Hello and welcome to the Parliamentary prayer update, my name is Gareth Wallace and I work in Westminster for the Evangelical Alliance Public Affairs Department.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill
Last time we spoke, last year, I talked about the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. The All Party Parliamentary Pro-life group have asked for our support during a national tour that will be taking place over the coming months. Full details were published in the December edition of the Evangelical Alliance PQ magazine.
This tour is entitled “Not on your life…or anyone else’s” and will be hosted by the prominent Christian pro-life MP Ann Widdecombe.
The tour begins in Glasgow on the 23rd January before talking in Southampton on the 30th January, London on the 6th February, Liverpool on the 12th February, Coventry on the 13th February, Widnes on the 18th February and concludes in Cardiff on Tuesday the 4th March at 7:30pm.
These rallies will be a vital opportunity to learn about the latest developments in the life issues debate, hear about the legislation going through Parliament and find out how you can take action.
London Elections
The London Mayoral election does not take place until Thursday the 1st May but already the first televised debate has been held between the main candidates.
The Evangelical Alliance in partnership with the London Churches Group is once again planning a Hustings event for the London Mayoral Candidates.
For the last London Mayoral election in 2004 a report entitled ‘Faith Work and City’ was published. The Hustings event held in Methodist Central Hall was attended by all the major candidates including Mayor Livingstone. This event was supported by a cross section of London church members, who asked a wide range of questions on issues of concern to Londoners. A hustings event allows you to get the answers live and unedited directly from the candidates themselves.
This year the London Mayoral Election hustings is taking place in St Martin in the Fields Church on the evening of Wednesday 23rd April.
Members of the audience will be able to listen to each of the Mayoral candidates making a short pitch for their votes and then the floor will be open for anyone to question the candidates vying to be the future Mayor of London.
London churches are encouraged to publicise this hugely significant opportunity to ask the Mayoral candidates their questions.
This is a hugely exciting opportunity that won’t come around again for another four years. The Evangelical Alliance and the London Churches Group are asking Christians and churches in London to turn out in force for what promises to be a hugely significant event.
Details will be published on the Evangelical Alliance website closer to the time.
Charity Commission and Public Benefit
On Wednesday 16th of January the Charity Commission published it’s guidelines on the new public benefit test for charities.
The Evangelical Alliance has been active in helping the Charity Commission to draw up guidance that is helpful to Churches and Christian groups. This follows several years of constructive engagement between the Evangelical Alliance and the Government on the new Charity Act.
You can view the Guidelines on the Charity commission website.
This report explains the new legal requirement that all charities must have charitable aims that are for the public benefit. The Evangelical Alliance believes that effective Christian Charities, whether they are churches, schools, social projects or development organisations will not have a problem demonstrating that they are of huge benefit to society.
Further Prayer and Action
For further insights on these and other issues The Evangelical Alliance Public Affairs department produces a monthly parliamentary magazine, PQ, and a monthly ‘Prayer and Campaigns’ action and prayer sheet. Both of these are available on our website along with topical political briefing material. If you have any questions please e-mail the public affairs team at:- pub-aff@eauk.org.
