Half a million in grants to support the dignity of life
Thanks to the generosity of parishioners up and down the country, the Catholic Archbishops of England and Wales were able to distribute over £500,000 in grants in support of life over the last two years. The annual Day for Life is dedicated to celebrating the dignity of life from conception to natural death and the annual collection taken up in Roman Catholic parishes on the last Sunday in July each year is used to give grants to life-related activities supported by the Catholic Church. The Archbishop for Day for Life, Archbishop Bernard Longley said: ‘I wish to extend my thanks to the generosity of parishioners up and down the country who give so generously to the Day for Life collection each year. Your generous giving enables us to support so many worthy projects and organisations – all working in different ways to promote the dignity of life from conception to natural death.’ Pray: for the generosity of parishioners this Sunday and that their donations will be powerfully used. (Dt.15:10)
British Forces training teams in Afghanistan
British Forces training teams are on target and have just finished training 1000 Afghan soldiers. The recent conference on Afghanistan has endorsed President Hamid Karzai's goal that Afghan forces should lead security operations across the country by 2014. Hopefully this will encourage a new determination for peace and unity. (See also World item below) The number of British military personnel killed on operations in Afghanistan since 2001 stands at 324 after two soldiers were shot dead while trying to rescue a wounded colleague in the Lashkar Gah district of Helmand province on 21 July. Of all those killed, 39 have died from accidents, illness, or non-combat injuries. Others have yet to be assigned a cause of death. Pray: for the families of all the soldiers who have lost their lives and for supernatural intervention to bring about real peace and unity in Afghanistan. (Job.22:21) More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-10687527
Spiritual encounters at London Psychic Fair
The annual ‘Mind Body Spirit’ Psychic Festival in London, England claims to be at the forefront of innovation in the world of the supernatural, natural healing, and personal growth. Thousands of people who attended this year’s festival were looking for advice, direction in life, healing and new products to make life better – everyone was looking for practical and spiritual solutions. This year Youth With A Mission had a booth at the festival, staffed by volunteers ready to talk with and pray for festival-goers. The teams were pleasantly surprised by how open people were to talk to them and receive prayers for blessing and healing. Many of the people who received prayer later brought friends back because of the impact of the words of truth and hope spoken to them. The team would pray throughout the day asking God for specific people and situations He wanted to address. Pray: that all the divine appointments will bear fruit and lead to many new believers. (Zec.10:2) More: http://www.ywam.org/News-Stories/news/Spiritual-Encounters-at-London-Psychic-Fair
Kosovo: An important week
Two and a half years have passed since Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia, but the initial flood of recognitions has slowed to a trickle. The country is in limbo. What do Mauritania, Swaziland, Somalia, Djibouti and Vanuatu have in common? Not a lot, but they are the only countries that have recognised Kosovo as a sovereign state this year. Kosovo is supported by the United States and the EU heavyweights, but with it’s path to UN membership firmly barred by Russia and China on the Security Council, and with a clear majority of countries having decided, for now, not to offer it recognition. Serbia wants to get into the EU, and many worry that a protracted struggle over Kosovo will annoy Britain, France and Germany. Kosovo wants to be a normal country, that can apply for UN membership. Pray: that Kosovo will at last be recognised and that Russia and China would withdraw their objections. (Ps.37:3-4)
More: http://blogs.aljazeera.net/europe/2010/07/19/important-week-kosovo
