Prayer Alert News: UK, Europe, and Worldwide

Little Worship Company is a new project which offers a range of co-viewing products designed to inspire and delight children aged 0 – 7 years, while helping families worship and discover God together. Finding the right resources that will equip children on this important journey to build their relationship with God can be challenging. The company’s beautifully crafted products are designed to support both children and grown-ups, with a range of inspiring and entertaining media, built on a solid Bible curriculum. A 32-lesson pack can be used as individual sessions, or split and delivered over a number of weeks. It is designed to support educators, children’s workers and volunteers in delivering highly engaging, interactive children’s sessions in Sunday schools, family services, or school assemblies.

Praise: God for well-designed, entertaining resources which help families to engage with God. (Deut.11:19)
More: littleworshipcompany.com/

Twelve-year-old Matt Martinson truanted from school, experimented with drink and drugs, and spiralled into a life of crime. Petty offences escalated to drug dealing, burglary and armed robbery. He was jailed for 11 years following an armed raid on a post office in York. After serving nearly four years – during which time he drew alongside a prison chaplain and came to faith – he was released. After study and much commitment he was eventually ordained as a priest. Matt, now aged 44, explained, ‘I remember being in prison and hearing God say to me, “One day you will be a vicar”. I burst out laughing saying, “Didn’t you hear what the judge has sentenced me to?”’ He now ministers to people who are hurt and lost, reaching out to them with grace and telling them, ‘No matter what you may have done in the past, there is a loving God to turn to’.

Praise: God for His amazing healing power and salvation for all who will believe. (Luke 19:10)
More: www.premier.org.uk/Across-the-UK/North-of-England/Convicted-armed-robber-appointed-vicar-in-Carlisle

Celtic Christianity once flourished in this nation. Spiritual wells were established and God’s Spirit flowed, bringing renewal and revival. The wells are still there today – underground, but blocked and covered over. World Horizons wants simultaneous groups to worship and pray at all the major spiritual wells of the past, asking God for the living water to rise up again! This is not just a UK event, it will be happening all over Europe. On Friday 21 June we will thank God for all his wonderful works over 2000 years. The next day we can ask him to send new life to these places again today – reopening ancient wells as Isaac did. On 23 June, ask him to send revival to the whole of Europe! Can you gather a group to worship and pray at a spiritual well near you? Was there a saint or powerful preacher like Wesley, or a monastery? If you feel called to take part please contact

Pray: for the spiritual wells of Europe to be reopened. (Genesis 26:18)
More: europeswells.org/

A message from Prayer for Scotland: ‘”All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation – and he has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18,19b). While we await the outcome of the process to elect a new leader of the Conservative party who will be our next Prime Minister, the Brexit debate has died down. However, the fundamental issues have not disappeared and will be faced again very soon. As a country we are completely divided – as we have been since the referendum 3 years ago. While the Scripture text is about the reconciliation of sinful man with God through the Cross, we, the Church, God’s ‘ambassadors on earth’, are also called to reconcile individuals and groups who have serious disagreements with each other. Prayer can bring supernatural power to bear on a situation that seems impossible to solve. With God, nothing is impossible.’

Pray: for the prayers of our nations to unlock doors that are bolted, and change hearts and minds to see God’s way forward. (Psalm 18:30)
More: www.prayforscotland.org.uk/our-vision/

People with disabilities come from many walks of life; they can be businessmen and women, professionals, manual workers or pastors; they struggle and need counsel; many are children at risk. People with disabilities need the gospel. Neglecting to evangelise these individuals means neglecting 1/7 of the global population. The church must be revitalised, not only to minister to, but also to equip, empower, and enable those with disabilities to engage fully in ministry and service. Current mission and church leadership must realise the reality that for the body of Christ to express itself fully in line with God’s design, the disabled must be involved as strategic ministry partners. Lausanne Global Classroom helps fulfil these goals, and seeks to inspire young leaders, established leaders, churches, organisations, and movements to understand the importance of disability concerns in all their ventures.

