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Friday May 09 2008
- NTM: Hostage Update Jan. 4
- Religion Today Special Report: Groups Urge Bush to Protest Execution of Chinese Pastor
- LAM: God places missionary in strategic ministry
- Compass Direct: Coptic 'Convert' to Islam Jailed for Attempted Murder in Egypt
- VOM CALLS ON CHRISTIANS TO PRAY FOR CHINESE PASTOR SENTENCED TO DEATH
- AMS: CMS Summer School to go on Despite Fires
- EA (UK) News: The Evangelist's Mandate
- INDIA MAIL, 4 January 2002.
- WM: Forty Additional Centres Within Sydney and Regional NSW to Collect for WESLEY MISSION'S BUSHFIRE by mta07.mail.mel.aone.net.au with SMTP
NTM: Hostage Update Jan. 4
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Sat, 5 Jan 2002 10:42:15 +1100
Reply-To: "Ramon A Williams"
Date: Sat, 5 Jan 2002 10:30:25 +1100
Organization: Worldwide Photos Ltd
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----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2002 9:08 AM
NEW TRIBES MISION
HOSTAGE UPDATE
January 4, 2002
Team encouraged; meeting set
MANILA, The Philippines (Jan. 4, 2002): NTM's contingency team was greatly
encouraged this week by the time two team members spent with Rep. Todd
Tiahrt
(R-Goddard, Kansas) during his visit to the Philippines.
Rep. Tiahrt met with Philippine government and military officials, including
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, regarding kidnapped NTM
missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham, who are from Kansas.
NTM's meeting with Rep. Tiahrt was very positive, and the mission
appreciates
his efforts on behalf of Martin and Gracia. Next week, two other members of
NTM's contingency team, based in the USA, are to meet with the
representative
in Washington, DC.
There have also been some changes on Basilan Island, where the Burnhams and
Philippine nurse Deborah Yap are being held hostage by members of the Abu
Sayyaf Group. Marines who have been pursuing the kidnappers are being pulled
out and redeployed to Jolo Island, where other Philippine forces are engaged
in battle.
Army Scout Rangers are coming to Basilan to take their place.
Please pray that the meetings Rep. Tiahrt had with Philippine officials will
bring constructive change in the Burnhams' situation. Pray that the meeting
next week between Rep. Tiahrt and NTM leaders is productive. And pray that
the
change in the military forces on Basilan Island will be productive.
Thank you for continuing to pray for the soon and safe release of Martin and
Gracia, and Deborah Yap.
Martin, 42, and Gracia, 42, from Kansas, were kidnapped May 27 by Abu Sayyaf
from a resort off the island of Palawan in the Philippines. Martin grew up
in
the Philippines, where his parents have been missionaries for more than 32
years. The Burnhams have been members of NTM since 1985.
* * *
Last Friday's update incorrectly stated that the Burnhams had spent nine
months in captivity. As of Thursday, Dec. 27, they had been held for seven
months. We apologize for the error.
* * *
New Tribes Mission plants indigenous churches among unevangelized people
groups in remote areas around the world. For more information, go to:
www.ntm.org
To subscribe to this group, send an email to:
ntm-burnhams-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
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Religion Today Special Report: Groups Urge Bush to Protest Execution of Chinese Pastor
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Reply-To: "Ramon A Williams"
Date: Sat, 5 Jan 2002 08:39:16 +1100
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----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2002 3:14 AM
Execution of Chinese Pastor
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____________________________
Religion Today Feature Story
a close-up look at the people, issues and events making news
http://news.crosswalk.com
January 4, 2002
**Religion Today Special Report**
Groups Urge Bush to Protest Execution of Chinese Pastor
Freedom House and the Committee for Investigation of Persecution of
Religion in China issued an urgent appeal Jan. 3 to President George W.
Bush to protest China's planned execution of Pastor Gong Shengliang,
founder of the Christian South China Church.
