Archbishop of Canterbury offers prayers for children
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, was among the Christians praying for the world's children on Sunday. The World Day of Prayer and Action for Children has the backing of UNICEF, Religions for Peace, and Save the Children. The day serves as a reminder to adults of the preciousness of children and the need to ensure they grow up in loving and safe environments. "In every faith community, our children are the treasure that we value beyond price," said the Archbishop. "A child born into health and safety is a sign of hope in our common life. In children we recognise the preciousness and dignity of the human being as well as a vulnerability which calls for our care and protection." This year's day of prayer is concentrating on an end to violence against children. The Archbishop said all forms of violence against children demand action and prayer. (See also last week’s P.A. ’Secret Children’).
Pray: for children in the UK and around the world especially those who suffer violence. (Matt.19:14)
MP demands law to remove gang videos
Lewisham East Labour MP Heidi Alexander is putting forward a Private Member's Bill to force YouTube and other websites to take down videos which could encourage gang violence. "At the moment we have a situation where these appalling videos proliferate on the Internet, They act as a recruitment mechanism for gangs and they glorify guns and knives.” She said that both the Government and the police needed to "wake up" to the threat posed by the videos. "If the Government is serious about bringing an end to serious youth violence, then they need to tackle the ways in which young people get caught up in gangs in the first place,” Many of the videos, she said, are filmed in daylight on housing estates across London, and are watched by thousands of people. The bill would give courts the power to order Internet service providers to "remove certain material which incites gang violence".
Pray: for this and other initiatives aimed at reducing gang culture and violence. (Ps.7:9)
Call to Prayer for the World Prayer Assembly (WPA), May 14-18, 2012
Please keep praying for the WPA! Your prayer support will be all-important to the planning of this event which is intended to be a “new paradigm” for an international congress—carried out Acts 13-style—incorporating listening to God, united prayer, and strategic implementation of world-impacting action that proceeds out of that encounter with the Lord and one another.
Scottish churches embrace new sporting craze
The Church of Scotland is set to roll out a brand new sport in its churches following a successful pilot in east Glasgow. Racquet WALL is similar to squash but played on only one wall. The game proved hugely popular in trials with a local primary school at the Church of Scotland-run Church House in Bridgeton. The venture has been developed by the Scottish Churches Commonwealth Games programme in association with Scottish Squash and Racketball Limited (SSRL), who said the response from children had been ‘astonishing’. Following the official launch this Wednesday, churches across Scotland will soon be hosting the game to help as many youngsters get involved as possible. John Dunlop, SSRL’s chief executive, said its priority was to engage people in the squash and racquet ball sports and tackle the ‘serious health and wellbeing issues that all of society faces today, which sport can help to address’.
Praise: that this idea bringing physical health will lead to spiritual blessing through contact with the Church. (3Jn.1:2)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/scottish.churches.embrace.new.sporting.craze/28868.htm
