Philippines: Faith group wants to help government fight graft
Buoyed by a new president who has been exposing corruption, religious leaders in northern Philippines want to battle sleaze at the local level. ‘President Benigno Aquino III has shown he meant business in fighting graft, which inspires us as church leaders to do our part in helping to bring about righteous governance,’ said the Rev Dr Simplicio Dang-awan Jr of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines. Dang-awan was on 10 August addressing his partners in the Baguio-Benguet Ecumenical Group, an organization that brings together Protestant and Roman Catholic leaders, and a Muslim imam. (Graft- the misuse of public money for private gain poses a very grave challenge to national development in the Philippines, and the magnitude of the problem is staggering.) See Prayer Alert 3010 Praise: God that people in authority, used by God to bring about His purposes, and continue to pray for leaders wherever they are. (1Tim.2:1-4)
Rwanda: Answered prayer for peaceful elections
On Monday August 9th over 12,000 believers from various religious denominations in Kigali thronged Amahoro National Stadium to pray for Rwanda’s presidential elections to be peaceful. - See Prayer Alert 3210) The crusade from midday to sunset was dubbed ‘Rwanda is in your hands Lord.’ The presidential elections started the next day. The event was characterized by prayers being led by several pastors, and there were testimonies and entertainment from local church choirs. Pastor Antoine Rutayisire observed that bad politics plunged the country into genocide and urged all churches to wake up and play their role in changing the mindset of Rwandans. ‘It's now our churches time to pave the way for a better Rwanda. Rwanda is ours always. If we sleep it will crumble down,’ He called on all Rwandans to love and always pray for their country. Praise: God for answered prayers and ask him to continue to unite His church across the continent of Africa. (2Ch.7:14)
Rwanda: Answered prayer for peaceful elections
On Monday August 9th over 12,000 believers from various religious denominations in Kigali thronged Amahoro National Stadium to pray for Rwanda’s presidential elections to be peaceful. - See Prayer Alert 3210) The crusade from midday to sunset was dubbed ‘Rwanda is in your hands Lord.’ The presidential elections started the next day. The event was characterized by prayers being led by several pastors, and there were testimonies and entertainment from local church choirs. Pastor Antoine Rutayisire observed that bad politics plunged the country into genocide and urged all churches to wake up and play their role in changing the mindset of Rwandans. ‘It's now our churches time to pave the way for a better Rwanda. Rwanda is ours always. If we sleep it will crumble down,’ He called on all Rwandans to love and always pray for their country. Praise: God for answered prayers and ask him to continue to unite His church across the continent of Africa. (2Ch.7:14)
No justice for Duke, sacked for mentioning God
An employment tribunal has ruled that it was reasonable for Wandsworth Council to dismiss Duke Amachee, after he was sacked for gross misconduct for suggesting to a client with an incurable illness not to give up hope and to try putting her faith in God. The decision has come as a huge surprise to Duke and to his legal team. Duke, a committed Christian, had worked for Wandsworth Council for 18 years and had an unblemished record. Yet, as a result of the comments he made in one 45-minute housing interview, he was subject to six months of investigations and three interviews with the Council. His solicitor was even told by the Council that saying ‘God bless’ to a client would require an investigation if the client complained. Listen to Duke’s personal appeal: Duke and his legal team intend to appeal the decision. Pray: that God would hear our prayers and grant a reversal of this decision. (Ex.23:6)
Foster parents rejected over Christian beliefs
A Christian couple from Blackburn, have had their application to be foster parents terminated by the Council because of their orthodox Christian beliefs on marriage and their belief that the best environment in which to raise a child is with a mother and a father. Rev John Yallop and his wife Colette had told Lancashire Council that they were Christians but had been assured that they were still welcome to apply as foster parents. However, during the process problems arose when the Council asked them whether they would have any objections to prospective homosexual adoptive parents coming into their home for the ‘hand over’ process which normally involves a number of visits. The Yallops proposed that any meetings with prospective homosexual adoptive parents should take place at a children’s centre. Due to this request, the Council has now terminated their application. Pray: for the Council to reconsider their own prejudiced and excluding view on this matter. (1Co.16:13-14) More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/foster.parents.rejected.over.christian.beliefs/26463.htm
Halal-only menu for London primary schools
