Germany: Pope leaves Germany after calling for renewal
Pope Benedict has ended a visit to his native Germany with a call for spiritual renewal among the German people. The pope drew hundreds of thousands to services during his trip, including a final Mass Sunday that attracted about 100,000 people to an airfield beside the airport in the southern city of Freiburg. During the four-day visit, he also addressed parliament and met with victims of clerical abuse. In his parting words before leaving for Rome, Benedict wished Germans
‘strength and confidence’ in their faith. He said even those who doubt God's existence ‘are closer to the kingdom of God than believers whose faith is routine and who regard the church merely as an institution.’ The Catholic church in Germany lost 181,000 members after last year's clerical abuse scandal there.
Pray: for God’s Holy Spirit to flood the nation with His power and renewal. (Tit.3:4-6)
More: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/shows/cwn/Religion-Roundup/#8
Germany: Pope leaves Germany after calling for renewal
Pope Benedict has ended a visit to his native Germany with a call for spiritual renewal among the German people. The pope drew hundreds of thousands to services during his trip, including a final Mass Sunday that attracted about 100,000 people to an airfield beside the airport in the southern city of Freiburg. During the four-day visit, he also addressed parliament and met with victims of clerical abuse. In his parting words before leaving for Rome, Benedict wished Germans
‘strength and confidence’ in their faith. He said even those who doubt God's existence ‘are closer to the kingdom of God than believers whose faith is routine and who regard the church merely as an institution.’ The Catholic church in Germany lost 181,000 members after last year's clerical abuse scandal there.
Pray: for God’s Holy Spirit to flood the nation with His power and renewal. (Tit.3:4-6)
More: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/shows/cwn/Religion-Roundup/#8
Street Pastors start new patrols in Westminster
Street Pastors has formally launched in Westminster to provide support to young and vulnerable people out and about in London's West End. A team of Street Pastors was commissioned during a service last week attended by the Bishop of London, Dr Richard Chartres, and the organisation's founder, the Rev Les Isaac. During the service, the organisation appealed for more volunteers to come forward to join the 15 Street Pastors in Westminster who have already completed their training. Prior to the formal launch, the team undertook two patrols in the area around the Strand and Victoria where they were able to provide assistance and support to people, including young revellers and a stranded family of tourists unable to speak English. As more volunteers come on board, there are plans to expand the patrols to cover more areas of Westminster. Street Pastors are now working in over 200 towns and cities around the UK.
Praise: God for the continued expansion of this work across the country. (2Tim.4:5)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/street.pastors.starts.new.patrols.in.westminster/28630.htm
Street Pastors start new patrols in Westminster
Street Pastors has formally launched in Westminster to provide support to young and vulnerable people out and about in London's West End. A team of Street Pastors was commissioned during a service last week attended by the Bishop of London, Dr Richard Chartres, and the organisation's founder, the Rev Les Isaac. During the service, the organisation appealed for more volunteers to come forward to join the 15 Street Pastors in Westminster who have already completed their training. Prior to the formal launch, the team undertook two patrols in the area around the Strand and Victoria where they were able to provide assistance and support to people, including young revellers and a stranded family of tourists unable to speak English. As more volunteers come on board, there are plans to expand the patrols to cover more areas of Westminster. Street Pastors are now working in over 200 towns and cities around the UK.
Praise: God for the continued expansion of this work across the country. (2Tim.4:5)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/street.pastors.starts.new.patrols.in.westminster/28630.htm
Prayer for nation draws 1,000 Christians to Wembley
Christian leaders from all over the British Isles gathered at Wembley Stadium for a day of prayer and vision setting. The Carry the Torch meeting was organised by Global Day of Prayer (GDOP) London as it pushes ahead with plans to fill the entire stadium with Christians for a day of prayer in 2012. The 1,000 leaders at the stadium on Saturday included GDOP London Convener, Dr Jonathan Oloyede, the Bishop of Barking, the Rt Rev David Hawkins, More than Gold CEO, Dave Willson, Senior Minister of Cornerstone Christian Centre, Hugh Osgood, and the grandson of Billy Graham, Will Graham. Dr Oloyede spoke of his vision to see Christians uniting in prayer across the British Isles, and the nations transformed and taking the Gospel to the world again. He said he was inspired to serve God in Britain because of the example set by the British missionaries who pioneered his native Nigeria.
