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Topic: News From British Isles, Ireland, Europe and Worldwide
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Author
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Ron McGatlin
Admin Group
Joined: 08/23/2004 Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4141
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Posted: 05/18/2016 at 6:40pm
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| News From British Isles, Ireland, Europe and Worldwide
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Kenya: first-ever manslaughter conviction of police
officer |
In a week when the UK has
hosted a conference around ending corruption in high places across the nations,
International Justice Mission UK reports, On 28 April 2016, over six years
after the initial crime, a police officer was found guilty of manslaughter for
violently killing an innocent citizen. IJM Kenya supported the public prosecutor
(working with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions) to represent
the family of the deceased. There were a number of setbacks in bringing the case
to trial, including the first judge disqualifying himself. After years of
perseverance, IJM Kenya celebrates this ground-breaking conviction and hopes it
sends a message that those in power will be held accountable in court if they
abuse that power. The sentencing for this manslaughter conviction will take
place on 18 May. |
Praise: |
God for
victory and justice, and pray for many more similar convictions across the
nations. (Dt.10:17,18a) | |
More: |
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China frees imprisoned pastor |
Christians have been praying
for protection and justice for Chinese Christians who have taken a stand against
the governments forced demolition of Christian crosses and churches. Last week
the authorities released a pastor who had been imprisoned for eight months for
speaking out frequently against this ongoing persecution of Christians in the
country. Some suggested that Zhang Chongzhu might have also been singled out for
meeting a US diplomat in Shanghai last year. We can praise God for this
breakthrough and continue to pray and ask God to bring about a complete end to
the Communist partys targeting of places of worship with building code
bureaucracy. |
Praise: |
God for all
who bravely speak and act on their Christian beliefs, and thank Him for their
defence. (Ex.5:13) | |
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Corruption in UK and elsewhere |
A summit on corruption was
held on Thursday in London. For decades Britain and the west have asked poor
countries and failed states to address problems with dodgy money (money invested
in western banks, stores, estate agents, and offshore). The president of
Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, came to London to lobby for help regarding tax havens
in Nigeria. Buhari sent a letter to England saying, We are embarked on a
nationwide anti-corruption campaign. But these efforts are sadly undermined if
countries such as your own are welcoming our corrupt to hide their ill-gotten
gains in your luxury homes, department stores, car dealerships, private schools
and anywhere else that will accept their cash with no questions asked. The role
of Londons property market as vessels to conceal stolen wealth has been exposed
in court documents, reports, documentaries and more. One third of all the
trillions hiding offshore are in tax havens linked to the UK, according to
Oxfam. |
Pray: |
for God, in
His mercy, to regulate governments, city brokers, accountants, lawyers, bankers,
etc. (Mt.6:10b) | |
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Week of prayer has touched a
chord |
The call for Christians
across England to pray for our nation to know Jesus Christ has touched a
chord. With tens of thousands of Christians taking part throughout England and
beyond this week, Archbishop Justin Welby said people are motivated and
excited about praying together for those they love to know Jesus. Last November
the week of prayer ahead of Pentecost was called for and this week cathedrals
and churches across the traditions are hosting 24/7 prayer rooms, putting on
special services, running prayer meetings, doing prayer walks and many other
activities. Churches overseas have also spontaneously responded to the call,
with congregations in Belgium, New Zealand, South Africa, Israel and elsewhere
joining the wave of prayer. In an interview the Archbishop said: This week of
prayer seems to have touched a chord that none of us really expected to the
degree its happened. Port Stanley Cathedral in the Falkland Islands has joined
in. |
Pray: |
for this
wave of motivated prayer to increase in momentum beyond Pentecost across the
nations. (Mt.6:10a) | |
More: |
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Justin Welby on evangelism |
Speaking on Premier Radio,
the Archbishop of Canterbury said, Any church that leaves evangelism to the
professionals is committing missionary suicide. The responsibility of
demonstrating in word and works the love of Jesus Christ, in a way that is
deeply attractive is the responsibility of every single Christian. Always.