His appeal of the execution is to be decided by the Supreme Court of
Hubei Province, in central China, by Saturday, Jan. 5, 2002. If an
appeal is denied the execution is usually carried out within one week.
"In 1997, international protest saved the life of Peter Xu, pastor of
the underground evangelical mega-church 'All Ranges' or 'Total Scope,'
who was reportedly given the death penalty for his work in the
underground church," said Nina Shea, director of Freedom House's Center
for Religious Freedom. "It is urgent that President Bush, who has on
several occasions publicly deplored religious persecution in China,
speak out now against this unspeakable assault on religious freedom,"
she said.
Pastor Gong, 46, was reportedly sentenced to death on Dec. 5, 2001,
after the Intermediate People's Court of Jingmen, a city in Hubei
Province, found him guilty of using a cult to undermine the enforcement
of law and of malicious assault and rape.
He and 16 other church leaders were arrested sometime after Aug. 9,
2001, after the church was classified as an "evil cult" by government
authorities and an arrest directive was issued in a "top-secret"
document.
In addition to Gong, four other leaders were sentenced to death, but
their sentences were suspended, possibly indicating that they will be
commuted to life terms. Gong's deputy and 37-year-old niece, Li Ying,
who is responsible for evangelization and publishing, was given one of
the suspended death sentences. Relatives state that Chinese authorities
severely tortured her in prison. The rest were given prison sentences
ranging from two years to life.
An Aug. 9, 2001, "top secret" government document bearing the official
seal of the General Squad of National Security and Defense of Beijing
Bureau of Public Security, labeled the South China Church an "evil
cult." The document (a translation of which is available on the Center's
webpage at www.freedomhouse.org/religion) discusses the arrest of the
leaders of the South Church movement, its publishing activities, its
bank accounts and allegations of rape and assault by Gong.
The official document orders "the security squad, surveillance squad,
domestic defense squad, relics protection squad and all the local public
security offices" to carry out the arrest of Gong and other top leaders
of the church and the "complete demolition of [the church's]
organizational system."
This is the first time the top-secret document is being released
publicly. It was muggled to the West and obtained by the Committee for
Investigation of Persecution of Religion in China, a New York based
human rights group founded by Mr. ShiXiong Li in 2000.
"Given the source of the document, it is inconceivable that this
directive did not originate at the highest levels of the Chinese
government," said Ms. Shea.
"We were told that giving China WTO status, granting it Permanent Normal
Trade Relations status, awarding it the 2008 Olympic games, would all
have moderating effects on China. Instead what we're seeing is the most
draconian measures against Christian leaders since the anti-cult law was
adopted three years ago," Shea observed. "China continues to arrogate to
itself the rights to determine religious doctrine, determine what is
Christian heterodoxy, and designate religious leaders in direct
violation of the international human rights covenant that it has
signed," Shea stated.
Pastor Gong is viewed as one of China's most influential underground
Christian leaders. According to the secret document, The South China
Church, founded by Gong in 1991 as a break-off group from Peter Xu's All
Ranges Church "quan fan wei" [also known as Total Scope Church or Born
Again movement], is a large evangelical church estimated to have at
least 50,000 members in eight provinces in China. It is respected as an
orthodox Christian group among the underground Chinese Christians with
whom Freedom House spoke.
Hubei province is an important center of Protestant Christianity in
China. Pastor Gong is well known within Chinese Christian circles as a
third-generation Christian from a pious family. He is married and has
several children. He is currently being held in the Jingmen detention
center in his native Hubei Province. Pastor Gong had been in hiding for
several months after the Public Security Bureau placed him on a most
wanted list for unauthorized religious activity.
Those who know Gong say he is facing trumped up charges of assault and
rape. Gong was apparently set up by local Hubei police who forced women
members of the congregation on Aug. 18, 2001, to strip off their clothes
and then kicked and physically abused them until they were bruised and
bleeding to make it appear they had been raped.
