Christian Concern- Reminder: Mass Prayer Vigil in support of the safe return of abducted Nigerian schoolgirls:

Christian Concern- Critical call for funding - update

Critical call for funding - update

Andrea Williams

Dear friends and supporters,

I am writing to you with deep gratitude for the overwhelming response we have received to our critical call for funding.

Our immediate deficit has been closed already by your faithful giving and we are humbled, amazed and in awe of the Lord Jesus. For those of you who have responded my heartfelt thanks. Many of you have written and shared that you pray for us regularly; for this I am also enormously grateful.

Regular committed giving makes up only a third of our income, we desperately need more partners to establish us firmly and help us plan wisely for the future.  We’re a faith filled ministry rising to the tasks the Lord sets before us to do; we never turn away a Christian in genuine difficulties for their faith because we can’t afford to take on their case.

Our reality remains that every month the needs of the work grow and the requests for support, guidance and legal assistance rise unabated.

Our goal remains to cover much of the ongoing costs of the organisation through regular committed giving. We are making progress but there is still a long way to go!

Many of you responded to help us to stabilise our core costs - by establishing a Direct Debit or Standing Order of £5 per month. Thank you so much. This is the long-term foundational commitment that will make the difference. This is partnering together for His Name and the proclamation of the hope that is found in Jesus Christ alone.

If you have not yet responded to our call will you do so now?


We are standing in the gap - thank you for standing with us!


Andrea Williams
Chief Executive
Christian Concern, Christian Legal Centre

Novena To Our Lady Undoer Of Knots:

We all have some “knots” in our lives… and Mary can untie them!
The devotion to Mary, Undoer of Knots has become more popular ever since Pope Francis encouraged the devotion in Argentina, and then spoke about it during his first year as pontiff.
The theology of the devotion actually goes back to the second century. Saint Irenaeus wrote that, “The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by the obedience of Mary; what the virgin Eve bound by her unbelief, the Virgin Mary loosened by her faith.”
Mary’s faith unties the knot of sin!
So we will pray that the Blessed Virgin Mary will intercede for us all, to untie the knots of sin in our lives – so that we may be purified and ever closer to God.

Daily Opening Prayers:

1. Begin each day of the Novena to Mary, Undoer of Knots, with the Sign of the Cross.
2. Make an Act of Contrition. You can use any form; simply ask God to pardon your sins and make a firm purpose of amendment not to commit them again.
3. Optional, but recommended: Pray the first three decades of the Rosary, with the appropriate mysteries for the day: Joyful (Mondays, Saturdays, Sundays of Advent, and Sundays from Epiphany until Lent), Luminous (Thursdays), Sorrowful (Tuesdays, Fridays, and daily from Ash Wednesday until Easter), Glorious (Wednesdays & Sundays).
4. Make the meditation for the particular day (as follows).
5. Pray Closing Prayers below.

——————————————————

Meditation for the First Day of the Novena to Mary, Undoer of Knots

Dearest Holy Mother, Most Holy Mary, you undo the knots that suffocate your children. Extend your merciful hands to me. I entrust to You today this knot [mention your request here] and all the negative consequences that it provokes in my life. I give you this knot that torments me and makes me unhappy and so impedes me from uniting myself to You and Your Son Jesus, my Savior. 
I run to You, Mary, Undoer of Knots, because I trust you and I know that you never despise a sinning child who comes to ask you for help. I believe that you can undo this knot because Jesus grants you everything. I believe that you want to undo this knot because you are my Mother. I believe that You will do this because you love me with eternal love. Thank you, Dear Mother.
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Find the Original Here: http://www.praymorenovenas.com/mary-undoer-knots-novena/#ixzz31mDrIo40

CHRISTIAN CONCERN- ACTION ALERT: EUROPEAN ELECTIONS:

Quiz your candidates!

Click here for our easy-to-use 'quiz the candidates' tool

Next Thursday (22nd May), the UK will elect 73 Members of the European Parliament for the next 5 years. These representatives will have significant influence over life in the UK and across Europe. The elections are also being seen as a test of public opinion ahead of next year's General Election. The results are likely to have an impact on what policies the parties offer to the electorate next year. This is an important opportunity to raise issues that are of great concern for Christians. 
How will you vote?