Harrow Council in London has provoked a storm of protest after announcing plans to prefer Islamic halal-only menus in the borough’s state primary schools. Parents are outraged that meat prepared according to Islamic Sharia law is being pushed on non-Muslim children. Contracts signed with the Council’s preferred catering company, Harrison’s, stipulate that only halal meat is served. The Council claims the plan is needed to overcome difficulties in keeping halal meat separate from non-halal meat. It has since said it will postpone the move because of, in part, ‘the level of interest from parents’ and revisit the issue in the autumn. According to the 2001 census, the religious affiliation of Harrow’s population is just seven per cent Muslim. Harrow resident, Sheila Murphy, blasted the Council’s plan as ‘appalling’. She said it is ‘taking away the choice of children and their parents over what meat they eat and I urge residents to make their views known to Harrow Council’. Pray: for the council to reflect the views of the vast majority of their residents. (Ac.10:14-15) More: http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/2010/08/10/halal-only-menu-for-london-primary-schools-sparks-row/
Give the Gift of Peace
Christians are being encouraged to share a little peace with their neighbours, in the form of a new booklet from the Methodist Church. Lavishly illustrated, A Gift of Peace features encouraging words from the Bible as well as reflections on peace from a variety of authors including Lao Tzu, Benjamin Franklin and Mother Theresa of Calcutta. Rev Alison Tomlin, President of the Methodist Conference, said: ‘In the midst of an increasingly chaotic and unsettled world, we all need God’s peace more than ever. We hope that this booklet will enrich the way we think and pray about peace and will help people to make a little more space in their lives for reflection.’ Churches are encouraged to give the booklets away as well as using them for personal or small group reflection. A Gift of Peace is available from Methodist Publishing at £5 for 50 copies and can be purchased online. Pray: for all those who receive the booklet that they will take time to reflect and receive God’s peace. (Jude 2) More: http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=457
Vulnerable children trapped by courts
UK’s largest children’s charity has revealed new data showing that children are being damaged due to huge delays in the courts in England and Wales. A five-year-long pattern of deterioration has led to family courts taking up to 65 weeks to rule if it is safe for children to stay with their parents, says Barnado's. Vulnerable children are waiting on average more than a year (57 weeks) in unstable family homes or emergency foster placements before a county court decides if they will be taken into care, says the charity. In the family proceedings (magistrates) court the average time is 45 weeks. Martin Narey, Barnardos chief executive, said: ‘The courts need urgently to reflect on the damage these delays are having on extremely vulnerable children. A year of a child’s life is an inordinate amount of time for them to be trapped in desperate limbo, unclear of their future and very possibly at risk. Pray: for court procedures to be sped up and also for the vulnerable children caught up in the system. (Jn.17:15)
Ramadan: A perfect opportunity to share the Gospel
Two doctors have been killed in Afghanistan, police officers have been bombed in Iraq, and plans for a Muslim centre to go up on Ground Zero are underway all, in the name of Islam. The only way to counteract these kinds of militancy, and more importantly, to save the lives of millions of Muslims is to introduce them to the Gospel. Fouad Masri of Crescent Project says Ramadan is the perfect time. Ramadan is a 30-day observation of fasting and prayer for Muslims around the world. August 11 marked Day One of the celebration for 2010. During Ramadan, many Muslims take time to truly seek out God and truth. ‘This is a time when they're thinking about God and religion,’ explains Masri. He says this makes Ramadan the perfect time to start conversations about Christ. ‘We can come in and share with Muslims the teachings of Jesus, whom many Muslims claim to be one of the prophets.' (See Prayer Alert 3110) Pray: for God’s intervention into the hearts and minds of Muslims as they pray. (Eph.5:14)
The Christian zoo accused of backing creationism
A kitemark devised to help teachers find suitable school trip destinations has been awarded to a Christian zoo accused of promoting creationism. Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm in Wraxall, near Bristol, is among the latest organisations to receive the Learning Outside the Classroom ‘quality badge’, developed by the last Government. The zoo already runs sessions for more than 15,000 pupils a year from key stage 1 to A-level. But it has attracted controversy for its views on evolution and creation, arguing that science has tried to ‘remove any notion of God from our understanding of life. This is unjustified and we look to put the case for a Creator across to those who wish to investigate,’ the zoo’s website says. James Gray, education officer at the British Humanist Association, criticised the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, the educational charity that awards the badges, for its decision.The zoo continues to be picketed by opponents who try to discredit its work. Pray: that the work of this zoo would continue to be recognised for promoting God's truth. (Jn.8:23)