27 Jan 21
Good News
- President Joe Biden has:
- stopped all oil drilling in the Arctic
- Taken the USA back into the Climate Change Paris Agreement
- Stopped the building of the wall between USA and Mexico
- Repealed Trump’s law preventing some Muslims from Muslim majority countries entering the USA.
- The Terra Carta Earth Charter seeks to safeguard the planet by putting sustainability at the heart of the private sector. Launched by the Prime Minister, who called on companies to sign up to “put nature, people and the planet at the heart of global value creation”.
- A Tube Map for walkers has been compiled, which links up London’s green spaces.
- The G7 talks are to be held in Cornwall June 11 to 13th. The Media centre, expected to have 1000 journalists, will be at the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth. Good for the local economy.
For Reflection and Prayer
- The Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons came into being on January 22nd. The Catholic Bishops issued this statement: “this is a historic milestone on the path to Nuclear Disarmament. We support the treaty and repeat our call to the Government to forsake its nuclear arsenal. At the same time we implore the government to strengthen its arms control regulations tackling the manufacture and sale of other weapons which continue to destroy so many lives throughout the world.” Pope Francis reminds us that ”International Peace cannot be based on the false sense of security , on the threat of mutual destruction and total annihilation”
- Next Sunday is Racial Justice Sunday in the Roman Catholic Church (14 Feb elsewhere), which this year is more important than ever, with the need to oppose Racism and pursue social justice with renewed vigour.
- What can people of colour people do? Have the energy to challenge white privilege.
- What can white people do? Learn about Black History and listen with humility to the experiences of black people and those from other countries.
- Realise with thankfulness the great gifts that each of us have been give by our Lord. He created every one of us with the same great love and compassion.
- Let us appreciate especially the gifts of those from other ethnic groups who work with dedication in our health services and care homes.
- The merging of the Department of International Development with the Foreign Office has resulted in a drop of the foreign aid budget from 0.7% of GNP to 0.5%.
- Let us keep in our prayer also the many thousands of people in our world today, not only Christians, but those of all faiths of good will who are undergoing persecution for their religious beliefs.
20 Jan 21
Justice and Peace News & Prayer
January 2021
This month:
- For Thanksgiving and Prayer
- Indigenous Peoples
- Prayer for the Persecuted
- A Hymn for our Time of Isolation
click here to read or download
13 Jan 21
Good News
- Roll out of Covid vaccine and approval of Moderna vaccine.
- Booker prize shortlist of 6 had 4 women and 4 of colour.
- Renewables had a record year last year.
- Several supermarkets introduced a plastic free range of Christmas this year.
For Reflection and Prayer
- The Covid pandemic has highlighted and increased the inequality among peoples, the “have nots” shown to be at considerable disadvantage with regard to poverty, health and wellbeing.
- The inauguration of the new President of the USA on 20th January and the enormous task of creating stability and justice in the USA.
- 300 million Christians in more than 70 countries are being persecuted. Our responsibility to pray for them and support the NGOs working on their behalf, and for our church congregations to do likewise.
- We thank God for this coming Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. May we participate in the 24/7 Prayer and the daily services on line.
06 Jan 21
Good News
- Electronic Waste
- On the rubbish heaps of Africa, entrepreneurs are giving new life to discarded electronics (in Europe, 42% of electronic waste is recycled; in Africa only 17%).
- In the EU , electronic devices will have to be made easier to repair under new rules.
- Health
- The lowest ever number of deaths from Malaria have been recorded.
- Since 2000, 60 million deaths from TB have been averted.
- Africa has now been declared free of all wild Polio.
- Isles of Scilly
- A drone has carried supplies from the British mainland to the Islands for the first time ever.
- Drone freight services are technically feasible and have potential to deliver time-sensitive and high value items for the island community.
For Reflection and Prayer
- Rough sleeping may be a reason for deporting immigrants and asylum seekers from the UK.
- That food security may be of major concern to our government, and the reasons for food insecurity be alleviated.
- We pray especially for all those with mental health issues who are so adversely affected by lockdown measures, for those who have lost jobs and those bereaved or suffering the long term effects of the Corona virus.
- Pray for the Yemen – Prayers for our sisters and brothers in the Yemen are needed as violence escalates. Pray that efforts will be made to find solutions that will allow peace to return.
We are happy to be able now to resume our monthly Justice & Peace Action Group meetings using Zoom. All are welcome – please email info@falmouthchurchestogether.org.uk for the link.
Meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of the month at 2pm, and with a coffee break will finish by 3.30pm, starting on Tuesday 12th January
The first part of this meeting will focus on Justice issues with regard to Indigenous Peoples.
After the coffee break we will focus on prayer for Persecuted Christians.
Mary Bradley