Two of the women have since repudiated the rape charges, in a letter to
the Committee for Investigation of Persecution of Religion in China (on
file at Freedom House), in which they say they made the allegations
after being tortured by electricity in police custody. It has not been
unusual for Chinese authorities to charge religious leaders with rape in
an attempt to discredit them and reduce their stature among their
followers.
"The fact that the Chinese security police issued a directive ordering
Pastor Gong's arrest for religious activities shows their political
determination to eliminate him," Shea commented.
*This report was forwarded courtesy of The Persecution & Prayer Alert,
The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada -- http://www.persecution.net
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LAM: God places missionary in strategic ministry
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Reply-To: "Ramon A Williams"
Date: Sat, 5 Jan 2002 08:36:01 +1100
Organization: Worldwide Photos Ltd
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----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2002 6:13 AM
FEATURE STORY: Free for use by any media
Photos available upon request
An amazing fulfillment;
God places missionary in strategic ministry
IN BRIEF: LAM missionary Kristen Clyde prayed that God would send her to a
mission project involving experienced mentors, youth ministry, university
outreach, undergirded by prayer. Today, Kristen is working in this community
near the port city of Cadiz with an experienced pastor and his wife from
Puerto Rico, reaching out to youth near a large regional university, and is
involved in daily prayer in a region that she feels is at the heart of the
struggle for the soul of Spain. In addition to the official activities
involved in planting a church, Kristen reported that she is also reaching
out to other residents of her sea-front apartment building. "When I moved
here, I started praying for every neighbor in this part of the building,"
she explains. "Now I have seven neighbors who come to visit and a girl I met
on the bus also comes to visit the church service. I want to bring at least
one new person to each service." -Latin America Mission
LATIN AMERICA MISSION
An amazing fulfillment;
God places missionary in strategic ministry
By Kenneth D. MacHarg
LAM News Service
Puerto Real, Spain (LAMNS) - For Kristen Clyde, God's hand in her placement
on
the mission field is totally evident.
"I felt that I wanted to serve with a couple that had experience and had
done ministry before," she says. "I wanted a ministry with a focus on youth
evangelism in a town with a university. And, I wanted a ministry that
involved prayer and spiritual warfare."
Today, Kristen is working in this community near the port city of Cadiz with
an experienced pastor and his wife from Puerto Rico, reaching out to youth
near a large regional university, and is involved in daily prayer in a
region that she feels is at the heart of the struggle for the soul of Spain.
"All of the things worked out amazingly," she remembers. "They want to plant
a church here like their church (back in Puerto Rico), and I want to plant a
church like their church.
Kristen, who is a missionary with the Latin America Mission, can trace her
call to mission service back to when she was eight years old. "I knew that
the Lord was calling me to missions, that is why I studied at John Brown
University," she explains. "I knew I was going to do church planting, that's
why I studied evangelism."
Kristen was born in San Diego, California, and lived in Colorado Springs,
Colorado, Wilmore, Kentucky, and Butler, Carthage and Springfield, Missouri
as her father served as the pastor of United Methodist churches in those
towns.
Now, in this corner of Spain, Kristen is putting her training to work as she
meets and presents the gospel to her neighbors, counsels with youth and
prepares a regular radio program in English to meet the needs of U.S.
service personnel at a nearby military base.
"We have a service every Tuesday night in someone's home," Kristen says. "On
Monday we have a watch service-praise, worship and prayer-as an intensive
preparation against spiritual warfare. Thursday evenings we have a Bible
study for our team and on Friday we do evangelism."
The team's evangelistic outreach involves a variety of activities from
distributing tracts in the market to holding an impromptu service in the
town plaza that lasts until 2 a.m. "That service attracted a lot of young
people," Kristen remembers. "Many of them wanted to know a little more about
Jesus. Three youth received Jesus as their savior and have started to visit
our church."
The team has obtained nearly 1,500 videos of the Jesus film to distribute to
every home in Puerto Real.
