IN FOCUS
June 2007
Change or No Change
Our lives these days seem to be all about change. Nothing ever seems to be the same from one day to the next. We begin life unable to do almost anything for ourselves which isn’t noisy or smelly. We are babies first, becoming children, youths, (often just noisy and smelly again), young adults, middle aged, the relatively new category of Third Age, then senior, into pensioners and if we are fortunate to live that long, just categorised as old.
We are blessed in this England of ours with ever changing weather, which gives us excellent opportunities to make conversation without the other person having cause to take offence or be suspicious about our motives. It, like our moods, can change in an instant.
Outside influences also contribute towards change. The sky over Sheffield became gloomier over the United supporters houses recently, but brighter over the old, died in the wool, non bacon eating Wednesday supporters’ homes. All because a chap blew a whistle to end a game of football and condemned the Blades to relegation.
When I was a kid in Attercliffe you could only see as far Rotherham during the first week in August, from outside the shop selling horse meat for human consumption, after the factories on t’Common had been shut down for a week and all the smoke from the chimneys had been cleared. Now you can see some of the top entertainment and sporting stars of the world perform regularly in the open, fresh air, just a few hundred yards away from where that shop and those factories used to be. If Pavarotti or Streisand had tried to perform in the sulphur and soot laden smog which hung low over everything when I lived down there, their careers would have been so much different. And you can buy any number of delicious exotic foods from the Meadowhall complex, but not horse meat of course.
Normal, well respected, loving, solid Christian souls changed in moments to become hangers and floggers who wanted to do almost unmentionable things to some then unknown person’s anatomy and or neck recently when travelling home from a Just Serving. What had changed them? The subject of paedophiles when Madeleine first became a news item.
Something however never changes - God’s love. It is the same today as it was yesterday, and as it will be tomorrow and for ever more. His forgiveness never changes either, no matter how heinous the crime you committed or thought you had committed. He shows no favouritism, judges everyone by the same standard, and loves everyone to the same degree. And that means you, no matter how important you think you are, or how unworthy. Don’t take my word for it however, it’s all there in the Bible if you have a read.
Albert Ward
Church Mini-holiday in North Wales
A mini-holiday has been arranged for September 24th – 26th at St Winifred’s, Rhos-on-Sea, for those who wish to enjoy the delights of this part of North Wales. We will travel by minibus from Central, departing 10am on the Monday, and we will arrive back on the Wednesday at around 6pm. While we are there the programme is very flexible but it is hoped to use the minibus to travel down the Conwy Valley to Betws-y-Coed and to travel around the foot of Snowdon through Llanberis and then drive over the Menia Straits into Anglesey, as well as spending some time in and around Rhos-on-Sea and Llandudno. Places are limited and bookings should be made with Sylvia as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Preaching through John's gospel
The themes for June will be as follows:
June 3rd Jesus and Nicodemus John 3: 1 – 21
June 10th Jesus and John the Baptist John 3: 22 –4: 3
June 17th Jesus and the Samaritan Woman John 4: 4 – 42
June 24th The Son’s Authority John 4: 43 – 5 : 47
July 1st Jesus performs more miracles John 6: 1 – 40
The service on June 17th will be conducted by a group of elders as I will be present at Anne Dale’s assessment service that morning at Dore & Totley.
Can I draw your attention to the service on June 24th which is on the theme of the Son’s Authority. It will be based on the entire reading but only the verses 19 to 30 of chapter 5 will actually be read during the service. You are therefore encouraged to read the entire passage at home in advance of the service.
I have had very encouraging feedback about this style of worship planning and I hope you are all learning much more about John’s gospel through this process.
Bob
Small Worship Group
This short series which has been led by Anne Dale has been very well received by the group who have come along and taken part. Anne has focused upon four different aspects of the Spirit as described in the book of Acts and elsewhere and she has used images and music to help us appreciate these various aspects. On the 20th she also presided at communion for the first time.
Anne has now come to the end of her placement with us at Central and she is now writing her final essays and reports and preparing for her assessment service on June 17th.
It has been a privilege for us to have had undertake her training with us and we have seen her develop her own style of worship leading and grow in confidence during the time she has spent with us and I’m sure we all share in sending our good wishes to her for however God uses her in the future.
