Stoke Mandeville Stadium, the birthplace of the Paralympic movement, is to host the world's first Paralympic opening night community festival. According to a news release, the event will feature adults and children of different abilities having fun together. The free event, from 6pm to 10 pm on Aug. 29 marks the opening of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Between three to five thousand people will experience huge inflatable games, opportunities to try Paralympic sports, a multi-sensory zone, art and craft activities, puppets and giant bubbles. The news release said the opening ceremony will be shown on a big screen, accompanied by a free barbeque. The organizers are the Aylesbury Churches Network, comprising 14 churches of different denominations. The group is also underwriting the costs and providing at least 200 volunteers on the night. The Aylesbury churches are working with More Than Gold, the agency helping churches use the Games to serve its communities and visitors.

Pray: that the festival will bring a wonderful spirit of unity with those of different abilities sharing together. (Php.2:1-2)

More: http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2012/s12080166.htm

Four years ago Ellie Simmonds burst into public consciousness amidst an eruption of tears which followed her historic 100m freestyle victory in Beijing. Great Britain's youngest-ever Paralympic champion at 13 went on to claim another gold in the 400m six days later and the teenager returned to the UK as the new superstar of her sport. Simmonds though is not someone who craves the limelight and she admits that her journey from China to London has not been an easy one. ‘I loved every moment of Beijing and when it finished I was on such a low,’ Simmonds told BBC Sport. It has also taken the swimmer time to adjust to her near celebrity status and frequently being stopped in the street by members of the public requesting photographs. ‘Sometimes you think 'can you just leave me alone' and I can become a bit agitated, but you just have to roll with it.’

Pray: for all athletes that they would be an inspiration to other participants and to those who will watch. (2Cor.3:13)

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/disability-sport/19361665

Jon Burns, UK director of More Than Gold said other nations have picked up ‘real gems’ from their London experience. Countless churches have used the Games as opportunities to serve communities. One church in the East End hosted a holiday club that’s been packed with Muslim children, and parents were saying they want their children to ‘hear this stuff.’ Mr Burns commended cross-denominational groups for working together and gave the examples of five churches in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire who attracted crowds of 6,500 to watch the opening night on big screens. Volunteers operated on a ‘traffic light’ system - working in a LOCOG or ‘red area’, they simply served the community - working in a church area ‘green area’ they talked openly about their faith.

Pray: that the Christian legacy of unity will continue long after the Olympic and Paralympics finish. Pray also for even more success as churches build up towards the Paralympics big screen and holiday club events. (Jn.17:20)

More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/churches.see.incredible.results.in.outreach/30463.htm

Weymouth’s Bayside Festival for the Olympics has gone into liquidation. But churches from the area are helping shocked stallholders and security staff. Festival organisers closed their gates on Friday, blaming poor attendance. The Rev Anni Douglas, co-ordinator of Weymouth and Portland churches Refresh 2012 said, ‘We sent our volunteers round the site to see how people were feeling, listening to them and providing refreshments. They really appreciated it and we had a good response,’ she added. Refresh 2012, set up by the local churches to provide activities, youth events and exhibitions at the Olympic sailing site, were also hit by the closure. Refresh 2012 had offered to meet with the festival organisers Mainsail Ltd and the borough council on Friday to try to rescue the event. But their offer to mobilise an army of 300 local church volunteers to run the site and keep it going fell on deaf ears.

Pray: that the Christians in Weymouth will still be able to serve the community with offers of God’s love. (1Pet.4:10)

More: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16898

The umbrella organisation pulling together evangelistic efforts for the London 2012 Olympics has just embarked on its last church training tour before the big event begins in just a few months. More than Gold's nine-week tour will give churches in 15 cities a final heads up on effective engagement during the Games and the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. The Get Set training days will give churches valuable advice on how to prepare high quality activities and serve their communities. Sessions will cover how to serve as lay chaplains at key transport hubs or as 'Games Pastors', how to run successful festivals and big screen events, and how to use the torch relay to engage with the community. The tour began in Sussex and in the coming weeks will visit Cardiff, Glasgow, Belfast as well as the English cities of Reading, Stoke, Bath, Gateshead, Barnsley, Weymouth, Bolton, Stevenage, Nottingham, plus three London venues.

Pray: that these training days will truly equip these Christian volunteers for the task.