In addition to the official activities involved in planting a church,
Kristen reported that she is also reaching out to other residents of her
sea-front apartment building. "When I moved here, I started praying for
every neighbor in this part of the building," she explains. "Now I have
seven neighbors who come to visit and a girl I met on the bus also comes to
visit the church service. I want to bring at least one new person to each
service."
Kristen's efforts are slowing bringing results. "Here in Spain, things don't
happen quite a quickly as they do in Central America or the United States,"
she explains. "I can't tell you how many people I've witnessed to or invited
to church that haven't come. They listen to me and they listen about God,
but when it comes to attending the service, they are not very open to
coming."
But, she is not giving up. "I feel patient and blessed that God has brought
people to every church service we have had."
Members of Kristen's team find their ministry in Spain challenging. "I met a
pastor who had only six members after 15 years," explains Nandy Perez, the
Puerto Rican pastor, who along with his wife Rowena, leads the church
planting team. "But, they are open and will talk with you," he affirms.
Nandy says that among Spain's over 40 million population, only 88.000 are
evangelical Christians. But, he says, the opportunities for ministry are
growing. "Seventy million tourists visit Spain every year, among them a
million and a half Muslims who cross the Gibraltar states to visit their
families. That is a good opportunity to evangelize people."
Despite hardships, the team is not discouraged. "This is the time for
Spain," Kristen says. "The Lord is going to change things. He is already
changing the spiritual realm and starting to break down barriers.
Latin America Mission works in partnership with churches and Christian
agencies throughout Latin America and supports missionaries and projects in
many Latin countries as well as in Spain. LAM is seeking to place new
missionaries throughout the region. The U.S. headquarters can be reached at
Latin America Mission, Box 52-7900, Miami, FL 33152, by e-mail at
info@lam.org, or by calling 1-800-275-8410. The mission's web site may be
found at
Drive, Unit 14, Missassauga, ON L5L 5M6.
#
This news story is supplied by Latin America Mission News Service.
Permission is granted to any publication, broadcasting organization, news
service or web site to use the information contained herein. Tear sheets or
notification of use would be appreciated.
For further information, contact Latin America Mission News Service at
LAMNewsService@lam.org, or at any of the contact addresses below. A
complete file of past LAM News Service stories may be accessed at the
following URL:
We apologize if this story has reached you in error. To be removed from
future mailings, please reply to this message with the word REMOVE in the
subject line.
__________________________________________
Kenneth D. MacHarg
Communications Coordinator/Missionary Journalist
Latin America Mission
P.O. Box 52-7900
Miami, FL 33152
Phone: 305-884-8400, ext. 11
Fax: 305-885-8649
Toll free: 1-800-275-8410
Email: kmacharg@lam.org
Web site: www.lam.org
Who is Jesus?: www.ccci.org/whoisjesus/interactive-journey/
¿Quién es Jesús?:
http://www.powertochange.org/es/jesus.html
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has gone, the new has come!
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17-18
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Compass Direct: Coptic 'Convert' to Islam Jailed for Attempted Murder in Egypt
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Sat, 5 Jan 2002 08:57:40 +1100
Reply-To: "Ramon A Williams"
Date: Sat, 5 Jan 2002 08:32:30 +1100
Organization: Worldwide Photos Ltd
charset="iso-8859-1"
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2002 6:58 AM
FLASH NEWS from COMPASS DIRECT
Global News from the Frontlines
**********
COPTIC 'CONVERT' TO ISLAM JAILED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER
Egyptian Pharmacist Stabs Mother-in-Law in Child Custody Dispute
by Barbara G. Baker
LOS ANGELES, January 4 (Compass) -- Nearly two years after allegedly
converting to Islam, a Coptic Christian pharmacist broke into the home of
his parents-in-law, wildly stabbing his wife's mother and sisters with a
large knife.
The angry attack six weeks ago in El-Fayoum, 70 miles south of Cairo, was
apparently in response to the Egyptian husband's failure to gain visitation
rights and custody of his two young daughters from a local court. Dr. Hanna
Kamal Hanna Morgan, 39, was arrested and jailed without bail on charges of
attempted murder.
