World Refugee Sunday, 26 June
While the EU referendum has dominated the news, the Bishop of Durham urges us to remember it is also Refugee Week, which for nearly twenty years has been celebrating the contribution of refugees to the UK. Pray that refugee charities will not suffer from compassion fatigue. Pray for the local welcome groups that have been springing up to continue and thrive. Pray for the local councils working to resettle Syrian refugees in their areas and for churches and other NGOs who welcome the refugees when they arrive. Thank God for the growing network of civic welcome in Britain which has been mirrored by extraordinary voluntary efforts in Calais and beyond, exemplified by three women who turned Help Refugees from a hashtag to a £2million operation feeding 20,000 people a day. Pray for the exciting new initiatives taking shape, including community sponsorship of refugees.
Valuing disabled people within the Church
In 2013 the University of Aberdeen birthed ‘Kairos’ to support the spiritual needs of people with learning disabilities and their families. It provides families and professionals with materials to meet the expressed needs of the disabled with person-centred spiritual care and support. This week Pope Francis celebrated mass for the Year of Mercy jubilee of the sick and persons with disabilities. He said, ‘Love and solidarity are what make the world a better place, not a focus on physical perfection and hiding away those who do not fit a commercial ideal.’ Several altar servers with Down’s syndrome assisted Pope Francis at the mass in St Peter’s Square; persons with disabilities proclaimed the first two Scripture readings, one using braille. Pray for God to continue to develop the Christian organisations that raise people’s awareness of the spiritual needs of adults with learning disabilities. See also the Prospects website at and
Extreme weather - travel disruption and floods
Today cars were submerged, two polling stations in Kingston and one in Barking were closed, and several people were rescued by boat, as flooding affected London and the southeast. Fire brigades attended more than 400 incidents of flooded premises and properties hit by lightning. London Underground reported the closure of several different lines, with severe disruption on others. London had localised flooding, causing problems to many road users. Some areas received the best part of a month's rainfall in a few hours. A similar pattern of unusually heavy rain with consequent floods and disruption was seen last week in some other areas of the country, and in some European countries.
Sir Cliff: 'illegal collusion'
Sir Cliff Richard believes the broadcasting of a police raid at his Berkshire home in 2014 was the result of ‘illegal collusion.’ The operation - broadcast live by BBC News - came after allegations that the Christian singer had sexually abused children. The Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case last week, saying there was insufficient evidence to prosecute. The BBC has apologised for any distress caused and South Yorkshire Police apologised over its handling of the investigation. Sir Cliff is considering taking legal action, ‘There must have been illegal collusion. I've never known investigations take place with lighting and cameras and special angles for the helicopter. I feel I have every right to sue for gross intrusion of my privacy.’
