The French intervention in Mali to stop radical Islamists from taking control of the country turned into a global conflict yesterday when Islamist terrorists at an Algerian gas pumping facility took 65 or more hostages from several countries – including the United States, Japan, and Europe. Thirty-five hostages and 15 of the hostage takers reportedly were killed this morning in an Algerian airstrike.
From: LIGNET This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Please pray for the effective containment and vanquishing of the Al-Qaeda threat in Mali, Algeria, Somalia and other nations in the Middle East and North Africa so they will be unable to establish a stronghold like they did in Afghanistan. Pray that many of these fighters will, like other Muslims, have dreams and visions of Jesus Christ and come to faith in Him.
Include outsiders, challenges the CofE's Chief Education officer
Churches across the country will be using 2013 Education Sunday (January 27) to pray and work towards new ways of reaching out to those who are easily overlooked in the education world. The Rev Jan Ainsworth, the CofE's Chief Education Officer, said this theme should challenge education successes, whether flourishing schools or highly achieving pupils, to support those who are struggling. A Prayer for Education Sunday calls for 'equality rather than privilege' calling for the whole task of education to 'be devoted to justice rather than self- seeking. In Church schools we try and make inclusivity the heart of our message, underpinned by our Christian values. But Education Sunday reminds us that it is a challenge for everyone linked with the education world. We need each other and flourish much better with support. I would urge everyone to take five minutes this Sunday to think how they can include an outsider,' said Jan Ainsworth.
Pray: for Education Sunday to prompt renewed work to promote inclusivity in education. (Php.2:5-7)
More: http://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2013/01/include-outsiders,-challenges-the-cofe's-chief-education-officer.aspx
Christians' rights trampled on by 'obsessive political correctness'
Christians’ rights of conscience are being sacrificed on the altar of “obsessive political correctness” contrary to the values of a democratic society, two European human rights judges have claimed. They likened the treatment of a London marriage registrar, who asked not to carry out civil partnerships because of her beliefs on homosexuality, to conscientious objectors of the past who suffered “at the hands of the Spanish Inquisition or a Nazi firing squad”. The claims were contained a vocal dissenting judgment by two of the seven European Court of Human Rights judges who sat in a landmark case on religious freedom in Britain. The court in Strasbourg upheld the right of workers to wear crosses as a visible manifestation of faith – as long it does not fall foul of health and safety policies. The court also rejected challenges by two Christians who lost their jobs for taking a stand on what they saw as a matter of conscience.
Pray: for clarity in what proved to be a mixed, possibly ambiguous judgement. (1Co.2:14)
More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9804007/Christians-rights-trampled-on-by-obsessive-political-correctness-say-dissenting-European-judges.html
Care crisis hindering disabled contribution
The social care system is failing to meet the needs of disabled people of working age, the Bishop of Carlisle has said. The Right Reverend James Newcome made the comments in support of the report, 'The Other Care Crisis', published this week by Scope, Mencap, The National Autistic Society, Sense and Leonard Cheshire Disability. The report warns that chronic underfunding of care services is being exacerbated by cuts to local services, depriving tens of thousands of disabled people without the support they need. Four in 10 disabled people are failing to have their basic needs met and the lack of funding is hindering their independence, with nearly half of disabled adults reporting that services are not supporting them in getting out into the community. 'Without support, disabled people find themselves unable to wash, dress, leave their house or communicate with others. This can leave them unable to work, study and contribute to society.'
Pray: that at a time of economic restraint no group is abandoned and appropriate support is maintained. (Matt.22:39)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/disabled.contribution.hindered.by.care.crisis.bishop/31484.htm
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)