Dear friends,
re: Church Water Bills
I hope you won't mind if I
take the liberty of drawing your attention to
David Boddy's petition re: Church Water Bills on the Downing Street website.
David is Churchwarden at North Thornaby and started this petition in April.
It has been receiving 1,000 signatures a day in the last fortnight and
currently is heading towards 19,000 and stands in 3rd place (out of 6,300).
Could I please ask you to sign it and encourage others to do likewise?
It can be
found at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/ChurchWaterBills/
There is also a news item with further information on the Diocese of York
website www.yorkdiocese.org.uk and I have put up a Private Members' Motion
on the matter at General Synod as well.
With best wishes,
Yours,
Martin Dales
Priory Cottage,
Old Malton
North Yorkshire
YO17 7HB
Tel: 01653 600990
Mobile: 07764 985009
PLEASE
NOTE- Churches in the York and Hull District have more than likley been paying this charge since 2001/2 when it was introduced by Yorkshire Water. However this does not stop anyone signing the Petition as any future savings in expenditure will be welcomed by most churches.
The following press release has been
sent out by CTBI.
PRESS RELEASE
19 JUNE 2008
Reproduced here For information as to the response to the Situation in Zimbabwe
called on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to "redouble" its efforts to ensure fair elections in Zimbabwe, where people voted on 27 June in a" second round to elect a president".
The joint letter is a fruit of their discussions.
"All credible reports indicate that this is a deliberate campaign being perpetrated by militia groups aligned to the ruling party against suspected opposition party supporters and those who worked as election observers or election officials on polling day. We are concerned that there have also been attacks perpetrated inside churches."
its efforts to assist Zimbabweans to end the violence and intimidation and ensure that Zimbabwe abides by the SADC principles and guidelines governing democratic elections."
The
Revd Jonathan Edwards, General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain
The Most Revd John Sentamu, Archbishop of York
The Rt Revd Michael Nazir Ali, Bishop of Rochester
The Rt Revd Tom Butler, Bishop of Southwark
The Rt Revd Nick Baines, Bishop of Croydon
The Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, Bishop of Woolwich
The Rt Revd Richard Cheetham, Bishop of Kingston
face=Arial>Church of Scotland
The Rt Revd David Lunan, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The Revd Joel Edwards, General Director of the Evangelical Alliance
The Revd Martyn Atkins, President of the Conference of the Methodist Church in Britain
Catholic Church
The Rt Revd Crispian Hollis, Bishop of Portsmouth
The Revd Stephen Orchard, Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church
in Zimbabwe. "This should include ensuring freedom of access by all parties to all areas of the country, equal access to the media, peaceful campaigning ... There will be a need for election results to be posted outside polling stations again, for the permits to be granted to domestic election observers to be issued immediately, and for the police and army to be banned from entering polling stations for any reason other than to vote."
face=Arial>The letter also asks President Mwanawasa, "to ensure that the numbers of SADC election observers are scaled up considerably and for them to be present now to monitor the pre-election environment and to stay on until the election results have been released."
However, our partners insist that Zimbabweans should have the right to make that choice in an atmosphere free of violence and intimidation where the human and democratic rights of all are respected and upheld.
The following are available for interview
The Rt Revd Nick
Baines, Bishop of Croydon
Contact: Wendy Robbins, 07831 694021.
The Rt Revd Crispian Hollis, Bishop of Portsmouth
Contact: Catholic Communications Network, 0207 901 4800.
Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia,
Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, SC,
c/o Zambia High Commission
Zambia House
2 Palace Gate
London W8 5NG
RE: Situation in Zimbabwe
of SADC. We are also addressing this to SADC diplomatic representatives in the UK and Ireland. We note the various political initiatives of leaders in southern Africa to assist Zimbabweans to solve the political, economic and social crisis in their country thus far. We write to express our grave concerns about the deteriorating situation there.
of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference and the Zimbabwe Council of Churches. They state that following the elections in March "Organised violence perpetrated against individuals, families and communities who are accused of campaigning or voting for the 'wrong' political party has been unleashed throughout the country ... Abduction, torture and humiliation [are] commonplace for those in the country accused of voting for the 'wrong' candidate".
credible reports indicate that this is a deliberate campaign being perpetrated by militia groups aligned to the ruling party against suspected opposition party supporters and those who worked as election observers or election officials on polling day. We are concerned that there have also been attacks perpetrated inside churches.
hundreds injured and thousands displaced. This has significant consequences for the possibility of a free and fair vote in the run off of the presidential election to be held on the 27 June 2008. The Zimbabwe government has instructed humanitarian agencies to suspend all aid operations. This includes feeding programmes for children and support for vulnerable groups such as orphans, disabled people, those with HIV and AIDS and the elderly.
respectfully request SADC to redouble its efforts to assist Zimbabweans to end the violence and intimidation and ensure that Zimbabwe abides by the SADC principles and guidelines governing democratic elections. This should include ensuring freedom of access by all parties to all areas of the country, equal access to the media, peaceful campaigning - all essential to providing a level electoral playing field. There will be a need for election results to be posted
outside polling stations again, for the permits to be granted to domestic election observers to be issued immediately, and for the police and army to be banned from entering polling stations for any reason other than to vote. We also urge you to ensure that the numbers of SADC election observers are scaled up considerably and for them to be present now to monitor the pre-election environment and to stay on until the election results have been released.
take no position on whom Zimbabweans elect to positions of authority, since this is their democratic prerogative. However, our partners insist that Zimbabweans should have the right to make that choice in an atmosphere free of violence and intimidation where the human and democratic rights of all are respected and upheld.