More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/churches.get.set.for.olympics.outreach/29276.htm

A church in Otley, Yorkshire, is celebrating the Olympic silver medal win by Lizzie Armitstead as she finished the Women’s Road Race on Sunday. She grew up in Otley and was in Junior Church at the Bridge United Reformed Church. She was also part of the Bridge Church Scout group. Her parents, John and Carol, are still members of the church, and her grandfather, the Rev Jeff Armitstead, is a retired URC minister. The congregation sent a card to Lizzie prior to her big race and sped home from Sunday worship to make sure they didn't miss her fantastic cycle road race. The church had planned a special ‘Sing Olympics’ for the evening worship and the mood was especially celebratory after Lizzie won Team GB's first medal of the London 2012 Games. Church Treasurer Andrew Howard said, ‘Many of the church members have known Lizzie since she was a baby, and have watched her progress over the years. We are all absolutely thrilled that one of our own has had such success.’

Pray: that Lizzie and other Christians living in the Olympic Village will shine and reveal the Light of Christ amongst their fellow Olympians. (Mat.5:14-15)

More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/church.celebrates.lizzie.armitsteads.olympic.win/30378.htm

Up to 9,000 Christians gathered at Leyton Orient Football Stadium last Saturday for a day of prayer and worship for the London Olympics. The stadium is located next to the newly completed Olympic Park, which in just a few weeks' time will welcome athletes and thousands of spectators from around the world for the London 2012 Games. Light the Fire is the only stadium event of its kind taking place in Britain this year that is dedicated solely to praying for the Olympics. The event is brought together Christians from different churches across London and the UK to pray that God's purposes will be achieved during the Games. They are also prayed that people will come to know God's love as a result of the church outreach that will take place during the Games. Project Director, Rosy Ashley said, ‘God has given the church in the nation an amazing opportunity to share His love with the thousands of visitors flocking to the capital.’

Pray: for ‘Light h Fire’ and let us all add to their prayers for the Olympics over the coming weeks. (1 Ch.16:31)

More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/christians.pray.ahead.of.london.olympics/29910.htm

The bullet wounds in his legs weren't more than an hour old when USC sprinter Bryshon Nellum asked doctors the only question that mattered to him at that momen:. 'Do you know if I'm going to be able to run again?' On Oct 31, 2008, a man Nellum didn't recognize jumped out of the passenger seat of a car, approached him and fired a shotgun as the sophomore walked home. Metal pellets ripped through both of Nellum's legs. Limping to the sidewalk he crumpled to the ground as the gunman and an accomplice sped away. The doctors told me, 'You'll be able to walk again but we don't think you'll ever have the world-class speed you had before.' Once I knew I was going to be able to walk, I told myself I was going to do whatever it takes. It took 44 months and three surgeries, but Nellum fulfilled that vow. He earned a spot on the US Olympic team with a stunning third-place finish in the finals of the 400 meters at the US Olympic trials.

Pray: that God will be glorified in Nellums life showing forth His miraculous healing power. (Ps.119:133)

More: http://bleacherreport.com/tb/d7Zhm?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=olympics

As the London Olympics came to a close, two Christian athletes were being honoured for acting out their faith in the world of sport. British rower Debbie Flood and decathlete Bryan Clay have been given the Eric Liddell Award. The award, which is named after the man made famous through the film Chariots of Fire, is to celebrate character and influence in the world of sports. The Team GB star was given the award after founding Creativity in Sport - an initiative aiming to give troubled youths a start in life. While the US former champion is recognised for his work starting up the Bryan Clay Foundation to help young people reach their potential. Bryan said ‘it's not easy to stay true to your faith in athletics.’ The awards were given out during the Legacy Breakfast which is an event put on by More than Gold, the group co-ordinating the Church's response to the Games.

Pray: for both athletes and their work outside sport; may it be an inspiration to others. (Matt.5:16)

More: http://www.premier.org.uk/news/current/Christian%20Olympians%20honoured.aspx

With Oscar Pistorius’ unexpected defeat in the men’s T44 200 metre race on Sunday night came an upsurge of interest in the technical side of the Paralympics, namely - do longer blades give the runner an advantage? Although Pistorius has always insisted that changing blades will not affect an athlete’s performance, what is evident is that the Paralympics - more so than the Olympics - are technology driven; the athletes rely on state of the art equipment to enable them to perform to the best of their ability. With this in mind, it is perhaps predictable but disappoining to hear that many Paralympians do not have access to the essential equipment that they need, or the funds to buy it. Through the Roof (www.throughtheroof.org), a Christian organization which donates wheelchairs and equipment to disabled people all around the world, has based itself in St John’s Church - right next to the Olympic park - to give away wheelchairs to Paralympians who need them.

Pray: for the work of Through the Roof and for the many people who have benefited from their gifts. (2Cor.4:15)

More: http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2012/s12090027.htm