Search results for .wel
Conversion therapy vote could criminalise church teaching and discipleship
A private member’s bill aiming to ban conversion therapy is being debated on 1 March, and an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill proposes very similar changes to be made to the law and is likely to be debated at some point during March. Both the bill and the amendment aim to outlaw a wide range…
Danny Webster
Stormont Snapshot - February 2024
There are positive signs from the first minister and deputy first minister as they demonstrate that they are leaders for all the people of Northern Ireland. Michelle O’Neill, the nationalist first minister will attend a Northern Ireland football match at Windsor Park for the first time, a place and…
St. David's Day is an opportunity for the church to reflect and connect
It's St David’s Day here in Wales, and ever since I can remember – even in those distant times before the oily piano day – it always felt like an important day. In the Nantlle Valley where I grew up, the daffodils would be out, we’d bake Welsh cakes at school, it’d probably be raining, and we’d be…
Tim Rowlands
Violence against women and girls: Edinburgh Council's disappointing step back
The day after the City of Edinburgh Council voted to maintain three “sexual entertainment venues” in the city centre, the Scottish Government announced the creation of a national hub to help women exit prostitution, as part of their strategy to “challenge men’s demand for prostitution” and,…
Chris Ringland
Motherhood: The highs and lows and how God has been faithful through it all
In all that I had meticulously prepared for, swirling feelings of helplessness, exhaustion, and the constant need to prioritise another’s needs over my own left me unexpectedly oscillating between happiness and despair. Motherhood, I discovered, contained a plethora of paradoxes; it could fill your…
Both Lives: The UK parliament conducts an inquiry into birth trauma
The Inquiry: Birth trauma is a multifaceted issue encompassing the physical, emotional, and psychological distress experienced by mothers (and their partners) and babies during childbirth. It can occur due to various factors, including prolonged labour, medical interventions such as forceps or…
Lisa Barr
Parliament to vote on abortion being allowed up until birth
Firstly, I want to begin by thanking our members and supporters who took part in our last call to action and got in touch with your local MP and raised concerns on proposed amendments to decriminalise abortion. The responses we have received from parliamentarians so far show they are engaging with…
Alicia Edmund
Intercultural justice: The gospel implications
British evangelical identity is rooted in a certain understanding of the gospel as the good news of Jesus – redeeming humanity from sin. Whilst not taking away from this understanding of the gospel, but in a contested polarised society as multicultural Britain, we should also give thought as to…
Rev Dr Israel Oluwole Olofinjana
Wales: Reflections from the Wales Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast 2024
This annual gathering serves as a powerful intersection of faith and governance, shedding light on the pivotal role of faith in shaping Wales' political landscape. With so many international delegates represented, it was a beautiful demonstration of Christian unity, as well as how Wales’ rich…
Stormont Snapshot – March 2024
Here are three ways you can be praying: 1. For relationships in our local government Our devolved government works on a power sharing arrangement. That makes it difficult to get agreement on important decisions. Pray for strong working relationships across the parties for the good of the people of…
How extreme are you?
The presenting issue this week has been around the issue of extremism, as levelling up minister Michael Gove announced a new government definition of extremism designed to help government departments identify and exclude organisations that threaten the democratic stability of our country. But many…
Jo Frost
Heart Behind the Art: an interview with Chris Poch
It was a different story as a teenager. Chris recalls ‘coasting’ through school and university: “I was probably having a bit of an identity crisis. I probably got to that age, you’re having to start figuring things out for yourself… there was a part of me that didn’t really know who I was and I…
Helen Locke
Spotlight: our Northern Ireland team
Meet the team We are based in Belfast and our team consists of David Smyth, head of Evangelical Alliance Northern Ireland, Danielle McElhinney, our public policy officer, myself, and our newest team member Laura Coey, our church engagement co-ordinator. Dawn McAvoy, Both Lives UK lead is also…
Lisa Barr
What did you say?
In the face of this fast-paced, new communication lifestyle, could it be that we are losing the ability to listen? I want to suggest that cultivating listening skills is a necessity for deep relationships – both with God and with one another. To only speak at, or speak to, is to deprive ourselves…
Befriending: lending an ear
During the pandemic, I, like most of us, was moved by the many stories in the daily news cycle of the elderly and the elderly disabled, being isolated and lonely, as government restrictions were imposed across the UK. As a result, many became housebound or were stuck in care homes without visitors…
Nicola Morrison
