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The European Baptist Federation (EBF) and the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE) have signed an agreement committing the two organisations to closer collaboration. The agreement was signed at a meeting of the EBF near Rome last week by its General Secretary, Tony Peck, and the General Secretary of the CPCE, Michael Buenker. The two organisations are now ‘mutually cooperating bodies’ and will attend each other’s council meetings and general assemblies. The agreement also binds them to regular joint meetings and consultations to explore points of common interest and concern. Peck welcomed the agreement as a ‘clear sign of closer cooperation. Both branches of the Reformation have much to give to each other and much to receive from each other,’ he said. Formal and informal relations already exist between many CPCE churches and EBF unions in several European countries, including Britain. Pray: for this move of cooperation will be a step towards bringing unity in God’s Church. (Jn.17:23) More:http://www.christiantoday.com/article/european.baptists.and.protestants.sign.agreement.of.cooperation/26815.htm
Negotiations between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus are advancing over the creation of a Eurasian Union, which would abolish customs duties and unify economic policies amongst participating countries. In February a Eurasian Economic Commission was established, with the fully ratified economic union expected to enter into force by 2015. The lengthy process of legal codification and harmonisation is under way. The Russian Permanent Mission to the EU held an informal presentation on Thursday 5th July aimed at clarifying the details of the union and reassuring EU businesses, concerned that the new union could become a ‘Soviet empire through the backdoor’. Representatives from the Economic Commission did not respond to questions over whether the Eurasian Union could be used by the EU to put political pressure on its members, especially Belarus, considered to be the 'last dictatorship in Europe'. The common economic space will see EU-style reforms, such as subsidies and state support for agriculture and handling of monopolies.
Pray: for a Eurasian Economic Union to be built on fair, honest and just trading, with consideration for the poorer communities. (Lev.19:15)
More: http://www.euractiv.com/global-europe/russia-pushing-forward-eurasian-news-513780
Coptic Church leaders across Europe have revealed they have been the target of threats in the wake of the New Year's Day bomb attack in Egypt. (See World article) A priest in Paris has made a complaint to police which has led to an inquiry by the anti-terror squad, reports say. A senior official in the UK says threats have been ‘outlined’ against two churches, and a bishop in Germany has called for government protection. The security concerns in Europe come days before Coptic communities celebrate Christmas on 7 January. Girguis Lucas, a priest at the Coptic Church of St Mary and St Mark in Paris, told AFP news agency that a member of his congregation had spoken of internet threats ‘from Islamic mujahideen who announced more attacks in Europe and especially in France and mentioned our church’. Bishop Anba Damian told German radio that his community had been warned by police about online threats by Islamists.
Pray: against these attacks on the Coptic Church as they celebrate Christmas and that God would confuse the enemy. (Ps.60:11)
Between December 28 and January 2, more than 2,700 young people from across Europe met in Offenburg, Germany, for the bi-annual Mission-Net conference. Primarily aimed at people ages between 16 and 30, the conference and its network encourage a Christian missional lifestyle that links spiritual expressions of faith with practical outworkings. Mission-Net is commissioned and supported by the European Evangelical Mission Association and the European Evangelical Alliance. The theme of the five-day conference was 'Work in Progress'. Around 75 theologians and speakers shared their thoughts on the topic through large-scale meetings as well as interactive seminars. Main speaker Karin Ramachandra spoke from the book of Nehemiah on the opening night, in which she stressed that all things are possible with God, regardless of how large our own shortcomings are.
Night after night they huddle together in groups, desperately trying to stay warm. The lucky ones scavenge blankets and plastic sheeting. Others sleep on the hillsides, waiting for help to arrive. While the world focuses its attention on events in the Middle East and North Africa, a humanitarian crisis is under way in Europe. This is Lampedusa, a tiny piece of normally unspoilt Italian paradise in the southern Mediterranean that has become a fetid refugee camp for thousands of desperate people fleeing turmoil and poverty. Located closer to Tunisia than to Italy, Lampedusa has long been accustomed to a trickle of refugees landing on its shores. But nothing could have prepared it for the onslaught that has overrun the population. Over the past two months, an estimated 20,000 migrants have flocked to the island in an exodus that has, until recently, been ignored by the Italian government and the rest of Europe. Pray: for the people of Lampedusa, Italy and the EU as they handle the many refugees that have invaded the island.