Bob
from the Growth Group
The Growth Group has met for the second time and there were no shortage of thoughts and ideas shared. One idea which came out of our first meeting is to consider planning an Alpha Course in the autumn with the aim of attracting some of the students from Sheffield Hallam University. It will probably take place on a Sunday evening during term-time and discussions are now taking place with Ian Maher, the University Chaplaincy Co-ordinator, as to the best way this might be structured and publicized.
Another idea which we feel could be implemented immediately is a ten-minute prayer gathering on a Friday morning just prior to opening the doors for the Coffee Morning in the Norfolk Room. There will be prayer request cards available in the Norfolk Room at all the coffee mornings and those requests for prayer which are returned will be gathered and used each Friday during this time of prayer, along with prayers for the staff and customers as happens each Tuesday.
If you are around on a Friday morning at 9.45am please come and join us in the window seats of the Norfolk Room.
The Growth Group will next meet on Thursday 2nd August at 7pm at the home of Pat Barnes and if you are interested in coming along please contact either Pat, Elaine or Bob.
Model Railway and Bus Exhibition – Saturday June 23rd
Model railway layouts of various scales
Model buses, trolleybuses and trams
Sales stalls
Refreshments
From 10am to 4pm
Admission; adults £2, children £1
Please tell your friends, and take some posters or fliers for shops or doctors’ surgeries in your neighbourhood.
Growth Group
Food Festival- June 10th
Once more we are encouraged to take part in the multi-faith Food Festival which this year will take place on Sunday June 10th from 12 noon. We, along with our friends from the other city centre churches, are asked to bring along food both for ourselves and for those who will be passing by in Fargate. Further details may be obtained from Anne Judge.
The Final District Council - 12th July
You will all be aware that the South Yorkshire District will cease to exist shortly and to say farewell to the District as we know it there will be a closing event on July 12th, at Herringthorpe URC at 7.30pm. This will start with a very short and necessary meeting to finalise business followed by a communion service, led by Rev Pauline Loosemore, with our Moderator, Rev Arnold Harrison preaching, and with Bob presiding at communion. This will be followed by a buffet supper. All are welcome and especially those who have had involvement with district in the past. If you are interested in going would you please contact Elaine.
Elaine
Simply Summer Snax
Once again we are going to attempt to extend our service to the people who come into the city centre during August by operating our simple coffee mornings. The plan is to be open from 10 until 12 each Tuesday to Saturday. The ambition is to open from 31 July until 1 September, if we can get sufficient volunteers. There won't be any sandwiches on Tuesdays, just the drinks, toasted things, scones and cakes. The rest of the church is closed so all teams will need to have a key holder amongst them. Any problems in that area please see me. All the shopping by volunteers is done at Marks and Spencer's, but offers of home made scones and cakes will be welcomed, to allow the regular scone makers to have a break, unless they volunteer to do a batch for us of course. A list for volunteers will be circulating each Sunday during June, or ring me at home with your available dates. Like Snooker Snax we need a bit of extra help during the busier part of the morning, from about 10.30 until about 12, so I've left a slot for that time, if you can spare it. If you are able to help please fill in the first two weeks first, but we'll try to open during all the period. Last year we raised over £1,100, but the emphasis in my mind is the service element.
Albert
Monday Morning Prayer for the Week
These are the people and organisations that we have prayed for in our sessions in May.
| 6 May 2007 | No meeting |
| 14 May 2007 | WRVS Workplace chaplaincy Premier TV Northern College & Philip Baiden |
| 21 May 2007 | St George's Crypt, Leeds St Wilfred's Centre Stocksbridge URC |
| 28 May 2007 | No meeting |
New Development Worker post at City of Sanctuary
I have recently been appointed as the new Development Worker for City of Sanctuary (previously I was working voluntarily, with support from Sheffield Quakers). I am usually available on Mondays and Thursdays, and my office number at Victoria Hall on Norfolk Street is 275 8962. Do contact me with any comments, questions or suggestions about the work of City of Sanctuary.
