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‘Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.’ This was the Scripture used to call a gathering of European Christians in Prague from December 1st-3rd. For many years Europe has been on the periphery of the Holy Spirit’s blowing. Delegates at the conference took a stand believing if the European nations come together and start building a unity in Europe God will command a blessing. Christians in Europe are taking a stand against a divided Europe. The delegates intend to start to learn what is happening in particular countries and begin praying for one another. The delegates also acknowledged, ‘It is possible that this unity cannot come about without repentance of the things we have been guilty of in the past because we trespassed against other countries. We should also repent of all prejudices we have against other countries and their people.’
Pray: for God to bless this initiative towards unity. Pray also that the desire to pray together will grow and birth more ‘Prayer Watches’ and ‘Houses of Prayer and worship’. (Is 40:3)
Organizations working with the homeless, the country's largest opposition party, the political party likely to lead Prague after autumn elections and homeless people themselves are all speaking out against the plans by City Hall to build an ‘integrated assistance centre’ for the homeless on the outskirts of the city. Plans approved by the City Council last week will see a new centre being built within six months in Malešice, an industrial area on the eastern edge of the capital. Facilities planned for the centre are described as ‘an oasis’ for the homeless. Homeless people would be registered but would not be required to live in the new space but would be encouraged to go there. Ilja Hradecký, chairman of a Christian charity that works with the homeless, described the idea as ‘absolutely misconceived’ and would either see people leaving the camp each day after being taken there against their will or being ‘interned’, something that he termed a violation of human rights. Pray: for wisdom to result from the debate over Prague’s homeless. (2Cor.8:9) More: http://www.praguepost.com/news/5501-outcry-as-city-approves-controversial-homeless-plan.html
A tense calm has returned to the Czech Republic where officials say some 100 far-right activists have been detained in violent demonstrations against gypsies, also known as Roma. Officials said arrests were made in at least eight cities, which resembled a warzone on Saturday. Riot police used teargas to prevent hundreds of far-right activists from entering a district mainly inhabited by Roma. There were violent clashes between stone-throwing protesters and police in what rights activists viewed as a show of hatred towards the already discriminated and largely impoverished Roma minority. Advocacy group Amnesty International had urged the Czech government to ‘ensure that these protests do not lead to violence against Roma communities, and that those at risk get the protection they need’. Rights activists held counter demonstrations in several cities, including in the capital Prague. Government officials said the anti-Roma protests were fuelled by what they called ‘a list of lies’ distributed through the Internet. (See Prayer Alert 32-2013)
Pray: that the activists that instigated these protests and hate moves against the Roma will be stopped.
More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/30084-news-watch-czech-republic-detains-100-in-massive-anti-roma-protests
Supporters of the late president Lech Kaczynski of Poland are refusing to take down a cross they placed outside the presidential palace in Warsaw, a move that is igniting political tensions between secularists and nationalists. The 13 feet high cross was put up soon after the crash on April 10 of the presidential plane killing the president, his wife and 94 others. Calling themselves Defenders of the Cross, many who have gathered around the cross belong to the nationalist Law and Justice party. The party is led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the twin brother of the late president. With important local government elections due in the autumn, analysts say, Law and Justice is trying to recover its popularity. The church has refused to be dragged into the controversy. On Thursday, it took the unusual step of calling on all sides to find a compromise in a dispute it claimed was being exploited for political reasons. Pray: that the Cross might unify rather than divide. (Mt.5:9) More: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/14/world/europe/14poland.html?_r=1&ref=europe
The Costa Concordia, believed to be the largest cruise ship flying the Italian flag, struck rocks in shallow water off Italy's western coast on Friday. The cruise liner captain accused of abandoning ship reportedly claimed he was unable to lead the evacuation because he slipped and tripped into a lifeboat while helping passengers leave the stricken vessel. The captain did however admit responsibility for crashing the ship into rocks forcing him to ground the vessel. See http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/18/costa-concordia-captain-tripped-lifeboat The name Concordia is Italian for harmony. Ironically, a Swiss national told national daily La Tribune de Genève he was listening to the theme tune from the film Titanic in the restaurant with his brother Kevin at the time of the accident. However, he said staff incompetence in evacuating the stricken vessel bore no comparison to the Titanic disaster. ‘Besides kitchen staff, who helped, there were no crew members,’ Mr. Sgaga is quoted as saying.
