UK & Ireland in Brief

Scottish charity Bethany Christian Trust is hoping 7,000 homeless and vulnerable people will be helped over this holiday period – thanks to its ‘Caring Christmas Trees’ campaign.

The charity, which seeks to put Christian love into action and demonstrate the transforming impact of the gospel, has been running the initiative for almost 20 years. It is aiming to help end homelessness in Scotland.

The festive fir-tree plan is one of the trust’s seasonal campaigns to raise money for outreach, shelter, and professional support over Scotland’s coldest calendar dates.

For £45 upwards, shoppers have been able to purchase a caring conifer sustainably grown in West Lothian, with all proceeds benefitting Bethany’s campaign against homelessness. In 2023, 3,330 Caring Christmas Trees were sold, raising more than £50,000.

Emily Pollok

A County Antrim pro-life campaigner convicted of protesting within an abortion clinic safe access zone says she will appeal.

Claire Brennan, a Roman Catholic, was fined £750 at Coleraine Magistrates’ Court after refusing to leave the safe access zone in October 2023. According to Christian Concern, which is supporting her, she told police: ‘The law of the land stops me from upholding the law of God… We pray for the babies who will be imminently killed in this hospital.’

Nicola Laver

Church leaders have been asked to complete a survey examining whether fewer people are going into gospel ministry.

The survey has been launched by Dave Williams, a pastor in Bearwood, West Midlands, after hearing anecdotal reports of a reduction in people going into ministry and that the number of applications to theological colleges has ‘seriously dropped off’.

The survey asks about: recruitment of pastors; how people are sent into training and ministry; and raising up leaders from within our congregations. Dave plans to follow up the responses with phone or video conversations.

More facts needed

He explained: ‘I don’t think we have a clear factual picture of what is happening, particularly trends. 9:38 have done some work, but would acknowledge that more is needed. I believe it is important that we should be evidence-led when making decisions.’

Dave said that since 2010, when he started serving in the West Midlands, he has ‘become increasingly concerned about seeing more people trained and supported into urban ministry, especially through church planting and revitalisation’.

He hopes his research will act as ‘a catalyst’ for more work to be done. He aims to close the survey by the end of January.

Nicola Laver