Children forego birthday gifts for vulnerable children

A brother and sister decided to sacrifice their birthday presents this year in aid of children in care. Instead of their usual birthday parties this year, Elsie Parlor, 7, and her younger brother, Alfred, 5, held a joint fundraising disco in Newport Pagnell. In place of gifts, guests were asked to put a donation for St Francis’ Children’s Society in a bucket. Donations from the night raised £260 to help find adoptive parents for children in care. Dominik Byrne, fundraising officer at St Francis’ Children’s Society said: ‘The whole team was moved when we heard about this party. Although parents often generously make donations, many of us are guilty of forgetting that children are often eager to help too. Elsie and Alfred are the first to have such a party – what a brilliant idea. They’ve inspired us to create party packs containing goodies, literature and a collection box for any other children who’d like to help.’

Praise:

God for these caring young people and their idea; may many others be inspired to give. (Ps.100:1)

India: Unique film released in Hindi

A six hour Hindi film, ‘Christayan’ (the journey of Christ) was released in Indore Madhya Pradesh in early December. It was directed by Father George, a Catholic priest, who worked seven years on it with a team of 200 amateur actors, scientists, technical staff, professors, doctors, teachers, social activists, farmers, atheists, students, media persons, priests and religious sisters. They visited 10 states including the north-eastern part of India. Ankit Sharma, a Hindu young man, acted as Jesus. Over 80% of the team were ‘friends of Jesus’. ‘Christayan’ has an eastern flavor with Indian socio-cultural backgrounds and aesthetics interwoven with various genres of Indian music by some of the best Asian singers and musicians of our time. Father George wrote the script, lyrics and also supervised makeup and costumes. He was a missionary in the interior villages of the state, and believes ‘Jesus, the living and loving God, is present with us and within us.’

Praise:

God for this film; may it spread throughout India. May peoples' spiritual eyes be opened to see Jesus the Son of the Living God. (Ps.24:5)

Church secures place in regeneration project

The Diocese of London is set to establish the first new church presence in a new community in London for 40 years. It has entered into a partnership with Lee Valley Estates for a new facility at the heart of the Hale Village regeneration project in Tottenham that will include use as a church. This is the first time that the Church of England in London has entered into a long-term relationship with a developer to put urgently needed community facilities, including a place of worship, in the heart of a major regeneration area. Under the terms of the agreement, the Diocese of London will take out a 250 year lease on the facility. The £14million development secured planning permission in July last year and will include a community centre, nursery, café and residential accommodation. It will also be able to hold community events and religious ceremonies like weddings and baptisms.

Pray:

for regeneration in Tottenham and especially for spiritual renewal too. (Ac.2:47)

No right to refuse to work on Sundays, rules judge

Judges have been accused of diluting the rights of Christians after a key judgement on whether they can refuse to work on Sundays. A new ruling by a High Court judge - the first on the issue in nearly a decade - says that Christians have no right to decline working on Sunday as it is not a “core component” of their beliefs. The judgement - which upholds an earlier decision - means that individual Christians do not have any protection from being fired for not working on Sundays. Campaigners said the decision puts Christians at a disadvantage to other religions such as Muslims, Jews and Sikhs. and means the judiciary are deciding what the core beliefs of Christians can be, which they say is an interference in the right to practise religion. They pointed to cases where the courts offered protection to other religions even when only a minority of adherents were affected.

Pray:

for all Christians around the world who find that secular requirements contradict their practice of faith. (Ex.20:8 and Mk.2:27)

Tighter restrictions on cosmetic surgery urged

Responses to a public consultation on cosmetic surgery have shown strong support for a ban on cut-price deals and aggressive selling. A summary of responses from patients, the public and industry has been published as part of the review set up after the PIP breast implant scandal. Cosmetic surgeons said procedures should not be sold as ‘a commodity’. GP Dr Rosemary Leonard, the BBC Breakfast doctor and review committee member, said patients should always talk to a doctor first. ‘It is wrong that the first consultation is with a sales person rather than a medical professional,’ she said. ‘Surgery - indeed any cosmetic intervention - is a serious step, and a patient must be told about the immediate side effects after surgery as well as any potential long-term effects on their health.’ A final report, by Sir Bruce Keogh, the NHS medical director leading the English review, is due in March 2013.