Pray: for God’s to rule and reign over this disaster, giving encouragement to survivors, comfort to family and friends of the deceased and those still not accounted for and that this will not become an ecological disaster. (Ps.47:8)
European Council President Herman Van Rompuy has voiced concern about Europe's ‘energy dilemma’. Opening the European business summit in Brussels on Wednesday, he said, ‘It's now becoming clear; eventually Europe may well be the only continent in the world to depend on imported energy. Already by 2035 our dependence on oil and gas imports will reach more than 80 per cent. This will have an impact on the competitiveness of our companies, and of our economy as a whole. He said he wanted the ‘energy dilemma’ to feature on the agenda at next week's Brussels summit of EU leaders and heads of state. In a keynote speech, Van Rompuy said that reviving job creation and growth was Europe's ‘foremost’ political priority. Other aims are fighting unemployment and supporting growth in the near term and strengthening the economic and monetary union.
Pray: for the Brussels summit as it gathers next week that wise decisions will be made by the delegates. (Pr.1:5)
In February of 2011, the World Health Organization dubbed Moldova the world's leading nation in per-person alcohol consumption, reports Mission Network News. Reports show that the average Moldovan consumes 18.22 litres of alcohol annually--three times more than the average of 6.1 litres. Other former Soviet nations on the list of heavy alcohol consumption included Russia, Ukraine, Estonia and Belarus. In Moldova, there is a special provision in the government budget for treatment of alcohol, but that government provision is not enough and churches are stepping forward to help alcohol abusers as well. Slavic Gospel Association reports that its affiliated evangelical churches are deeply grieved at the level of alcohol abuse in their communities. In response to the crisis, many SGA churches have begun Bible-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation ministries, which SGA partners help support when possible. These programmes not only provide care for overcoming the addiction, but they provide the life-changing Truth of the Gospel message as well. Pray: that the work of the Church programmes will have a significant effect among those in need. (Ro.12:21)
‘We're living in globalised times causing groups to feel insecure about their identity which has become radicalised and closed rather than open to others,’ said the director of the Church and Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches (CEC). In early April the CEC launched a ‘Euro-Arabic Dialogue’ in Crete to determine how Christian and Muslim groups can build on existing relationships of trust. ‘In Europe where religion has often been seen as a problem public opinion hasn't been concerned about the fate of religious communities. This is changing now as false images of religion give way to a greater awareness of its contribution to the common good. It isn't up to churches to suggest practical action, we're calling for a clear warning of consequences to continued persecution.’ Some say Christians present a soft target because they don't fight back - but many Muslims view Christians as a strong missionary network and are on the defensive. Pray: for decisions made by this group and other similar meetings to usher in God's spiritual provision over Europe. (Ps.125:3)
Next year's World Day of Prayer will be focusing not on Malaysia, Chile or Cameroon (as the last three did), but on our neighbouring France. While France is often thought to be a Catholic country, now only five per cent of the country would identify themselves as such, and 74 per cent of French people have never opened a Bible. And although when thinking of France we often imagine great food, good wine and a long cultural history, it also has the highest rates of depression in the world. Over 90 per cent of the country's towns and villages have no evangelical church. However, the evangelical church has seen a growth of nearly 10 times since 1950, and half of this number are younger than 35. And there is a new evangelical church planted somewhere in France every 10 days.
Pray: that our prayers will help towards a revival of the church in France. (Ps.85:6)
More: http://www.eauk.org/current-affairs/news/church-planting-in-france.cfm
‘The entire wealth of the Church is at the disposal of the country so that we c
an stand on our own two feet and not relying on foreigners,’ Archbishop Chrysostomos said after meeting Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades early on Wednesday. The Church of Cyprus is a major shareholder in Cyprus's third-largest domestic lender, Hellenic Bank. Unless Europe, the International Monitory Fund or Russia give Cyprus more money or the banks will go bust. Cyprus has become the tax evasion centre for Russian oligarchs. It is doubtful Angela Merkel would agree to a bailout blueprint that causes German taxpayers to subsidise Moscow billionaires with a German election looming this autumn. Anastasiades - a month in the job - gathered party leaders and the governor of the central bank at his office on Wednesday and was due to hold talks with officials from the EU, European Central Bank and IMF while Finance Minister Michael Sarris was in Moscow negotiating a Russia bail out to safeguard high levels of Russian deposits in Cypriot banks.
Pray: for God in His mercy to sort out the looming turmoil that would affect ex-pat European citizens. (Ps.20:1)
More: http://news.yahoo.com/cyprus-throws-bailout-disarray-seeks-russian-help-074339638--sector.html