A beautifully organized conference of up to 9000 Pentecostals from 50 nations met just outside Jakarta, October 25-29. Enthusiastic worship and powerful presentations called participants to a renewed experience and sharing of the Azusa Street revival experience. Other regional gatherings and initiatives are planned through a global council of ministry leaders.
Warm support was given to the World Prayer Assembly by the event organizers and they arranged for a presentation of the WPA. A strong link and rich synergy between the two events was established. Praise the Lord.
Leaders involved in the prayer movement of Thailand gathered October 15-16 to pray for their nation besieged by the worst floods in half a century. Up to 10 million have been affected, many losing all their possessions and hundreds have lost their lives. Please pray for the floods to go down, for effective relief efforts, and that many will come to Christ through this tragedy.
Tory minister uncomfortable with Cameron’s gay marriage proposal
Junior defence minister, Gerald Howarth, has distanced himself from David Cameron’s plan to legalise marriage for samesex couples, and told The Telegraph that Tory MPs should not be forced to vote in support of changing the legal definition of marriage if the issue is put before Parliament. According to the newspaper, Mr. Howarth believed many Christians would be ‘very concerned’ by the proposal. At present, homosexual couples are allowed to enter into civil partnerships which give them similar legal protection to married couples, but the term ‘marriage’ is used to define heterosexual unions only. Mr Howarth, MP for Aldershot, said that MPs should be given a free vote on the issue as it is a matter of ‘conscience. Equality Minister Lynne Featherstone announced last month that a public consultation would be launched in March 2012.
Pray: for the Government to seek to protect marriage and not redefine it; may Christians in Parliament speak out boldly and clearly. (Gen.2:24)
Asylum-seeker's plight
Sara is from Ethiopia. Her mother died when she was young, and her father mysteriously ‘disappeared’ after the government was overthrown. Both Sara and her brother were arrested and thrown into prison where she was abused. When eventually set free she escaped to Sudan with the help of her father’s friends. From there she flew to England seeking asylum. Her experiences in England have been dreadful, living off handouts, working in a pizza parlour to make ends meet (but asylum seekers are forbidden to work and she was sentenced to four months in Styal prison). She was hospitalised in prison after trying to end her life. She is without hope. If she returns home, she faces imprisonment and torture. If she stays here she will be in ‘limbo-land’ stripped of her dignity, prevented from living a normal life.
Pray: for asylum-seekers in the UK to experience changes for improvement in the asylum system. (Lev.19:10 &Lev.24:22)
More: http://boaztrust.org.uk/
Choose Life Day of Prayer
An annual National Day of Prayer about abortion is to be held on October 27th. In the last 44 years over seven million babies have been aborted in the UK. It is hoped many will take a stand on the abortion issue next Thursday and pray that our nation would understand the horror of these statistics. Having a disabled child is often a difficult burden to undertake.We can pray for parents who have to make the choice between bringing up a disabled child or ending its life. Pray that the parents of disabled children will receive the support that they need, and thank God for the many people with physical or mental disability who live happy and fulfilled lives. Also on the 27th there will be a rally outside parliament between 1pm and 2 pm, with the intention of putting abortion back in the news and back on the agenda for public debate.
Pray: for those considering an abortion to receive advice independent of those who carry out abortions; and for many to
work and pray towards making abortion history in the U.K. (Ps.139:13)
Republic of Ireland: Rejects UN proposals for abortions
The Irish Government rejected recommendations from six European countries that it should legislate for abortion, but pledged to act on a wide range of UN suggestions to improve human rights in other areas. In a report published on 11th Oct by the UN Human Rights council 126 recommendations were made for Ireland to improve its adherence to human rights norms, the Government accepted 62 and would ‘study carefully’ a further 49. Of the 15 recommendations it rejected, six related to abortion. They included a call from the United Kingdom to introduce legislation to implement the European Court of Human Rights judgment in the A, B and C v Ireland case and a request from Slovenia to allow abortion ‘at least when pregnancy poses a risk to the health of the pregnant woman’. Recommendations on abortion from Norway, Denmark, Spain and the Netherlands were also rejected.