Pray:

for a greater acceptance of one's own body and that poor practice in cosmetic surgery be eliminated. (Php.2:3-4)

Survey of deaths in police custody

The total deaths of people in police custody or following contact with the police in England and Wales since 1990 is 955 and all deaths including pursuit and shooting is 1,447 according to research carried out by INQUEST(United Campaigns for Justice and Accountability) The Human Rights Act guarantees everyone the right to life. In practice this is interpreted as requiring the state to investigate deaths linked to the authorities and hold accountable those responsible for unlawful killings. In spite of this guarantee it has proved almost impossible to hold anyone accountable. No police officer has been convicted of manslaughter for a crime committed while on duty since 1986, though since then hundreds have died in police custody or after contact with the police. Time and again, the Crown Prosecution Service has been unwilling to prosecute police officers, and in only one case, in 1969, has a police officer been convicted. See: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/19/simon-ha rwood-police-officer-not-guilty

Pray:

that authorities would honour their ‘duty to protect’ people in their custody, pray also for a ‘much discussed’ national enquiry into these statistics to be a reality in 2013. May all that is hidden be revealed. (Ps.103:6)

Alcohol Concern and British Liver Trust campaigns

Two national charities have launched different campaigns urging people to cut down on their alcohol consumption. Alcohol Concern is urging drinkers to shun alcohol for January, with benefits which it says include saving money, losing weight and feeling healthier. But the British Liver Trust said people should follow its recommendations throughout the year, including taking 2-3 days off alcohol every week. Liver disease is now the fifth biggest cause of death in the UK. The British Liver Trust said it is on the rise because British culture continues to embrace daily consumption of alcohol, fatty food choices and a lack of exercise. Meanwhile, Alcohol Concern has launched its Dry January campaign, urging people to take a month off drinking alcohol. The charity said it wanted to get people thinking and talking about their drinking, and it hoped these conversations would continue long after this month.

Pray:

for an improved awareness of the health risks of drinking alcohol and that the message will be heard and acted upon. (1Cor.6:12)

Liverpool Care Pathway – nine points to consider

The Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) has nine key points it wants the Government to consider in its recently announced review of the controversial Liverpool Care Pathway. It suggests that only those who are in the last few days of life should be placed on the LCP and that placing someone on the LCP should be discussed with the relative or carer. Latest figures suggest that around 130,000 people a year are dying on the LCP, amounting to about a third of annual deaths in the UK. Writing in a review for CMF’s Journal, Dr Jeff Stephenson, a Devon-based consultant in palliative care says: ‘The LCP represents a pragmatic and effective response to some of the suffering experienced by many in the last days of life. There is always potential for misuse and abuse and there are undoubtedly instances where this occurs.’

Pray:

that the CMF’s points will be considered seriously in the coming review. (Lev.19:32)

Young 'cannot cope with daily life'

One in 10 young people feel they cannot cope with day-to-day life - with those not in work, education or training more than twice as likely to feel this way - according to a Prince's Trust survey. The annual Youth Index report questioned 2,136 16 to 25-year-olds. A total of 27% of respondents in work feel down or depressed always or often, compared with 48% who were not in education, employment or training. It also found 22% did not have someone to talk to about their problems. The 2012 report discovered 52% of so-called NEETs said they often or always felt depressed. The index, now in its fifth year, gauges young people's happiness across a range of areas, from family life to physical and mental health. Despite the pressures many are facing, it only shows relatively slight changes in overall confidence and happiness amongst young people, says BBC social affairs correspondent Alison Holt.

Pray:

that our young people will not succumb to the pressures of this current time.

