Displaying items by tag: Praise

‘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.

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’.

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’.

The Salvation Army has been praised for its support for members of the emergency services who responded to a fire at the Glasgow School of Art, in a building which had been undergoing a multi-million-pound restoration project. Volunteers prepared hot rolls and Irn Bru drinks for police officers and firefighters who were called to the landmark Mackintosh Building on the night of 15 June. The fire service’s chief officer, Alasdair Hay, praised the ‘warm-hearted’ response of both the Salvation Army and emergency crews. The Salvation Army rarely receives the recognition it deserves as it works with children and families, the homeless, the elderly, and those in poverty. It influences social policy and is involved in removing modern slavery and domestic abuse.

In Algeria, friends asked for prayer after their church in Aïn Turk was closed by the local authorities. After seven months, the authorities finally reopened the church. In Turkey, Pastor Ramazan Arkan leads two congregations in Antalya, just 12 miles from where Paul and Barnabas planted a church in New Testament times. His growing church is reaching out to many young seekers in this city of two million people. Iran is one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a Christian, yet thousands of underground Iranian believers are practising their faith in secret. For those with no-one to talk to about Jesus, SAT-7’s satellite Christian broadcasting has become not just a television channel, but also a virtual pastor, church, community and friend.

Luis Tejada is Panama’s record goal-scorer. He grew up in some of the toughest neighbourhoods of Panama City, learning to fight for his dreams in an environment in which kicking a ball well was one of the few ways out. ‘I have lots of friends who are now in prison, others who have died. The truth is, I don’t know what would have become of me if I hadn’t become a footballer. For this reason, I thank God that He grabbed me in time and took control of me.’ Read his story by clicking the ‘More’ button.

The World Cup,from 14 June to 15 July, provides an amazing opportunity for Christians to reach sports people in their local areas through putting on events like a sports quiz or a five-a-side tournament. Christians in Sport have partnered with Scripture Union to provide resources to be used in sports clubs, churches or schools. They have also created a short film, ‘The Greatest Event in the World’, to show at events or share on social media. The film looks at the wonder of the World Cup and compares it to what is an even greater story - that of Jesus' life, death and resurrection.

You recently prayed for a change in visa rules regarding trained medical staff because they were not working in the best interests of NHS patients. The Home Office has now decided that foreign doctors and nurses will be excluded from the government's visa cap. This will be a huge relief for NHS trusts across the country, which have been really struggling to fill their doctor and nurse vacancies. Some believe that Home Secretary Sajid Javid’s latest move could indicate a new direction for immigration policy post-Brexit.

On the anniversary of the Grenfell Tower disaster, many survivors describe their inability to forgive and their need to find someone to blame. In the midst of darkness and sorrow Ray’s story stands out. He welcomed seven of his neighbours into his top-floor flat, offering refuge while awaiting rescue. Later it was found that they had sat on his bed, while Ray sat on the floor at their feet. In an inquiry full of sadness and grief, we heard Ray's family describe him as a hero. His actions that night reflect a love that is so often absent from our society. He welcomed his neighbours into his home and gave them a space on his bed as they took their final breath. Ray loved his neighbours as himself.

‘Sometimes, the world can conspire against you. My mother died of leukaemia, and my business started to fail. I suffered severe depression, and one night I was actually standing on the balcony of my flat in London, getting ready to jump.’ In that moment of desperation, Majumdar experienced something quite profound. ‘The people in the flat below started cooking and opened their windows. The smell of beautiful Lebanese food came up to me.’ He suddenly found himself more hungry than suicidal; he came down from the ledge and cooked a meal  (later named ‘life-saving dahl’) for himself. As he did so, his life began to turn around. He is now an author, TV personality and food aficionado who has made a name for himself in the food and entertainment worlds. To read Majumdar’s story of hope, click the ‘More’ button.