Prayer Alert News: UK, Europe, and Worldwide

‘It is a miracle that there have been no reported injuries caused by the massive fire which has been tearing through Saddleworth moorland in Greater Manchester’, said Rev Chris Viney from St James Millbrook. ‘We could see the fire coming down the hillside, towards the top end of the village. It must have been very, very scary for the people who live in the houses near to where the fire was.’ He believes God has been protecting his community, even though dozens of people needed to be evacuated from their homes. (They have now returned home). The associate minister said that the church gathered together to pray through the night. ‘God was at work because it could have been so much worse than it was.’ Sleeping bags, roll mats, food and drink are stockpiled at the church in the event displaced families or emergency service members need them.

Praise: God for the preservation of life, may he give all the communities peace of mind. (Ps.62:1,2)
More: https://www.premier.org.uk/News/UK/God-shielded-us-from-huge-Saddleworth-Moor-fire-church-minister-claims

Puna Baptist Church put on a family fun day for families affected by the volcano. One church member wrote on facebook, ‘Puna Baptist Church held a Family Fun Day for the people of Puna. It was a day to just forget about the volcano and have some family fun. It certainly lived up to its name! We had close to 500 people. I was at the registration desk and loved seeing the children’s eyes light up as I told them about all of the things they could do! We were so busy! What a blessing to everyone! I love my church!’ Free hygiene kits were offered by the church and a doctor and a counsellor were also on site. The church members have also been providing a clothes washing service which they’ve asked members to pray for. Their website reads,’Pray for the Laundry Voucher Ministry to be an effective opportunity to share Jesus with the Puna community’.

Praise: God for all the ways his church is aiding and reaching displaced families. (Ps.78:1)
More: http://punabaptist.org/

St Mildred’s in south London has created WOW Church to attract the 13-to-25 age group to faith through a virtual service. The online church runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Visitors can talk to twenty different chat-hosts taking turns answering questions and communicating with people through the website. People watch videos about faith and can submit a short prayer and light a virtual candle. An average of two to three conversations take place each day, and 100-150 people visit it weekly. St Mildred’s said they considered a youth Alpha but didn’t think anyone would come (saying they weren’t good with teens). Most of the people they chat to are lonely or have reservations about church. Pray for the ‘virtual’ community of lonely people to begin to want to actually meet physically in a Christian community. Meanwhile, The Church of England has launched an ‘Alexa skill’ to answer questions about faith and prayer, and help to find a church based on the user’s location. See

Pray: for searchers to experience personal journeys that last a lifetime. (Heb.10:25)
More: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2018/22-june/news/uk/virtual-church-services-launched-in-bid-to-wow-teenagers

Firefighters fear that a change in wind direction across a moorland fire could put life in danger. It is currently growing and could take weeks to extinguish. Fire chiefs say it is the worst moorland fire in living memory to hit Saddleworth. The impact could be seen from space by Nasa satellites picking up smoke plumes. Air quality levels in and around Manchester are being monitored regularly. A handful of local schools have been closed. Experts warned that high levels of pollutants generated from the blaze could have a significant effect on people’s health. By 28 June 100 soldiers were being trained by the fire services. The fire had covered seven square miles. The active ‘fire front’ stretched 2.5 miles and an RAF Chinook helicopter was made available. The public are advised to keep country lanes free from cars so that the emergency services can access them easily. Pray for firefighters working rolling 12-hour shifts. Pray for a downpour of rain.

Pray: for God to be near the fearful, behind windows and doors closed against smoke. (Ps.91:1)
More: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jun/28/saddleworth-moor-fire-could-take-weeks-to-put-out

A civil servant involved in Brexit negotiations, wishing to remain anonymous, said we are all over the place and don’t know what we want and Europe’s negotiators are behaving like total <expletive>. Macron warned European leaders to remain focused on their ‘collective interest’ during Brexit negotiations lest an ‘unfavourable situation’ befall the remaining 27. He said the continent could suffer if individual countries used Brexit to follow their own interests and they must avoid the ‘prisoner’s dilemma’ (a game scenario – two people act for their own gain and both lose out). We are in a critical discussions season. Customs union membership means goods pass freely between countries. Europe sells a lot to the UK, and complicated business supply chains avoid border-related hassles. It would solve the Irish border issue. But membership would not cover services and the UK exports services to Europe. Neither could we do trade deals with countries outside the EU. See also