France: Need for revival

Evangelical Christian believers account for only .8% of the population. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia (1.5% and .9%) have more Evangelicals per capita. Church attendance is one of the lowest in Europe (6-8%). 80% of French people have never owned or even seen a Bible. There are approximately 50,000 full-time practitioners of occult arts (tarot, fortune telling, psychic healing, etc) who easily outnumber the 35,000 full-time Christian workers in France. Muslims make up approx 10% of France’s population - the highest percentage in any European country. (Source: Operation World) Secularization has become a movement in France whose sole objective is to confine faith and its expression to the private sphere. But light that shines where it is the darkest shines the brightest.

Pray:

for the Kingdom of God to mature and produce fruit in France in 2013. (Ps.85:6)

Belgium: Considering extending euthanasia law to children

Belgium is considering allowing children and Alzheimer’s sufferers to ask to be euthanized. The proposed changes to the country’s decade-old law were submitted to Parliament on Tuesday by the Socialist Party. The draft legislation calls for ‘the law to be extended to minors if they are capable of discernment or affected by an incurable illness or suffering that we cannot alleviate’. Belgium was the second country in the world after the Netherlands to legalise euthanasia, but it applies to people over the age of 18. The European Institute of Bioethics has already criticised the current law in Belgium, in a report reviewing ten years of euthanasia in the country. Dr Peter Saunders, director of campaign group Care not Killing, warned in response to the report: ‘The lessons are clear. Once you relax the law on euthanasia or assisted suicide steady extension will follow as night follows day.’

Pray:

that the Care not Killing response be listened to and these proposed changes would not be accepted. (Ps.119:126)

NIGERIA: 36 killed over Christmas

Attackers stormed a church in Kyachi village, Chibok, and shot 15 people on Sunday in the latest violence against Christians. Nigeria’s military downplayed the incident, but the official who spoke of the attack is the regional coordinator for the country’s National Emergency Management Agency. The attack followed violence on Friday when attackers slit the throats of 15 Christians in a pre-dawn raid in Musari, also in the north-east. Musari and Chibok are located in Nigeria’s Borno state, where Boko Haram has been based. During a Christmas Eve service gunmen killed six people in north-eastern Yobe state, then they set the building ablaze. Violence linked to Boko Haram’s insurgency in northern and central Nigeria is believed to have left some 3,000 people dead since 2009. While the violence has been severe in certain areas this Christmas season, it has been less bloody than in 2011.

Pray:

for President Goodluck Jonathan as he attempts to end Boko Haram tyranny, pray also for the Church to be strengthened and encouraged during 2013. (Ps.68:28)

Pakistan: Charity workers killed

Two health workers and five teachers were shot dead in north-west Pakistan on January 1st. They were all Pakistani citizens and were attacked near a school and clinic, specializing in maternal health. Militants targeting a vaccination programme are suspected. In December a series of attacks killed nine health workers employed in a national polio vaccination drive. Pakistani Taliban have long denounced the vaccination drive as Western plots to gather intelligence or to sterilize Muslim children. The killings have prompted the UN children's agency and the World Health Organization to suspend work on polio campaigns in Pakistan. Pakistan is the only country where there is public opposition to immunization programmes and health workers are paying a heavy price for their efforts. Thousands of them hit the streets every couple of months to immunize children across the country and they do it despite a growing risk to their lives.

Pray:

the clerics using FM channels to decry health programmes would stop challenging and resisting those trying to help the poor and sick in deprived areas; may polio be eradicated from Pakistan.

Afghanistan: Looking ahead

The Church is growing as local believers are added one by one and in small groups. Some are secret and pray alone, others gather for worship, to pray and receive teaching in small groups. All local believers are at risk of exposure and harm from family members, friends and neighbours. Many are asking, or are uncertain about what will happen in 2014 when officially all foreign troops pull out of Afghanistan - and a mission agency is asking Christians to prayerfully consider interceding throughout 2013 leading up to the 2014 deadline and in particularl to pray for one of the largest un-reached tribal group in the world - the Pushtun people. They have an important regional significance being well-known for their involvement in militancy over the last years and for their hospitality to other affiliated groups. There has been little penetration with the Good News despite many years of work and much sacrifice on the part of workers.

