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.
Human Tissue and Embryo’s Bill
The Parliamentary Committee considering the Human Tissue and Embryo (Draft) Bill have recently published their findings. Although their report contains some positive recommendations (such as abandoning the proposal to have a single body regulating both human tissue and embryology) there are many issues of concern.
One thing that seems clear from the report is that the Committee felt that the proposals in the Bill were not issues that the public either knew about or felt strongly about. They certainly did not feel there had been any public outcry against the contents of the Bill.
It is imperative that when this Bill comes before Parliament in the autumn members of both houses know that people do care very deeply about these issues, which strike at the very heart of our understanding of family structures and what it means to be human.
This Bill contains complex proposals including allowing for animal human embryo experimentation and the creation of animal-human hybrid embryo’s.
Please log unto the CARE website and the Christian Medical Fellowship website for comprehensive briefing on the issues involved in this Bill.
Please pray that MP’s and Peers will receive a huge number of polite well informed letters from concerned Christians over the next few months.
ABORTION
During the passage of the Bill through parliament pro-abortion groups are also likely to raise their case to further liberalise abortion laws.
On Saturday the 27th of October a rally and March are planned to remember that 6.7 million abortions that have taken place in the 40 years since the Abortion Act was passed through Parliament in 1967.
The Evangelical Alliance along with the Lawyers Christian Fellowship, The Christian Medical Fellowship and a host of other pro-life and Christian organisations are gathering together to host a rally, a march and a service on Saturday the 27th of October.
There will be a rally outside Parliament from 2pm followed by a march at 3pm to Westminster Cathedral. The march will be followed by two services of remembrance. The service at Westminster Cathedral begins at 4pm and the service at Westminster Chapel begins at 5.15pm.
For more information please log unto www.timeforchange.org.uk.
Please pray that abortion will not be further liberalised in the UK and that instead the increasing weight of evidence that points to the logic of reducing abortion term limits will be given a fair hearing when the Human Tissue and Embryo’s Bill is debated.
CSW and Burma
Burma has recently come to the forefront of concern internationally as the military Junta’s violent rule led to a crackdown on peaceful protesters and the crushing of internal dissent. While Burma seems to have left our TV screens for now, the plight of the brave monks and protestors that are being detained and are now in all likelihood being tortured and killed is not far from our thoughts and prayers.
Evangelical Alliance member charity Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), has been tirelessly campaigning on this issue for many years and have produced a report entitled Carrying the Cross, highlighting the Burmese regime’s restriction, discrimination and persecution of Christians.
CSW has condemned the crackdown against protestors in Burma and called on the international community to take urgent action to bring change to Burma.
The Evangelical Alliance join CSW in encouraging Christians around the world to stand in prayer and solidarity for Burma.
In response to the current crisis in Burma, the Burmese exiled community in London are holding a permanent vigil in Parliament Square, opposite the Houses of Parliament. They are there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, until mid-December.
Our Burmese friends have requested us to designate Monday evenings as an evening of Christian solidarity. They will have Buddhists, Muslims, trade unionists and other communities joining them on other evenings. I joined with them in praying outside Parliament on Monday the 15th of October. They would warmly appreciate your support over the coming weeks and months.
Please pray for an end to the military regime’s attacks on ethnic minorities and the continuing violations of human rights including the use of rape and torture by the military regime.
Pray that China will use its influence wisely. Pray that the leaders of China will see that a peaceful transition to democracy is the best solution not just for Burma but for their great nation as well.
Pray that the democracy movement in Burma will be strengthened and that justice, peace and freedom will prevail.
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.
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