so urgently needed to deal with this issue.’
Pray: for the Cancun summit and that world leaders will strive to make significant progress. (Job.22:28)
David Cameron’s wellbeing index
The Prime Minister announced that from next April the Government would be measuring how much the lives of British people are improving ‘not just by our standard of living, but by our quality of life’. His plan for a wellbeing index has come under fire from critics who have already written it off as ‘airy fairy and impractical’. However, the cynicism is not shared by everyone. Emrys Jones, of Care for the Family, said the index could give a clear indication of what matters most to people and enable the Government to prioritise areas that impact most strongly on people’s happiness levels. ‘Economic growth is vital, as without jobs people can struggle to take care of their families, but it’s also important to consider our wellbeing as a nation and identify what makes us truly happy, such as investing more quality time in our families,’ he said.
Pray: that the nation’s quality of life improves despite our economic hardships.(Is.32:18)