Morgan had been plagued with mental illness for a decade when he suddenly
left the psychiatric hospital ward where he was undergoing treatment for
paranoid schizophrenia in February of 2000 and signed a formal certificate
of conversion to Islam.
Although his wife, Dr. Ines Emil Kamal, attempted to annul the conversion
document on the basis of her husband's mental incompetence, the Egyptian
appellate courts ruled against her last August and again in October. The
judgments declared that since her husband was now a Muslim, she no longer
had any legal relationship with him that permitted her to open such a case.
Under Egypt's Muslim family law statutes, the father automatically retains
custody of his minor children. Although Hanna had filed legal suit to
regain visiting rights and custody of his two daughters, he and his lawyer
reportedly failed to appear at a hearing set earlier in November, causing
the court to cancel the case.
During the attack, which occurred on November 20, Morgan was not aware that
his youngest daughter, 21-month-old Dina, was asleep in another part of the
house. His wife and seven-year-old daughter Mirna were both absent from the
home at the time.
Morgan's mother-in-law was hospitalized for 11 days with serious stab
wounds requiring the surgical removal of her spleen. Two of her daughters
were also stabbed in the attack and treated for their injuries.
Interestingly, local police officials booked Morgan under his original
Coptic name, rather than Abdullah, the new Muslim name recorded on his
conversion certificate. A new Egyptian identity card is not believed to
have been issued to Morgan, pending the outcome of the legal cases in
process.
A few weeks after Morgan's arrest, he was caught with a mobile telephone in
his prison cell. Relatives of his wife confirmed that Morgan had threatened
them by telephone in early December. The jailed pharmacist has since been
transferred to El-Fayoum's Fidimin Prison.
Morgan's wife has remained in hiding with her children for most of the past
year to prevent her mentally unstable husband from finding them. Although
she has managed to get a minimum-wage job in another city, she has been
unable so far to return openly to her profession as a medical doctor.
Her husband's violent attack has left her "still a bit frightened," a close
Coptic friend told Compass in early January. But since for the foreseeable
future he remains behind bars to stand trial for attempted murder, her
fears have been put to rest that Morgan would manage to gain legal custody
of their daughters, who are listed on his conversion certificate as
Muslims.
According to an El-Fayoum source, Morgan had been openly supported since
his alleged conversion by a local Islamist group "who provided him with the
necessary guard and funds," in cooperation with State Security officials in
the city. El-Fayoum is a known center of operations for several extremist
organizations, including the banned El-Heidaya El-Islamya group.
***A photograph of Morgan and his family is available electronically.
Contact Compass Direct for pricing and transmittal.
END
**********
Copyright 2002 Compass Direct
Compass Direct Flash News is distributed as available to raise awareness of
Christians worldwide who are persecuted for their faith. Articles may be
reprinted by active subscribers only.
For subscription information, contact:
Compass Direct
P.O. Box 27250
Santa Ana CA 92799-7250
USA
TEL: 949-862-0314
FAX: 949-752-6536
E-mail: compassdirect@earthlink.net
www.compassdirect.org
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VOM CALLS ON CHRISTIANS TO PRAY FOR CHINESE PASTOR SENTENCED TO DEATH
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Reply-To: "Ramon A Williams"
Date: Sat, 5 Jan 2002 08:28:10 +1100
Organization: Worldwide Photos Ltd
charset="iso-8859-1"
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2002 2:54 AM
DEATH
NEWS RELEASE
The Voice of the Martyrs, Inc.
PO Box 443
Bartlesville, OK 74005
(918) 337-8015
Fax: (918) 338-8832
www.persecution.com
Contact: Gary Lane
(918) 337-8015
RELEASE DATE: IMMEDIATE
VOM CALLS ON CHRISTIANS TO PRAY FOR CHINESE PASTOR SENTENCED TO DEATH
South China Church Pastor Gong Shengliang to be executed within days if his
appeal is denied
The Voice of the Martyrs is making an urgent appeal to Christians around the
world to pray for Pastor Gong Shengliang. Pastor Gong was reportedly
sentenced to death last month after a court in Hubei Province declared him
guilty of using an "evil cult" to "undermine the enforcement of the law"
and of "complicity of rape."
