Methodist conference told ‘UK is a tax haven’; Methodist Church keeps focus on mission; Young Methodists struggle with embarrassment about their faith; Call to switch banks after Libor scandal; Christian presence at the 2012 Olympics
Methodist conference told ‘UK is a tax haven’
Richard Murphy a Quaker, commentator and founder of the Tax Justice Network, who has been at the forefront of exposing injustices in the international tax system gave the Beckly lecture at the annual Methodist Conference yesterday (2 July)
In ‘The Courage to Pay: tax, faith, honesty and business’, Murphy said that the UK has become a tax haven for rich and multinational companies.
“The poorest have been paying more tax.” he said. ” But for the rich and multinational companies the UK has become a tax haven. The result has been a massive rise in inequality in this country as the rich have got richer and the rest have stood still, or worse.”
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16802
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16803
Methodist Church keeps focus on mission
Methodists are being encouraged to share their faith with others
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/methodist.church.keeps.focus.on.mission/30183.htm
Young Methodists struggle with embarrassment about their faith
A report to the Methodist Conference has revealed that young members of the Church struggle with feelings of embarrassment about their Christian faith
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/young.methodists.struggle.with.embarrassment.about.their.faith/30189.htm
Call to switch banks after Libor scandal
Christians are being asked to consider switching accounts to ethical banks in light of the raterigging scandal at Barclays
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/call.to.switch.banks.after.libor.scandal/30196.htm
Christian presence at the 2012 Olympics
Rev Andrew Wingfield Digby, Vicar of St Andrew’s North Oxford writes,
“The Olympic charter ensures freedom to worship and respect for all religious belief. It is required that the organising committee (LOCOG) provides a religious centre where athletes, coaches and officials can exercise their faith. Such a centre has been constructed in the 2012 village and will be staffed by a team of chaplains representing the main religions of the world. Working in three teams the chaplains will be available for services and prayer 24/7. There will also be chaplains at all venues and media centres.
That is the bare bones of the provision. LOCOG have put the Church of England’s Olympics ‘Vicar’, Rev Duncan Green, in charge of this religious provision. Duncan has done a great job recruiting men and women from all the religions and organising the chaplaincy. He has also secured accreditation for 20 international Christian chaplains for the Olympics and 9 for the Para- Olympics to come in to assist the UK team. It is this international group, who are all involved in Gospel work with sportspeople in their own countries, that I have been invited to join and help lead.
Please pray
a) that we can serve the athletes effectively and encourage believers in their walk with Christ,
b) that we respect the Olympic ethos appropriately and remain faithful to the Gospel – this requires restraint and wisdom,
c) that we are deemed to add value to the Games by the organising committee – this will make it more likely that sports ministry personel are welcome at major sports events in future
d) that the whole Christian chaplaincy team commends Christ by the way we serve.
Rev Andrew Wingfield Digby Vicar, St Andrew’s Church Linton Road, Oxford OX2 6UG