British and Irish churches pray and work together for Christian unity
Hundreds of thousands of Christians across Britain and Ireland are joining in the 2013 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in churches across these islands. The Week is an annual event marked by churches of all traditions - Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox, evangelical and indigenous. It runs from 18-25 January, though many congregations were most involved on last Sunday, 20 January. The collaborative event aims at building bridges in witness and common service between Christians of many backgrounds and understandings, and is promoted by ecumenical bodies nationally and internationally. The theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2013 comes from an ecumenical group in South India. They have reflected upon their own context and offer to people across the globe thematic ideas that call fellow Christians to respond to the obligation to act justly in the world. The text is taken from Micah 6.6-8.
Pray: for a significant legacy from the week of prayer. ( Mic. 6:6-8)
More: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/17826
Neighbourhood Prayer Network
The aim of the Neighbourhood Prayer Network is to see every street in the UK covered in Christian prayer. Over one thousand streets have been registered for prayer to date! Rebekah Brettle, Founder and National Director said. ‘As we reached this milestone, I could not help but think that the only number that matters is one. One person, praying, week after week, maybe even year after year believing that on their one street, prayer can make a difference’. The Network's hope is to encourage as many Christians as possible, to not only pray, but get to know their neighbours. Most of us do not know our neighbours living on our own street. There are approximately 260,000 streets in the UK, and the aim is to see Christians taking responsibility for each street in prayer. Will you please help spread this vision where you live? Click on their logo or our website.
Praise: God for the first thousand and pray for many more to take up the challenge. (2Cor.7:15)
More: http://www.neighbourhoodprayer.net/
Neighbourhood Prayer Network
The aim of the Neighbourhood Prayer Network is to see every street in the UK covered in Christian prayer. Over one thousand streets have been registered for prayer to date! Rebekah Brettle, Founder and National Director said. ‘As we reached this milestone, I could not help but think that the only number that matters is one. One person, praying, week after week, maybe even year after year believing that on their one street, prayer can make a difference’. The Network's hope is to encourage as many Christians as possible, to not only pray, but get to know their neighbours. Most of us do not know our neighbours living on our own street. There are approximately 260,000 streets in the UK, and the aim is to see Christians taking responsibility for each street in prayer. Will you please help spread this vision where you live? Click on their logo or our website.
Praise: God for the first thousand and pray for many more to take up the challenge. (2Cor.7:15)
More: http://www.neighbourhoodprayer.net/
4.5 Million online decisions for Christ
Frenchman Eric Célérier heads up Jesus.net, an internet evangelism movement he founded over seven years ago and that now involves more than 100 people from 20 countries. Jesus.net is best known for the websites Knowing God and Peace With God. Since the movement started, Célérier has seen more than 36.8 million people click on one of the Jesus.net websites that deliver a gospel presentation through video format. More than 4.5 million people have indicated they prayed to receive Christ and roughly 25 per-cent of those have filled out a personal information form, which has been used to send discipleship material as well as help new believers get plugged into a local church. A network of 330 churches has signed on to help new Christians grow in their faith. You might want to check out the fascinating Google Earth map with real-time decisions for Christ in 3D. Every minute three people come to Christ.
Praise: God for the many thousands of decisions for Christ every day. (Joel.3:14)
More: http://about.jesus.net/about/decisions-to-know-jesus/
4.5 Million online decisions for Christ
Frenchman Eric Célérier heads up Jesus.net, an internet evangelism movement he founded over seven years ago and that now involves more than 100 people from 20 countries. Jesus.net is best known for the websites Knowing God and Peace With God. Since the movement started, Célérier has seen more than 36.8 million people click on one of the Jesus.net websites that deliver a gospel presentation through video format. More than 4.5 million people have indicated they prayed to receive Christ and roughly 25 per-cent of those have filled out a personal information form, which has been used to send discipleship material as well as help new believers get plugged into a local church. A network of 330 churches has signed on to help new Christians grow in their faith. You might want to check out the fascinating Google Earth map with real-time decisions for Christ in 3D. Every minute three people come to Christ.