"This man of God will most likely be martyred by the Chinese government if
Christians and western government leaders do nothing," said Voice of the
Martyrs spokesman Gary Lane.
VOM asks that Christians around the world get on their knees and pray for
divine intervention for Pastor Gong and 15 other members of the South China
Church who are now facing sentences ranging from two years to life.
"We are also asking that Christians contact the Chinese government to
express their feelings about these arrests and possible execution of Pastor
Gong," said Lane. " We need to be a voice for these Christians whose voices
have been silenced by the government in Beijing."
Founded in 1990, the South China Church reportedly claims at least 50,000
members throughout China. While the Chinese government has labeled the
church an "evil cult," VOM sources claim the church is evangelical. The
sources say charges of rape against Pastor Gong came as no surprise because
Chinese government authorities often use false charges of rape to discredit
pastors and legitimize their arrests. Rape accusations were reportedly made
against two cult leaders executed in the 1990's.
The Supreme Court in Hubei Province may make a decision about Pastor Gong's
appeal this coming weekend. If the court rejects his appeal, Pastor Gong's
execution would possibly be carried out before the end of the month.
VOM has obtained a copy of a top secret Chinese government document that
proves the South China Church was under heavy surveillance by the Public
Security Bureau (PSB). The document is critical of Pastor Gong's vision for
the church. He is quoted as advocating to, " Bring the gospel to the whole
nation, cultivate a Christ-like culture, and create a nation-wide church."
He is also quoted as urging church members to, "Put on the whole armor given
by the Lord, fight a bloody battle with the devil till the end, so that
Satan's authority will be destroyed and the kingdom of the ever-lasting God
will be established." The PSB believes that Pastor Gong's remarks about the
devil and Satan actually are a reference to the government and the Communist
Party.
"If Pastor Gong's remarks prove some kind of "evil cult" plot against the
Chinese government, then Billy Graham, D. James Kennedy, Jerry Falwell and
Pat Robertson would also be guilty," said Lane. "These statements and
beliefs are preached by most evangelical pastors in America."
"Perhaps President Bush was a bit premature when he recently granted Beijing
permanent normal trade relations," said Lane. "The arrest of these
Christians and the death sentence against pastor Gong is unacceptable
behavior for China and any member of the WTO."
Contact:
Ambassador Yang Jiechi
Embassy of the People's Republic of China
2300 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20008
Tel: (202) 328-2500 Fax: (202) 588-0032
Email: chinaembassy_us@fmprc.gov.cn
35 Years of Serving the Persecuted Church
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AMS: CMS Summer School to go on Despite Fires
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Reply-To: "Ramon A Williams"
Date: Fri, 4 Jan 2002 22:41:07 +1100
Organization: Worldwide Photos Ltd
charset="iso-8859-1"
ANGLICAN MEDIA SYDNEY
http://www.anglicanmediasydney.asn.au/2002/010.htm
January 4, 2002
CMS SUMMER SCHOOL TO GO ON DESPITE FIRES
The Rev John Menear, general secretary of CMS NSW, has released a statement
saying the CMS Summer School at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains would
continue in the next week as planned.
"There is no danger from fires at Katoomba. Some smoke is visible in the
vicinity but it due to backburning," he said.
However CMS expects that the fires will make it difficult for some people to
attend, especially if roads on the NSW South Coast continue to be closed.
CMS and the Katoomba Christian Convention are holding regular briefings with
the State Emergency Service (SES).