A priority for City of Sanctuary is to gain statements of support from community organisations throughout the city. If you are a member of any local organisation, especially a Community Forum, Tenants Association, faith or voluntary group, or a school or college, could you propose a resolution of support for City of Sanctuary? The text of the resolution, as well as Frequently Asked Questions, and a list of current supporters are on our website at www.cityofsanctuary.com
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We now have over 60 supporting organisations, with interest and involvement growing all the time. It is a great opportunity to make Sheffield the first UK city ever to make a city-wide commitment to offering hospitality and friendship to asylum-seekers and refugees. Thanks to everyone for all your support so far.
Craig Barnett
Celebrating Refugee Week 18th-24th June
Refugee Week is a national festival that seeks to raise public awareness of the asylum system. In Sheffield the theme for this year is the amount of voluntary work that asylum seekers do for a variety of causes. The Sheffield programme for the Week includes:
The Moving Here walk-through exhibition, which takes visitors through the experience of arriving in the UK. Located during 19th- 22nd June in the new Voluntary Action Sheffield building on Rockingham Street (tel 2536650 for details)
Banner Theatre Company present ‘They get free mobiles...don’t they?’ a multi-media challenge to myths about asylum seekers, on Wednesday 20th June at 7.00 pm at the Broomhall Centre on Broomspring Lane (admission free)
City of Sanctuary Ceilidh Dance on Saturday 23rd June 7pm-11pm, (venue to be confirmed). Following the success of our Ceilidh last year, we are teaming up with the Time Together refugee mentoring project for an evening that will also include a refugees fashion show and dancing to World music following the Ceilidh.
A One World Over concert on the main stage of the Crucible Theatre on Sunday 24th June at 7.30 pm - this will showcase performances of music and dance from refugee communities. For further details pick up a Sheffield Refugee Week 2007 brochure from your local library in early June or visit: www.refugeeweek.org.uk
Model Railway and Bus Exhibition- Saturday June 23rd
Once again there will be an exhibition of model railways and model buses at Central on Saturday June 23rd, from 10am to 4pm. Help will be required with catering and stewarding and it would also be appreciated if there are some men available to help move tables and to help clear up afterwards.
This has become a popular event when there are lots of visitors to the church and it is therefore an opportunity for us to explain what it means to be a Christian in the 21st century and how we function as a church community.
Posters and fliers are now available and if you can find somewhere local to you that will display these it will help publicise the event.
Bob
Safari Supper - June 15th
The popular ecumenical Safari Supper will take place on Friday 15th June commencing 6.30pm at St Matthew’s for the starter course. It will then proceed to Central for the main course, to Victoria Hall for the sweet course, and to St Marie’s for the coffee, etc! At each venue there will be short time of worship including a hymn, reading and prayer, appropriate to our traditions. If you would like to come along to this supper please give your name to Elaine.
Volunteer Placements needed for Skilled Refugees
Refugee New Arrivals Project is looking for local employers who are willing to offer volunteer work placements to professionally qualified refugees in their skill sector. Placements are usually for 1 day a week for 12 weeks but other models are possible.
Placements are needed in a wide variety of sectors and occupations (e.g. civil, mechanical and environmental engineering, IT, education, accountancy, business administration, human resources and many others) so we welcome offers from companies and organisations working in all fields.
For further information, or to register your interest in the scheme, please contact: admin@new-arrivals.org.uk or Tel: 0114 241 2785
The Trade Justice Campaign on Economic Partnership Agreements
A meeting was held under the auspices of the World Development Movement at Central on 21st May when Dave Tucker, Campaign Co-ordinator for Traidcraft spoke about EPAs and how back-door trade deals could ruin impoverished countries.
Bob and I attended and I suspect we both struggled somewhat with the jargon at first! I was interested to discover how much wider are the remits of Traidcraft, having basically associated them with stalls in churches selling Fairtrade goods. How wrong I was.
The following is a statement about the campaign itself.
‘Global trade talks in the so-called Doha “development” round at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Have failed to deliver any meaningful progress on trade justice. Yet the WTO is not the only body involved in negotiations where trade justice is being blocked by rich country governments.
The UK, with its partners in Europe, is also involved in pushing unfair trade deals on 75 former colonies – some of which are among the poorest countries in the world. In 2005, in response to your calls to make poverty history, the UK Government promised to do all it could to make trade work for the poor. Yet, despite these statements, the UK has allowed the European Union to push ahead on deals that are unfair to these 75 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
The deals are called Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and we have to act fast. The lives of 750 million of the world’s poorest people are in the balance as poor farmers and vulnerable producers will be forced into direct competition with rich nations. We must stop these unfair trade deals before Africa and poor countries worldwide are forced to negotiate away their future.
