OUR VISION:
"Compelled by God to seek Christ's glory worldwide for the blessing, healing, and transforming of the nations, International Prayer Connect exists as a coalition of prayer networkers and mobilizers working together to motivate, develop and equip national movements and local churches to fill all nations with prayer for the fulfillment of the Great Commandment and the completion of the Great Commission."
HOW WE OPERATE:
The IPC is not an organization as such. We are a fellowship of people involved in mobilizing prayer throughout the world. We function as an international “network of networks”, connecting international, regional, and national prayer ministries and networks. We also arrange or support special prayer initiatives that bring prayer leaders together from time to time to pray for matters of regional and global concern to the Body of Christ. Regional prayer summits have been arranged or supported by the IPC in most regions of the world as well as international prayer initiatives for the United Nations, Hollywood, and other issues.
The IPC is led by an international leadership team, now called the International Prayer Council, is composed of twenty leaders who coordinate regional prayer networks or international prayer initiatives of various kinds. We seek to be catalysts and connectors within the global prayer movement towards the fulfillment of Habakkuk 2:14- that
“the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”
We do not have an official membership but connect with individuals and networks through IPC Connections, a periodical newsletter distributed via e-mail to give prayer information to interested people.
Please share this newsletter with prayer coordinators, prayer network leaders, and others who have an interest in the global prayer movement so that they can be informed about different prayer initiatives, existing prayer networks, and how to participate in them.
This is a call for Christians to pray October 13 - 15, 2013! The Hajj, one of the five pillars of the Islamic religion, begins on the 8th day of the 12th month of Dhul Hijjah of the Islamic calendar. Because the calendar is based on the moon’s cycle, the Hajj begins nine days earlier each consecutive year. In 2013, the Hajj will start on October the 13th and last for 3-4 days. During this time, Muslims from all over the world will flock to Mecca to perform the rituals and follow the steps of Muhammad, their prophet.
http://www.pray-ap.info/hajj has a prayer guide plus a brief prayer video for it.
Kidnapped Archbishop Kattey freed
An Archbishop in the Church of Nigeria who was kidnapped over a week ago is ‘safe and well’ after being released, the Anglican Communion Office has said. Archbishop Ignatius Kattey was kidnapped with his wife, Beatrice, on August 6 close to their home in Eleme, Port Harcourt. Mrs Kattey was released soon after but Archbishop Kattey was held until his release on Saturday. Archbishop Kattey oversees the Niger Delta Province, a region where idnappings for ransom have reportedly become common. Police said the Archbishop was released without a ransom on Saturday evening. His kidnapping was condemned by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby. A statement on the Archbishop of Canterbury's website said he ‘gives thanks’ for the release of Archbishop Kattey. Suffragan Bishop of the Diocese in Europe the Rt Reverend David Hamid said, ‘We give thanks for his freedom and return to his wife, family and Church community.’ (See last week’s Prayer Alert)
Praise: God for this answer to our prayers. (Ps.20:6)
More: http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/09/15/kidnapped-archbishop-kattey-freed/
Kidnapped Archbishop Kattey freed
An Archbishop in the Church of Nigeria who was kidnapped over a week ago is ‘safe and well’ after being released, the Anglican Communion Office has said. Archbishop Ignatius Kattey was kidnapped with his wife, Beatrice, on August 6 close to their home in Eleme, Port Harcourt. Mrs Kattey was released soon after but Archbishop Kattey was held until his release on Saturday. Archbishop Kattey oversees the Niger Delta Province, a region where idnappings for ransom have reportedly become common. Police said the Archbishop was released without a ransom on Saturday evening. His kidnapping was condemned by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby. A statement on the Archbishop of Canterbury's website said he ‘gives thanks’ for the release of Archbishop Kattey. Suffragan Bishop of the Diocese in Europe the Rt Reverend David Hamid said, ‘We give thanks for his freedom and return to his wife, family and Church community.’ (See last week’s Prayer Alert)
Praise: God for this answer to our prayers. (Ps.20:6)
More: http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/09/15/kidnapped-archbishop-kattey-freed/
Hungary: ‘Night of Churches’ spreads light at festival
Hungary has been holding a 'Night of Churches' as part of a Catholic-backed festival aimed at raising public awareness about faith and the arts. Younger and elderly Hungarians assembled suddenly in the heart of Budapest's Castle District near the Catholic Matthias Church on a hill overlooking the Danube river. The many tourists watched with amazement as they sang ‘The Evening Prayer’ a folk song that was adapted by Hungarian composer Zoltán Kodály in his choral work. ‘This is my first flash mob,’ said a smiling black man. ‘Thank you,’ shouted a female spectator. It is part of an attempt to promote the annual Ars Sacra Festival, or Sacred Arts Festival, an initiative organizers say was inspired by late Pope John Paul II. Launched some seven years ago, it encourages visitors to open up their hearts for faith and its creative expression in the arts.
