Hi.
Welcome to the DIY Sunday Service Kit for August 7th 2022.
Thomas Hardy wrote a famous novel called 'Jude the Obscure', and it seems many people think the New Testament book of Jude is pretty obscure too, when actually Jude is being pretty plain and obvious.
Our Bible ministry gives an overview of that book today, a book with a pretty strong bearing on some things that have been going on in the news this week.
But first, we are going to sing ...
Prayer points
When our news media broadcasts are often dominated by the war in Ukraine it is good to be able to maintain our prayerful concern for other needy parts of the world, as well as to give thanks for the work believers are doing to bring light and life and the hope of the Gospel to the people of this troubled and war-torn land.
Ukraine radio
News came in today from FEBC radio which is doing a great job of broadcasting the Gospel across Ukraine and neighbouring countries, supplying people with scripture in contemporary Ukrainian (rather than the language of their invaders which is all they've had until now) and running a heavily used phone-in prayer line where people are regularly coming to commit their lives to Christ.
They write:
"FEBC-Ukraine is now officially broadcasting in Kyiv!
- Protection for their workers both in the studios and on the ground visiting contacts, sharing Scripture and radio receivers and reaching out to the troops on the front lines.
- Power for the Word of God as they proclaim it and share it with people under enormous traumatic pressure and stress.
- Provision for all their personal, family and ministry needs ... and for the permanent FM radio licence for them to continue to broadcast in Kyev.
The Gulf States
About thirty million migrant workers from some of the poorest countries of the world live in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. These workers provide the manpower that is building gleaming 21st century cities in these desert, oil-based economies.
In some Gulf states, migrants make up most of the population, and about 80% are employed in construction, hospitality and domestic jobs.
And amongst them, Evangelical churches are providing low-paid workers facing horrific abuse with aid and support in what can be times of crisis and many people are coming to faith in Christ in countries where it can be illegal to do so.
These migrants face exploitation, financial hardship, domestic servitude and sexual abuse.
“Rape is a very, very common problem across the entire domestic help industry,” a pastor has told the Guardian newspaper, “and it’s not just females – males come to us because they get raped as well.”
Due to secrecy around conversion in the Gulf, the exact number of Christians in the region is not possible to ascertain, but church leaders and researchers agree there are significant numbers of migrant workers converting in Gulf countries.
Let's pray for:
- People being abused to get help
- People being helped to find faith in Christ, Who can be of more help to them in their difficult circumstances even than these well-organised churches that seek to serve them
- For protection for the church's workers and for their safety and that of new believers even as they gather as underground churches, serving the Lord in a hostile environment
The Eisteddfod
The Eisteddfod in Tregaron has now come to a close.
We have heard from Steffan Job who was running the Evangelical Movement of Wales outreach team there last week.
Steffan writes:
"I'm sitting at home writing this email as I came down with covid on Thursday evening. It was frustrating to leave the Eisteddfod with only two days left, but we know that the Lord's ways are perfect (and the team will do just fine without me!).
The last part of the week has been a mixture of different experiences. We've had the highs of sharing the gospel with people, and bringing some people back to the Lord, and we've also had the lows of some opposition.
Please pray for:
- The many hundreds of people we've spoken to and shared John's gospels with. Pray that they would read the Gospel, and that the Lord would save them in His mercy.
- We've met a number of people who obviously have some kind of faith. It has been difficult to know where these people stand. We certainly don't judge anyone of them, but we've been anxious to point them to Christ so that they become sure of their salvation. Please pray for these people - that they would fully depend on Christ for their salvation.
- There is a need in our land, and many people are aware of it. This has encouraged us - please that this need would drive people to Christ.
- As we finish today with a smaller team, please pray for good conversations.
- Please pray for the practical arrangements as those left standing clear the tent, pack up, and bring all the equipment back to Bangor.
The Sheep Festival
- Please pray for Rob as he is currently ill with COVID and has quite recently been in hospital with heart problems.
- Please pray that we will be able to prepare well and that the Lord will supply the right people to work together on the stand.
- Please pray that we will be able to pick up the threads with people we had contact with when we had the café on Market Square and that we will soon be able to welcome such folks again to an even better place to work out of in Llandovery.
We sing a great old battle song of the faith written by William Williams (Pantycelyn)
City Alight lead us in a song that heeds the big themes of Jude's book
We conclude today praying ourselves Jude's own concluding words:
to the only God our Saviour be
glory,
majesty,
power and
authority,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
before all ages,
now and forevermore!
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