Christians across the UK and the world will be participating in Rise Up

Christians across the UK and the globe will utilise the power of prayer for world leaders and decision makers as part of Rise Up, a seven day stint of prayer led by Micah Challenge in the week leading up to the G20 summit on the 2nd April.

At this crucial time the G20 will be discussing reform of financial systems in the light of the global financial crisis.  Campaigners are urging G20 leaders to set a new direction to a world based on values such as partnership and care for the vulnerable.

Micah Challenge is presenting three calls for the week 28th March – 3rd April: Rise Up everyday – by committing to daily prayer individually; Rise Up with the Church - by praying together on Sunday 29th March; and Rise Up with your friends – as the sun rises on the day of the summit to meet with friends to pray.

The global financial and economic system is in crisis. Existing economic policies and institutions have overseen an economic system scarred by high levels of poverty and inequality, which is contributing to an environmental catastrophe. Blind faith in the virtues of markets, and inadequate public control, regulation and accountability of finance are at the heart of the financial crisis. Before the financial crisis, people across the world and in Britain were already suffering from the effects of rising food prices, inadequate essential services and the threat of climate chaos. There can be no return to business as usual. Fundamental change is needed.

In response to this situation an international group of civil society organisations has launched a new website: http://www.rethinkingfinance.org/

Rethinking Finance starts to address these issues. It puts forward alternative ideas and analyses, provides information about and comments on latest events, and gives an overview of civil society and other alternative activities. Here you will find some of the latest thinking from blogs sites, commentary, blogs, analysis, and also links to the most important mainstream media coverage. It is worth a visit.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon Murray McCully, has been giving out indications of the new Government’s plans for NZAID. While there has not yet been any official announcement, the comments that Mr McCully has made have been causing concern among those involved with development programmes.

One of the key comments has been to signal a change in emphasis from ‘poverty alleviation’ to a focus on ‘sustainable economic development’. Mr McCully has made it clear that he considers many of the existing ‘poverty alleviation’ programmes to be a waste of time and money. In line with National’s free-enterprise philosophy, he sees the promotion of trade as the best response to global poverty. In a speech to a New Zealand-Pacific Business Council sponsored event in February he outlined the trade deficits faced by Pacific Island nations and argued that these demonstrated the failure of previous aid policies. The solution he says is to promote economic growth through increased trade with New Zealand.

Poverty elimination and sustainable economic development should never be painted as opposites. Ideally they are both part of the same thing. You will not get sustainable economic development without direct poverty elimination programmes; you will not get anywhere with poverty elimination without providing paths for sustainable economic development. Economic development requires healthy people with increasing levels of education. Health and education are core poverty elimination programmes. These are the balances that all of us in development work with all the time.

LONDON - 13 February 2009

The Anglican Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, yesterday highlighted the significance of the world financial crisis and discussed the implications for ministry for those struggling with the practical consequences of the downturn in the economy.

Reflecting on the need for active solidarity, Dr Sentamu said: "We have heard the predictions. This slough of economic despond is deep and we are told it will get deeper. For every statistic on the hundreds of jobs lost, there are hundreds of stories of individual hardship and of families in need. Their struggle must be our lament ­ as we face up to our responsibilities.

He said: "England, you think you've got problems? It's time to get real.