Using this beautiful tear-jerker in our final Lent study this evening.

"To love another person is to see the face of God"

This week is one of very mixed emotions as I have a wedding, an All Age service for Palm Sunday, a funeral, and a traditional Easter Service all whirling in my brain along with the last Lent Study, meetings with professional advisers, pastoral meetings and all the usual trappings of ministerial life.

My first job today was to pick up the emailed music for Saturday's wedding which included the wonderful song 'Sunshine on Leith' which somehow blesses me in the midst of it all...

Jesus said that God makes the sun to shine on the righteous and unrighteous alike - I'd like to extend that to claim a promise of sunshine for those who are glad and those who are sad, those who rest, those who are busy...

Thanking the Chief for sunshine on Leith, and Glasgow and anyhwere it is needed.

Anyway, enjoy:

The 'persecuted church' is one of those phrases that trips quite lightly from the tongues of Christians, usually in contexts where the worst that will happen is someone laughs at our faith or assumes the media stereotypes are correct.  We kind of feel we ought to be concerned and ought to do something whilst mostly doing and thinking not a lot. 

Or maybe it's just me - I 'did' my presecuted church stuff in the 1980s/90s, praying for walls to come down, borders to open and so on.  And it happened.  It's just not the area I feel especially called to support these days - I'd rather include anyone persecuted for their faith or worldview, not 'just' Christians.

Anyway, here is the thirty-first challenge - we are now in the final countdown!!

It takes incredible bravery to stand up for what you believe in. Millions of Christians throughout the world face extreme persecution simply for following Jesus. Just because you’re here and they’re over there, doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do. Your support and encouragement is vital. Today’s act is all about being generous in encouraging the persecuted church.

PRAY:

If you’ve got five minutes, pray. It’s the most powerful weapon we’ve got in the middle of darkness. Pray for justice, peace and mercy for all those experiencing persecution because of their beliefs.

WRITE:

Did you know you can write to a persecuted Christian? Here’s a great template to get you started. Alternatively, write to your local MP to make sure the issue is kept on the government’s agenda.

CAMPAIGN:

Start a fundraising campaign for a charity that directly assists with persecuted Christians. Not sure who to choose? Take a look at this list.