Pray: for politicians, business leaders and media to get behind Theresa May as she negotiates to deliver the best possible clean Brexit. (Ps.86:11a)
More: https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/customs-union-brexit-european-economic-area-norway-sweden-irish-border-a8333016.html

The Voices of the Silenced film reminds us that the Christian Gospel has influenced western civilisation to the point that secularists build on its legacy while failing to acknowledge Christian influences. The film suggests if we forget the foundations of our Judeo-Christian culture, new totalitarianisms will replace them. Filmed in over 50 locations, the documentary interviews 15 individuals who are emerging out of homosexual lifestyles and a further 18 commentators on the subject. The film’s trailer states that in the space of a few decades, sexual politics has become a dominant force re-shaping social relationships, reinventing our understanding of ‘equality’ and toppling beliefs that brought Europe and America into the modern era, adding that Christian values and the sexual ethics have been displaced by a new belief in schools, courtrooms and churches. In some UK Churches the film’s screening is causing violent reactions. See also

Pray: for Churches holding to Biblical values to influence the surrounding cultures. (Dt.13:4)
More: https://www.premier.org.uk/Across-the-UK/Northern-Ireland/County-Down-church-faces-extreme-violence-threats-over-ex-gay-film-screening

Prince William’s visit comes during a period of increased tension in the region. He paid his respects at the tomb of his great-grandmother, Princess Alice of Greece, at the Mount of Olives. She saved Greek Jews in the 1940s German occupation. He attended events focusing on issues facing refugee communities and providing opportunities to celebrate Palestinian culture, music and food. He met Israel’s prime minister, seen as hugely significant for UK-Israel relations. Until now it had been British policy not to make an official royal visit until the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was resolved. British officials gave no detailed explanation for the policy change, other than ‘the time was right for the visit’. William shone a spotlight on the young generation of Israelis and Palestinians and their hopes for the future and briefly joined in for some football with Palestinian children. William said he was ‘struck by how many people in the region want a just and lasting peace.’

Pray: for his words and actions to have a positive impact for future relations. (Is.66:12)
More: https://www.timesofisrael.com/prince-william-plays-soccer-eats-hummus-in-west-bank-visit/

Rural Mission Sunday is fun, according to Revd Doreen Sparey-Delacassa, Superintendent Minister of the Camelford and Week St Mary Methodist Circuit in Cornwall. Last year they held a Rural Mission Sunday celebration called Fun, Frogs and Bishops; a community outreach event with a bouncy castle and games, Open the Book displays and Messy Church crafts. This year rural churches are celebrating Rural Mission Sunday on 15 July. Last year over 300 churches from across the denominations registered to take part. They had pet services, Bar B Qs, treasure hunts, reaching out to a ‘hard-to-reach’ by the local Dementia Action Alliance; and lots more that brought in people from within and outside their communities.  Click the ‘More’ link for a free resource pack.

Pray: for growing relationships with each other, neighbours and God through these events (Mk12:33)
More: http://germinate.net/mission/rural-mission-sunday/rural-mission-sunday-2018/

Scotland’s largest council was condemned when it decided to sponsor the arms fair that ran from 26 – 28 June in Glasgow. Christians protested with members of the Sink the Arms Fair Coalition and activist groups from across Scotland from CND, Palestine solidarity activists, Kurdistan solidarity activists and Quakers for Peace. See #UDT2018 Rev Dr Richard Frazer was disappointed that Glasgow supports an international festival of the arms trade, ‘To facilitate such a gathering is deeply uncomfortable at a time when so many innocent people around the world are suffering from effects of war and the damage and destruction caused by weapons.’ Dr Frazer said that public bodies in Scotland should not support or benefit from a conference which facilitates conflict and destruction. ‘Humanitarian catastrophes are taking place all around the world and some companies here are cashing in on the plight of those fleeing suffering by equipping oppressive states to stop refugees from reaching safety.’