To help you make the most of your vote, we have developed an easy-to-use tool to enable you to contact the European Parliamentary candidates in your area and find out what they think about some key issues - including marriage, Christian freedoms and the protection of human life. 
It only takes a few moments to complete - click here to use it right now. 
You can use the tool to quiz candidates in your region from the bigger parties. To get in touch with the smaller parties, including the Christian Peoples Alliance, please visit this page.
Sending a message

The 'Quiz the candidates' tool sends an email message to the candidates that you choose. Hopefully,they will respond quickly so that you know where they stand and can make an informed choice. But even if they don't, sending a message ensures that they know what issues are important to you as a Christian. So don't delay, take five minutes to send a message by clicking here.
It's local too

There are also local elections taking place in many parts of the UK. We'd encourage you to get in touch with your local candidates too and ask them about what matters to you - you could use the questions on the 'quiz your candidates' tool as a guide.
Making the most of the opportunity

Please make the most of the opportunity to help your candidates understand more about issues that matter to Christians - and please use your vote wisely. Please also pray for the outcome of the elections and for those who are elected.

Telling others

Please let us know how your candidates respond so that we can build up a national picture and please encourage others to use the 'Quiz the candidates' tool.
Thank you!

Debunking the myths conference:

 

IMPORTANT CONFERENCE

Debunking the myths: 

Same-sex attraction, science and the Bible,

Friday, 13^th June 2014.

10.30am - 5.00pm
Tickets: £20 (concessions available) + online fees
Venue: Emmanuel Conference Centre, Marsham Street, Westminster, London

  http://www.debunkingthemyths.com/  

 

 

Dear Friends,

 

Dr Lisa Nolland wishes to advertise an important conference, entitled,  

Debunking the myths:  Same-sex attraction, science and the Bible, to be held in London, Friday, 13^th June 2014.

 

She says,

“We believe this conference has the potential to begin reframing the issues and shifting  the debate.        

 Do consider coming along as well as giving the conference publicity oxygen in your social and church networks.  Could you encourage someone from your church staff to attend?  We also need your prayer support! 

 Issues regarding homosexuality, sexuality, culture and the church are not going away but only becoming more pressing.  This conference will enable people to respond positively, biblically and pro-actively.  Jesus said that the truth will set you free, and it does!

 Do be in touch if you wish. Ls.n@talktalk.net; 07503 298 521

God bless

Warmly,

Lisa

Lisa Nolland MA MCS PhD

Convenor, Marriage Sex and Culture Group, Anglican Mainstream

Director, GayMarriageNoThanks.com ”

 

She continues,

  

“How Debunking the Myths:  Same-sex attraction, science and the Bible could help individuals, families and churches     

 1/  Growing numbers of evangelicals are either losing confidence in what has been the traditional, biblical understanding of sexuality (no sex outside heterosexual marriage) or now agree with Steve Chalke. For those who still care about the Bible’s approach to sexuality and homosexuality, Rob Gagnon is arguably the world’s best.  

 2/  Few if any groups engage with the cultural messages which are now embedded and promoted institutionally: people are born gay, once gay always gay, gay is the new black, etc.  These messages are taking a huge toll on the world views and sexual ethics of young people especially.  

 Probably for a variety of reasons, the traditional,  biblical sexual ethic has been seriously undermined and eroded.  The freedoms claimed for the gay cause have made a contribution.  And though many church leaders still assume their kids are chaste, this is not so. Many heterosexual young people from good churches operate according to a ‘progressive’ ethic, which means  ‘love’ has legitimized sex for them too, and that quite apart from marriage.  Their youth leaders and vicars are the last to find out!  

 Nor do most churches appear aware of the increasing coercion of Christians in the public sphere or give victims like Sarah Mbuyi  public support.  It is as if they do not even exist. .  We are even hearing of kids in school being given detentions because they oppose SSM; indeed there are lots of Brendan Eichs out there now, most people are simply are unaware of their trials.  The church looks the other way.   

The conference focuses  attention on both above aspects and offers positive responses.  

 3/ Many former gay and lesbian people develop their heterosexual potential  but are still ignored or seen as pariahs.  This is both unjust but also  unhelpful in terms of young people who struggle with unwanted same-sex attraction and want help.  They need to know that ex-gays and ex-lesbians exist and what the  various therapeutic routes are.   Dr Christopher Rosik is president of the huge research and therapeutic organization focused on gay issues, NARTH.  As a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and member of the American Psychological Association, he counsels people with unwanted same-sex attraction.    

 Lisa Paulk is an ex-lesbian and CEO of the umbrella group of almost ½ of all ex-gay ministries in the US, Restored Hope Network.  She was very involved in Exodus (for those who know of that debacle) and married to a former  ex-gay who has since returned to a homosexual life.  Having been involved and lived these issues for decades, Lisa has very interesting views on these matters.  Mike Davidson is also ex-gay and works with both individuals and their families who want help.

 4/ That there is a push in Parliament to ban therapy for unwanted same-sex attraction means that churches and Christian counselling groups will be stuck;  how are they to help their strugglers if it becomes illegal to do so?   Christian leaders need to know both about the kinds of therapy on offer;  how they work and what they can and cannot do; and why it would be deeply unjust to ban them.”