The Trade Justice Movement is campaigning on EPAs and calling on the UK Government to exert its full influence to stop these deals going ahead, to listen to the serious concerns of poor countries and work with those countries to develop new deals that will help deliver trade justice.’
I do have some literature if anyone is interested. More details can also be found on the Traidcraft websites –www.traidcraft.org
or email policy@traidcraft.org
Operation Christmas Child in Swaziland and other places
(I make no apology for the mention of Christmas so early in the year – but I know that the following anecdotes will make everyone realise just how important the shoe boxes are!) Editor
Trevor Hammond, the OCC International Co-ordinator, based at Buckhurst Hill office has recently returned from Swaziland.
“We went to Siphofaneni in the east of the country. Swaziland has some very deep rooted social problems. UNAIDS estimates that about 33% of adults are HIV positive and 63,000 children have been orphaned by AIDS.
Churches, which had been poorly attended, were now placed back into the centre of the community after hosting a shoe box distribution. Importantly, a sense of community had been re-established . Typically, as the vehicles carrying the shoe boxes approach a village, the melodic singing would begin with a strong sense of excitement and anticipation.
“Pastor Zakes, OCC National Co-ordinator of our National Leadership Team (NLT) told me that the children would just stare at their opened boxes in disbelief. ‘Is this for me? Is this for me?’ they would say over and over again. I was told that a common response from parents was their gratitude towards OCC for being able to fulfil a dream of theirs that they could not fulfil themselves; quite simply, that their child could enjoy the experience of receiving a gift. You see, parents in rural Swaziland are so poor that a child might not ever receive a gift during their childhood, either on a birthday or at Christmas.
As we approached a small pre-school, I could smell the burning wood from where the children’s lunch was cooking. The teacher was Miss Tempisile who was with a small group of about 8 children. As with any school in the world, visitors have an amazing capacity to bring out the curiosity in children. With lessons temporarily halted, the children, faces beaming, sang us a few songs and showed us that they knew the alphabet.
“One little girl had been clinging on to a very distinctive yellow ‘Tweetie-Pie’ soft toy bird throughout the activities. Miss Tempisile told us she had received the toy during the last shoe box distribution and, one year on, was still inseparable from the toy.”
YOU’VE HELPED TO GIVE 1.24 MILLION CHILDREN A CHRISTMAS PRESENT THEY’LL NEVER FORGET
As you generously packed a shoe box for OCC in 2006, I want to encourage you with some heartfelt stories from a remarkable trip we made to Kyrgyzstan earlier this year to deliver shoe boxes. Situated in central Asia – just west of China, Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous land of outstanding natural beauty. Since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the country has remained poor with nearly half of the population of 5 million people living below the poverty line. It was into this remote, nomadic, snow-bound region that we were able to bring hope and happiness to many neglected and forgotten children.
BOY PRISONERS HAVE THEIR HEARTS MELTED
Our team visited a prison for boys – many serving time for murder. One boy blinked away tears as he opened his box. Speaking through our translator he said he couldn’t believe that strangers living thousands of miles away would even bother about someone like him. His own family rarely contacted him or showed him kindness. His heart was touched in ways that had never happened before in these harsh and brutal surroundings.
Another boy found an envelope in his box with a special message. The boy’s father was dead and his mother took little interest in him. But here was something so special – a message from a stranger on the other side of the world. His fingers were trembling as he tried desperately to open the letter without tearing the paper. This simple act of kindness had meant the world to him.
As the team was leaving, they were drawn to one boy in the corner staring intently at a photograph of the smiling Mum, Dad and two children in the United Kingdom who had sent him these wonderful toys. He couldn’t take his eyes off the photo and was clearly moved when the translator read him their greeting. The boy explained he only had a father who had all but forgotten him.
A GIFT FROM GOD
The mother of 3 year old Vika grinned with delight and said, "They tell us these shoe boxes have come to us because of something to do with Christmas. I think they must be sent from God as a kind of gift to us".
