Paraguay: unrest
07 Apr 2017
In 2014 shocking corruption was reported in Paraguay. The frontrunner in the presidential election, Horacio Cartes, described as a homophobe, was jailed after accusations of currency fraud, investigated for alleged tax evasion, and widely accused of drug trafficking. He is now President Cartes, attempting to run for office again in 2018. This decision led to protests and violent unrest. Police killed one protester. Cartes’ attempt to seek the second term in office has been through behind-the-scenes wrangling. By constitutional law he should not run for office again. The first round of talks to settle the volatile political crisis around his attempt for re-election ended with no progress on Wednesday. Oxfam reports that 90% of the land is owned by 5% of the population. The government talks about presidential re-election and constitutional amendments while the people are without schools or health services. See
Malaysia: full sharia law?
07 Apr 2017
Moves are under way in Malaysia that could see parts of the country implement full sharia law with inhumane punishments; there are reports that the Deputy Prime Minister could agree to support this in parliament. Currently sharia courts have limited jurisdiction in family matters, with the main criminal courts operating at federal level making decisions based on the constitution. Even this situation can create significant problems for Christians, particularly converts from Islam. Their conversion is not recognised in the sharia court system, so they are still officially Muslims. Christian women converting from Islam cannot legally marry a Christian man, as sharia forbids Muslim women from marrying non-Muslims. There have been several previous attempts to extend the jurisdiction and sentencing powers of the sharia courts, with bills that included amputation of limbs for theft and death for blasphemy and apostasy. Government can only implement this if parliament changes the constitution.
Africa: rehabilitation of child slaves
07 Apr 2017
A worker for International Justice Mission (IJM) writes, ‘Please pray for our aftercare team who are teaching children rescued from slavery in Ghana about their rights to freedom. It became clear that many had no concept of what it meant to have rights under Ghanaian law, or that the law should protect them from abuse. Our aftercare team partnered with a Ghanaian artist to create a beautifully illustrated curriculum called ‘I Am Worthy’, which talks about rights in a way that children can understand. Pray that this curriculum will help survivors understand their own stories and believe in their inherent dignity and worth. We can praise God that a partnership has been formed between IJM and the Anglican Church of Uganda. The church’s vision of opening legal chambers will grow its role in serving widows and orphans in the community, by providing legal services to victims of property-grabbing.’
Nigeria: this food is not for you
07 Apr 2017
What makes you angry? I'm not talking about that frustration you feel when you've just missed a train, or your computer crashes - I'm talking about the kind of deep anger that rages against the injustice we see in our fallen world. When I heard about the situation facing our church family in northern Nigeria, that's how I felt - angry and sad. There is a humanitarian crisis in the region, leaving millions on the brink of starvation. This is bad enough in itself. But thousands of Christians, who have already been forced to flee their homes to escape Islamic fundamentalists, are frequently being denied access to the vital aid that they need to survive by local leaders, simply because of their faith in Jesus. Some of our brothers and sisters have been eating leaves - they had nothing else to eat.
Canada / USA: climate change and fuel
07 Apr 2017
At a ‘creation care fair’ at St Cuthbert’s Church in Toronto, Anglicans and community members had opportunities to ask church and secular leaders how they were responding to the challenge of climate change, with many questions about whether or not the Anglican Church of Canada will divest from fossil fuel companies. Its General Synod will be making a decision about this in 2019. While the Canadian Church and government address environmental challenges, President Trump signed an executive order to return to coal fuel. The order directs the US Environmental Protection Agency to begin re-evaluating immediately the Clean Power Plan that was published just ahead of the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference in France. The Plan was to reduce US power plant emissions dramatically over 25 years, and was a bargaining tool when negotiating the Paris climate accord. See:
Healing the Land
05 Apr 2017
Teaching and prayer days - May 2017
We invite you to join us as we welcome Alistair and Marie Petrie from Partnership Ministries to share their wide experience of seeing how healing the land can release evangelism and bring transformation to lives, communities, cities and nations.
Healing the land is intimately connected with people. What people think, do and say has a direct bearing on either the extension of the Kingdom of God or the resistance of others to it. Alistair’s book’s including Releasing Heaven on Earth and A Sacred Trust interactive workbook will be on sale at all venues
Working with our partners, South East Prayer Leaders Network and Community Watchman Ministries and with other UK leaders and members of the World Prayer Centre team, we hope to see representatives from many churches, networks, towns, cities and regions as possible to come so we can learn and be equipped how to pray more effectively. We believe the Petrie’s visit is timely. God is changing things in our nation and this is an opportunity to be equipped and engaged.
You can opt to register for days in Canterbury May 12-13, Liverpool 19-20 or Birmingham 23 May 2017. We do need you to register for the days in Liverpool and Birmingham – click here for full details.
How to pray with children
05 Apr 2017
How to pray with children – some creative ideas
This year the dates for Thy Kingdom Come fall during the half term holidays for many schools in England.
It’s a lovely opportunity to take time to pray together as a family without rushing off to clubs and school commitments.
We’d like to introduce the amazing Kingdom Kit – to help families pray at home together. This will guide you and your family with a daily prayer prompt and activity. Everything you will need to follow the suggestions is included in the pack from mustard seeds, keyrings and balloons to smarties and bookmarks.
Also available is our Family Creative Prayer Journal and the Thy Kingdom Come Bright Prayer Ideas for Families at home. https://www.cpo.org.uk/thykingdomcome
Download the Kingdom Kit
https://www.thykingdomcome.global/search/resources?tags=3&theme_id=34
Or order https://www.cpo.org.uk/product.aspx?prod=C5229GT&cat=3745
Pray protection for our nation
05 Apr 2017
Westminster
It is shocking to see how easy it is for one person to create so much carnage! As we have all seen recently with the attack in Westminster. We need to remain vigilant in prayer in the days ahead.
Please pray:
1) Every person plotting to cause death and destruction will be exposed before they get anywhere near their target.
2) For the police and security services to be in the right place, at the right time, watching the right people to foil every plan of the enemy.
3) Our enemy is not the flesh and blood but the principalities and powers. In prayer lift the flesh and blood into God's presence and pray for their salvation.
Ghost Ships
On 10th March Sky News covered an issue of Ghost Ships where vessels on our coast lines are suspected of turning off their GPS devices to avoid being tracked by the authorities. See http://news.sky.com/story/questions-over-ghost-ships-sailing-under-the-radar-10797433 for more information.
Please pray:
1) There will be no collisions.
2) Every vessels attempting to slip into our waters unrighteously will be exposed.