Pray: for more people to be comfortable reaching out to the disabled. (2 Samuel 9:13)
More: www.lausanne.org/lausanne-global-classroom/disability-concerns-episode

In what is believed to be a UK policing first, the Metropolitan Police Service has announced that new police constable recruits will be able to join the service in a part-time role from November. They will complete police training part-time, and hit the streets of London part-time.. The new scheme was born out of the Met’s celebrations to recognise the contribution of women to the service over the last 100 years. However, the opportunity is open to both men and women, and it is hoped it will help achieve the Commissioner’s long-term ambition of a police service in which men and women are equally represented. Part-time policing will give the flexibility to balance their work and family life.

Pray: for the success of part-time workers serving the public in various roles. (Luke 22:26b)
More: news.met.police.uk/news/met-announces-that-police-constables-can-now-join-the-met-in-a-part-time-role-372263

Hospitals are meant to start cancer treatment within 62 days of an urgent GP referral. Government cancer strategies have always insisted that meeting that deadline is vital in order to ease patient anxiety, lower the risk of complications, and improve outcomes. It is impossible to tell exactly what impact waiting longer might have: much depends on the type of cancer and whether it is diagnosed at an advanced stage or not. Nearly three-quarters of services are failing to meet that deadline. The worst performer was the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells trust, which saw fewer than 61% of patients within 62 days. Bosses there said they had seen a larger surge in demand than in other services. Other trusts have also pointed to increased demand, with the biggest regional centres seeing the most complex cases that tend to take the longest time.

Pray: for faster diagnosis, system bottlenecks to clear, and more doctors and nurses to be recruited. (Psalm 71:20)
More: www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-48600926

The New IRA claimed responsibility for a sophisticated high-powered bomb under the car of a police officer, who was lucky to escape with his life. The attempted attack, at a Belfast golf course, was the first carried out by the New IRA since journalist Lyra McKee was shot dead in April. The bomb contained a mercury tilt switch; any sudden movement triggers an explosion. The device would have exploded if it was not for the level terrain the car had travelled on. An IRA statement read, ‘We were unlucky this time but we only have to be lucky once’. Two cars linked to the bomb attack were set on fire in Belfast the following day. One of the vehicles had Dublin number plates. The conflict in Northern Ireland, which has killed thousands, has political and religious roots that are centuries old. Pray for God to remove ancient spiritual stubble and roots that are still producing hatred in the land (Malachi 4:1).

Pray: for communities to decry the recent rise in violence, and for support for the IRA to end. (Isaiah 5:20)
More: www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2019/06/07/news/-ira-say-they-tried-to-kill-psni-officer-1636686/

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) borrowing includes catalogue credit, store cards and retailers finance at the point of sale. New measures require retailers to present BNPL offers more clearly, give adequate explanations of costs and negative consequences; and prompt people when the 0% interest period expires to allow them to repay the full balance before incurring charges. Debt charity StepChange welcomes the modest changes, but doubts whether they will fully achieve their objective. It would like to see a closer look at the use of discounts and incentives, and would like to see continued scrutiny in this area, to ensure consumers are protected against poor practice. Citizens Advice said, ‘The new rules won’t stop people being hit by unexpected costs on unpaid amounts. To protect people better, the FCA should only allow firms to charge interest once the promotional period ends.’

Pray: for improved protection for people who are vulnerable due to health or a changed financial situation. (Leviticus 25:35)
More: www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/28427

Moscow police had detained Ivan Golunov, an anti-corruption journalist, for alleged drug offences. However, they had to drop charges against him after his arrest caused displays of support from other Russian journalists and cultural figures, 25,000 people expressing their disgust on Facebook, and a threatened protest march. Police involved in the case were removed from duty pending investigations, and President Vladimir Putin will be asked to dismiss more senior personnel. The Kremlin admitted that ‘mistakes had possibly been made’. Forensic tests did not detect Ivan’s fingerprints on the drugs purportedly seized from his home, neither was there any trace of drugs in his urine or on his fingers. Photographs supposedly showing a drug lab at his flat were later deleted after a policeman admitted they were taken at a different location and bore no relation to the journalist. Human rights groups said police in Russia often plant drugs on suspects.