Praise: God for His vision placed in the hearts of those that gathered. (2Cor.12:1)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/prayer.for.nation.draws.1000.christians.to.wembley/28646.htm
Prayer for nation draws 1,000 Christians to Wembley
Christian leaders from all over the British Isles gathered at Wembley Stadium for a day of prayer and vision setting. The Carry the Torch meeting was organised by Global Day of Prayer (GDOP) London as it pushes ahead with plans to fill the entire stadium with Christians for a day of prayer in 2012. The 1,000 leaders at the stadium on Saturday included GDOP London Convener, Dr Jonathan Oloyede, the Bishop of Barking, the Rt Rev David Hawkins, More than Gold CEO, Dave Willson, Senior Minister of Cornerstone Christian Centre, Hugh Osgood, and the grandson of Billy Graham, Will Graham. Dr Oloyede spoke of his vision to see Christians uniting in prayer across the British Isles, and the nations transformed and taking the Gospel to the world again. He said he was inspired to serve God in Britain because of the example set by the British missionaries who pioneered his native Nigeria.
Praise: God for His vision placed in the hearts of those that gathered. (2Cor.12:1)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/prayer.for.nation.draws.1000.christians.to.wembley/28646.htm
Pakistan: Christians regularly kidnapped and forcibly married
Abduction, forced conversion to Islam, and then marriage against the will of Christian girls, is a growing trend in Pakistan with over 700 cases every year. A typical recent incident involved 14-year-old Mehek Rashid kidnapped at gunpoint from her home by a gang of five armed Muslim men. One of her abductors yelled that he would purify Mehek by converting her to Islam before marrying her. Local authorities refuse to investigate the case because the assailants were a prominent Muslim family. A senior church leader warned that the ‘the cases of forced conversion are rising at an alarming rate’. Another recent case was Mariam Gill abducted on her way home from the market by a Muslim businessman who had asked her to marry him and been refused, so she was forcibly converted and married to her kidnapper. His actions were praised as a ‘pious act’ by the Muslim leader who conducted the wedding ceremony.
Pray: for God to cause authorities and regulators to bring an end to crimes against Christians' human rights. (Ps.5:10,11)
Mexico: Evangelicals leave village amid crucifixion threats
At least 70 evangelical Christians in Mexico's east-central region were homeless on Saturday, September 17th after being expelled by local authorities from their village where traditional Catholics reportedly threatened to ‘crucify or lynch’ them. The government of Puebla state ‘bowed’ to pressure from the traditional Catholics in San Rafael Tlanalapan village, 60 miles from Mexico City. Initially 50 Protestant families were ordered to leave the village by September 12th but some were allowed to stay on condition that they would worship outside the area. Additionally they are not allowed to get involved with traditional Catholics, who practice a mixture of indigenous and Catholic rituals. Regional government officials said, ‘there is an agreement that evangelicals not originating from the area have to go as the state government can not guarantee their safety.’
Pray: for an end to decades of small town persecution of Evangelical Christians by local authorities, and for the Holy Spirit's presence to be established across Mexico. (Is.65:1)
More: http://www.worthynews.com/10963-mexico-evangelicals-leave-village-amid-crucifixion-threats
Pakistan: Christians caught up in floods
Christians in Pakistan are in ‘grievous distresses’ as large swathes of land are again submerged in water forcing thousands of people into emergency camps where facilities are poor and they are at risk from malaria, dysentery and dengue fever. It comes exactly one year after floods covered vast swathes of Pakistan last summer. Barnabas Fund said some areas were worse than 2010 floods, with the equivalent of an entire monsoon season’s worth of rain in just a few days. Christians are particularly vulnerable because they already live in poverty and are often overlooked in aid distribution. One church leader said, ‘I am terribly sad to see the destruction and poor condition of the people affected by heavy rains, and notice Christians are being deprived of the help, relief and support that other people are getting.’
Pray: for fair distribution of food, clean water and hygiene products to Pakistani Christians caught up in the floods. (Ps.40:1)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/pakistani.christians.caught.up.in.floods/28641.htm
Syria: Over 5,000 deaths since March
Pro-democracy protests begun in March 2011 are continuing despite fierce government opposition. President Bashar al-Assad has responded by killing over 5,000 of his citizens according to new statistics from human rights researchers. Thousands more have been arrested and tortured. 148 children were killed mainly by gunshots to the upper body. A report found 16 of the children had suffered severe torture in detention before their deaths. Amnesty International said, ‘It is difficult to second guess the motivation for torturing and killing children in custody. It may be that security forces hope to terrify people off the streets with the threat of what could happen to their children.’ International leaders are calling for al-Assad to step down and cease his attempts to put down and crush the serious threat to his family's 40-year rule. He repeatedly rejects these calls claiming demonstrations are ‘foreign-inspired plots,’ Syrian Christians request prayers for God to intervene and for political and emotional healing for the land.
Pray: for a peaceful transition of power, and for leaders to truly know God and serve with integrity. (Zec.13:9)
More: http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/syria-new-report-indicates-over-5000-deaths-since-march