Graham quoted from a letter he received during the week calling Christians to support their brothers and sisters in Mosul, Iraq. As promised, the document is available here for those who would like to see a copy.
Click here for the letter.
We’re very pleased at how well Tuesday’s Alpha at the Biltmore went. The Biltmore is a beautiful restaurant, suave and sophisticated but enough about me, the Biltmore is a pretty special place. Altogether there were 15 of us, we were served our complimentary food and drink and enjoyed a little dinner party for about 40 minutes. Then Graham, the senior pastor gave his powerful testimony of how Jesus transformed his life. It was a great night. The coming weeks should be splendid.
On Sunday the 21st of September 2008 we dedicated Isaac George Bartram to the Lord and on Sunday the 28th September 2008 we dedicated Paul Chidumaga Onyeukwu to the Lord.
Our first ever Micro Church will be at 7.30pm this Wednesday (1st October) upstairs in Pivo Bar. Pivo Bar is on Patrick Pool in the city centre (see map below). This is an exciting experiment, hope you can make it!
We have received an email from Christian Solidarity Worldwide. Some of had received the sort of text message mentioned. The fact is, if all those Christians living in fear for their lives in India at the moment sent us text messages the phone network would freeze up.
CSW recommend that we write you our members of parliament. The text of their message is below.
CSW is aware of a number of text messages circulating about threats to Christians in Orissa. The situation in Orissa remains extremely volatile, with threats and attacks continuing to take place. However, we do not consider such text messages to be an accurate indicator of the present situation. CSW is working on the ground with local partners in order to make detailed, accurate and authentic assessments of the situation and to determine the most appropriate path to take with regard to relief, taking into account the responsibilities of the government in the area.
We would encourage all:
to continue to pray for the restoration of peace,
to write to the Foreign Secretary to ask for a statement to be made,
to write to MPs to request that the UK government raise the situation with the Indian government and urge for the immediate restoration of order and the prosecution of the perpetrators of the violence.
You can find details of the outbreak of violence in Orissa by clicking here
The Next Alpha is to be held in the classiest restaurant in York, The Biltmore. Tuesdays from 14th October (not 7th due to a double booking), 7.30pm. We will be seated up in the gallery, there is room for 20 so if you know someone you’d like to bring, tell me (John Usher - john@REMOVEyorkelim.com - the “remove” is to stop spambots getting my email address, you’ll need to delete that before you send) quick. There will also be food served at no cost to the guests.
On Saturday, we witnessed the union of Paul Kevin Donovan and Gemma Louise Whittaker in marriage before God. Two individuals who love Jesus and have regularly attended York Elim for some time now. We pray every blessing on their marriage.
What a terrific day Sunday was! Initially we were only baptising five but three more felt they had procrastinated enough and wanted to be baptised also. On top of that we said “Hello” to our new pastor and his family and “goodbye for the summer” to some students with a Church Lunch and book stall. With sixteen baptisms in three months, I sense growing momentum among us. Exciting stuff.
Sunday 22nd June is Elim’s World Missions Sunday which is always the Sunday nearest to the anniversary of the Vumba Massacre which took place on 23rd June 1978 in Zimbabwe. On that day nine Elim Missionaries and four of their children were brutally attacked and killed. If you want to find out more, download the Vumba brochure from the Elim Missions Website. On World Missions Sunday please pray for the families of those who lost their lives. Pray too for all our missionaries and national workers that they will receive a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit to enable them to reach people with the gospel.
NORTH KOREA
Please join Christians worldwide for a Global Week of Prayer for North Korea from 23rd-29th June to pray for change in this nation. North Korea is one of the most repressive and isolated countries in the world. Opposition to the gospel is extremely harsh and from a young age North Koreans are taught to worship their leader. Those who escape to China are forcibly returned to suffer torture and even execution. Pray that:
· the enforced idolatry will be broken and there will be religious freedom
· God will uphold believers living in this hostile environment and give them strength and protection
· Christians who do manage to escape will not be detected
· those seeking to take the gospel to North Korea will be protected and the Holy Spirit will guide them and give them wisdom in all they do
· the gospel will spread and the church grow
EAST AFRICA
Pray for Paul Hudson, West & East Africa Missions Director, who will be visiting East Africa 23rd-27th June. Pray for safe travelling and good meetings.
ELIM MISSIONS SHORT TERM TEAMS
A training day for those going to Romania and India takes place on 24th June in Manchester. Pray this will be a good time of fellowship and learning for those attending.
WEST ASIA
Pray for the K family who have returned from West Asia to settle back in the UK. Pray that all the good work they did in the country they were in will bear fruit in the days ahead. Pray for the family as they settle back in and that they will find the right accommodation, work and schools quickly.
SOUTH KOREA
Jonathan and Sungjoo Aird are the proud parents of a son, Lawrence Irenaeus, born 18th June, a brother for Elizabeth, Amethyst and Jesse. Continue to pray for Amethyst who has been diagnosed with scoliosis and may need surgery. There has been some improvement, pray this will continue.
HONDURAS
Some great news just received. Walter and Valerie Huezo have been holding youth meetings over three days and 30 young people have been saved and set free by the power of God. Pray that they will grow in their new faith. Walter and Valerie believe that God will move mightily through the youth of Honduras.
TURKEY
Thank you for your prayers for Phil’s mother. After two months of not been able to get out of bed and eating very little, she has recovered really well and is out of bed, eating and talking. Pray that this answer to prayer will bring Phil’s family to know Jesus as their Saviour.
ZIMBABWE
Only God can change the situation in Zimbabwe and together our prayers can make a difference. If you are able, please join with us at either 8 am, 1 pm or 8 pm each day for just one minute to pray for change in Zimbabwe. Thank you.