More: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/europes-twilight-zone-2260110.html
All EU countries – except Britain – have agreed on a new treaty for tighter fiscal discipline and deeper economic integration to save the euro currency. As attention turns to the legal details and ratification process, questions are raised, ‘what will happen to countries that fail to ratify?', with some fearing exclusion from 'the club'. Circumventing the British veto EU leaders led by France and Germany are pressing ahead with a new treaty of their own - an intergovernmental agreement outside the EU legal framework. The treaty text will be drafted by March 2012 and opened to ratification by countries outside the 17-member eurozone. Some commentators are saying, 'it's time for a two-speed even a three-speed Europe for anything constructive to get done.' Also Denmark took over EU rotating presidency last Sunday and will chair all decisions for the next 6 months.
Pray: for God in His mercy to influence all decision making processes in the first quarter of 2012 and for David Cameron to grow in wisdom and strength in the European arena. (Ps.2:10-12)
The Council of Europe's anti-trafficking watchdog has urged countries across the continent to step up the fight against human trafficking. The report by GRETA (Group of experts on action against trafficking in human beings) says that human trafficking is a ‘European tragedy’. The annual report claims that women, men and children are falling victim to sexual abuse, labour exploitation or being forced into criminality in countries across the continent. Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland said, ‘Many victims are still not being properly recognised or given the support that they need. Furthermore, problems with investigations and prosecutions mean that traffickers are not being sufficiently punished for their crimes. International organisations, national authorities and non-governmental bodies must work together to help put an end to these shocking human rights abuses, which have no place in 21st century Europe,’ he said.
Pray: that the tragedy of trafficking would be recognised and governments would take up the challenge to prosecute perpetrators. (Is.61:8)
A network of national funds should be introduced so the cost of bank failures are not met by the taxpayer, the EU internal market commissioner has said. Michel Barnier said such funds would provide part of a broader system aimed at preventing future financial crises. Banks would be required to pay a levy into the funds which would not be used to bail out failing banks, but manage failures in ‘an orderly way’. Mr Barnier said: ‘I believe in the 'polluter pays' principle. It is not acceptable that taxpayers should continue to bear the heavy cost of rescuing the banking sector. They should not be in the front line,’ he said. And the EU report said that any levies that banks were made to pay should not be passed on to their customers in the form of higher charges.
Pray: that this proposed levy would be found acceptable. (Lev.19:15) More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10159631.stm
Europe is currently experiencing ‘an atmosphere of intolerance in relation to Christians, as well as to representatives of other traditional religions’ according to one of the most influential figures in the Russian Orthodox Church. Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate's department for external Church relations also said that Europe needs to ‘discuss openly the violation of the rights of Christians’. He was speaking in Rome to a meeting organised by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to address the issue of discrimination against Christians. The meeting, entitled ‘Preventing and Responding to Hate Incidents and Crimes against Christians’, was organised by Lithuania,
which currently chairs the OSCE. Metropolitan Hilarion said that, while European civilization ‘is a culture that has developed on a Christian foundation’ it had ‘acquired a clearly expressed multicultural nature, having become a place of contact between peoples and religions from all over the world’.
Pray: that the people of Europe would remember their Christian foundations and revert to the truth. (Is.48:13-14a)
Disagreement between European countries over Libya has moved from the merely embarrassing to the wholly humiliating, after Germany again blocked Anglo-French no-fly zone proposals at a G8 meeting in Paris. The EU's Libya debacle is now the foreign policy equivalent of last year's eurozone meltdown, and similarly damaging to its global credibility and influence. Once again, Europe is being forced to confront an unpalatable truth: unless the US takes the lead, nothing gets done. Alain Juppé, France's foreign minister, suggested Europe had left it too late to stop Gaddafi winning. ‘If we had used military force last week to neutralise some airstrips and the several dozen planes that they have, perhaps the reversal taking place to the detriment of the opposition wouldn't have happened,’ Juppé told Europe-1 radio. ‘But that's the past. What is happening today shows us that we may have let slip by a chance.’ Pray: that God will have mercy on those who are afflicted and pray for wisdom for the EU over its decisions. (Ps.9:18) More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/15/europe-libya-intervention-eu-us