For children living in families where there is barely enough money to feed and clothe them, the joy of receiving simple gifts is indescribable. Mother of three children, Zamira said, "I don’t know when my children will ever get another toy. But that’s OK as they will have these for many years to come!"
START PLANNING YOUR SHOE BOX FOR 2007
Information leaflets will be available soon to help you start preparing your shoe box gifts for 2007. Please aim to encourage at least two other friends or family members to pack a shoe box for some of the world’s poorest children this Christmas.
Third Thursday Meeting - Christians Against Poverty
Whilst the attendance was very low (only seven members from Central) this proved to be both interesting and inspiring. Shaun Bennett came to talk to us about his work with CAP. He also brought with him people who were able to explain how they had been helped to cope with serious financial problems by CAP.
Christians Against Poverty is a national debt counseling charity working through a network of 58 centres based in local churches. CAP offers hope and a solution to people in debt through its unique, in-depth service.
It was founded by John Kirkby in 1996 in response to the tremendous poverty he saw in his home city of Bradford. As a Christian, he believed God was calling him to use the skills gained through 17 years experience in the consumer finance industry to reach out to people suffering under the burden of debt.
CAP aims to show God’s love in action by providing sustainable poverty relief through debt counselling, advice and practical help. CAP’s unique ‘hands-on’ approach empowers people to help themselves out of poverty and be released from the fear, oppression and worry generated by overwhelming debts. Vital financial and budgeting life-skills are developed through the services, so ensuring poverty is sustainable.
The charity operates through a growing network of centres based around the UK, all opened in partnership with a local church. Over the last ten years, the charity has grown from one man working from his home with a donation of £10, to a national charity with 58 centres across the country.
CAP’s vision is to answer the national problem of debt in the UK by having at least one CAP centre in every major town and city by the year 2021. Having recently been in a period of consolidation, they are now looking to achieve their 2021 vision by opening 27 centres a year.
As we were warned, whilst it is all too easy to blame people for their financial problems not everyone learns how to manage their finances and they have often not been given any guidance within their family. Banks and other lenders who make it easy for people to run up large debts without giving much consideration to how the total is accumulating must take some responsibility for the ease with which they allow credit card and loan debts to escalate.
CAP advisers talk to those who come for help and, if they want to allow them to help, take much of the burden by taking over their finances. They make arrangements with those to whom money is owed and plan out a scheme of payment, allowing the client money to live on. The rest is paid into CAP so that the debts can begin to be paid off.
The two men who told us how CAP had helped them had nothing but praise for them. Both had now become connected with a Christian community.
The person who is the financial adviser usually takes a Christian support worker with him who spends time talking to the client about Christianity whilst he looks at the financial side. Through this work many people have become committed Christians. CAP is also gaining a foothold in other parts of the world, in particular Australia.
Elaine was given a copy of John Kirkby’s book about the first ten years of CAP, should anyone be interested in finding out more.
‘Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.’
Proverbs 31: 8 – 9
An Ancient Prayer from Lanhydroch
Give me a good digestion, Lord,
And also something to digest
Give me a healthy body, Lord,
With sense to keep it at its best.
Give me a healthy mind, O Lord,
To keep the good and pure in sight,
Which seeing wrong is not appalled
But finds a way to set it right.
Give me a mind which is not bored,
That does not whimper, whine or sigh,
Don't let me worry over much
About that fussy thing called "I".
Give me a sense of humour, Lord,
Give me the grace to see a joke,
To get some happiness from life,
And pass it on to other folk.
Just a little something to put a smile on your face
In the hospital the relatives gathered in the waiting room, where their family member lay gravely ill. Finally, the doctor came in looking tired and somber.
"I'm afraid I'm the bearer of bad news," he said as he surveyed the worried faces. "The only hope left for your loved one at this time is a brain transplant. It's an experimental procedure, very risky but it is the only hope. Insurance will cover the procedure, but you will have to pay for the brain yourselves."
The family members sat silent as they absorbed the news. After a great length of time, someone asked, "Well, how much does a brain cost?"
The doctor quickly responded, " $ 5,000 for a male brain, and $200 for a female brain."
The moment turned awkward. Men in the room tried not to smile, avoiding eye contact with the women, but some actually smirked. A man unable to control his curiosity, blurted out the question everyone wanted to ask.
"Why is the male brain so much more?"
