On 11 May the Queen set out the government's priorities at the state opening of Parliament. She said her government would ‘deliver a national recovery from the pandemic that makes the UK stronger, healthier and more prosperous than before’. Pray that Ministers can now start making progress beyond the twelve-month pandemic emergency, and give more time to push through laws to make manifesto promises real. May their plans provide all that is needed to succeed. The Queen also said the government would ‘strengthen the economic ties across the union, investing in and improving national infrastructure’ Pray for our government to stand strong in all that God intends it to do in the coming season. Other topics covered included education, women's rights, freeports, internet safety, the environment, modernising planning laws, and discouraging asylum seekers from crossing the English Channel. Pray that the PM’s ‘rocket boosters’ agenda would successfully repair all that is damaged.
Conversion therapy ban: bishop’s comment
13 May 2021
Following the announcement in the Queen’s Speech that the Government will ban conversion therapy, the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, chair of the Living in Love and Faith Next Steps Group, said: ‘The Church of England believes that all people are made in the image of God and must be cherished for who they are. The General Synod has voted overwhelmingly to reject coercive conversion therapies, so we welcome the Government’s commitment to explore these matters further with a view to enshrining that position in law. We recognise the difficulties in defining conversion therapies, and look forward to working closely with the Government to develop a viable definition and subsequent legislation. We want to prevent abuses of power, and ensure that issues of consent are made absolutely central to any future legislation.’ Pray for people to recognise that gay conversion therapy is unethical, harmful, and not supported by evidence.
County lines: child criminal exploitation
13 May 2021
Children as young as six are being forced to carry and sell drugs far away from their homes. They are made to skip school, sleep in drug dens, and keep secrets from their loved ones. They are treated as criminals when they often feel trapped in a hopeless situation. Prayer is needed to break these cycles of crime, abuse, and exploitation. The Children’s Society helps children affected by criminal exploitation, and works hard to stop it and make sure it doesn’t define a young person’s future. Young people who have been exploited who come to the society are treated as victims, not criminals. They are helped to rebuild their trust and provision is made so that they are not targeted by criminal groups again. Pray for the success of the Disrupting Exploitation Programme which makes children safer, gives them a better understanding of exploitation, and improves their relationships with family and friends.
Covid variants and booster debate
13 May 2021
A leading scientist and member of SAGE says the lockdown easing in June ‘could be delayed', as Indian variant cases are increasing in UK hotspots. Vaccine developers are asserting we will need annual boosters or new vaccines to tackle variants, but some scientists are questioning whether this will be needed. When Pfizer said people could need annual boosters, the ex-director of Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said there is no evidence to suggest that this is the case. Scientists said anticipation around the need for boosters is being set by pharmaceutical executives not health specialists, though ‘preparing for such a need as a precaution was prudent’. The director of WHO’s department of Immunisation said, ‘We don't see the data yet that would inform a decision about whether or not booster doses are needed.’
Passion for the nation’s health
13 May 2021
Pray for God’s Spirit to be moving over the UK, so that His people will rise above the issues of the day, putting their eyes not upon the things of the world, but filling their hearts and minds with the realities of the Kingdom of Heaven. Pray that His Kingdom dwells within us, that life itself comes from Him, that through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we are connected to the very root and branch which brings forth life. May God’s people live moment by moment according to the heartbeat of God. As vaccines, variants, waiting lists, and the future are discussed, pray for God’s people to trust in the Living God, recognising His power to heal, deliver and to save, so that as we step into the fullness of His Spirit available to us, healings within communities and churches will increase.
Universal Credit fraud
13 May 2021
Fraud and error on the main Universal Credit (UC) benefit have reached record levels, according to new official figures. The department for work and pensions reported £8.4bn lost in 2020-21, almost entirely due to fraud and almost double the previous year. The number of people on UC has doubled to six million since the pandemic started. Officials said the increased fraud is a product of more people applying for the benefit, and the value of each fraudulent case rising, rather than a higher proportion of people engaging in fraud. It can be as simple as individuals claiming money to which they are not entitled, like not declaring income from other sources. More complex cases involve criminal gangs stealing people's details to apply for advance payments of UC. The money is paid to them, but the person whose identity has been stolen gets the bill.
Bosnia: end of fasting
13 May 2021
The season of Ramadan, when Muslims set aside time to fast and seek God, has now ended. We can ask Father God not to let that time of intentional seeking go to waste. Pray for the Muslims who may have encountered Jesus in this season. Ask God to connect them with Christians, whether local or expatriate, that they may hear the good news of the gospel from them. Ask God to release the Holy Spirit to move powerfully amongst the ‘not yet’ believers as they return to their daily routines.
In the Netherlands, Protestants make up around 16 percent of the population. A small group of traditional Calvinists are opposed to vaccination and social distancing. Most of these believers, who live in a region known as the ‘Bible Belt’, were never vaccinated as children and are opposed to the idea of injecting sickness into a healthy body. Despite surging case numbers, they continue to attend Sunday services without face masks. But amid some of the country's highest Covid-19 infection rates, some of them are starting to shift their mindset.