Pray: for the publicity to result in police and politicians ending unlawful practices. (Matthew 10:26b)
More: www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/11/ivan-golunov-russian-police-drop-charges-against-journalist

Protesters were met with tear gas and flares on the streets of Tirana, after Albania’s president Ilir Meta cancelled the 30 June elections. He cited political tensions in the country, stating that circumstances do not provide the necessary conditions for true, democratic, representative and all-inclusive elections. The opposing centre-right Democratic Party, led by Lulzim Basha, have held weeks of protests aimed at forcing the prime minister to stand down. They accuse him of links to organised crime and vote-rigging. The United States and the EU are urging protesters to disavow violence and take part in dialogue with government representatives to resolve the political crisis. The EU has criticised some violent tactics used by protesters. Smoke bombs and firecrackers outside parliament were met with tear gas. Mr Basha has urged continuing protests until Mr Rama steps down.

Pray: for the peaceful creation of a transitional government. (Psalm 109:8)
More: www.independent.ie/world-news/albanian-president-cancels-local-elections-amid-political-tension-38194991.html

A proposed bill allowing mainland China to pursue government critics and criminals in Hong Kong and extradite them to China drew protest marches by thousands on 9-11 June, causing a debate on 12 June to be cancelled. The Catholic diocese of Hong Kong joined the social welfare sector and the largest teachers’ union in voicing concerns about the bill. Two thousand counsellors, carers, therapists, and religious groups went on strike. A strike organiser said, ‘We are forced to take a stand on this moral question of right and wrong.’ Several other Christian denominations in Hong Kong also voiced concerns. Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters, who threw bricks and projectiles back. People are worried that the civil rights and freedoms guaranteed to Hong Kong under the ‘one country two systems’ arrangement will be eroded under the new law. China often uses accusations of non-political crimes to prosecute its critics.

Pray: for the Hong Kong government to listen to the people and not to Beijing, so that violent action is subdued. (Joshua 9:15)
More: www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3014015/hong-kong-extradition-bill-catholic-church-urges-restraint

Half of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics live in the Americas, a quarter in Europe, and the rest in Africa and Asia. Catholicism is slowly declining. Traditionally Catholic countries are becoming mixed populations of Catholics, non-religious, and Pentecostals. Child sex abuse scandals continue to unfold globally, causing more people to leave the Church. Folk Catholicism is very common. Mixed with pre-Christian influences, this is a faith of saints, fiestas and hoped-for miracles, an attempted short-cut to blessing and spiritual power that is at times very dark. Charismatic renewal has a wide impact with the involvement of lay people, and the balance between adoration and activism gives charismatics a vitality lacking in much of Catholicism globally. A truly renewed Catholic Church would be a great force for good in the world. Pray that its current trials will result in a fresh consecration to Jesus.

Pray: for the Catholic Church to re-centre itself on a simple, personal trust in Christ. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
More: www.lausanne.org/pray

Last week Sudanese protesters were subjected to brutal military crackdowns, increasing concern about the future. Amnesty International reported that government forces continue to commit war crimes in the Darfur region, and blames the Rapid Support Forces (called Janjaweed by pro-democracy campaigners). The UN and African Union will soon decide whether to withdraw thousands of international peacekeepers from Darfur, leaving tens of thousands of civilians vulnerable to further attacks by Janjaweed. Tibor Nagy, the US assistant secretary for Africa, is calling for attacks against civilians to stop and for talks between the two sides to resume. He will also meet the Ethiopian prime minister, who has been trying to mediate between the military council and the opposition. Last week you prayed for an end to criminal acts of violence and for a negotiated peaceful solution. Please also pray for international engagement with Sudan to prevent widespread identity-based violence against ethnic, religious, political and other at-risk populations. See

