USA: Foreign aid bill for Armenia
Questions of aid for Armenia will be among a broad range of US assistance issues addressed by members of the House as they start drafting the foreign aid bill for fiscal year 2016. As in the past, the specific text of the measure will not be made available until after the subcommittee’s consideration. The Armenian National Committee of America will be sharing details on issues of concern to Armenian Americans as they become available. ANCA is urging friends of Armenia across America to reach out to their legislators and visit a website to voice opinions on: 1) ending military aid to Azerbaijan until it agrees to pull back its snipers, cease its aggression, renounce violence, and commit to a purely peaceful resolution of regional conflicts; 2) releasing $40 million in US economic assistance to Armenia; 3) focussing on addressing difficulties in providing humanitarian and resettlement aid to Armenians fleeing from Syria.
EU leaders at eastern summit meeting
This week EU leaders convened in Riga for the eastern partnership summit. They met with officials from the six eastern partners. Latvian foreign affairs minister Edgars Rinkevics hoped it would be ‘an opportunity to look at the challenges the EU faces along its eastern borders’ (namely ongoing tensions with Russia and peace in Ukraine hanging by a thread). During the summit a rally congregated outside urging the EU to grant Georgia and Ukraine visa free regimes and recognise their European future. One of the rally's organisers said the main demand for Georgia and Ukraine to be promised a ‘European perspective’ was not achieved at the summit.
Azerbaijan host European Games next month
A few countries span more than one continent - transcontinental states. Azerbaijan is on both European and Asian maps, but this year’s European games place it firmly in Europe. An anomaly? Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan, was awarded the right to host the 2015 European Games, which are the final ‘continental’ Games to be inaugurated (after the Asian Games, Pan-American Games, All-Africa Games and Pacific Games). As of 2015, every continent will have a continental Games in the Olympic tradition. A total of 20 sports will be represented: 16 Olympic sports and four non-Olympic sports. Twelve of them - Archery, Athletics, Volleyball, Boxing, Cycling, Judo, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Triathlon and Wrestling - will offer qualification opportunities for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.
CofE celebrates key Christian appointments in Parliament
The Church of England is celebrating the appointment of two of the nation's most influential Christians, one lay and one ordained, to key posts in the new Parliament. Caroline Spelman, a patron of the Conservative Christian Fellowship and MP for Meriden in the West Midlands, has been appointed Second Church Estates Commissioner, succeeding Sir Tony Baldry. Her role will be to represent and answer questions on behalf of the Church Commissioners in the House of Commons. Also a leading evangelical - David Urquhart, Bishop of Birmingham - has been appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury as convenor of the 26 bishops in the House of Lords, known as the Lords Spiritual. Spelman said: 'I am honoured to be asked to undertake this role as the Church is important for the future of our country and I want to help it navigate the challenges of the modern world with the support of our parliamentarians.'
Teenager saw Jesus before being revived
Doctors can’t explain what happened, but one Texas family is sure it was the hand of God that brought their son back to life. 17-year-old Zack Clements is a strong, healthy and outgoing high school athlete who plays football at a Life Academy. Then last week he suddenly collapsed while running in a PE class. He was rushed to hospital where doctors worked to revive him. He was without a heartbeat for 20 minutes. Doctors finally got a pulse and then airlifted him to a children’s hospital where he woke up a few days later in the intensive care unit. His recovery is hard to believe, but even more amazing is that he says he saw Jesus when his heart stopped beating. His mother, Teresa Clements, says that although it may be a medical mystery, she has accepted that her son came back to life as a direct result of Jesus’ intervention. To watch a video of his story on Fox News click the ‘more’ button below.
CofE celebrates key Christian appointments in Parliament
The Church of England is celebrating the appointment of two of the nation's most influential Christians, one lay and one ordained, to key posts in the new Parliament. Caroline Spelman, a patron of the Conservative Christian Fellowship and MP for Meriden in the West Midlands, has been appointed Second Church Estates Commissioner, succeeding Sir Tony Baldry. Her role will be to represent and answer questions on behalf of the Church Commissioners in the House of Commons. Also a leading evangelical - David Urquhart, Bishop of Birmingham - has been appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury as convenor of the 26 bishops in the House of Lords, known as the Lords Spiritual. Spelman said: 'I am honoured to be asked to undertake this role as the Church is important for the future of our country and I want to help it navigate the challenges of the modern world with the support of our parliamentarians.'
Teenager saw Jesus before being revived
Doctors can’t explain what happened, but one Texas family is sure it was the hand of God that brought their son back to life. 17-year-old Zack Clements is a strong, healthy and outgoing high school athlete who plays football at a Life Academy. Then last week he suddenly collapsed while running in a PE class. He was rushed to hospital where doctors worked to revive him. He was without a heartbeat for 20 minutes. Doctors finally got a pulse and then airlifted him to a children’s hospital where he woke up a few days later in the intensive care unit. His recovery is hard to believe, but even more amazing is that he says he saw Jesus when his heart stopped beating. His mother, Teresa Clements, says that although it may be a medical mystery, she has accepted that her son came back to life as a direct result of Jesus’ intervention. To watch a video of his story on Fox News click the ‘more’ button below.
TIME TO SOUND THE ALARM FOR OUR NATION
Our nation is in pain with abused children, broken families, lonely elderly, community tensions and youth with a sense of hopelessness. The Church is called to stand in the gap for change in our communities. The World Prayer Centre, Birmingham believes it’s time for our nation to ‘sound the alarm’ and proclaim the Good News to the nation. They are inviting all Christian believers to come to a National Day of Worship and Prayer at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham on Saturday 4 July 2015. Religions and ideologies are rushing to fill a spiritual and moral vacuum created by a society that says, ‘We don’t do God and we don’t need God’. This ‘TRUMPET CALL 2015’ National Day of Worship and Prayer is a day when we can stand together in humility and unity to declare the Lordship of Christ over our nation. Purchase tickets from here or call 0121 633 7393.
Armed Forces prayer requests
This is a quote from one of our servicemen: ‘I'm a month into my new job and haven't come across any Christian groups yet. Mind you, I'm working at (named headquarters) so haven't come across my family much either - there is an interesting work ethic.’ Please pray for isolated Christian brothers and sisters to find Christian fellowship. Please pray also for those with mental illness, as a result of being on the front line. Pray for a recognition by the authorities that it is real, and needs as much treatment as physical injuries. (There is an ‘Armed Forces Covenant’ to ensure that no member of service personnel, current or former, is disadvantaged due to their military service.) Pray for sufficient resourcing and excellent quality care and support to be provided for all the wounded. Please also pray for the Strategic Defence Review, that numbers will not be cut beyond what is sensible and reasonable.
Scotland: Presbyteries to debate ministers entering same-sex marriage
Last Thursday the Church of Scotland General Assembly took the first step to extend the provision covering ministers in same-sex civil partnerships to those in same-sex marriages. The final decision has been deferred until its presbyteries have been consulted, so presbyteries will now debate the matter and return their votes by the end of this year. Their decision will then be brought back to the General Assembly. This is a critical time for the Church of Scotland. Please pray.