School Receptionist Faces Sack Over Prayer Request

A school receptionist has said she is facing the sack after asking a church for prayer support when her daughter was told off for expressing religious beliefs during a lesson.

Jennie Cain said her five-year-old daughter Jasmine was in tears after being told off for talking about God and heaven.
The 38-year-old, from Crediton, Devon, works at Landscore Primary School and claims headteacher Gary Read told her he was not happy about Jasmine making religious statements.
Mrs Cain said after the meeting she emailed 10 friends from her church congregation asking them to pray about the situation and was shocked to discover that Mr Read had managed to obtain a copy of the email.
She was summoned to a second meeting and told she was being investigated for professional misconduct for allegedly making claims against the school and its staff.
The Christian Institute is providing legal support for Mrs Cain as the investigation could result in disciplinary action, including dismissal.
Spokesman Mike Judge said: "A five-year-old girl and her mother have been slammed for nothing more than expressing their Christian faith.
"I am particularly concerned about the way in which Mrs Cain's private email to her church friends ended up in the hands of the headteacher.
"This is the latest in a series of cases where Christians are being persecuted for their religious beliefs."
Mr Read said the school will be releasing a statement later.

Praise the Lord for the witness of a 5 year old!  Shame on the actions of her headteacher!

“But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:19-20

Christian Nurse’s Faith in the Workplace

Caroline Petrie, the nurse from Weston-super-Mare who was suspended without pay for asking a patient whether she would like to be prayed for, has been reinstated by North Somerset Primary Care Trust.

Mrs Petrie, a born again Christian and mother of two, was suspended after her employers discovered that she had asked a patient whether she would like to be prayed for. This was reported and Mrs Petrie was told that she could face disciplinary action, even though the patient was not offended. Mrs Petrie attended a disciplinary hearing on 28^th January 2009 as she had failed to demonstrate a ‘personal and professional commitment to equality and diversity’ by offering to pray for the patient.

On 5^th February 2009 North Somerset Primary Care Trust issued a statement in which they said that they recognised that Mrs Petrie had been acting in the “best interests of her patients” and that nurses did not have to “set aside their faith” in the workplace, and could “continue to offer high quality care for patients while remaining committed to their beliefs”. However, the Christian Legal Centre believes that the Trust’s statement is deliberately vague in places about conditions that the Trust might seek to impose on Christians in the work place. In any case, Mrs Petrie is thrilled to be able to return to work as soon as possible and the Trust has not indicated to her that any conditions will be imposed.

Caroline Petrie stated “I am looking forward to returning to work and doing what I love and have loved for 24 years - caring for patients and their welfare. I am pleased that I do not have to separate my faith from my work.”

Andrea Williams, Director of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “This is a great victory for Mrs Petrie, and for common sense. Yesterday’s decision highlights the importance of being able to take personal faith into the workplace rather than being forced to leave it at the door for fear of being silenced by equality and diversity policies.”

Christian, in spite of the circumstances and potential consequences, let us be faithful to the Lord - “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men...” (Galatians 6:10)