Gordon Brown praises christian relief efforts!

THE CHURCHES are successfully teaching the parable of the Good Samaritan to the nation, the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, suggested this week.
Mr Brown was speaking in an interview to mark the tenth anniversary of the chain-of-debt campaign for the relief of debt in the developing world.
“I do applaud the way churches have made this a test of being a good neighbour,” said Mr Brown. “People are helping people they will never know or meet. These people ought to recognise they have helped to transform opportunities for people all around the world.”

Mr Brown, when asked whether he went to church, replied: “I try to, I try to.” He said that campaigning against poverty in the developing world was “about the text, ‘Who is my neighbour?’ It is about a world in which people recognise that a neighbour is not simply [the person] who is geographically next door, but people who are in every part of the world. . . We are not moral strangers to each other; the more we can find a common ground — people sharing the same moral sense around the world — the more we will be able to achieve a future in making the world a safer place.”

The Prime Minister listed some of the measurable benefits of debt relief. “It has achieved an enormous amount, but obviously there is more to do — there is always more to do.” He said: “Without the work of churches and faith communities, we would not have been able to achieve so much.”
church of the nazarene broadwalk knowle park bristol bs4 2rd

Number 10 to fly the flag today - St George's Day

Gordon Brown will mark St George's Day tomorrow by flying the flag of St George over Downing Street.

It will be the first time in recent years that the flag has been raised at Number 10 to mark the annual occasion.

Downing Street has two flagpoles, and the red-and-white banner will fly alongside the union flag.

Other UK government buildings in England that have two flagpoles will also be encouraged to fly the St George's flag. Where just one flagpole is available, the union flag – which takes precedence over national flags – should be flown.

Brown will also fly the Scottish saltire on St Andrew's Day and the Welsh dragon on St David's Day. Northern Ireland does not have an official national flag to fly on St Patrick's Day.

The move follows a review of flag-flying practices ordered by Brown when he became prime minister.

Downing Street said that, in accordance with protocol, the union flag would fly on the "superior" pole, deemed to be the one closest to Buckingham Palace.

Brown's spokesman said: "The prime minister's view is that of course we should celebrate our Britishness, but celebrating our Britishness does not mean we cannot also celebrate our Englishness, Scottishness, Welshness or Northern Irishness."

The last time Downing Street raised the flag of St George was during the 2006 football World Cup.

church of the nazarene knowle park bristol bs4 2rd