Everywhere. Archbishop Justin spoke out about how the Church has failed to
equip people to share their faith for too long. If you go back to 1944/5 there
was a report for the Church of England called Towards the Conversion of England
prepared for William Temple. It said that there will never be a conversion of
England until every Christian disciple is equipped to share the good news of
Jesus Christ. That has always been one of the greatest weaknesses in many
churches - not just Church of England churches. We do not spend enough time
equipping people to share their faith. |
Pray: |
for people
to be excited about their relationship with Jesus and to pray and share their
faith. (Mt. 6:6) | |
More: |
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Christian meetings in
parliament |
Christians in Parliament will
host a reception on 8 June to mark Her Majestys 90th birthday. Please pray that
Mark Green in his talk will communicate clearly how the Queens Christian faith
has shaped her life and reign. On 14 June the national parliamentary prayer
breakfasts subject is The Church in the Middle East'. The main speaker is the
bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK. Please pray for church leaders
as they spend time with their MPs at the breakfast; for Bishop Angaelos as he
prepares to speak, and for those praying and doing readings. Also in June
Professor Don Carson will speak on 'What can Christianity contribute to
politics?' Please pray for good attendance from MPs and staff. Continue to pray
for the ongoing Bible study groups, and for all Christians in politics to grow
in faith and make new contacts with other Christians and those not yet saved.
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Pray: |
according to
the inscription on the floor of the central lobby of Parliament, taken from
Ps.127:1. | |
More: |
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London: Europe-focused
conference |
Believers from around the
world gathered in London for the Empowered21 European Congress from 11 to 13
May. The event is intended to have an impact on Europe. Organisers said, Europe
is perhaps more in the world's view than it has been in decades, with the
migrant crisis and terrorist attacks. Delegates prayed for God to do something
fresh in Europe today - there are great signs of revival in Europe. They went on
to say they intended to fan that flame of revival and encourage people to get
involved and become agents of renewal in the UK. Their focus was addressing the
rise of Islam, financial crises and terrorism with scholars focusing on the
theology of grace and the Holy Spirit. Also on the agenda was reaching this
generation in the digital revolution, and changing the way in which we engage
with the most distracted and disrupted generation in history.
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Pray: |
for God to
reinforce all that was of Him in the hearts and minds of delegates as they
return home. Pray that He will wake up His people to His enabling power across
our nation and Europe.
(Jn.3:4b,5) | |
More: |
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Invictus Games winner praises
NHS |
An American soldier has given
her Invictus Games gold medal to the hospital team that saved her life at
Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire. The swimmer, 25, from Arizona, became
gravely ill when she collapsed with a lung condition on the eve of the first
games in London in 2014. They absolutely saved my life and I can't thank the UK
enough for having that kind of medical support and taking such good care of me.
So I gave Prince Harry one of my medals and hope it will find its way back to
Papworth. She also paid tribute to the NHS, saying, Thank you. I'll never be
able to repay you, but what you're doing is wonderful. |
Pray: |
for all who
work for the NHS to prosper. Thank God for their commitment across the country.
(Jer.29:11) | |
More: |
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Short-term migration and national insurance
'gap' |
Discrepancies between stated
number of migrants and national insurance records have fuelled accusations of a
pro-EU cover-up. A claimed missing million long-term EU immigrants to Britain
have been proved to be a phantom army, according to a special analysis by the
Office for National Statistics in the run-up to the EU referendum. The ONS says
short-term migration EU citizens coming to Britain for less than a year and
sometimes for as little as a month accounts for recent gaps between the
official net migration figures for long-term immigrants to Britain and the
number of national insurance numbers issued to EU nationals.
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Pray: |
for an end
to unhelpful, untruthful and misleading statistics and statements in the run-up
to the referendum.
(Ps.55:9) | |
More: |
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Germany: Christian refugees
abused |
Open Doors workers in the
country claim that believers, many of them Muslim converts, are sometimes a tiny
minority and so are easy targets for insults, being punched, spat at and
sexually assaulted. After surveying 231 people earlier this year, Open Doors
Germany said Muslim security staff and translators joined in targeting
Christians, some of whom reported being too scared to wear a cross or carry a
Bible in public. Thomas Muller from Open Doors Germany said that grouping
Christians together in the camps and hostels and having more staff from minority
groups (Christians and Yazidis) might afford them greater protection. He said,
Someone shows a ten-second beheading video and then says, You're next.
