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To meet or not to meet?
Churches across the UK have done an incredible job serving their communities during this pandemic. The church has not, and is not, closed. Indeed, many have found creative ways to continue regular public worship, to love our neighbours and to obey the governing authorities. Whilst the rules are…
Danny Webster
January lockdown: Scottish Government update
Speaking to the Scottish Parliament, the First Minister announced the need for new tighter restrictions in a bid to combat the fast-spreading new strain of the virus. All of mainland Scotland will remain under these new restrictions for the duration of January, with an initial review scheduled…
We go again: why persevering in mission still matters in this season
With the infection rate still high and many families struggling to educate and even feed their children, the feeling across the country at the moment is one of struggle and lament. This week we wade through ‘Blue Monday’, the so-called most depressing day of the year. Christmas cheer is fast…
Phil Knox
Open Doors UK World Watch List 2021: a proactive and prayerful response
Some of the facts revealed in this year’s report This year, for the first time ever, all top 50 countries score levels of at least very high persecution, while the top 12 score extreme levels of persecution;there was a 60 per cent increase over the previous year in the number of Christians killed…
Jo Evans
Ethical foreign policy and recognising genocide
When the Labour Party swept to power in 1997, their foreign secretary, Robin Cook, took just two weeks to announce a major shift in how the government would approach foreign policy. After nearly two decades out of power, he said: “Our foreign policy must have an ethical dimension and must support…
Danny Webster
Respond to the Government’s consultation on early medical abortion
Last March, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, temporary legislation was introduced to allow abortions to take place at home. Early medical abortion (EMA) consists of the administration of two sets of pills within the first 10 weeks of gestation. The first medication (Mifepristone) prevents…
The route out of lockdown: Scottish Government update
As part of the Scottish Government’s scheduled review of the lockdown measures, the First Minister outlined that restrictions would remain in place at least until March. The previous review of the restrictions was held in mid-January and decided to extend the restrictions until mid-February. These…
Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill update
The bill was first introduced in 2020 as a means of both simplifying and clarifying Scotland’s various hate crime provisions into a single piece of legislation as well as extending protections to target the act of ‘stirring up hatred’ towards certain groups. These groups are distinguished by their…
The incarnation is for life, not just for Christmas
The Christian church desperately needs to breathe, speak and live incarnation life all year round because we are immersed in a culture that’s failing miserably to answer the question: what does it means to be human? If I want to find out, if I want to live the fullest, truest version of the life of…
Donna Jennings
Cancel culture, de-platforming and freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is a vital hallmark of a democratic society. It thrives not on laws and regulation but on a culture of civility and what the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks called “the dignity of difference”. The Government has recently confirmed that it is to appoint a ‘free-speech champion’ for…
Danny Webster
Reflections from the Evangelical Alliance Leadership Conference
The online event was organised after the Evangelical Alliance saw the need for Christians who hold positions of leadership, both within the church and in other spheres of society, to share reflections and pray into what is happening in the UK and what God is saying to His church. The evening was a…
Helen Locke
In Search of Easter
In Search of Easter is a trail-based treasure hunt for children and families, using a series of videos and activities to encourage conversation and help crack a code.Clue posters offer activities and QR codes for accessing videos, as the groups explore the local area.In Search of Easter provides…
A roadmap for resuming in-person church meetings?
UPDATED 26 MARCH 2021
Danny Webster
New Scottish strategic framework: February Scottish Government update
In a speech to the Scottish parliament, Nicola Sturgeon set out her cautious plan to take Scotland out of lockdown, the data and thinking behind these plans, as well as some suggested dates when people can expect areas of the nation and economy to reopen. Following from the announcement on 16…
Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill: freedom of expression update
As mentioned in our previous update on the Hate Crime and Public Order Bill, the Scottish Government had recently decided not to move some of its own amendments on the controversial bill; MSPs only have a few weeks to come to agreement on some of the bill’s most contested areas. See this update for…
Kieran Turner
