UN: Wives of ambassadors petition Syria's First Lady
The wives of the British and German ambassadors to the United Nations have written an open letter to the wife of Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad, asking her to call for peace in her country. In the unusual move Sheila Lyall Grant, wife of British ambassador Sir Mark Lyall Grant and Huberta Voss Wittig, wife of German ambassador Peter Wittig, made the letter into a short video and posted it on YouTube, urging women all over the world to sign a change.org petition strongly encouraging Asma al-Assad ‘stand up for peace - for the sake of your people’. ‘We are asking Asma Assad to take a risk and to say openly, ‘stop the bloodshed, stop it right now,’ Lyall Grant and Vos Wittig said.
Pray: pray this may go viral and that the voice of millions will be heard and acted upon for the sake of the Syrian people. (Ps.9:16: 11:7)
More: http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16210802
Syria: Church training continues despite turmoil
Last Friday marked the start of Easter for Christians across the Middle East; tens of thousands of Christians have fled Homs to Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. ‘We are following events in Syria very, very closely. We have personnel in Syria and we continue to pray for them’ said Arab World Ministries’ Christine McLaren. ‘Christians are suffering more than many in Syria because they felt a degree of sympathy with the al-Assad regime. The relative freedom to gather and worship that they enjoyed under al-Assad leaves them with mixed feelings about any change of leader.’ She added, ‘ People are afraid because Christians have felt a measure of protection greater than other Christians in the Middle East, but being aligned with the regime has now made them vulnerable to attack and identified them as enemies of the people.' Across the Middle East, Christians have been targeted throughout their ‘Holy Days’ seasons.
Pray: for the Christian workers resourcing and equipping the church, and may God do miraculous feats amongst this generation - pray for the extension of God’s kingdom throughout the Middle East. (Mt.16:18)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/church.training.continues.in.syria.despite.turmoil/29670.htm
Secretary supports increased church role in schooling
Education Secretary Michael Gove has said that he will ensure that the Church of England plays a greater role in the provision of schooling. He told the House of Commons yesterday (April 16) that ‘we praise and cherish the role of the Church of England in making sure children have an outstanding and inclusive education’. He ‘looked forward to working with Bishop John Pritchard to extend the role of the Church in the provision of schools.’ He also praised the Church for ‘driving in the first instance’ the provision of education. His remarks have been interpreted to signal his backing for new Church of England schools, and may provide some reassurance to those who have questioned whether Mr Gove’s support for faith schools was ebbing. The Church currently supplies education to more than a million children, and is involved in 4,800 schools. The review discussed the viability of opening new academies, adding to the 154 academies it currently has.
Pray: that the Church will be able to take up the additional requirements for education in the UK. (Ps.34:11)
Anglican leaders to meet over homosexual bishops crisis
A high-powered group of traditionalist Anglican church leaders are to gather in London to address a growing ‘crisis’ over openly homosexual bishops. They want to restore ‘orthodox’ values to the worldwide Anglican Communion and outlaw liberal church leaders who have rejected traditional teaching. They will meet for the first time since more than 200 bishops boycotted an official summit for Anglican leaders in 2008 in protest at the presence of bishops from the US Episcopal Church, which had consecrated the first openly homosexual Anglican bishop. The decision by the leaders to hold talks in Britain is likely to increase tensions between the traditionalists and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, who will this year step down amid criticism he has failed to heal divisions over sexuality. The gathering of 200 clergy and laity will be led by Dr Peter Jensen, the Archbishop of Sydney, who is General Secretary of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans.
Pray: that the discussions at this gathering, led by the Holy Sprit, will bring unity and not added dissension. (Jn.17:22)
Lord Carey: Christians 'vilified' by courts
Christians are being ‘vilified’ by British courts and ‘driven underground’, Lord Carey, a former archbishop of Canterbury, has said. In a written submission to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), he blames judges for treating some worshippers as ‘bigots’. He also warns that believers are being sacked for expressing their faith. The criticism is part of an appeal to Strasbourg judges to protect religious freedom ahead of a landmark case. Lord Carey has voiced concern that a recent ‘secular conformity of belief and conduct’ has meant that conduct in keeping with the Christian faith is effectively being ‘banned’ in the public setting. He also argues that if rulings against wearing crosses and expressing Christian faith are not reversed it could lead to believers facing a ‘religious bar’ to employment.