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EA (UK) News: The Evangelist's Mandate
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EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE (United Kingdom)
PRESS RELEASE
4th January 2002
"WHAT IS THE EVANGELISTS ROLE?", ASKS 2002 EVANGELISTS CONFERENCE
"The Evangelist's Mandate" is the title for this year's Evangelists'
Conference at Swanwick, Derby, from February 6th to 8th. Is the evangelist
the person brought in to preach and ask for a response? Or is there more to
it? These are some of the questions that Karen Lowe, Phil Wall and Andy
Hickford will be analysing in the popular annual conference.
"Some of the most significant steps in my walk of faith have been shaped by
God through the Evangelist's Conference" said Phil Wall. "As our world
changes faster than any of us can imagine, it is more important than ever
that we are clear, not just on the what, but on the how of the Evangelists'
Mandate".
For details call (020) 7207 2133, email evanconf@eauk.org or check out
www.eauk.org
Ends
Media enquiries: lmadden@eauk.org
Press Department Evangelical Alliance
email: eapress@eauk.org www.eauk.org
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INDIA MAIL, 4 January 2002.
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Date: Fri, 4 Jan 2002 22:21:54 +1100
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Sent: Friday, January 04, 2002 10:05 PM
INDIA MAIL, 4 January 2002.
MARANATHA FULL GOSPEL ASSOCIATION had its humble origin in 1963 with
4 students in the Maranatha Bible Institute. Today there are about
1800 students and 260 churches established by the former students.
Most of them are pastors and some are leaders of missions and
organisations. There are 4 Bible colleges / institutes.
Construction of Bible college building (II phase) is to be started at
Bangalore.
SADHU SUNDER SINGH EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION runs a Samaritan
Residential School at Yelagiri Hills near Vellore, Tamil Nadu. About
200 students get quality education, starting from primary level to
higher secondary. Children of mission workers are also studying in
this school. This school is looking for committed Christians with a
heart for young people to work as an Accountant, Vice Principal,
Warden and teachers.
BOMBAY URBAN INDUSTRIAL LEAGUE FOR DEVELOPMENT (BUILD): was started
in 1973 to uplift the slum people. The work in the slums carried out
by BUILD workers includes legal education programme, health and
nutrition education, leadership training, and programmes for women.
BUILD also helps the slum dwellers to bring out their own
newspaper `Mashal'. On relevant social issues BUILD has
brought out occasional publications. Address: Post Box 16695, Mumbai
400 050.
NATIONAL CELEBRATION FOR WOMEN: About 500 women leaders will be
gathering together under the banner of the Evangelical Fellowship of
India. They are from 27 States and 2 union territories, as well as
from the neighbouring countries. The theme is 'Celebrate and Press
On in the Millennium'. We would like women to praise God for what He
has done through women in the Kingdom of God in India and beyond.
The Conference will be held at the Assembly of God Church in Kolkata
from the 7th to the 9th of January 2002. On the 8th Christian
leaders in Kolkata (Men and Women) are invited to a special programme
in the afternoon 'Women and Nation Building'.
UNREACHED MEGA PEOPLE GROUP - BALAI: The Balai are weavers and
village watchmen and they are considered low-caste. Their estimated
population is 2,100,000. They live in Rajasthan, New Delhi,
Maharastra, Uttar Pradesh and Orissa. In Hoshangabad, the Balai are
also called Mahar. Their primary languages are Hindi, Mewari,
Marwadi and Marathi. Many became Christians in 1897 to escape their
degraded position. (Unreached Mega Peoples of India, p.28) May they
hear the good news of Jesus Christ and know His greatness.
CALL TO AMEND FAMILY COURTS ACT: Disappointed by the functioning of
family courts across the country, the national Commission for Women
in tandem with the Department of Justice was asked to take suitable
steps to amend the Family Courts Act (FCA) 1984. But so far only 84
family courts have been set up in 17 states and 1 Union Territory
even though Section 3 of the Act requires every State Government to
establish one in a city or town with a population exceeding one
million. (The Hindu, 30 December 2001, p.10)
CREATE RESCUE CELL FOR SEX WORKERS: The Delhi High Court has directed
the women and child department to approve funds for the creation of a
rescue cell in the Delhi Police. (The Times News Network, 2 January
2002.)
