Community Six
nations Six
nations Will
Wales with their new talisman, Gavin Henson, continue
where they left off? Will Brian O'Driscoll,
returning from that horrific injury in the Lions tour,
galvanize The
latest of the England World Cup heroes to opt out of
international "I
could have gone on but I felt that now my priority should
be my family. My family have always had to
sacrifice when I'm away. The children are growing
up so fast and I don't want to miss out being with them
when they are young. With the new baby there is
extra pressure on Amanda. "I
have prayed about it and am comfortable with my decision.
From a rugby point of view, I am really looking forward
to giving 100% to club rugby, something I have never
really been able to do in the career, having got into the
GB Rugby League squad when I was 19". Jason's
childhood included the occasional visit to Sunday School
- "just because you got a free lollypop for going".
On another occasion he recalls being in church and having
nothing to put in the offering. To cover his
embarrassment he put one hand over the plate and gave it
a little shake with the other to make it sound like a
coin being dropped! It
was in 1994 the New Zealand All Black star, Va'aiga
Tuigamala joined When
Inga told Jason Robinson that he had had a dream about
him, he was amused and asked the friend what the dream
was about. "I could see you standing on top of
the world. You had the world at your feet but
gradually the world started crumbling beneath your feet."
Jason was amazed. It was uncannily true. Jason
was on top of the world. He was 21. He had
fame and fortune as an international rugby player - but
inside he was empty. On the outside things looked
great, but inside his life was in a mess. He got through
his life only with the help of a bottle. The
dream stopped him in his tracks. He knew that he
had to get his life sorted out. It was just the jolt that
he needed. "I rang a friend who was a
Christian and said, 'I can't go on like this. I
don't want to live like this. I need help.' He
invited me round to his office and I went immediately.
He asked, 'Do you want to invite Jesus into your heart?' "I
just knew that I could not continue what I was doing.
That morning I asked Jesus into my life. The words
from the Bible ‘Come to me, all you who are weary
and burdened, and I will give you rest' (Matthew Campaigning
for safer chemicals For
many years there has been concern about the thousands of
chemicals that are manufactured in I
have space to mention only two suspect classes of
products in common use. Brominated flame retardants (BFRs)
are widely used in plastics, textiles and furniture and
are suspected hormone disrupters. Phthalates are
added to plastics, especially PVC, to make them flexible
and to make nail varnishes "non-chip". They
also serve as solvents for fragrances in perfumes. It
has been estimated that proper testing could save Meanwhile,
individuals concerned about this issue can find out more
by visiting the website
www.wwf.org.uk. We can't avoid exposure to all man-made
chemicals but we can reduce risks. For example: *
Avoid food coming into contact with PVC cling film *
Buy soap, shampoos and cosmetics that don't contain
synthetic fragrances (the label may just say 'parfum'). *
Open windows instead of using air fresheners *
Use environment-friendly cleaning products (and paints
made from plant oils). *
Don’t buy products pre-treated with creosote, such
as fencing or garden furniture. Such preservatives are
now banned for domestic use. Could
you take on a foster child? Social
services departments in all parts of the The
reasons why children cannot remain with their parents are
varied. The parents may be ill or perhaps they are
unable to cope, which may lead to abuse or neglect of the
child. A temporary home may be needed for pre-adoption
babies. At the other end of the age scale, teenagers
sometimes need help in making the transition to adult
life. Similarly,
foster care officers look for carers who match the needs
of the particular child. One recruiter I spoke to pointed
out that foster parents can be married or single. "As
long as you are over 21 there are no age restrictions,
although we would want to ensure that your health would
not suffer by your taking on the care of additional
children," she added. "It
doesn't matter to us whether you live in a mansion or a
small flat, provided that you have the room to provide
reasonable care for a child. We are also not concerned
about your sexual orientation or employment status,
although there is understandably a legal prohibition on
people who have been convicted of certain offences ever
becoming foster carers." Benefits
are not adversely affected when you become a foster
parent. Employed people, even if they feel unable to
offer a 'full-time' placement, can still help by
providing a weekend respite service to families in need. Every
effort is made to keep children close to their families,
schools and friends. Councils recruiting offer training,
support and payments to cover expenses. Although
not easy, fostering can be very satisfying as you see
your charges develop as happy, well-adjusted children.
Why not find out more? [local address could go here, or
use the one below]. For
more information, contact The Fostering Network, Homelessness
Sunday 29 January Homelessness
Sunday is an annual event which each year involves
thousands of churches across the country. Churches
pray and consider what they might do to help relieve the
devastating effects of homelessness on people. If
you suspect there may be a number of homeless people in
your area, you could ring your local Salvation Army to
find out in what practical ways people in your church
might be able to offer help. Your local Churches
Together may also have something planned. Sing
a choral work for charity The
true 'scratch' Messiah originated at the Royal Albert
Hall in 1974, the brainchild of Professor Don Monro of It's
best for all singers to have their own score, a knowledge
of their vocal range (!), and something black/white to
wear. There will usually be a full day's rehearsal
followed by a performance in the evening. Happy
Birthday, SPAM 2006
marks the 70th birthday of SPAM – the much-loved
canned luncheon meat which took the world by storm in the
1930s and 40s. It
was back in 1936 that an American company, Geo A Hormel,
of It's
said that the son of Geo Hormel, Jay Hormel, held a New
Year's party for the purpose of naming his 'baby'. Guests
were entitled to one drink for each name they came up
with and, for the winner, a prize of $100. The host
said afterwards: 'by the fourth drink, people began to
show some imagination'. The
names suggested are now lost in the mists of history, but
the name SPAM was put forward by the brother of the
Hormel vice-president – and approved immediately.
It was catchy enough for everyone to remember, and
perfectly summed up the contents of shoulder of pork and
ham! And
so SPAM was introduced to SPAM
was highly nutritious and could be used cold in
sandwiches and salads, or hot in stews, pies and
omelettes. The 'meat miracle' as it was known, even
helped Today
SPAM is still popular and sold in 50 countries throughout
the world, with sales still growing. There are even
SPAM fan clubs in both the PC
– just how correct is it? Political
correctness (PC) – and resentment against what is
seen as its 'lunatic fringe' – seems to be
everywhere today. PC is typically invoked on behalf
of the oppressed and marginalised – but it also
describes the attempt to constrain the expression of
ideas that allegedly do not support these groups' full
humanity. Christians, for example, have often been
labelled politically incorrect because of our exclusivity
(we claim Jesus is the only way to salvation). What's
good about it: Two things can be said for PC: First,
it is good to champion the cause of women, visible
minorities, the handicapped and the poor – to make
sure they are equally and fairly treated. Second,
at the level of public speech, as well as in politics and
various public programmes, it can be good to be compelled
to 'watch our language' regarding those different from
ourselves. As Christians, we ought indeed to be
considerate towards others in our speech. BUT:
unfortunately PC is often not deeply concerned for
righteousness for all, but only for advantage for some;
for vengeance, rather than justice. PC often destroys the
very things that make emancipation possible: free speech,
civil conversation, respect for differences, and mutual
submission to principles of logic and fairness. When
it does, then Christians must once again resist injustice
and promote well-being – and this will mean
resisting some forms of PC. |