Israel: Watching Middle East and North Africa with concern.
The Golan Heights are watching the protest wave and wonder what it could mean for Israel. Recently 1,000 Syrian Druze living under Israeli occupation took to the streets in Boqata in support of President Bashar al-Assad. Israel’s Druze minority has close religious and political links to Syrian’s leadership. Israel's Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor said the situation with Syria is complex. ‘Syria is an enemy neighbour that keeps the border quiet, it is supportive of Damascus terrorist groups and is an ally of Iran. But we are not in the business of telling other countries how to rule themselves. We see a big wave throughout the whole Arab world and we don't know where it will end’ (see Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt story below. (For years Syria has fought Israel by proxy through militant groups) Israel and Syria have fought three wars but there has been no direct confrontation for decades. Pray:for the peace of Jerusalem (Ps.122:6)
INSIGHT ARTICLE: Syria - Escalating unrest
* EU has announced an arms embargo on Syria and sanctions against 13 officials while turning a blind eye towards President Bashar al-Assad’s role in overseeing violence against his people. *The UN demanded humanitarian access to 30,000+ Palestinian refugees in Deraa desperate for medical supplies. Deraa was cut off two weeks ago by troops and tanks ‘restoring government control’. *Hundreds have been arrested in house raids with 400+ rounded up in Banias since Saturday. *Banias has a power station and oil refinery. It is predominantly Sunni Muslim but also home to many Alawites (the sect of the ruling Assad family and many senior officials).* 7,000+ are detained in overcrowded prisons, schools and public buildings *An agency caring for 120 Palestinian patients unable to get insulin supplies need help. * Exiled Syrian opposition members from across the political spectrum including activists affiliated with the banned Muslim Brotherhood are attending a Cairo conference later this month. Source: For Christian roots in Syria click 'Info'.
Pray: pray this will not be turned into a religious uprising between Christians and Muslims. (Jer.29:11)
Info: http://www.prayer-alert.net/info/Syria1.pdf
Prime Minister under pressure to boost religion GCSEs
David Cameron is facing calls to revise exam league tables to ensure that religious education is at the heart of the secondary school curriculum. A campaign to include RE in the new English baccalaureate has won the support of 110,000 people, including faith leaders and 100 MPs. Before last year’s election, Mr Cameron said any petition with more than 100,000 signatures would be eligible for debate in the House of Commons. The RE. ACT campaign is calling on the Prime Minister to honour his pre-election pledge and allow MPs to discuss revising the school reforms. The Coalition’s new English baccalaureate was introduced in an attempt to address years of ‘dumbing down’ in which pupils have been able to opt for so-called soft courses at the expense of traditional academic subjects. (See also Prayer Alert 04 & 11-2011) Pray: that the results of this campaign will lead our government to include RE in the baccalaureate. (Dt.32:2)
Think tank questions Government’s commitment
A think tank has criticised the Government’s record on supporting marriage and the family. The Centre for Social Justice gave the Government a score of just two out of 10 for its efforts to reverse high and damaging levels of family breakdown. Its new report has been published to coincide with the first anniversary of the formation of the Coalition. It says that pre-election promises by Prime Minister David Cameron to reinstate a tax break for marriage have ‘moved off the radar’ as a result of deals done with the Liberal Democrats. ‘Some of the vital measures committed to by the Conservative Party in opposition appear to have been watered down during Coalition negotiations,’ the report says. The report describes as ‘paltry’ the £7.5 million committed to relationship support, in spite of the evidence linking marriage and positive child development.
Pray: that the government would reconsider its strength of support for marriage and family. (Jer.29:6)
Many churches, one purpose
Whether traditional in form or an innovative fresh expression, the common task of the church is to help people to see God, themselves and the world as never before. So said the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, at a Fresh Expressions conference held in Oxford on Friday to explore the question of how the ‘mixed economy’ of church might work in practice. Mixed economy is a term first coined by Dr Williams referring to the coexistence of fresh expressions and ‘inherited’ forms of church. Addressing Fresh Expressions practitioners from across the UK, the Archbishop explained his vision of the mixed economy as one in which churches in their various forms work alongside one another in helping people encounter Jesus, and discipling them at whatever stage in their faith journeys they may be at. The Archbishop suggested that the starting point for every church and every fresh expression was the encounter between Jesus and others. Pray: for the church as it considers how best to spread the Gospel message to widely diverse audiences. (Mk.16:15)
Christians must not shy away from dealing with death
Christians must not shy away from dealing with death, says Methodist President The Revd Alison Tomlin, who said that a faith that shies away from the issue of death is ‘neither real nor relevant’. Speaking as the Church launches its new booklet A Gift of Remembrance, Alison said: ‘Everyone is affected by death at some point in their lives. Because it can be emotionally difficult and painful it’s easy to want to put the issue to one side, to try not to think about it or deal with it. But as Christians we believe in a God of hope, a God who is with us even in the valley of the shadow of death.’ A Gift of Remembrance is a new booklet offering reflections on death, dying, mourning and loss. It includes Bible passages, prayers and reflections from a variety of authors. The booklet is being launched this week at the Christian Resources Exhibition at Sandown Park in Surrey.