Pray: that Lord Carey’s submission to the ECHR will be acted upon, leading to changes so that Christian views and practices would be deemed acceptable. (Gal.5:1)
Lord Carey: Christians 'vilified' by courts
Christians are being ‘vilified’ by British courts and ‘driven underground’, Lord Carey, a former archbishop of Canterbury, has said. In a written submission to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), he blames judges for treating some worshippers as ‘bigots’. He also warns that believers are being sacked for expressing their faith. The criticism is part of an appeal to Strasbourg judges to protect religious freedom ahead of a landmark case. Lord Carey has voiced concern that a recent ‘secular conformity of belief and conduct’ has meant that conduct in keeping with the Christian faith is effectively being ‘banned’ in the public setting. He also argues that if rulings against wearing crosses and expressing Christian faith are not reversed it could lead to believers facing a ‘religious bar’ to employment.
Pray: that Lord Carey’s submission to the ECHR will be acted upon, leading to changes so that Christian views and practices would be deemed acceptable. (Gal.5:1)
Belgium: National gathering of prayer 28th April
On Saturday 28 April 2012 between 10 am and 4pm there will be a gathering of Belgium prayer leaders at the International Baptist Church, Lange Eikstraat 78. Leaders from across the country will gather to exchange ideas and materials, forge networks and links, be encouraged by the Lord and strengthen each other in their motivation for prayer and intercession. The organizers are expecting individuals who are involved in a wide range of prayer initiatives, cells and groups, prayer websites, prayer leaders and coordinators. This day will focus on the whole of Belgium and will be in three languages (NL, FR, ENG.)
Pray: for the delegates to be encouraged and empowered as they get to know one another and intercede together for their land. (Mat. 18:19)
Belgium: National gathering of prayer 28th April
On Saturday 28 April 2012 between 10 am and 4pm there will be a gathering of Belgium prayer leaders at the International Baptist Church, Lange Eikstraat 78. Leaders from across the country will gather to exchange ideas and materials, forge networks and links, be encouraged by the Lord and strengthen each other in their motivation for prayer and intercession. The organizers are expecting individuals who are involved in a wide range of prayer initiatives, cells and groups, prayer websites, prayer leaders and coordinators. This day will focus on the whole of Belgium and will be in three languages (NL, FR, ENG.)
Pray: for the delegates to be encouraged and empowered as they get to know one another and intercede together for their land. (Mat. 18:19)
Open Doors invites Christians around the world to take up their position and pray and fast for North Korea on April 15th 2012.
The deceased leader Kim Jong-Il promised his citizens that North Korea would be a strong and prosperous nation in 2012, but his son, Kim Jong-Un, inherited a country where between two and three million people have died of hunger. Most North Koreans are chronically malnourished, unemployed and living miles below the poverty line. Society is gripped by fear. The police have informants everywhere and house raids are not uncommon. More than 1% of the total population lives in Nazi-like labour camps, among them are many Christians.
Because of this gruesome injustice Open Doors calls on Christians worldwide to participate in a global day of prayer and fasting on Kim Il-Sung’s birthday, April 15. According to the US Department of State, North Korea has one of the largest armies in the world. Its active duty military force is estimated to number 1.2 million. “But as God’s children we are part of His army and His army far outnumbers any force on earth,” states Open Doors. “The Lord has given us a most effective weapon in the fight against the forces of spiritual darkness – prayer. So on April 15th we would like to fight on behalf of our brothers and sisters in North Korea by fasting and lifting them up in prayer and asking the Lord to intervene in this nation.”
In the midst of pain, they find God.
From our believing brothers and sisters in Damascus, needing our prayers came this prayer request. Will you join us in praying for all those in Syria and elsewhere suffering under violence and trusting in Jesus to keep them....pray especially for those who do not yet have hope in Jesus after this life! So many still need to know His love!
Please pray that many will hear the truth and accept it.
• Pray that God will change the heart of those extremists who are coming to Damascus from other Muslim countries to fight. Pray that they will leave Syria with the message of the Gospel. Just like Paul, as he was heading to Damascus to persecute the Christians but later he left Damascus with the Gospel of hope.
• Pray for those who are being persecuted for their faith.