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)