Dear Friends,

I whole heartedly endorse Dr Lisa Nolland's message. We have arrived a situation in Western civilisation where a complete break down in true Truth and morality is occurring at an unbelievable pace. The political elite and Stonewall who say that the 21^st century is progressing towards greater freedom and wealth must think that we do not have the eyes to see or ears to hear that  our world is becoming increasingly divided between a tiny, tyrannical minority and the vast majority who find themselves disempowered and unrepresented in the democratic process. Society is becoming increasing insecure, nihilistic and  anarchic.

A key part in dominating society is to groom our children, on an industrial scale,  through compulsory sex education. This will enslave our children into all kinds of sexual addictions, the chief of which is homosexuality, which has now simply become an umbrella term for a whole rainbow of polysexual perversions.

In the same way that anyone who tries to leave Islam is treated without mercy, so too, anyone who tries to escape sexual perversions will treated ever so severely. Travel will only be allowed in one direction, from so-called “heterosexuality” into any one of the increasing expanding polysexual orientations commonly known as LGBTQI …...XYZ Anyone attempting to go the other way, or any one assisting some one to escape from these degenerate bondages, towards what is natural, ie., complementary sex between a husband and wife, will be persecuted.

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;  and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free..... If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” - John chapter 8

David Skinner

The Novena Starts Tomorrow! Spread the word!:

Peace be with you!

This is just a quick reminder that the Mary, Undoer of Knots Novena starts on Thursday - that's tomorrow!

It has been just a few weeks since we celebrated Divine Mercy Sunday, and this novena is a great way to ask for the intercession of the Mother of Mercy, Mary! 

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Thank you for praying with us!

We're praying for you!

God bless you!
John-Paul & Annie - PrayMoreNovenas.com

Pray for Robert Green this Friday 16th May:

Dear Friends please pray for Robert Green this Friday, 16th May, as madness sweep over Britain.

Robert Green has just given Wilfred Wong  another update.

 

The key lawyer to pray for for Robert's court hearing this Friday, 16 May, is Gerry Sweeney, his solicitor, who will also be acting as his advocate at the court hearing.

 

Sweeney will be challenging the jurisdiction of the police in Aberdeen to arrest and charge Robert with the alleged violation of a non-harassment order.

 

The jurisdiction of Scotland's Crown Office - the equivalent of England's Crown Prosecution Service will also be called into question, given the fact that Robert resides in England and whatever offence he's alleged to have committed would have occurred in England.

 

If this legal challenge is completely successful it will mean that the Scottish authorities have to drop the charge against Robert and immediately and unconditionally release him.  

 

It will also help establish a helpful precedent that Robert should be free to campaign on the Hollie case at least in England, free from the threat of criminal prosecution.

 

Please pray for God's guidance on Gerry Sweeney and that he will use the right words and make all the right decisions in his preparation for Friday's court hearing and at the hearing itself.

 

Pray also for a good, independent and honest judge to preside over this court hearing.  

 

Much prayer needed for success for Robert at Friday's court hearing, that the charge against him is dropped and that he is swiftly and unconditionally released from prison.

 

Many thanks for all your prayers and support!!

 

best wishes,

 

Wilfred

 

David Skinner

CHRISTIAN CONCERN-BREAKING NEWS: Christian guesthouse owners accused of "discrimination" seek justice in Europe rather than UK:

Jeff and Sue Green

Two Christian guesthouse owners who have been accused of discriminating against same-sex couples by offering double rooms to married people only, are taking their case directly to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

Jeff and Sue Green from Wales say they believe they have no prospect of success in the British courts to allow them to conduct their business in line with their Christian conscience.  This follows a recent Supreme Court ruling against Christian bed and breakfast owners, Peter and Hazelmary Bull who were found to have discriminated unlawfully against a same-sex couple by refusing to give them a double room in accordance with their 'married couples only' policy.
The UK Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) wrote to the Greens, challenging them over a similar policy to provide double rooms to married couples only and warning them it was unlawful to discriminate on grounds of “'sexual orientation”.
The Greens have since changed their policy to offer single bed accommodation only and the EHRC has now dropped the case.
However, the couple are seeking a hearing at the European Court because of the serious, long-term implications for Christians in the public sphere. They are being supported by the Christian Legal Centre (CLC). 
Jeff Green, who is Mayor of Llandrindod Wells, said, "It seems that recent UK equality legislation is being used to undermine Christian faith and values. We believe that the rights outlined in the European Convention on Human Rights are an illusion in the UK, so we have to go to Europe because we don’t have a fighting chance in the UK courts.”
 

