‘Golden age’ for Aleppo church
Many Christians have fled from Aleppo to Lebanon. In Kristina’s church, only 10% of the original congregation are left, but the church is full as displaced people take their place - especially Muslims. She says, ‘Muslims were surprised to see churches offering support and programmes for all Syrians, not just Christians.’ Many have dropped their hostility towards Christians and are re-thinking their faith. A growing number of Muslim children are attending children’s activities, where the Bible is opened daily. Gradually Muslim families have joined church activities. Kristina speaks of a ‘golden age’ for the Middle East Church. ‘Muslims are coming to us. The only thing we have to do is tell them the good news; they are waiting for it’, she says.
Northern Ireland and redefinition of marriage
Arlene Foster, the First Minister of Northern Ireland, has said that her Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) will continue to use its veto to stop same-sex marriage. She said that her party felt ‘strongly’ that they should protect the definition of marriage, and referred to the huge outcry against the ruling in the Ashers Bakery case. Recently, 51 Unionists voted against redefining marriage - so opposition is not confined to the DUP.
Canada: ‘With glowing hearts we see you rise’
Mike Jacobs, husband of Cindy Jacobs, was woken at 5 am by the Lord reminding him of a prophetic word that was released in the early 1980s from their UK prayer network: ‘A revival will start in Western Canada, sweeping from the west to east, and then go down into the USA, and into Mexico, Central America, and South America.’ Mr Jacobs said, ‘God was saying to me in the morning, “Have I not said there is going to be a revival?” So He is stirring this word once again, and we are going to start seeing this revival.’ For the rest of this encouraging word for North America, click the ‘More’ button.
Prison Service not working
On 3 November, Justice Secretary Liz Truss unveiled a White Paper detailing £1.3bn investment in new prisons over the next five years along with plans for 2,100 extra officers, drug tests and more autonomy for governors. On 7 November 200 inmates created a ‘riot’ at HMP Bedford. This followed the death of a prisoner in HMP Pentonville, the third in England this year. Violence in jails is rising. The number of assaults rose by 1/3rd to 23,775 in the year to June 2016. This week the Government took emergency court action when 10,000 prison officers in England and Wales stopped work over working conditions in jails, where drugs are rife, mobile phones are smuggled in to organise illegal prison activity, and there is understaffing. It is illegal for the profession to strike, but the Prison Officers Association says ‘protest action’ is needed to keep staff and inmates safe. The service is ‘in meltdown’.
