UK households are expected to spend more than £500 on average this festive season.

A study by the British Retail Consortium predicts an additional £2billion in seasonal shopping compared to last year.

Christian charity Care for the Family says Christmas doesn’t have to be an expensive occasion.

Project Manager Becky Denharder told Premier despite it being “fun to spend money” on our families, it all “adds up” and to “work within their means.”

“I think sometimes parents feel pressure to buy for their kids and we feel pressure to buy for colleagues and lots of different people,” she added.

Denharder suggests there are more long lasting ways to bless our families, saying: “We don’t often remember the gift from our Christmases, but we do remember the memories. We remember the traditions that we take part in and those are the memories that stick.

“It’s about the time that you spend with each other and as Christians, it’s about remembering that Jesus is the reason for Christmas and talking to our children about it.

“Those memories will last much, much longer than all the things that we spend the money on.”

Denharder has urged Christians not to “feel bad” about spending money at Christmas but suggests preparing a budget to help with money management as well as considering funds that can be set aside to help those less fortunate during the season of good will.

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The hip hop star was invited to participate in the Tennessee event after Christian comedian John Crist was removed from the event line-up following allegations of sexual harassment.

Conference leader and evangelist Scott Dawson announced the news on social media, saying: “We were dealt a severe blow a couple of weeks ago when one of our main headliners we had to remove from our schedule due to a moral failure.

“Our team was rocked, but we were solid that the Lord was going to work something out,” he added.

Claims the US comedian had “harassed, manipulated and exploited young women” were made by . last month.

Crist, who admitted to “destructive and sinful” behaviour cancelled all upcoming tour dates as a result.

Following “countless calls” to Christian artists to replace Crist at the event, West was suggested as a replacement.

Dawson received a call from the popstar shortly after.

“I realised that, although this is a worldwide megastar, he was a brother in Christ,” Dawson explained.

“He told me his testimony. He told me his struggles, what he was still going through. He said he’s been delivered, but he’s on a growth journey with Jesus.”

When asked if he would consider attending the conference, West responded: “After prayer and deliberation, I want you to know that I’m not considering it: I’m coming. I’ll be there for your January conference.”

The Strength to Stand student conference takes place on 18-20 January 2020 at Pigeon Forge,…

It is believed at least 208 people had been killed in the protests and the crackdown that followed, according to Amnesty International.

Iran shut down internet access amid the unrest, blocking those inside the country from sharing their videos and information, as well as limiting the outside world from knowing the scale of the protests and violence.

SAT-7 said during the nine-day internet blackout last month, which still remains for mobile devices, it provided biblical guidance and support during the time of unrest.

“We changed our topics according to what people were going through,” said Panayiotis Keenan, executive director of SAT-7 PARS (Persian language channel).

“We had people calling in and asking for prayer and any kind of spiritual advice, because as many viewers share during that time, we were the last resource that they had.

“That made us really proud, but also gives us a great responsibility to these people.”

Signal is SAT-7 PARS’ weekly testimony show which involves clips from programmes and live calls and messages from viewers

The wave of protests erupted across Iran in November, sparked by an increase in the cost and rationing of fuel.

In a phone call to SAT-7, Shohreh, whose name has been changed for security reasons, revealed the atmosphere Iranians have endured in the past month.

She…

Flello, who was previously the Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent South until losing his seat in the 2017 election, switched to the Lib Dems after disagreeing with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Just days after Flello was selected on 9th November to stand in the same seat for the Lib Dems for this week’s general election, he was stood down.

He was told by party officials that his views on abortion and same sex marriage, shared on social media, were “not those that would be expected of a liberal” and it was therefore “not appropriate” for him to represent them.

Flello told Premier he believes he was deselected because of his religious beliefs: “What is interesting is initially the Lib Dems, having told me that they were deselecting me for my views, and then over the course of the week that followed, they gave me all sorts of other reasons and suggested that I retweeted a very aggressive tweet. But, I have not done those things.

“So, I can only conclude I’m absolutely convinced they are discriminating against me on the grounds of my faith.”

“I feel I have no choice really, but to take legal action against the Liberal Democrats. There is no doubt in my mind, that what I have experienced is discrimination on the grounds of me being a practicing Christian; having the views that I have, which are totally in tune and in keeping with being a practicing Roman Catholic.”

Explaining what he hopes to achieve, Flello told…

Forming the centrepiece of the scene, once missing a blackboard temporarily replaced the model stating, “Without him [Jesus] there is no Christmas” and asking people to help locate the figure and “save Cardiff’s Christmas”.

Staff had said the theft earlier this month was “not really in the Christmas spirit” and without the baby Jesus “there is no Christmas”.

Rev Canon Sarah Jones, priest in charge at St John’s in Cardiff, said it was handed in to a local church.

The nativity scene was raising money for a local church. Last year more than £2,000 was donated by people having their picture taken with the scene and donating to an honesty box.

The model has been returned to his rightful place at the centre of the nativity scene, despite being a little damaged.

Rev Jones told the BBC she was “delighted”.

“The German Christmas market sets out a nativity scene each year which highlights the deep meaning of Christmas.

“We are grateful for the generous donations of visitors to the market and of its staff and we use the money raised to help us to serve the people of Cardiff throughout the year.”

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