Elim Christian Centre, Rotherham
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27th April 2006

MINIBUS

As the minibus is being used fairly frequently.

To avoid disappointment or confusion any group/person wishing to use

the minibus, in addition to its normal use,

Please book it out through the office.

Thanks.

1st January 2006

CHRISTMAS OFFERING

For Banda Aceh

YOU RAISED £598 TOWARDS THE RELIEF PROJECTS

THANKS FOR YOUR GENEROSITY

CHRISTMAS CARDS

Thanks to Nick Burley for sorting them out.

A rough calculation is that within the fellowship

27th October 2005

PAKISTAN EARTHQUAKE APPEAL

The church has sent an amount from Missions Account to the

Elim Relief Association. (E.R.A) to help assist in the disaster.

If you want to contribute to this please put any

Contribution in an envelope and mark it E.R.A.

(Cheques payable to Elim Christian Centre – the amount can be gift aided)

LATEST NEWS ON RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS HATRED BILL

Dear friends and supporters

First of all I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all your hard work in seeking to oppose this Bill in the last few weeks I believe we have begun to see the church awakening in this country and seeking to take a stand for Christ at the heart of many vital issues. The House of Lords did not vote on the matter on Tuesday but the majority was firmly opposed to the Bill. The next stage is 24 October - the Committee Stage of the whole house. A mendments to the Bill will be put down. The LCF remains firmly opposed to this unnecessary Bill. However, amendments could improve the Bill by seeking to provide freedom to preach on the face of the bill, by requiring ‘intention' to stir up religious hatred and by adding specific defences. A fter the committee stage in the House of Lords there will be a Report stage and then third reading. A vote will be taken at this stage. W e need to watch and see who brings forward amendments and around which amendments the House of Lords will rally. I will keep you posted.

The Bill will then return to the House of Commons. The government may well find the proposed amendments to the Bill unacceptable and reject them. This is why it is critical to seek to influence our MPs now. The most effective way to do so is by meeting them in their surgeries. W e have created momentum in our opposition to this Bill. Only 30 labour MPs need to change their mind. They will be heavily ‘whipped' but if we seek to continue to point out the flaws in the Bill a miracle could still happen by God's grace.

Let us continue to pray, fast and act. Latest information will continue to be posted on www.lawcf.org and www.christianconcernforournation.co.uk

1st October 2005

Dear Friends,

On October 11 (less than 2 weeks time) the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill comes before the House of Lords. If the Lords approve the Bill, it will become law and freedom to preach the Gospel may be significantly curbed for years to come. Despite Government reassurances, the wording of the Bill may mean that preaching directly from the Bible could become a criminal offence punishable with a jail sentence of up to 7 years.

Further to our Urgent Actions of 17 and 24 June and 13 September 2005 , we are writing to request further action. Please consider signing a petition against the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill which can be found at http://www.christianconcernforournation.co.uk/petition.php

Please forward this to all the Christians you know and sign the petition yourself.

We would also like to remind you of the Rally which will be held outside the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday October 11th between 1-4pm , and a prayer rally which will be held on Saturday 8th October in Hyde Park at Reformer's Tree from 12noon till 3pm .  Please visit www.lawcf.org/lawreform.php   for further details of these events.

Thank you for standing together to oppose this legislation which could limit our freedom as Christians to preach the Gospel.

CSW Advocacy Team

BACKGROUND:

T he Racial and Religious Hatred Bill is designed to create a new criminal offence with a maximum penalty of 7 years in jail of ‘stirring up hatred against people on religious grounds'.  The Government has said that the new law is meant to be for the benefit of Muslims living in Britain who need protection from attacks on them which have become more common since September 11, according to reports by the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship (LCF).

Whilst a law against stirring up hatred may seem like a good idea in theory, in practice the way the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill has been written means that it could result in the curtailment of freedom of speech, and, in particular, the freedom to preach the Gospel.  The way the law is written means that it would not be enough for a person to say that they had not intended to stir up religious hatred – all that is needed is that is was likely that their words, behaviour or material would stir up hatred.  In addition, existing laws against religiously aggravated harassment, property damage and violence are already adequate to protect Muslims and other religious minorities.   There is a genuine fear that the ability to prosecute people of other religions because they teach beliefs contrary to your own could increase intolerance and threaten community cohesion. 