Pray: for all those affected by bereavement and that this new book will be of help to many. (Mt.5:4)
More: http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=504
'Dancing with the Missing'
The Archbishop of York reflected on Sting's lyrics 'They Dance Alone' on BBC Radio 2 last week. He explained that during the Pinochet rule Chilean women pinned, on their dresses or blouses, photographs of disappeared loved ones. Sting’s lyrics and music of the song, ‘They Dance Alone’, captured their pain vividly. He went on to talk about how he spoke to Kate, the mother of Madeleine McCann, recently at a vigil in York Minster for another ‘disappeared’ daughter, Claudia Lawrence. She told me that it was only after Madeleine was taken from them that she and her husband Gerry learned how many children go missing each year from all around the world. The scale of the problem is so huge; it’s surprising we don’t hear more about it. The Bishop said, ‘For four years I have prayed regularly for Madeleine McCann, and for all other missing children that they may be safe, free from fear and anxiety.’ Pray: on this fourth anniversary of Madeleine’s abduction, for her and all missing children in our global village. (Je.23:4) More: http://www.archbishopofyork.org/articles.php/2020/pause-for-thought-on-dancing-with-the-missing
Humanists angry over £6m contract Salvation Army win
The Salvation Army has won a government contract to oversee help for victims of trafficking, but humanists have hit out at the move. The £6m contract went to the Christian group because it had put in a stronger bid than a secular group which had held the contract, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said. But the British Humanist Association (BHA) attacked the move, calling it ‘deeply concerning’. The Salvation Army will oversee support and accommodation for male and female victims of all types of trafficking, including sex trafficking. It said its aim was simple: ‘To ensure that every woman and man who is identified as trafficked will receive a quality support package that is tailored to their individual needs.’ The MoJ said the previous group, Eaves Housing, ‘had done a very good job’ in recent years but Salvation Army had put in a stronger bid for the contract.
Pray: that the Salvation Army through this contract will be enabled to make a huge difference in this area. (Ep.4:16)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/humanists-angry-over-6m-contract-salvation-army-win/
West's reticence on Christian persecution
Writing in the latest edition of Standpoint magazine, Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali said the United Nations had taken the necessary steps to protect people in Libya from attacks by their own government, but questioned why the United Nations or the West was ‘unable to tackle the widespread and growing persecution of Christians?’ He voiced particular concern over Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan, where the Christian communities face regular attacks and harassment at the hands of Muslims. ‘In the case of Iraq, why is there so much resistance to a declaration that Christians, Mandaeans, Yazidis and other minorities need to be protected and that, where necessary, their safety in certain zones will be guaranteed by the international community?’ he said. The bishop suggested that international guarantees would give Christians in Iraq greater confidence concerning their future in the country. Pray:that the persecution of the church would be recognised and not ignored. (Ro.8:35)
Rome braces for 'prophet-predicted quake'
Thousands of people are reported to be staying out of Rome for the next few days, over fears the city will be hit by a huge earthquake. The panic was sparked by rumours that seismologist Raffaele Bendandi, who died in 1979, predicted the city would be devastated by a quake on 11 May. Officials have insisted quakes cannot be predicted and special programmes have run on state TV calling for calm. Experts also say there is no evidence Bendandi even made the prediction. But many people said they were leaving the city to be on the safe side. There are reports of an 18% increase in the number of city employees planning to stay away from work. Other people were more sceptical, or said they would make the most of the capital being slightly quieter.
Pray: that fear would not rule the people and that God would give them true revelation. (Ex.20:20)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13354988