Comment from Andrea

Andrea Williams, Director of the Christian Legal Centre comments,

"The European Convention on Human Rights provides very strong protection for freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It is sad that we have to go to Strasbourg to argue for that freedom to be applied in practice because the British courts have refused to do so. However, it is important that we do. Continuing to expose the incoherency and unfairness of the 'equality' agenda is vital to safeguarding the freedom to live for Jesus and tell the good news about Him.

"We cannot simply take those freedoms for granted which is why we are so grateful for your partnership in standing with us as we support Jeff and Sue."

If you would like to make a donation to help us support Jeff and Sue - and others like them - please click here >

Happy Feast Day of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary!:

Peace be with you! 

 

Happy Feast Day of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary! 

 

Thank you so much in praying this novena to St. Joseph with us! 

 

At the end of every novena, we always pray the following as our final prayer. Please join me in praying it today!

 

Let us pray...

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I have specific requests that may only partially fill the infinite needs and desires that are in my heart. I ask that You answer me not only for those requests but also for a greater reliance on You to satisfy the needs and desires that You have given me.

 

Please grant the prayers of all those who prayed this novena with me. Bless them with Your love and make them holy!

 

May I seek You with a sincere heart knowing that it will profit me nothing if I gain the whole world yet lose my soul.

 

So, help me to see Your good and gracious purpose in all my trials. Help me to see Your blessings in every day and help me to love You more.

 

Thank You for everything, Lord Jesus!

 

Amen!

 

Thank you again for praying with me and thousands of faithful people around the world! 

 

We will begin the next novena very soon! 

 

If this novena has been a blessing to you, you can keep this ministry running by either making a small donation or by becoming a Special Member. 

 

To make a donation, click here:

 

http://www.praymorenovenas.com/support/ 

 

To become a Special Member, click here: 

 

http://www.praymorenovenas.com/special-membership

 

We're praying for you!

 

God bless you!

   John-Paul & Annie - PrayMoreNovenas.com

 

P.S. We will keep you on the list for our next novena :)

55 Park Ave, Dayton, OH 45419, USA

Today, is the Feast Day of St. Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and foster-father of Our Lord Jesus Christ

 

 ST. JOSEPH PRAY FOR US

COLLECT OF THE MASS:
Let us pray
[that the Church will continue
the saving work of Christ]
Father,
You entrusted our Savior to the care of St. Joseph,
By the help of his prayers
may the Church continue to serve its Lord,
Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 AN ANCIENT PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH:

O ST. JOSEPH, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in thee all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph, assist me by thy powerful intercession and obtain for me all spiritual blessings through thy foster Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord, so that, having engaged here below thy heavenly power, I may offer thee my thanksgiving and homage.

O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating thee and Jesus asleep in thine arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near thy heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me, and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath.
St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for me.

Day 9 - Saint Joseph Novena:

Peace be with you!

We made it to the last day of the novena! 

The Blessed Virgin Mary helped Saint Joseph become the great leader and protector of his family that he was. He needed her prayers, love and support.

So today, let's pray for all mothers, wives, and future wives -- that they will love, respect, support and pray for their husbands or future spouses. 

And finally, let's pray one more time for all families to grow in holiness. 

Here are the novena prayers for today:

Day 9 - Saint Joseph Novena

Saint Joseph, you are the faithful protector and intercessor of all who love and venerate you. You know that I have confidence in you, and that, after Jesus and Mary, I come to you as an example for holiness, for you are especially close with God. Therefore, I humbly commend myself, with all who are dear to me and all that belong to me, to your intercession. I beg of you, by your love for Jesus and Mary, not to abandon me during life, and to assist me at the hour of my death. 

Glorious Saint Joseph, spouse of the Immaculate Virgin, pray for me to have a pure, humble, charitable mind, and perfect resignation to the divine Will. Be my guide, my father, and my model through life that I may die as you did in the arms of Jesus and Mary.

Loving Saint Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, I raise my heart to you to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the Divine Heart of Jesus all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special grace I now implore:

(Mention your request)

Guardian of the Word Incarnate, I feel confident that your prayers on my behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God. 

St. Joseph, Terror of Demons, pray for us! 

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. 

Amen. 

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Thank you for joining me and thousands of others in praying this novena to St. Joseph!  

Can you think of anyone who would benefit from or enjoy praying this novena with you? 

Please take a moment to think about it and send them an email. 

Asking them to join here:

http://www.praymorenovenas.com

God bless you!

   John-Paul & Annie - PrayMoreNovenas.com

 P.S. Here's how you can help spread the word:

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55 Park Ave, Dayton, OH 45419, USA