Pray: for nations to issue clear public statements condemning the use of force, and for diplomacy to bring a safe transfer of power to a civilian-led transitional authority. (Psalm 55:11,16)
More: www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/13/sudan-atrocity-uk-government-massacres-isis

Mrs Adeleye and her stepson, Destiny Paul, were driving home from church on 9 June when Fulani herdsmen blocked the road with cows. She tried to turn their car and escape but they attacked, damaged her car, and abducted them both the boy. They later demanded N10 million ransom from her husband. The police said they had swung into action, and would soon get the victims free, unhurt. Attacks on Christians in Nigeria are growing in ferocity and frequency according to Father John Bakeni, a priest who works with survivors of extremist violence. He said, ’The ongoing conflict with Boko Haram and attacks by predominantly Islamist Fulani shepherds have instilled great uncertainty and fear in us Nigerians. We consider each day we live in safety a blessing, because we do not know what will happen the next day.’ He added, ‘It is very difficult to be a Christian in this part of the world, but our faith encourages us to bear witness to the Gospel bravely.’ See

Pray: for the people in rural areas, no longer able to cultivate their fields. Pray that the government will be more successful against the extremist groups. (Psalm 103:5,6)
More: acnuk.org/news/attacks-on-nigerias-christians-are-growing/

Powerful tropical cyclones rarely make it this far north in the Arabian Sea. Gujarat has not had a strong storm make landfall in twenty years. However, the state’s additional chief secretary has appealed to those in the path of tropical cyclone Vayu to remain safe and not to venture to coastal areas. ‘Each and every life is valuable for us’, he said. About six million people could be impacted by Vayu; nearly 300,000 people in northwest India have been evacuated to shelters. The cyclone is passing close to the coast, with winds of 145 km/h and gusts of 160 km/h, and a storm surge of two metres has inundated low-lying areas. Fishermen are warned not to venture out to sea. The national disaster response force has deployed 52 teams to deal with the storm’s impact.

Pray: for fishing families and their boats to be protected, and for rescue teams’ success. (Psalm 4:8)
More: edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/cyclone-vayu-india-june-2019/index.html

Two oil tankers have been attacked off the coast of Iran. They were evacuated, and search and rescue teams from Iran saved 44 sailors. The Front Altair, carrying crude oil, is believed to have been struck by a torpedo, and later sank. The Kokuka Courageous was reportedly targeted by a magnetic mine. The incident comes amid heightened tension following an attack on four vessels near the Emirati coast on 12 May; the US accused Iran of sabotaging the vessels in an attempt to raise oil prices. All the crew were reported safe and only one minor injury reported. Al Alam TV station in Iran reports that ‘successive explosions’ took place 25 miles off the Iranian coast. White House national security adviser John Bolton has pointed the finger of blame at Iran.

Pray: for full honest investigations leading to actions that defuse a sinister situation. (Psalm 141:10)
More: www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/breaking-oman-incident-explosions-heard-16510326

Despite President Trump’s stepped-up law enforcement at the Mexican border, arrests have nearly doubled since last year. ‘We are in a full-blown emergency, and I cannot say this more strongly – the system is broken’, said a border protection spokesperson. In May agents apprehended 144,000+ migrants. Now Homeland Security has uncovered an IS plot to send fighters from Syria to the USA by way of migrant routes across the porous border. Mexico is taking ‘decisive action to dismantle human smuggling and trafficking organisations as well as their illicit financial and transportation networks’, by deploying thousands of national guards to control migrant flow. On 8 June, the State Department promised to expand a programme that returns asylum-seekers to Mexico while their claims are adjudicated. Mexico will offer them jobs, healthcare and education. See

Pray: for US/Mexico security and immigration decisions to be fruitful. (Proverbs 1:32b,33)
More: www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2019/june/trump-says-tariffs-on-mexico-suspended-indefinitely