EU parliament backs new rules on organ donations
As MEPs approve plans to help tackle the illegal trafficking of human organs, Miroslav Mikolášik has criticised Europol's "passive approach" to the issue. European parliament deputies voted by 643 votes to 16 in support of the draft directive on quality and safety standards for human organs used for transplants in Strasbourg on Wednesday. The plans aim to reduce waiting times for the 60,000 people in need of a transplant across the EU, introduce common safety standards and combat the commercialisation of organ donation and trafficking. Slovakian EPP deputy Mikolášik, parliament's rapporteur on the directive, told the Parliament Magazine that figures from Europol, the European law enforcement organisation, suggested the problem of organ trafficking does not exist. ‘Everyone knows that this is a massive problem. But Europol does not actively search for cases, they only wait for announcements to be made and this is not good enough.’
Pray: that these new regulations will see a significant reduction in illegal organ trafficking. (Hos.14:9)
Methodists to play a key role at Greenbelt Festival in new partnership
The Methodist Church will play a larger role than ever before at this year’s Greenbelt Festival - Europe’s longest running Christian event celebrating the arts, faith and justice. The Church has sealed a three-year partnership deal with Greenbelt organisers, which will see free tickets made available to Methodist ministers, deacons, preachers and worship leaders who have not attended the festival for the past five years. The free tickets, which must be claimed before 31 July via the Greenbelt office, will be on offer during the first two years of the partnership. Over time, the deal will allow the Methodist Church to have as influential a presence at the festival as the Department of International Development and Christian Aid – Greenbelt’s existing major partners. Gawain Hewitt, Festival Director, said: ‘The Methodist Church and Greenbelt both have a history steeped in a commitment to social justice and community engagement. We also share a commitment to dialogue, trade justice, environmental and development issues and human rights'.
Pray: for the Greenbelt Festival as it reaches out to a wide spectrum of mainly young people. (2Th.2:14)
More: http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=441
‘Charlie Condom’ promotes condoms to 13-year-olds
A new children’s character, Charlie Condom, has been created by health authorities in Southampton to promote condoms to 13-year-olds. Education leaders have slammed the move and others call it ‘ridiculous’. The character is promoting a scheme, designed to cut the number of teenage pregnancies, which will allow youngsters to collect the contraceptives using a condom credit card from 18 venues in the city. Monsignor Vincent Harvey, leader of the Roman Catholic Church in the city, cautioned: ‘This campaign is sending out the message to 13-year-old children that this is the norm, that it is OK to be sexually active.’ And Ron Clooney, from the teachers union NASUWT, criticised the scheme, saying: ‘This method, where underage impressionable teenagers can get condoms so openly, condones the idea of under-age sex.
Pray: for a more appropriate form of sex education that does not appear to promote under-age sex. (1Jn.3:7)
More: http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/2010/05/18/charlie-condom-promotes-condoms-to-13-year-olds/
Bishop tells church leaders to listen to the Holy Spirit
Listening to the Holy Spirit must be brought back to the heart of church leadership, says the Church of England’s Fresh Expressions leader. Bishop Graham Cray said planting successful churches would come through listening to the Holy Spirit, not ‘cloning’ existing churches. Speaking at the end of last week’s Christian Resources Exhibition, he said that old strategies that had worked 20 or 30 years ago were no longer suitable for mission and church-building in today’s diverse society. Today’s church leaders need to look at their specific local contexts and lead their congregations in prayer to ‘discern corporately’ the best church for their areas, he said. The bishop warned that it was an ‘endemic temptation’ among church leaders to make plans based on previous experience and ask God to bless those plans, rather than ‘shutting up’ and listening to Him in prayer.
Pray: that the Holy Spirit would speak loudly into the minds and hearts of all those who lead. (Ro.15:13)
More:http://www.christiantoday.com/article/bishop.tells.church.leaders.to.listen.to.the.holy.spirit/25902.htm
