The Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) has commended the Evangelical Alliance’s call for a ‘national day of prayer’ on Tuesday 25 March, against proposals to legalise assisted suicide in the UK.
CEEC joins with the Evangelical Alliance, CARE, the Christian Medical Fellowship, Affinity and the Christian Institute, in asking people to call on the Lord’s mercy and protection for those who will be deeply impacted should the law pass in Holyrood and Westminster.
Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults Bill, which applies to England and Wales, is at Committee stage in the House of Commons. A final vote is expected in April or May, to decide whether it progresses to the Lords. The Bill has become increasingly controversial, with some MPs withdrawing their support.
The organisers have provided the following points to help focus prayers:
Compassion – Pray for a revival of compassion in our society, that we would prioritise caring for sick people over seeking to help them end their lives.
Clarity – Pray that politicians and journalists would understand the bitter reality of what the Leadbeater Bill would mean for the vulnerable and for the nature of the relationship between doctors and patients.
Courage – Give thanks for those politicians already opposing the Bill and pray for more to find the courage to speak out.
Co-operation – Give thanks for the wide range of people and organisations, Christian and non-Christian, working hard to prevent the Bill becoming law. Pray for the effectiveness of their work in Parliament, in the media, and at the grassroots.
Concern – More and more professionals are speaking out against the unworkability of the proposals. Pray their voices would be heeded by the politicians who will be voting on the Bill.