Pray:

that believers become salt and light across Afghanistan as they find others they can trust to share in worship, prayer and teaching. Ask God to protect and provide for local believers during 2013. (1Sa.25:6)

Iran: Pastor rearrested on Christmas Day

Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani was arrested on Christmas Day allegedly because of improperly completed paperwork, denying him the chance to celebrate the birth of Christ at home with his family for the first time in three years. Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) and Present Truth Ministries both reported the news, saying Pastor Nadarkhani was back in Lakan Prison in Rasht serving another 40 days. ‘We are disappointed to hear Pastor Nadarkhani has been returned to prison in such an irregular manner,’ said Mervyn Thomas, CSW's Chief Executive. ‘The timing is insensitive and especially sad for his wife and sons who were looking forward to celebrating Christmas together. We hope that Pastor Nadarkhani will be released without delay once this alleged sentence has been fully served. In November Pastor Nadarkhani thanked all who prayed and advocated for his release during CSW's National Conference in London, where he was a special guest.

Pray:

for the pastor's safety, and for his family at this difficult time. Pray also for the un-reached peoples across Iran to have a hunger to know God and meet His Son. (Eph.4:1)

Bangladesh: Christian children vulnerable

Children of Bengali believers from Muslim background are vulnerable. They are a minority in their communities and being identified as Christians poses danger to their lives and their future. When they go to schools, they are taunted, bullied, and pressured by classmates and teachers alike. Twelve-year-old Urmi lived in a predominantly Muslim village. She kept her faith hidden for as long as she could remember. ‘I have many friends in school,’ said Urmi, who belonged to a family of six. ‘The teachers are good and kind to me. But they don't know that my family and I are Christians. My teacher lives in our village and she knows that we are Christians, but I don't think she'll tell it to others. Pray for us - If people (in our village) find out, they might kill us,’ Urmi added.

Pray:

for Muslim Background Believers in Bangladesh that God will give them boldness and protection as they practice and share their faith. (Ac.4:29)

Syria: Plight of Christians intensifies

The condition of the Church in Syria is becoming more and more desperate. Christians, their property and their churches continue to be the targets of violent attack. According to a prayer bulletin from Barnabas Aid, a group which provides assistance to the persecuted church, a senior church leader reported some disturbing facts. Christians in Syria also face ‘inflation, poverty, growing of sectarian enmity, shortages of supplies of food and fuel, cold weather, revenge, kidnapping for big amounts of ransom, risks of travelling, frequent Internet cut off and (more).’ While the Christian population of Homs was once 50,000-60,000, just 80 Christians remain in a Christian neighbourhood of the old city in December 2012. They are being held hostage by rebels and prevented from leaving. They’re dying one by one as a result of serious hardships and lack of medication. They are being kept there as ‘human shields’ by Salafist rebel groups to deter government forces from attacking the Christian area, which is now occupied by rebels.

Pray:

that all in Syria would know the Lord's peace in these desperate times. May God make a way for them to live in safety in their own country. (Hos.2:18)

Egypt: Worship and prayer in the streets

Less than two years after its democratic revolution, Egypt is in crisis. People are more divided than ever. Many being fearful of the constitution being voted on. A year ago a Night of Prayer drew 70,000 Christians to pray for their nation. On 13th December 2012 between 8,000-10,000 believers from across Egypt's churches gathered again to pray for the current political situation, church unity, repentance and spiritual revival in Egypt. They erupted into chants of ‘Jesus!’ and ‘Egypt!’ holding banners declaring, ‘We want you, Jesus’ and ‘You turned my wailing into dancing, you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.’Held at Cairo's massive Cave Church and televised live by SAT-7 ARABIC and SAT-7 PLUS, extracts from the event were also taken by secular channel ON-TV. Two secular Egyptian newspapers published articles on the event and SAT-7's coverage of it. Over 50,000 have so far watched on YouTube. See: http://www.youtube.com/sat7arabic

Pray:

that SAT-7's YouTube clips would speak powerfully to all who watch. (2Ki.17:38-39)