Netherlands: Civil servant fired for opposing gay marriage
A Christian civil servant has been fired by the Dutch city of The Hague for refusing to oversee same-sex marriages on Biblical grounds. Wim Pijl said on Tuesday that he would take legal action against the dismissal despite parliamentary support for gay weddings. ‘For me this is a personal case,’ explained Pijl. He also told reporters that God opposes same-sex marriages. ‘As a Christian I learned from the Bible that there is only one marriage, between a man and a woman.’ The Hague city government said through a spokesman that it had no other choice than to dismiss Pijl as he had ‘refused to take back his remarks.’ The Netherlands has 104 civil servants refusing to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies, according to Dutch gay rights group COC.
Pray: for Pijl and others who are standing up for their Christian beliefs. May the Lord empower them to stand firm. (Ps.37:23)
Netherlands: Civil servant fired for opposing gay marriage
A Christian civil servant has been fired by the Dutch city of The Hague for refusing to oversee same-sex marriages on Biblical grounds. Wim Pijl said on Tuesday that he would take legal action against the dismissal despite parliamentary support for gay weddings. ‘For me this is a personal case,’ explained Pijl. He also told reporters that God opposes same-sex marriages. ‘As a Christian I learned from the Bible that there is only one marriage, between a man and a woman.’ The Hague city government said through a spokesman that it had no other choice than to dismiss Pijl as he had ‘refused to take back his remarks.’ The Netherlands has 104 civil servants refusing to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies, according to Dutch gay rights group COC.
Pray: for Pijl and others who are standing up for their Christian beliefs. May the Lord empower them to stand firm. (Ps.37:23)
Russia: Chief editor urges Christians to evangelize in media
During the General Council of the Associated Russian Union of Christians of Evangelical-Pentecostal Faith, Mr. Pavel Gusev, editor-in-chief of the 'Moskovskij Komsomolets' (Komsomolets – member of the Communist Union of Youth)
newspaper and chairman of the Moscow Union of Journalists, urged Christians to preach the Gospel in mass media. Gusev noted that Christians often come to him and say, ‘Look what they are writing about us! They are saying we are underground churches, that we are a sect! Where is the truth?’ I reply to them ‘Moskovskij Komsomolets has 82 newspapers and magazines published. You are free to publish your thoughts in them and I promise I will not correct any letter!’ promised the editor-in-chief. ‘Imagine that Christians would preach he tGospel and speak about their work everywhere. I think it must be your first goal. Believers don’t have to propagandize their teaching; you only have to tell people about you and your work. They will see and hear,' underlined the chairman of the Moscow Union of Journalists.
Pray: that Russian Christians will take up the challenge to write about their faith. (Mt.24:14)
Russia: Chief editor urges Christians to evangelize in media
During the General Council of the Associated Russian Union of Christians of Evangelical-Pentecostal Faith, Mr. Pavel Gusev, editor-in-chief of the 'Moskovskij Komsomolets' (Komsomolets – member of the Communist Union of Youth)
newspaper and chairman of the Moscow Union of Journalists, urged Christians to preach the Gospel in mass media. Gusev noted that Christians often come to him and say, ‘Look what they are writing about us! They are saying we are underground churches, that we are a sect! Where is the truth?’ I reply to them ‘Moskovskij Komsomolets has 82 newspapers and magazines published. You are free to publish your thoughts in them and I promise I will not correct any letter!’ promised the editor-in-chief. ‘Imagine that Christians would preach he tGospel and speak about their work everywhere. I think it must be your first goal. Believers don’t have to propagandize their teaching; you only have to tell people about you and your work. They will see and hear,' underlined the chairman of the Moscow Union of Journalists.