Praise: God for the light that shines in His people and gives cause for celebration. (Ps.33:2)
More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/30429-hungarys-night-of-churches-spreads-light-at-festival
Hungary: ‘Night of Churches’ spreads light at festival
Hungary has been holding a 'Night of Churches' as part of a Catholic-backed festival aimed at raising public awareness about faith and the arts. Younger and elderly Hungarians assembled suddenly in the heart of Budapest's Castle District near the Catholic Matthias Church on a hill overlooking the Danube river. The many tourists watched with amazement as they sang ‘The Evening Prayer’ a folk song that was adapted by Hungarian composer Zoltán Kodály in his choral work. ‘This is my first flash mob,’ said a smiling black man. ‘Thank you,’ shouted a female spectator. It is part of an attempt to promote the annual Ars Sacra Festival, or Sacred Arts Festival, an initiative organizers say was inspired by late Pope John Paul II. Launched some seven years ago, it encourages visitors to open up their hearts for faith and its creative expression in the arts.
Praise: God for the light that shines in His people and gives cause for celebration. (Ps.33:2)
More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/30429-hungarys-night-of-churches-spreads-light-at-festival
International Day of Prayer for Peace
Each year on 21 September the World Council of Churches calls churches and parishes to observe the International Day of Prayer for Peace. 21 September is also the United Nations-sponsored International Day of Peace. As it approaches, the World Council of Churches invites people to offer prayers for peace. This year we would like to invite you to pray for the upcoming World Council of Churches 10th Assembly. The theme of the assembly is a prayer for peace: ‘God of Life, Lead Us to Justice and Peace’. Churches from all over the world will gather in Busan, South Korea, 30 October to 8 November 2013, for the event. We would like to ask you to pray the theme – pray it for the world, pray it for the church, pray it for the churches attending the WCC assembly, pray it with the assembly.
More: http://www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/events/international-day-of-prayer-for-peace
‘Majority of British women want new laws to tackle web trolls’
The majority of British women (75%) support David Cameron’s proposal to make internet porn ‘opt-in’ and want new laws to tackle web trolls, according to a study. Despite relatively few people having actually been victim to trolling online, new research from Kantar, a global research firm, found that 85% of the British public think there needs to be new legislation to deal with the issue – with women feeling more strongly about this matter than men. 67% of women strongly back calls for new laws to police the activities of internet trolls, compared to 48% of men. Despite three quarters of British women supporting the new opt-in system to internet porn put forward by the Government, with 59% ‘strong in favour’, British men’s enthusiasm for the proposal is not as strong.
Pray: that the government would take steps to introduce new laws to deal with this problem. (Ps.119:39)
More: http://www.mediawatchuk.com/latest-news-september-2013/
Acid attacks on British girls in Zanzibar ‘linked to al-Qaida'
Some of the gang are believed to be members of the Islamic extremist group Al-Shabaab, which is linked to al-Qaida. Brits Kirstie Trup and Katie Gee, both 18, suffered face and body scarring after acid was thrown at them from a moped. They were victims of one of five acid attacks in the area in less than a year – the latest of which was on a Catholic priest. The motive for the attacks was initially unclear, but reports now suggest it might have been the work of terrorists. Police also seized 29 litres of acid, which they fear was to be used in future attacks.
Pray: that the girls will recover and that the authorities will trace the perpetrators. (Pr.21:15)
More: http://europenews.dk/en/node/71788
Number of children sleeping rough on the rise
There has been an alarming rise in the number of children sleeping rough across Europe, which is why the system needs an overhaul, writes Kate Moss. The number of rough sleeping children across Europe is on the rise. These are young people who have mostly run away either from home or from sheltered accommodation. They may also include minors who have made border crossings in search of a better life and improved opportunities or for any number of other reasons. Financed by the EU Daphne programme, the pioneering two-year children rough sleepers research project which we at the University of Wolverhampton are currently leading has been tasked with conducting precisely this study, for which ongoing collaboration is currently underway among a team comprising ten partner countries from around Europe. There is very little information about children who sleep rough. Figures show that 100,000 children go missing every year in the UK.
Pray: against this trend and the dangers that sleeping rough brings to young people. (Pro.22:3)
More: http://www.theparliament.com/latest-news/article/newsarticle/number-of-children-rough-sleepers-on-the-riseaccording-to-new-study/#.UjcNu39kln4