Methodists to ‘pay attention’ to God
The Methodist Conference in Portsmouth last Saturday heard a fresh call from the new President to pay attention to God and to those who have been discarded or rejected by society. The Rev Alison Tomlin said paying attention to God meant living with Him at the centre and loving, even enemies. ‘We talk about God as central, except of course that the God we serve tends to spend a lot of time on the edge, on the periphery, on the outside, not within our buildings, not within the places we choose to call home, but out there with those who have been discarded, rejected, those who are distressed and distraught. So if we are serious about paying attention to God at the centre of our lives we have to make sure that we are paying attention far wider than ourselves.’ Pray: for all Christians to renew their commitment to put God at the centre of our lives. (Rev.7:17)
Church appeal over lap-dance club
An Oxford congregation lost its appeal on 30th June 2010 to overturn the variation of a licence to run a lap-dancing club just 50 yards from their church. The Rev Vaughan Roberts, Rector of St Ebbe’s Church, lodged an appeal after Oxford Council’s Licensing Committee granted the variation to Greene King to run Thirst Lodge in Pennyfarthing Place, off St Ebbe’s Street. He said: ‘We still feel that granting the licence to permit lap-dancing at this sort of establishment was totally inappropriate because of its proximity to the church and because these types of clubs can make women feel vulnerable - there are hundreds of young female students who live nearby and women who park their cars in the nearby Westgate Car Park. We wouldn’t be keen to see such a club anywhere because lap-dancing degrades God’s gift of sex.’ Would the licence have been granted had the club been sited next to a mosque Pray: for local churches to stand up for Christian values in the public square. (Mk.16:15)
Women Bishops
The Archbishop of Canterbury has spoken of his desire to see women ordained as bishops in the Church of England in a way that does not ‘violently disrupt’ the common life of the Church. At their Conference in Portsmouth, Dr Rowan Williams asked Methodists to pray for the Church of England ahead of key debates on women bishops in its General Synod in York next week. ‘My hope and prayer is that we shall see women ordained as bishops in the Church of England. My hope and prayer is also that we shall do that in a way that does not violently disrupt some of the features of our common life, causing us actually to lose one another in a sense.’ Further ‘I am quite prepared to be 'Petrine' for quite a long time on that one’ [a reference to the leadership style of Peter who compromised on certain principles in order to preserve order and hierarchy within the church]. Pray: that a wise resolution to this debate will result equitable/agreeable/fair to all parties. (Jn. 8:16)
Ground-breaking Christian iPhone application
Want to ride the Jesus wave into the 21st century? There's an app for that! Revolutionary new media company DV8 Media has released ‘The Life of Jesus’, the first-ever comprehensive mobile phone application dedicated to the life of the Christian savior. Containing cutting edge original video and audio productions, engaging interactive games, Christian-themed communication tools, and the full text of the New Testament, searchable and bookmarkable, ‘The Life of Jesus’ is designed to bring a new generation of Christians and the Christian community together to reinforce Jesus' philosophy in a hip, sleek and technologically advanced production. DV8 will enable always-on access to the tech-savvy spiritually minded. ‘We can break down old paradigms and bring the teachings of Christ to a new, younger international audience,’ explained Geoff Tyson DV8's Managing Director. The application will be available through the Apple Store beginning 23 June 2010. Please visit www.thelifeofjesus.net. Praise: God that He has an app for everything! (Pr.15:23)
Ground-breaking Christian iPhone application
Want to ride the Jesus wave into the 21st century? There's an app for that! Revolutionary new media company DV8 Media has released ‘The Life of Jesus’, the first-ever comprehensive mobile phone application dedicated to the life of the Christian savior. Containing cutting edge original video and audio productions, engaging interactive games, Christian-themed communication tools, and the full text of the New Testament, searchable and bookmarkable, ‘The Life of Jesus’ is designed to bring a new generation of Christians and the Christian community together to reinforce Jesus' philosophy in a hip, sleek and technologically advanced production. DV8 will enable always-on access to the tech-savvy spiritually minded. ‘We can break down old paradigms and bring the teachings of Christ to a new, younger international audience,’ explained Geoff Tyson DV8's Managing Director. The application will be available through the Apple Store beginning 23 June 2010. Please visit www.thelifeofjesus.net. Praise: God that He has an app for everything! (Pr.15:23)
