|PIC1|The Bishop of London launched a new ten-day prayer and fasting initiative on Sunday to bring more attention to the Millennium Development Goals and efforts to halve extreme global poverty.
The initiative was launched during the 'Time for God's Creation' service in the historic St Paul's Cathedral.
The prayer and fasting initiative Think:Fast is a joint collaboration with Micah Challenge, a global movement of Christians lobbying their governments to tackle poverty. It provides educational materials designed to help Christians pray, reflect and increase their understanding of poverty over the ten days.
The initiative culminates with Bishop Richard Chartres fasting for a full day on 24 September, the day before world leaders meet for the UN summit on global poverty.
Other religious leaders and politicians taking part include the head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, and Micah Challenge's International Director-designate Joel Edwards.
Dr Chartres will also offer a public message of encouragement to Prime Minister Gordon Brown prior to the UN meeting.
He said: "In today's interconnected world, loving your neighbour starts at home but extends throughout the world. It is idle to talk of loving our neighbours while neglecting the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world.
"Supporting the Millennium Development Goals is a 21st century way of loving our neighbour. Promises have been made and world leader have to be held to account for those promises even at a time of economic difficulty.
"I hope and I pray that the Think:Fast initiative goes some way to heightening our awareness that we should not rest easy while others face extreme poverty and have so little share in our rich and fruitful earth."
The Executive Director of Micah Challenge UK, Andy Clasper, said the outcome of the UN meeting had the "potential to make a huge difference to the lives of some of the world's poorest".
Micah Challenge is rallying thousands of churches around the world to take part in Micah Sunday on October 19.
On the web: www.micahchallenge.org.uk
-
What is really preventing peace between Israel and the Palestinians?
-
Calls for prayer as court hears sacked chaplain's appeal
-
Veteran theologian John Lennox reflects on ageing, legacy and the hope that endures
-
UK Supreme Court rules Religious Education in Northern Ireland unlawful
-
Who was St Margaret of Scotland and why is she important?
-
'Kink' and 'BDSM' university clubs putting young students at risk, says Christian group
Most Popular
News
18 church leaders arrested in China as part of crackdown
Christians in China have long faced harassment from the authorities.
Less than half of American adults say religion is important - study
Despite less than half of Americans ranking religion as an important part of their daily life, America is still more devout when it comes to religion than its economic peers, such as the United Kingdom or Germany, new data from Gallup shows.
Report shows huge contribution of faith communities to Welsh society
The Evangelical Alliance has produced a report showing the impact that faith communities are having in Wales.
Church historian highlights challenges and opportunities for evangelicalism in a changing world
A leading church historian has warned that the public image of evangelicals is being distorted by US politics, even as the movement experiences rapid growth and renewed vitality across the Global South.