Parliament: 19 January-25 January

1. Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised a “bright, exciting future” for the UK on Wednesday. This comes after both houses of Parliament passed the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill on Wednesday evening. The Bill then received Royal Ascent on Thursday. This means the UK will formally leave the EU at 11pm on 31st January.

Give thanks that the rancour and division of the past three years has abated. Pray that upcoming trade talks with the EU and other countries will have a positive outcome.

2. South Western Railway (SWT), which runs trains to and from London Waterloo, is the latest train operator to face possible nationalisation. This comes after Transport Secretary Grant Shapps warned it “is not sustainable in the long term.” The company has recently admitted it would collapse “within the next 12 months.” This comes after the operator reported a loss of £137million after tax in the year to March 2019. However, the train operator also faced a series of strike actions across their region throughout December 2019. This severely impacted the frequency and reliability of services for commuters.

Pray that long-suffering commuters do not have to endure any more strikes on SWT. Pray for long-term solutions to be found for the ownership of this train operator.

3. Latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show there are now a record number of women in full-time work. This has helped push the UK's employment rate to a new high of 76.3%. In the three months to November 2019, 126,000 more women worked full-time compared with the previous quarter. This increase may be partly due to women working longer before retiring. A record 32.9 million people are in employment in the UK, a rise of 0.5% for the three months to November.

Give thanks for this increase in women’s employment. Give thanks also that a record 32.9 million people are now in employment in the UK.

4. A new report from University College London says that too many highways engineers are still approving roads that do not fully account for pedestrians and cyclists. This follows a government survey suggesting an increase in public concern over the impact of cars on people's health and the environment. The report’s author, Prof Matthew Carmona, said: “Far too many new developments are still all about the car. Developers did not take into account the needs of cyclists and pedestrians.

Pray for highways engineers to take more account of pedestrians and cyclists, when new developments are approved. Ask that people make realistic reductions, when possible, in the amount of driving they do.

5. Here at the Nationwide Christian Trust, our first Ladies Day for 2020 is on 30th January. Reona Joly will be speaking on the subject of ‘The Bible, the World’s Bestseller.’ On 9th February, we have our music and ministry evening with ‘Vinesong.’ Marilyn Baker and Tracy Williamson will be speaking on ‘From The Inside Out’ at our Ladies Day on 27th February. New volunteers for our Prayerline are always welcome. Please contact us if you would like more information, or to become part of this ministry.

Please pray that God will bless these events and help to empower all who attend in their walk of faith. Pray that it will be the start of a successful year for NCT with lives changed and souls won for Christ.