For a further analysis of the implications that this new law could have on Christians and society in general, please visit www.christian.org.uk or www.lawcf.org/lawreform.php

CSW is further concerned that the passing of the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill in the UK could severely hamper our efforts to speak out against legislation such as the Blasphemy Laws in Pakistan , Anti-Conversion Laws in India and Sri Lanka and Religious Ordinances in Vietnam . 

What will happen next?

As you may already know, the Bill cleared all three readings in the House of Commons and it is now due to be debated by the House of Lords on October 11.  There are a number of subsequent stages that the Bill will need to go through before it becomes law or is defeated.  Essentially, however, there are three things that could happen, as articulated in an LCF briefing:

1) The Lords could pass the Bill in its present form and it would become law.  This is the worst case scenario.

2) The Lords and Commons could work together to agree amendments to the Bill and a revised Bill could then become Law.  This is an improvement but it does not prevent freedom of speech, including freedom to preach the gospel, being restricted to a greater or lesser extent.

3) The Lords could refuse to pass the Bill and the Government could then try to use the Parliament Act to push the Bill through.  If the Government were successful then the original Bill would become law, but if the Commons rebelled and voted against the Bill, it would be defeated entirely.  This is a dangerous course and could result in the worst-case scenario (above) but also raises the possibility of the best-case scenario occurring: the Bill being entirely defeated.

Take action!

We would like to ask you to join with Christians up and down the country in speaking out against this Bill. 

1. Find out more about this Bill by visiting www.religioushatredlaw.info , a site which links to other key websites on this issue, including the Lawyers Christian Fellowship and the Christian Insitute.

2. Please ensure your church leader is aware of this impending legislation and that he/she informs your congregation of the facts surrounding the Bill. 

3. Mobilise members of your church to attend a rally in Westminster on October 11 at 12:30 , subject to police permission. This will probably be preceded by a prayer rally on Saturday October 8 at 2pm in Trafalgar Square , again, subject to police permission.  NB: These events are not being organised by CSW . Further details of these events will be posted on the LCF website at www.lawcf.org/lawreform.php   and on the Evangelical Alliance website at www.eauk.org/contentmanager/content/currentissues/currentissues.cfm

4. Lobby your MP. You can do this by writing to him/her in the usual way or, preferably, arrange to visit your MP's constituency surgery. (Visit www.parliament.uk/directories/directories.cfm to find out what day of the week their surgery is held).  Labour MPs in particular are targets for lobbying as, by and large, they voted in favour of the Bill previously.  To find the name and address of your MP you can call the public Information Office on 020 7 219 4272 or log onto www.writetothem.com

5. Please do not lobby Peers (House of Lords) en masse.  We have been asked by Peers sympathetic to defeating the Bill that representations be made to them by church leaders, organisations etc but not by mass mailing from the general public.

1st September 2005

We now have our New Minibus.

As we endeavour to use the bus more we are looking for drivers.

If you are over 25 please speak with Ron Hunt or myself

WE NEED YOU!!

Thanks to all who have given – Your support is appreciated.

Mark any further contributions - ‘Transport'

31st May 2005

‘ODES TO GOD'

Book of Poems

by George Wordsworth.

Selling at £2.50 – Proceeds to Missions

Please obtain a copy or two from Emma Jones

23rd April 2005

(Churches Together) are putting
on a Hustings/Election forum, in accordance with the CARE EA booklet.
It will be held at Talbot Lane Methodist Church, on Thursday the 28th
April at 7.30pm. A candidate from each main party (incl. Denis
MacShane MP Rotherham) will be there.

We will pose questions relating to Christian interests and inform
candidates of what general values (not specific policies) the
Christians of Rotherham are looking for in their MP. We will also
give each candidate a New Testament as a momento and offer them
prayer support.

Please try to attend and bring as many friends/church members as
possible to make this a memorable event. We would also welcome your
suggestions for questions. If you can offer one then please email me
or ring me on 01709 837447.

1st February 2005

MONIES FROM THE MISSION ACCOUNT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED AS FOLLOWS:

£1507.21

(E.R.A Tsunami Appeal)

£500.00

(Zaire) Gordon & Sybil McKillop

£500.00

Honduras

£500.00

Western Europe

£250.00

Congo (Debbie Howard)

£250.00

Zimbabwe (Greg Kane)

MINIBUS

Ron and Tim are currently looking for a replacement Minibus.

Please feel free to contribute towards this

new minibus in anyway that you can.

Mark contributions - Transport (Minibus)

These gifts can be Gift Aided!

Thanks

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