Praise: God for the many thousands of decisions for Christ every day. (Joel.3:14)
More: http://about.jesus.net/about/decisions-to-know-jesus/
Gay marriage: Catholics plan wave of 'grassroots' protests
Worshippers in London on Sunday added their signatures to new petitions against David Cameron’s plans while one charity launched an online campaign to encourage Catholics to lobby their MPs. Last week more than 1,000 priests – a quarter of all Catholic clergy in England and Wales – signed a letter to The Daily Telegraph arguing that the change could open the door to new discrimination against Christians. These moves signal the start of a string of new ‘grassroots’ protests organised independently of the Church hierarchy in the run-up to the publication of the Government’s Equal marriage Bill, due at the end of this month. Meanwhile evangelical Christians from Britain travelled to Paris to observe a mass protest by Christians and Muslims against President Francois Hollande’s plans for same-sex marriage in France. Organisers said that 800,000 people converged around the Eiffel Tower for a demonstration attended by Jean-Francois Cope, the leader of the centre-right UMP party.
Pray: for the success of these protests and that the petitions will have the desired effect. (1Cor.12:2)
Northern Ireland: Peace rally against latest violence
Around 1,500 protesters held a peace rally at Belfast City Hall on Sunday in reaction to Northern Ireland’s 40th night of violence. The protest took place hours after 29 police officers were injured during the latest sectarian clashes in east Belfast. Loyalist anger has built over several weeks following restrictions on the use of the union (or British) flags at official buildings. Police say paramilitary groups are behind some of the violence. The organisers of Sunday’s peace rally said protesters were speaking for ‘the silent majority’.‘What you’ve seen on TV over the last weeks has nothing to do with what we want for this country or for our children,’ said one man. ‘We don’t want to go back in time and the peace march was a really positive atmosphere of everybody coming together just to make that statement,’ said another protester. (See also 02-2013)
Pray: that these protests will bring a breakthrough leading to a sensible resolution to this situation. (Ps.120:6)
More: http://www.euronews.com/2013/01/13/northern-ireland-peace-rally-against-latest-violence/
Persecuted church inspires faith among young Christians
Open Doors and Youth for Christ have teamed up to create an exciting new resource for youth groups. My Heart Bleeds looks at the plight of persecuted Christians around the world and the valuable lessons that can be learned about staying in faith through tough times. The resource is broken down into six lifestyle sessions looking at what it means to follow Jesus through the inspiring lens of the persecuted church. The resource, available for a donation of £10, contains teaching material, activity discussion ideas, games and film clips for use with each session theme. National Director of Youth for Christ, Gavin Calver said ‘This is a deeply challenging resource that will have a huge impact on young people throughout Britain.’ Jonny Goodchild, Open Doors youth spokesman, said: ‘My Heart Bleeds is a way of taking seriously our responsibility to stand with the suffering.’
Pray: for the success of this new resource leading to a wider understanding of persecution and its causes. (Job.28:12)
European Court judgments send wrong message
Tuesday’s judgments on religious liberty have sent out the wrong message about the position of religious faith in Britain today, Theos, the religion and society think tank, has said. Of the four discrimination cases, only one, Nadeia Eweida, was ruled for the Christian in question. The other three – nurse, Shirley Chaplin; marriage counsellor, Gary McFarlane; and registrar Lillian Ladele – all lost. Although each case has mitigating details, and there was a dissenting judgment in Ladele’s case, the general impression is that the default position is a narrow interpretation of the right to manifest religion. Elizabeth Oldfield, Director of Theos said: ‘Disputes around freedom of religious belief and manifestation are an inevitable part of living in a free and diverse society. However, it seems as if the courts are erring on the side of limiting rather than accommodating religious freedom’
Pray: that, with the results of these cases sending mixed messages, God will give us wisdom on how to pray. (Eph.3:12)
European Court judgments send wrong message
Tuesday’s judgments on religious liberty have sent out the wrong message about the position of religious faith in Britain today, Theos, the religion and society think tank, has said. Of the four discrimination cases, only one, Nadeia Eweida, was ruled for the Christian in question. The other three – nurse, Shirley Chaplin; marriage counsellor, Gary McFarlane; and registrar Lillian Ladele – all lost. Although each case has mitigating details, and there was a dissenting judgment in Ladele’s case, the general impression is that the default position is a narrow interpretation of the right to manifest religion. Elizabeth Oldfield, Director of Theos said: ‘Disputes around freedom of religious belief and manifestation are an inevitable part of living in a free and diverse society. However, it seems as if the courts are erring on the side of limiting rather than accommodating religious freedom’
Pray: that, with the results of these cases sending mixed messages, God will give us wisdom on how to pray. (Eph.3:12)