The
Revd Jonathan Edwards, General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain
The Most Revd John Sentamu, Archbishop of York
The Rt Revd Michael Nazir Ali, Bishop of Rochester
The Rt Revd Tom Butler, Bishop of Southwark
The Rt Revd Nick Baines, Bishop of Croydon
The Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, Bishop of Woolwich
The Rt Revd Richard Cheetham, Bishop of Kingston
The Rt Revd David Lunan, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The
Revd Joel Edwards, General Director of the Evangelical Alliance
The Revd Dr Martyn Atkins, President of the Conference of the Methodist Church in Britain
The Rt Revd Crispian Hollis, Bishop of Portsmouth
The Revd Stephen Orchard, Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church
: Letter from Zimbabwe - My appologies that I am repeating this item but I have found that there was a fault with the Microsoft Servers early morning on 1st July and many of
you especially with Hotmail or MSN e mails did not receive this item
Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2008 17:42:47 +0200
Please send this on to everyone in your address book. We send jokes out without blinking an eyelid. We don't get told this on the news in South Africa, we only get told what they want us to hear. We all have a chance to do something, even though the something is by pressing forward to as many people as possible. Let's stop talking and let's
start doing! There is power in prayer, there is also power in more people knowing about this than you in my address book. This is going to America, Dubai,Australia, France, South Africans all over South Africa, the UK. By forwarding this to all in my address book I have done something. The world needs to know what is going on.
All I can think of is 'Cry my beloved country, cry!
Letter from Zimbabwe sent in by John Winter
I reckon
that these are the last days of TKM and ZPF. The darkesthour is always before dawn.
We are all terrified at what they are going to destroy next........I mean they are actually ploughing down brick and mortar houses and one white family with twin boys of 10 had no chance of salvaging anything when100 riot police came in with AK47's and bulldozers and demolished their beautiful house - 5 bedrooms and pine ceilings - because it was 'too close to the airport',
so we are feeling extremely insecure right now.
You know - I am aware that this does not help you sleep at night, but if you do not know - how can you help? Even if you put us in your own mental ring of light and send your guardian angels to be with us - that is a help - but I feel so cut off from you all knowing I cannot tell you what's going on here simply because you will feel uncomfortable. There is no ways we can leave here so that is not an option.
I ask that you all pray for us in the way that you know how, and let me know that you are thinking of us and sending out positive vibes... that's all. You can't just be in denial and pretend/believe it's not going on.
To be frank with you, it's genocide in the making and if you do not believe me, read the Genocide Report by Amnesty International which says we are - IN level 7 - (level 8 is after it's happened and everyone is in denial).
If
you don't want me to tell you these things-how bad it is-then it means you have not dealt with your own fear, but it does not help me to think you are turning your back on our situation. We need you, please, to get the news OUT that we are all in a fearfully dangerous situation here. Too many people turn their backs and say - oh well, that's what happens in Africa .
This Government has GONE MAD and you need to help us publicize our plight--- or how can
we be rescued? It's a reality! The petrol queues are a reality, the pall of smoke all around our city is a reality, the thousands of homeless people sleeping outside in 0 Celsius with no food, water, shelter and bedding are a reality. Today a family approached me, brother of the gardener's wife with two small children. Their home was trashed and they will have to sleep outside. We already support 8 adult people and a child on this property, and electricity is
going up next month by 250% as is water.
How can I take on another family of 4 -----and yet how can I turn them away to sleep out in the open?
I am not asking you for money or a ticket out of here - I am asking you to FACE the fact that we are in deep and terrible danger and want you please to pass on our news and pictures. So PLEASE don't just press the delete button! Help best in the way that you know how.
Do face the reality of what
is going on here and help us SEND OUT THE WORD.. The more people who know about it, the more chance we have of the United Nations coming to our aid. Please don't ignore or deny what's happening. Some would like to be protected from the truth BUT then, if we are eliminated, how would you feel? 'If only we knew how bad it really was we could have helped in some way'.
[I know we chose to stay here and that some feel we deserve what's coming to us]
For
now,--- we ourselves have food, shelter, a little fuel and a bit of money for the next meal - but what is going to happen next? Will they start on our houses? All property is going to belong to the State now. I want to send out my Title Deeds to one of you because if they get a hold of those, I can't fight for my rights.
Censorship!----We no longer have SW radio [which told us everything that was happening] because the Government jammed it out of existence
- we don't have any reporters, and no one is allowed to photograph. If we had reporters here, they would have an absolute field day. Even the pro-Government Herald has written that people are shocked, stunned, bewildered and blown mindless by the wanton destruction of many folks homes, which are supposed to be 'illegal' but for which a huge percentage actually do have licenses.
Please! - do have some compassion and HELP by sending out the articles and personal
reports so that something can/may be done.
'I am one. I cannot do everything, ---but I can do something.. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. What I can do, I should do. And what I should do, by the grace of God, I will do.'
Edward Everett Hale
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