Christians who had hoped to be able to live their lives in freedom said, 'We
came to Germany and found there is no difference from our home countries at
all. |
Pray: |
for refugee
camps to provide better protection for the vulnerable and to stamp out religious
discrimination.
(Dt.23:1a) | |
More: |
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Rome: plot to attack Vatican and Israeli
embassy |
Last Thursday Italian police
thwarted an alleged plot by Moroccan nationals to attack the Vatican and the
Israeli embassy in Rome. Four people were arrested. Three men and three women,
one an Italian, escaped to Iraq and Syria. The transcript of a wire-tapped phone
conversation between three of the suspects indicated their link with Islamic
State. They discussed possible attacks on the Vatican and the Israeli embassy in
Rome. After the attacks in France and Belgium, Italy and neighbouring countries
have tightened security resulting in the arrest of people suspected of having a
predisposition towards IS ideology or planning assaults. Last month police
detained a 22-year-old Somali asylum-seeker working as an imam, suspected of
planning an attack in Rome. One line of the transcript read as I swear I will
be the first to attack them in this Italy of crusaders, I swear I'll attack it
in the Vatican, God willing. |
Pray: |
for the
continued protection of destinations for Christian and Jewish pilgrims.
(Ezr.8:31b) | |
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Israel: IS planning attack from
Sinai |
A German newspaper reports
that IS is planning a massive attack against Israel from the Sinai peninsula.
Such an attack could include tanks and artillery. The Sinai-based Ansar Bait
Al-Maqdis terrorist organisation has pledged allegiance to IS in Syria and are
training hundreds of terrorists, reportedly waiting for the order to attack.
Israel has bolstered security on their Egypt border as a result of IS build-up.
IS has already attacked civilian targets in southern Israel, and affiliated
groups have solidified their presence, creating instability in the Israel-Sinai
border region. Since 2011, there has been an unprecedented growth in terror
groups operating from the Sinai, taking advantage of the chaotic situation in
the area. Israel recently held a two-day large-scale naval drill which simulated
a multiple-pronged IS attack on Eilat, including the hijack of a civilian
vessel. |
Pray: |
for God to
bless the Israeli authorities as they work to improve their responses to
possible incidents of terrorism.
(Dt.23:14a) | |
More: |
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The church in the Middle East |
Orthodox Christians celebrate
Easter a month later than western Christians. One beautiful Orthodox tradition
is the ceremony of lights in Jerusalem: Christians light their candles in the
ancient city and take the fire back to their homes. Meanwhile, the Middle East
conflict continues to impact Christians alongside their fellow-citizens. From
Aleppo, the Aid to the Church in Need agency shared the heart-breaking words of
Franciscan priest Father Ibrahim Alsabagh: Never, since the beginning of this
terrible war, were things as bad as they are now. I have no words to describe
all the suffering I see on a daily basis. When the bombs do stop falling, there
is an eerie silence, like in a cemetery. When will the world community finally
wake up and put an end to this new Sarajevo? A London-based Syrian Orthodox
priest, Revd Nadim Nassar, said he was furious with the global Church for its
failure to speak out against the atrocities in Syria. |
Pray: |
for nations
to support our Middle East family of believers and for them to be strong as they
face hostility. (Job
5:21) | |
More: |
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Japan: G7 summit |
Faith leaders and scientists
have written to ask President Obama to take nuclear risk-reduction steps
during the G7 summit next week (26/27 May). Heightened tensions between the
United States and Russia, and the growing risk of nuclear use worldwide, are all
the more reason for the president to take meaningful steps to strengthen
national and international security, the letter read. Reducing nuclear weapons
has been a key goal of Obama's presidency, and is one of the reasons he was
awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. He has rebuked Donald Trump for suggesting
that Japan and South Korea should consider developing nuclear weapons. The
president will visit Hiroshima but there will be no apology for the bombing in
1945 that killed 140,000 people. The G7 agenda will cover uncertainty in global
economy and trade; freedom, democracy, the rule of law and human rights;
counter-terrorism; the Middle East, Ukraine, North Korea; and climate change and
energy. See
also |
Pray: |
for the
leaders to have wisdom as they work towards shaping todays world for the next
generation. (1 Ki.10:8) | |
More: |
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Iran: British-Iranian detained without
charge |
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a
charity worker, was visiting her family in Iran. Her husband Richard has said:
She was at the airport returning to the UK on 3 April when the Iranian
Revolutionary Guard arrested her, transferred her to an unknown location in
Kerman Province and now holds her in solitary confinement. Gabriella, our
22-month-old daughter who has British citizenship only, has had her passport
confiscated and is stranded in Iran with her grandparents. Nazanin has not been
allowed access to a lawyer or her daughter; has not been able to call out of the
country to speak to me; the Red Cross have not been able to make contact; she
has been made to sign a confession under duress, its content unknown. Her family
have been informed that the investigation relates to an issue of national
security. There have been no charges. See
also |
Pray: |
for Nazanin,
who has now been in solitary confinement for over forty days. Pray for God to
soften the hearts of the Iranian leaders.
