The struggle for many churches to connect with young people has been revealed in a new survey.

A poll of more than 800 churches by Allchurches Trust has shown that more than two thirds have five or fewer young people in their worshipping community; but 96% would love to provide more support and activities for them if they had the right skills and resources in place.

In light of these findings, the Christian charity has launched a new grants programme, Growing Lives.

It launched this week and makes grants of up to £25,000 to help churches and Christian organisations to connect with children and young people and forge lasting links with families in their area.

Sir Philip Mawer, chairman of Allchurches Trust, said: “It’s inspiring to read that 96% of the churches we asked said they would love to run more activities for children and young people if they had all of the right resources and skills, but it is important not to under-estimate the scale of the challenge.

“While our survey uncovered some truly inspiring examples of churches running innovative projects that are addressing a very real need in their communities, it’s clear that many are struggling to run activities at all or are offering support that they feel lacks relevance or is unattractive to local families. Many are hampered by buildings that are not fit for purpose and outdated equipment.

“We…

Aberdeen Life Ethics Society (ALES) is a group for pro-life students to meet and campaign on the issue of abortion.

Last week, they were allowed to be affiliated with the student body after the Aberdeen University Students’ Association was threatened with legal action on the grounds of discrimination based on belief.

The case against the Student Association will come to Aberdeen Sheriff Court.

Until last week, they were denied the privileges of affiliation with Aberdeen University Students’ Association, such as ease of room bookings and a place at freshers’ fair in September 2018 while the student body decided their verdict. The union’s delay also made networking ‘impossible’ to do on campus, according to a member of the society.

Alex Mason, a PhD student and Christian, told Premier the group were inconvenienced and that he thought it was ‘used as a way to shame pro-lifers, despite their views being legal and protected’.
He added that it was a ‘small vocal minority’ who wanted their exclusion from campus and that many who did not even agree with their stance on abortion did not think the pro-life group shouldn’t exist.

The Aberdeen University Students Association (AUSA) had a pro-choice policy which they said conflicted with the group’s aims. They cited that the National Union of Students (NUS) also had a pro-choice policy and in March 2017 AUSA had a policy…

Saif ul Malook defended Bibi after she was sentenced to death by hanging for allegedly insulting the Islamic prophet Muhammad in November 2010.

While Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered her to be released in October 2018, it upheld her acquittal following mass protests and petitions calling for her to be executed.

Malook also faced death threats from Islamic extremists for his decision to represent Bibi since 2014, as have the judges who ordered Bibi to be freed.

Responding to his award, Malook said in a statement: “Thanks to the National Secular Society for recognising my efforts to secure the acquittal of Asia Bibi (below).

“To fight blasphemy cases in Pakistan is putting one’s own and families’ lives at risk.”

He is now representing another client in a blasphemy case involving Shaghufta Kausar, who faces a possible death sentence in Pakistan over a text message that allegedly insulted Muhammad.

“The moral support from organisations such as the National Secular Society has given me the courage to take the case of Shaghufta Kausar – another Christian woman on death row on blasphemy charges,” Malook added.

“I assure you that I plan to continue my mission in providing legal aid to all blasphemy victims even in future regardless to the threat to my life.”

Supporters of Pakistani radical groups burn a poster of…

Benjamin Field, 28, used a white marker pen to leave biblical messages for 83-year-old Ann Moore-Martin as part of a campaign of “gaslighting”.

Field – 57 years her junior – sent Miss Moore-Martin letters, postcards and poems speaking of his love and discussing marriage during a year-long seduction.

The church warden, who admits being in a fraudulent relationship with Miss Moore-Martin, also wrote messages urging her to give him £27,000 towards the cost of a dialysis machine, purportedly for his seriously ill brother Tom, 24.

Oxford Crown Court heard that Miss Moore-Martin, who never married or had children, later changed her will to leave her home in Maids Moreton, Buckinghamshire, to Field but changed her mind shortly before she died in May 2017 and alleged Field had poisoned her.

The jury was told Field had taken photographs of the messages, which were later recovered from his phone following his arrest.

The first message, illustrated with a cross, said: “All that you give him, He will return, Ten fold.”

A second message said: “Your intentions are holy, Your work is not yet done, Take care and complete the task, Given to you by the Lord.”

A third said: “Your soul will proceed directly to heaven, Her soul to joy; his to perfection, This good you will can never be undone. Peace is yours in me, your Lord. Amen.”

A final message said: “Pray for Ben, Ben loves you.”