Jamaica: Druglord arrested
Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke, the alleged Jamaican druglord who is facing extradition to the United States, has been captured, after a manhunt for him triggered deadly unrest across Kingston last month. ‘The security forces wish to confirm reports that Christopher Lloyd Coke, for whom police are holding a warrant of arrest regarding extradition proceedings, was arrested,’ Police Commissioner Owen Ellington said. Local church leader Rev Al Miller earlier said that he had ‘helped in the process to hand over Coke’. The church leader had helped in negotiations to ease tensions after a police operation to capture Coke that left 73 people dead in a Kingston slum. (See Prayer Alert 2210) Jamaican police backed by troops descended on Coke's stronghold in the impoverished Tivoli Gardens slum last month seeking to arrest him. Praise: God for this answer to our prayers for the cleansing of Kingston. (Ps.145:1)
Jamaica: Druglord arrested
Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke, the alleged Jamaican druglord who is facing extradition to the United States, has been captured, after a manhunt for him triggered deadly unrest across Kingston last month. ‘The security forces wish to confirm reports that Christopher Lloyd Coke, for whom police are holding a warrant of arrest regarding extradition proceedings, was arrested,’ Police Commissioner Owen Ellington said. Local church leader Rev Al Miller earlier said that he had ‘helped in the process to hand over Coke’. The church leader had helped in negotiations to ease tensions after a police operation to capture Coke that left 73 people dead in a Kingston slum. (See Prayer Alert 2210) Jamaican police backed by troops descended on Coke's stronghold in the impoverished Tivoli Gardens slum last month seeking to arrest him. Praise: God for this answer to our prayers for the cleansing of Kingston. (Ps.145:1)
Pakistan: Christian child enslaved
An 11-year-old Christian boy, Sanish Masih, is malnourished, weak and ill from working in slave-like conditions for a Muslim landowner who kidnapped him and forcing him to work off his family’s debts. His mother said, ‘He is frequently invited to convert to Islam by the landowner, Ashraf Cheema, and in return he is promised to be freed from the iron chains, his work will be eased, he will be served better meals, and the debt of his father and brother might also be forgiven. According to Dawood Masih of the National Commission of Justice and Peace, ‘Danish Masih works without break from 4am to 11pm, often in iron chains, on half a loaf of bread per day. At press time local Christian leaders had petitioned the deputy superintendent police to recover Danish Masih. Pray: for an end to the explotation of the weak and poor by the rich and powerful. (Ps.82:3-4) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/pakistan/21950/
Zimbabwe: Collapse of the education sector
A Christian Students' Association in Zimbabwe has rebuked the country's power-sharing government for allowing the continuing collapse of the education sector in the country. ‘The cosmetic inclusive government has failed the young people of Zimbabwe as evidenced by the state of the education system,’ a Student Christian Movement said on 16th June, the Day of the African Child, when the killing in 1976 of black South African pupils protesting inferior education, and the compulsory teaching of Afrikaans is remembered. The collapse of the social services delivery system in Zimbabwe is directly linked to the human-created governance crisis and unless this is resolved the children of Zimbabwe will continue going to lecture rooms without lecturers, and getting into libraries without books. Pray: for the power sharing government to release appropriate funds and structures into needy administration bodies. (Dt.25:4)
West Africa: Slow motion famine
‘Warnings of an impending food crisis in Niger sounded by the UN and other aid agencies late last year met with little response from the international donor community. Contributions are starting to trickle in at the UN, but by the time enough aid gets through it will have come too late for many - most of them babies and young children.’ said UN Humanitarian Affairs chief, Jan Egeland. See: http://us.oneworld.net/article/never-again-niger-famine-latest-crisis-that-could-have-been-prevented Pray: for an incredibly effective response to the cry for relief and aid that is needed right now. (Job 5:10-11) More: http://english.aljazeera.net/video/2010621204319754684.html