Pray: for weapons not to be sold to countries with poor human rights records. (Ps.11:7)
More: http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/news_and_events/news/2018/peace_protesters_gather_outside_arms_fair

Poland’s Supreme Court ruled against a print-shop owner who refused to create a banner for a homosexual group. He believed it would be wrong to promote something that God calls sin. The matter began in 2015 when Adam J., turned down the project for the LGBT Business Forum. The matter went to the regional court which ruled against Adam. While Polish law allows refusal for a ‘justified cause,’ his religious convictions were not a sufficient argument. Poland’s minister of justice, Zbigniew Ziobro, filed an appeal to the Supreme Court, which upheld the ruling on 14 June. Ziobro said the ruling violates the freedom of conscience enshrined in the constitution. ‘It’s about principles not prejudice. If a service provider refuses to carry out a service, the customer may turn to their competitors.’ Alliance Defending Freedom International has now filed an intervention with the Constitutional Tribunal of Poland decrying the outcome of Poland’s high court.

Pray: for the decision to be overturned on the basis of Adams constitutional conscience rights. (Lev. 18:22)
More: https://christiannews.net/2018/06/22/poland-supreme-court-rules-against-print-shop-owner-who-declined-to-create-homosexual-event-banner/

The National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC Spain) has fined UK’s Revelation TV 6,000 Euro. The Christian ministry has broadcast in Spain through satellite since 2012. The fine comes after an individual complained to CNMC about one of the two-hour programmes which discussed a homosexuality news item for 13 minutes. The licensing authority said the show’s comments could be considered ‘threatening to the dignity of homosexual and transgender groups’. Revelation’s CEO said, ‘The programme was expressing a biblical view on the subject and homophobia had no part in it. We will take the matter through the courts if necessary. Our lawyers said that if they find us guilty they will have to find every Roman Catholic Church guilty also. Revelation TV is a Christian station, owned by a charity, dealing with issues form a Christian perspective. We look at the news, we have Bible study, worship, church services and everything you would expect of a Christian TV station.’

Pray: for Spanish courts to recognise the station is Christian, not homophobic and is also independent from Spain’s central government. (Ps.35:24,25)
More: http://evangelicalfocus.com/europe/3584/Spain_fines_Revelation_TV_6000_Euro_because_of_homophobic_contents

Attacks by a new Islamist militant group, Al-Sunna wa Jama’a, are being reported in Cabo Delgado province. Their first attacks targeted police stations. Since then more attacks and beheadings indicate a new jihadist movement in areas previously untroubled by Islamist extremism. Human Rights Watch reported 39 dead and 1,000+ displaced since May. On 5 June men attacked two villages with machetes and a small book in their hands reading loudly Arabic words from the book, before setting houses on fire. All the assailants had their faces covered and spoke Swahili. On 6 June, men with machetes and AK-47 assault rifles raided a neighbouring village, killing six and burning down 100+ homes. On 12 June, an elderly man was beheaded and another 100+ homes burned down when six men with machetes stormed Nathuko village. More. Also Missionary Heidi Baker appeals to Christians to pray for her work there

Pray: for God to comfort and protect those being terrorised and bereaved by this group. (Ezra 8:31b)
More: https://www.worldwatchmonitor.org/coe/39-killed-1000-displaced-by-new-islamist-group-terrorising-mozambique/

Fifteen years of civil war, combined with extreme poverty, a fragile political process and recurrent climatic shocks, have impacted strongly on Burundi’s economy and nutrition. Only 28% of the population have a sufficient, nutritious diet all year round and 58% percent are chronically malnourished. Food security for the majority of Burundians has not improved in recent years, despite a gradual return to peace. With a population growth rate of nearly 3% per annum and agricultural production having declined by 24% since the civil war began, people are going hungry. Even during the harvest season, families spend up to two-thirds of their income on food. Burundi is one of the countries identified by both the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) as being among the most affected by soaring food prices. After so many years of conflict, the capacity of the government to respond to this new challenge is limited.