The doctor smiled at the childish innocence and explained to the entire group, "It's just standard pricing procedure. We have to mark down the price of the female brains, because they've actually been used.”
Give me a sense of humour, Lord.
Give me the ability to understand a clean joke,
To get some humour out of life,
Subject: Mr. Common Sense
My parents told me about Mr. Common Sense early in my life and told me I would do well to call on him when making decisions. It seems he was always around in my early years but less and less as time passed by until today I read his obituary. Please join me in a moment of silence in remembrance. For Common Sense had served us all so well for so many generations.
Obituary - Common Sense
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in Bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a sticky plaster to a student; but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know my Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm a Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
Turn on the Tap
‘Turn on the Tap’ is the Samaritan’s Purse Campaign to help provide clean drinking water to people in the developing world. Most illnesses in the developing world are water-related.
This will be our theme for Harvest in October when we are asking members to contribute towards water projects through the campaign.
£15 could give a family of 5 access to a borehole.
£25 could help protect a spring and provide a family with safe water
£40 could provide a water filter for one family.
One way to make a contribution is by filling a plastic bottle with small change. If you are able to do this then please ask for a label to stick on the bottle. (We will supply you with a bottle if you need one). Do remember that the neck of the bottle needs to be wide enough to take coins!
At Harvest we will invite people to use one of the gift envelopes to include a donation – the contribution you would otherwise make by buying harvest produce. These will be gathered up during the Service at Harvest Thanksgiving.
Please help Samaritan’s Purse to Turn on the Tap – your support could help save the life of a child, help a community get safe water or enable a farmer to grow crops.
A shock for the clergyman
“One dark night in the year 1784 the venerable clergyman of Redruth was taking an evening walk in a long and lonely lane leading to his church, when his ears were suddenly assailed by an unearthly noise, and to his horror he beheld approaching him at a furious speed, an indescribable creature of legs, arms and wheels, whose body seemed glowing with internal fire, and whose rapid gasps for breath appaeared to betoken some deadly struggle within. His cries for help brought to his assistance a gentleman who, no doubt to his relief, explained to him that this terrific apparition, which he had taken for the Evil One himself, was a runaway locomotive which he, Mr Murdoch, the inventor, and proprietor, had incautiously allowed to escape from its leading strings. This was more that thirty years before the railway system was introduced by George Stephenson.”
(William Murdoch had many interesting inventions which he did not capitalise on. I suspect he is all but forgotten. I remember him because I passed the house where he had lived, each day on my way to primary school. This was famous locally because it was the first house in the country to be lit by gaslight.)
Prayer Focus
Week One
2nd & 3rd June has been designated as The World Weekend of Prayer for Children at Risk, which is led by the ‘Viva Network’ Christian Children’s charity. We are regularly reminded of the ways in which children are abused and exploited all over the world – in sweat shops where they often work to support their families; as skivvies in homes; as child soldiers; as prostitutes; as ‘punchbags’ and sexual victims within the home. With shame we remember that this is happening in Britain, too. Pray for them and for all those who work to give them a childhood and a future. (http://www.viva.org/pray).
Week Two
Christians Against Poverty (CAP) is a charity begun in Bradford ten years ago which gives practical guidance and assistance within a Christian framework for people who are struggling with debt and money problems. They take a very practical and caring approach and whilst helping with the difficulties are also leading people to Christ. Pray for those who are involved with the guidance and for those who are accepting the help and learning how to control their finances.
Week Three
Refugee Week is celebrated from 18th – 24th June this year. The focus this time is on all the voluntary work that asylum seekers are doing to help other people in need. Elsewhere there is a detailed list of the events occurring in and around Sheffield to demonstrate much of what asylum seekers have to offer through their culture, music and art. Pray for those who are still struggling to make new lives for themselves, particularly those we know through ASSIST who are without hope at present.
Week Four
Prayer Breakfast. A few of us meet each Monday morning at 7.45am to share breakfast and pray for groups and happenings in Sheffield and further afield. Elaine sends a note to let them know that we have prayed for them. That this has been appreciated has been shown by the grateful acknowledgements that we receive. We know that not everyone can be present at that time but perhaps if each of us could remember those praying, wherever we happen to be, then that would give added support. A list of those prayed for is in In Focus each month.