(2Ch.36:22b) | |
More: |
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Iraq: over 100 killed in bomb
attacks |
On Wednesday 93 people died
in three car bomb attacks in Baghdad. The deadliest killed 64 and wounded 87.
Later two suicide bombers targeted police checkpoints, leaving 29 dead. IS
claimed responsibility for the attacks - the worst day of violence in Baghdad so
far this year. It was a thunderous explosion, jolting the ground, said a
witness. Many victims were women inside a beauty salon, including several brides
who appeared to be getting ready for their weddings. The bodies of two men
believed to be grooms were found in an adjacent barbers shop. There is an acute
political crisis in Baghdad : the parliament is unable to meet, and the
government is paralysed by factional disputes. Survivors blame politicians for
failing to protect them. A Chaldean priest who oversees hundreds of Iraqi
Christian refugees displaced by IS blames the USA for not protecting them and
their ancient communities from attacks by terrorists. See
also |
Pray: |
for God to
comfort survivors and families of the dead; for government, police and military
to succeed in securing vulnerable communities; and for Christians in Iraq to be
strengthened and encouraged.
(Is.40:29) | |
More: |
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Algeria: vulnerable
Christians |
Algerian Christians face
increasing restrictions as the government is pressured by Islamist groups to
implement more Islamic legislation. Only Muslims are allowed to hold public
assemblies, and individual churches are often denied registration. Though some
historical churches are allowed church buildings, Muslim-background believers
(ie almost all Algerian Christians) have to worship in secret. Converting
someone from Islam is illegal. Islamist terrorist movements are increasing as
militants, particularly in the south, use organised crime to finance their
operations. Please pray for Christians from more conservative Muslim communities
who have to hide their faith or risk being rejected from schools and
universities, and remember those who are being monitored by authorities or who
have been thrown into jail for owning Christian literature.
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Pray: |
for Gods
protection over the Church from Islamist militants and criminal factions.
(Ps.32:7) | |
More: |
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DR
Congo: more Christians killed |
A night-time assault on 3 May
at a village in majority-Christian eastern DR Congo left seventeen dead. By 6
May the death toll had risen to 34, as those seriously wounded succumbed to
their injuries. It is suspected that the attack was carried out by the Ugandan
Islamist group, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). They managed to get past
army positions and slash the throats of peaceful residents in their homes. ADF
rebels have carried out numerous bloody attacks on the mostly Christian
population in this area for years. After the event thousands fled the area. A
local Christian worker said, It was eerie. Hundreds of houses abandoned and
thousands of people displaced. I saw people carrying their mattresses and
belongings in cars, on motorcycles, on foot. Hundreds of homes along the road
are abandoned. Where there was a thriving community, there is now a ghost town.
ADF settled in eastern DR Congo after being expelled from Uganda.
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Pray: |
for an end
to such attacks, and for the relationships between ADF, al-Shabaab, Boko Haram
and al-Qaeda to be weakened.
(Dt.28:7a) | |
More: | | Source: Prayer Alert - World Prayer Centre UK
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