Pray: for God to direct WFP, the FAO and NGOs to achieve zero hunger in Burundi. (Ps.23:1-3)
More: http://www1.wfp.org/countries/burundi

On 24 June protesters forced two major shopping centres in Tehran to close after the Iranian rial dropped drastically, despite government attempts to control currency rates. On 25 June more protesters swarmed Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, forcing shopkeepers to close. The shutdown came in protest at the economic performance of the government. Protesters believe the administration does not want to hear the voice of the people. They have repeatedly warned the administration to shore up its economic team, but now protesters are saying, ‘we realise that this team must change. The administration must speak to the people honestly and answer questions about its economic performance.’ Rouhani’s government has economy and unemployment challenges. Similar protests in early January saw 5,000 arrested and 25+ people killed when armed guards opened fire on protesters. There is widespread unease since America withdrew from Tehran’s nuclear deal and intends restoring sanctions. Online videos show security forces firing tear gas at protesters outside a police station. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-26/thousands-protest-in-iran-over-failing-economy/9909184

Pray: for Iranian’s legitimate demands not to be ignored or blamed on US plots. (Ps.65:7)
More: http://pknewspapers.com/iran/english/kayhan.html

Lebanon is the only Arab state not officially Muslim and has the highest proportion of Christians of any Middle East country. Although politically segmented, the constitution attempts to distribute power equally. The president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim and the speaker of parliament a Shia Muslim. Syrian refugees now comprise a quarter of Lebanon’s population. Some of Lebanon’s Christians can trace their origins as far back as the 5th century. For centuries, Christians have had a strong presence in the country, but a huge influx of Sunni Muslim refugees fleeing Syria is threatening the delicate political balance, bringing violence and complex political dynamics.  Shia militant Islamist group Hezbollah, provides protection for Christian communities against Sunni jihadi groups. Lebanese Christians are a minority group divided between opponents and supporters of Hezbollah and are more vulnerable than at any time in recent history; living in conflict, enduring poverty and facing aggressive Muslim attitudes moulded by years of sectarian divide.

Pray: for the bereaved, those with broken lives and the internally displaced. (Psalm 140:6,7)
More: https://barnabasfund.org/en/news/receive-news-updates/barnabas-aid-magazine#

Ocampo’s entire police force was arrested following the murder of a left-wing mayoral candidate, Fernando Angeles Juarez, after a previous attempt to question them resulted in one official reportedly being ‘chased out in a hail of bullets.’ Ocampo, is plagued by illegal logging and gangs. Their police force is accused of being involved in corruption as Mexico attempts to fight back against the drug cartels. There is escalating violence because there are far more elections being held simultaneously than ever before in Mexico. With over 3,400 local, state and federal posts at stake, there are 15,000+ candidates on the campaign trail and criminal groups want ‘their people to win’ so they can gain control over territory, through local governments. At least 18 candidates have been killed while running for political posts.  The 1 July elections will decide the presidency, governorships and Congress.

Pray: for those elected to be strong people prepared to fight back against corruption. (Ex.18:21)
More: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/06/25/mexican-towns-entire-police-force-arrested-in-connection-with-mayoral-candidates-murder-report.html

A Georgia police officer’s body camera showed him striking a fleeing suspect with his patrol car. He first attempted to block the fleeing man by swerving onto the kerb, then steered back onto the road and hit him from behind. After much deliberation, investigations were finally carried out and his employment was terminated. In Florida a family is calling for justice after a federal jury cleared a sheriff’s deputy of using excessive force when he shot a man dead in the man’s garage. The family were awarded just $4 in damages, that’s £3.06p, for funeral expenses and pain and suffering in a wrongful death lawsuit. The man was a 30-year-old African American and father of three.  The deputy was responding to a noise complaint about music coming from his garage. Over two years ago Amnesty International reported ‘Hundreds of men and women are killed by police each and every year across the United States’.

Pray: for police to respect and protect all, for robust scrutiny of police brutality. (Job 9:19)
More: https://globalnews.ca/news/4250394/georgia-police-officer-hit-suspect-with-car/

Tawanda is a Global Mission Fellow for ‘Peace Mindanao’ in the Philippines, working for human rights, peace education and conflict resolution. He is from Zimbabwe with a Bachelor of Social Science degree and a master’s degree in public policy and governance. He says, ‘God has always been involved in my life and it is through his grace that I was lifted from the dust to become someone.’ In May he was detained for overstaying his visa after initiating the process for an extension. Miracle is also a Global Mission Fellow with a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree from the Catholic University of Malawi. She serves the indigenous people. The Bureau of Immigration withheld Miracle’s passport, restricting her ability to return to Malawi. The United Methodist Church is calling for both their passports to be returned and for swift departures home.

Pray: for the success of this worldwide campaign and for answered prayer. (Ps.45:4)
More: https://www.umcmission.org/learn-about-us/news-and-stories/2018/june/letthemleave