WOMEN PRISONERS' PLIGHT: A recent report by the National
Commission for Women (NCW) has drawn attention to the deplorable
condition of women prisoners in the country. The report says that the
condition of women prisoners has hardly changed from what it was over
a decade ago. It says that the women undertrials, who constitute 72
per cent of women prisoners, are the worst off. Many of them languish
in jails for several years for petty offences, when in fact they
could have been let off after a warning or a short stint at a
protective home or correctional centre. They been denied timely
justice and basic rights that even convicted prisoners are entitled
to. Thousands of women undertrials are denied access to literacy and
vocational training. They are not allowed to work and if they do work
they are not paid for it. Deccan Herald, 28 December, 01
INDIA MISSIONS ASSOCIATION started this year with a day of prayer on
2nd January 2002.
In partnership with Gospel Echoing Missionary Society, IMA has
organized Bi-vocational Training from 5th to 13th January in Dehri-
on-Sone, Bihar.
The January - March 2002 issue of `Indian Missions' is on the
theme `The Lordship of Christ'. To receive a copy, please write to
We wish you a very happy New Year 2002.
Compiled by IMA Research Team and mailed by INDIA MISSIONS
ASSOCIATION,48, 1st Main Road, East Shenoy Nagar, Chennai - 600 030.
Phone: 044-6444602
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WM: Forty Additional Centres Within Sydney and Regional NSW to Collect for WESLEY MISSION'S BUSHFIRE by mta07.mail.mel.aone.net.au with SMTP
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Date: Fri, 4 Jan 2002 19:19:05 +1100
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Sent: Friday, January 04, 2002 6:42 PM
FOR WESLEY MISSION'S BUSHFIRE APPEAL
WESLEY MISSION
Sydney
FORTY ADDITIONAL CENTRES WITHIN SYDNEY AND REGIONAL
NSW TO COLLECT FOR WESLEY MISSION'S BUSHFIRE APPEAL
Embargoed: Not for publication or broadcast until 5.30am, 5 January, 2002
More than 40 Wesley Uniting Employment (WUE) centres in NSW will operate as
collection points for Wesley Mission's public appeal for bushfire victims.
The centres are in addition to the seven Wesley Mission services already
collecting cash, clothing and furniture in Sydney and beyond.
From Monday, 7 January all 46 WUE offices located in Sydney, the Hunter, the
mid-North Coast, North Coast, Illawarra, South Coast, Riverina and Central
Coast will be accepting cash donations. (Call 1800 631 132 for the nearest
WUE office. WUE centres are open between 8.30 am and 5 pm.). A full list is
also located at
"Wesley Mission has been inundated with offers of furniture and clothing,"
said Graeme Cole, Wesley Mission's Communications Manager. "People have
shown great generosity and goodwill but there is a big need for cash
donations. We are encouraging people to make cash donations at their nearest
Wesley Uniting Employment Centre."
Wesley Mission has received toys, furniture, white goods, and electrical and
kitchen goods. It has also been asked to fully furnish seven homes that will
act as interim accommodation for displaced families.
Large donations of meat, tea, vegetables and other food have been forwarded
to bush fire fighters and other emergency service providers. Other
fundraising efforts include:
* A Wesley Mission Bushfire Collection appeal at tonight's
Sydney Kings V Melbourne Tigers national basketball game at the Superdome,
Homebush Bay.
* Kandos horseman Alan Watts is riding from Kandos to Canberra
to raise money for Wesley Mission's bushfire appeal. Mr Watts leaves Kandos
next Thursday, 10 January and will be asking for donations along the route.
He plans to make Canberra by 20 January.
* A furniture collection outside the Wesley Uniting Employment
office, Port Macquarie from 12 noon. Norm's Minimovers of Port Macquarie
will be delivering furniture from the north-coast to Sydney for distribution
to bushfire victims.
* On-line donations at www.wesleymission.org.au
Further information: Graeme Cole 0408 470 722
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