Miracle amid tornado: church survives without injuries
A pastor is praising God for a miraculous outcome after an F1 tornado tore off part of his church’s roof during a worship service. Around 100 people, including young babies, were present at Crossroads Ministries in Finleyville, Pennsylvania, when the tornado hit, but no one experienced significant injuries. The tornado caused the church steeple to fall and part of the roof to be lost. Rev Ken Barner, in a video message to his congregation, detailed the events, noting that his wife Rhonda was leading praise and worship at the time. ‘I witnessed what I would say is a miracle’, Barner said. He emphasised that God's presence was felt throughout the ordeal: ‘The God who stays stayed with us,' he said. Due to the damage, the church could not meet on Sunday but plans to reconvene at another location the following week. Rhonda described the frightening moment when the lights flickered, and she heard a loud noise, followed by shattering glass and breaking windows. Congregant Lynn Michigan called it the scariest experience of her life. The church community seeks prayers as it rebuilds and recovers from the damage.
Thy Kingdom Come: The Prayer, 19 May, 5pm
Thy Kingdom Come is encouraging all Christian youth groups across the country to meet on Pentecost Sunday afternoon from 5-6 pm. As part of this session, they can join online with the rest of the nation from 5:15 to 5:35 pm. During these 20 minutes, there will be contributions from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, Rachel Gardener and the team from The Way. This special Pentecost online gathering will conclude with everyone uniting nationally in praying the Lord's Prayer at 5.30 pm. The vision is that 'Together, we can make Thy Kingdom come: The Prayer a moment that resonates across the nation. Let's raise our voices and unite in saying the Lord's prayer with faith that God hears and answers the prayers of His people.' See
UK ministers visit Saudi Arabia to boost trade ties amid ‘lethal force’ reports
UK Cabinet ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, are visiting Saudi Arabia to strengthen trade ties amid reports of Riyadh authorising lethal force to clear land for a new desert city. Dowden is leading a 450-strong delegation of British businesses at the two-day summit aimed at promoting economic ties. Downing Street defended the visit after the BBC reported claims of Saudi forces using deadly force to evict villagers for The Line, a 105-mile-long metropolis in Neom. See Rishi Sunak’s spokesman emphasised the importance of the UK-Saudi relationship and confirmed ministers would address human rights concerns. Campaigners criticised the visit, urging an independent investigation into the reported killings. Amnesty International highlighted the need for businesses to assess risks in Saudi Arabia. Dowden announced a new joint task force for higher education cooperation and projected a £3 billion investment from Saudi Arabia to sustain 2,000 UK jobs.
Keir Starmer makes pre-election pitch with six pledges
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is set to outline six pledges as part of his pre-election pitch. These commitments include establishing a border security command to tackle criminal gangs behind small boat crossings and also the recruitment of 6,500 teachers. At an event in Essex, Starmer will say these pledges mark 'a decade of national renewal’. The six steps are: 1) sticking to tough spending rules for economic stability; 2) cutting NHS waiting lists with 40,000 more weekly appointments funded by tackling tax avoidance; 3) launching a border security command; 4) establishing Great British Energy, a publicly-owned clean energy company; 5) increasing neighbourhood police officers to reduce antisocial behaviour; and 6) recruiting 6,500 teachers by ending tax breaks for private schools. These steps will form a key part of Labour's election campaign. The Conservatives criticised the plans, arguing their current policies are effectively strengthening the economy and immigration system. Labour's pledges aim to prove the party's reliability with public money and defence.