Pray: for the UN to recognise that foetal life has the same degree of value as born human life, and for Ireland’s stand in this issue to be honoured. (Is.51:4)
More: http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/2011/10/11/ireland-rejects-un-recommendations/
Republic of Ireland: Rejects UN proposals for abortions
The Irish Government rejected recommendations from six European countries that it should legislate for abortion, but pledged to act on a wide range of UN suggestions to improve human rights in other areas. In a report published on 11th Oct by the UN Human Rights council 126 recommendations were made for Ireland to improve its adherence to human rights norms, the Government accepted 62 and would ‘study carefully’ a further 49. Of the 15 recommendations it rejected, six related to abortion. They included a call from the United Kingdom to introduce legislation to implement the European Court of Human Rights judgment in the A, B and C v Ireland case and a request from Slovenia to allow abortion ‘at least when pregnancy poses a risk to the health of the pregnant woman’. Recommendations on abortion from Norway, Denmark, Spain and the Netherlands were also rejected.
Pray: for the UN to recognise that foetal life has the same degree of value as born human life, and for Ireland’s stand in this issue to be honoured. (Is.51:4)
More: http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/2011/10/11/ireland-rejects-un-recommendations/
Germany: Religious university courses for Muslims
As more Muslims become part of European society, German universities have begun courses aimed at helping Islamic clergy and religious teachers understand German culture, including Christianity and Judaism. The first programme began last year at Osnabrueck University, with another due to start this year at Tuebingen. ‘The idea was to have a programme for imams because most of them were educated in Turkey, Morocco, Egypt or Bosnia,’ Coordinator of the Osnabrueck programme said. ‘They focus very much on theology and the society where they come from, but they don't have enough knowledge concerning the situation in Germany. Some imams don't speak the German language, for example and they don't know German history.’ The government is providing funding at four universities that are developing programmes focused on interfaith education and the place of Islam in German society.
Pray: that The God of Abraham and Father of Jesus Christ would reveal Himself to them in a new and living way. (Mat.1:1)
More: http://christiancentury.org/article/2011-10/german-university-courses-aim-help-muslims-integrate
Germany: Religious university courses for Muslims
As more Muslims become part of European society, German universities have begun courses aimed at helping Islamic clergy and religious teachers understand German culture, including Christianity and Judaism. The first programme began last year at Osnabrueck University, with another due to start this year at Tuebingen. ‘The idea was to have a programme for imams because most of them were educated in Turkey, Morocco, Egypt or Bosnia,’ Coordinator of the Osnabrueck programme said. ‘They focus very much on theology and the society where they come from, but they don't have enough knowledge concerning the situation in Germany. Some imams don't speak the German language, for example and they don't know German history.’ The government is providing funding at four universities that are developing programmes focused on interfaith education and the place of Islam in German society.
Pray: that The God of Abraham and Father of Jesus Christ would reveal Himself to them in a new and living way. (Mat.1:1)
More: http://christiancentury.org/article/2011-10/german-university-courses-aim-help-muslims-integrate
Egypt: Orthodox leaders request prayer
Funerals have been held for 26 victims of an attack against Christian protestors in which hundreds were wounded, in what was possibly the worst violence against Egyptian Christians in modern history. The Coptic Orthodox Church held three days of fasting, prayer for divine intervention and mourning. An email from Archbishop Mouneer said, ‘I request your urgent prayers as the situation here in Cairo is very inflamed. Many Christians demonstrated after the incident of the burning of a church building (see P.A.40-2011). The demonstrations started peacefully as the people were requesting investigations for incidents of burning and demolishing churches to be completed; and the new law for building churches (promised four months ago) to be passed. Then it turned very violent between demonstrators and the military. On Wednesday there were separate meetings with the House of Bishops and political leaders to discuss a way out of this very difficult situation. I would appreciate your prayers for our beloved country.’
Pray: that the Christian and Muslim religious leaders would be able to discuss and implement a way forward for the situation to be defused; also for Christians to know the presence and peace of Jesus. (Ps.3:3)
More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/egypt/article_121782.html