Pray: that Russian Christians will take up the challenge to write about their faith. (Mt.24:14)
Archbishop of Canterbury offers prayers for children
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, was among the Christians praying for the world's children on Sunday. The World Day of Prayer and Action for Children has the backing of UNICEF, Religions for Peace, and Save the Children. The day serves as a reminder to adults of the preciousness of children and the need to ensure they grow up in loving and safe environments. "In every faith community, our children are the treasure that we value beyond price," said the Archbishop. "A child born into health and safety is a sign of hope in our common life. In children we recognise the preciousness and dignity of the human being as well as a vulnerability which calls for our care and protection." This year's day of prayer is concentrating on an end to violence against children. The Archbishop said all forms of violence against children demand action and prayer. (See also last week’s P.A. ’Secret Children’).
Pray: for children in the UK and around the world especially those who suffer violence. (Matt.19:14)
MP demands law to remove gang videos
Lewisham East Labour MP Heidi Alexander is putting forward a Private Member's Bill to force YouTube and other websites to take down videos which could encourage gang violence. "At the moment we have a situation where these appalling videos proliferate on the Internet, They act as a recruitment mechanism for gangs and they glorify guns and knives.” She said that both the Government and the police needed to "wake up" to the threat posed by the videos. "If the Government is serious about bringing an end to serious youth violence, then they need to tackle the ways in which young people get caught up in gangs in the first place,” Many of the videos, she said, are filmed in daylight on housing estates across London, and are watched by thousands of people. The bill would give courts the power to order Internet service providers to "remove certain material which incites gang violence".
Pray: for this and other initiatives aimed at reducing gang culture and violence. (Ps.7:9)
Please keep praying for the WPA! Your prayer support will be all-important to the planning of this event which is intended to be a “new paradigm” for an international congress—carried out Acts 13-style—incorporating listening to God, united prayer, and strategic implementation of world-impacting action that proceeds out of that encounter with the Lord and one another.
Scottish churches embrace new sporting craze
The Church of Scotland is set to roll out a brand new sport in its churches following a successful pilot in east Glasgow. Racquet WALL is similar to squash but played on only one wall. The game proved hugely popular in trials with a local primary school at the Church of Scotland-run Church House in Bridgeton. The venture has been developed by the Scottish Churches Commonwealth Games programme in association with Scottish Squash and Racketball Limited (SSRL), who said the response from children had been ‘astonishing’. Following the official launch this Wednesday, churches across Scotland will soon be hosting the game to help as many youngsters get involved as possible. John Dunlop, SSRL’s chief executive, said its priority was to engage people in the squash and racquet ball sports and tackle the ‘serious health and wellbeing issues that all of society faces today, which sport can help to address’.
Praise: that this idea bringing physical health will lead to spiritual blessing through contact with the Church. (3Jn.1:2)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/scottish.churches.embrace.new.sporting.craze/28868.htm
Scottish churches embrace new sporting craze
The Church of Scotland is set to roll out a brand new sport in its churches following a successful pilot in east Glasgow. Racquet WALL is similar to squash but played on only one wall. The game proved hugely popular in trials with a local primary school at the Church of Scotland-run Church House in Bridgeton. The venture has been developed by the Scottish Churches Commonwealth Games programme in association with Scottish Squash and Racketball Limited (SSRL), who said the response from children had been ‘astonishing’. Following the official launch this Wednesday, churches across Scotland will soon be hosting the game to help as many youngsters get involved as possible. John Dunlop, SSRL’s chief executive, said its priority was to engage people in the squash and racquet ball sports and tackle the ‘serious health and wellbeing issues that all of society faces today, which sport can help to address’.
Praise: that this idea bringing physical health will lead to spiritual blessing through contact with the Church. (3Jn.1:2)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/scottish.churches.embrace.new.sporting.craze/28868.htm
Revival Run helps prayer travel the world
You can pray on one location, or take your prayers (or the prayers of others) to travel the world. British youth organization Revival Run introduced the idea of 'prayer staking': prayers are written on wooden stakes and carried from one place to another. When placing the stake in a street, town or country, believers pray for the advance of the Gospel in that locality or nation. At 24-7prayer's recent Euro-gathering in Germany, participants took prayer stakes for every language group in Europe, which implied a commitment to travel there to pray and share the Gospel.
Praise: God for this prayer initiative. (1The.5:17)
More: http://vimeo.com/30736300