Diary Dates
 
    * October 2009 - NW Synod laypeoples visit to Chiayi Presbytery in Taiwan. Info from Kate Gray & March09 Synod
 
    * November 28th 2009 multicultural day in Manchester. Details to follow.
 

http://worldchurch.blogspot.com/

Thursday, 1 January 2009
 
Violence in Sri Lanka continues. Lets do what we can.
May 2009 bring better signs of hope for all in conflict areas like Gaza and Eelam. Thank you for your solidarity and thoughtfulness around the situation of the Tamil people which you have expressed and taken action on during this past year - 2008. Your efforts are highly appreciated. (Current situation horrendous. Today and yesterday Kilinochi hospital was bombed - another serious contravention of Geneva Conventions /International Humanitarian Law. Today two women and two men killed - all civilians) Despite having been told - by the EU - that we would have a definite answer from the EU regarding the renewal of GSP trade benefits to Sri Lanka, we have been told that the result of their decision is not yet finlaised. They are going to do an investigation over the next year. But SL has refused to co-operate. So this does not add up. Please continue to do what you can and use the previous posts on Sri Lanka and the info from the Nov. synod bags to write letters in support of the Tamil peoples as soon as you can.
 
God asks us to do what we can - this we can do - write, pray, tell others and don't let up until there is change for all the Tamil people so they can share in a new year with hope and peace.
 
God bless us all for 2009.
 
Thursday, 18 December 2008
 
Message from Karyn, Zimbabwe, Tearfund
 
Dear friends,
 
With Christmas just a week away and the year-end chaos that sets in, it's been hard to find the time to stop and send an email about the state of things of Zimbabwe. But I have forced myself to concentrate on this because things have suddenly deteriorated in a direction I wasn't expecting.As if cholera and severe food shortages are not enough, there has been a spate of abductions. Perhaps the most horrifying thing is that included in the first group to be abducted was a two year old child. None of these people have been seen or heard of since. The police have not been able to help.I can't help thinking what it must be like for the families of these people.As you can imagine, this has spread fear and uncertainty for many. Those abducted include MDC activists, staff of a human rights organisation, a human rights lawyer, a journalist. It's hard to know who might be next.Please pray for those who have been abducted - for protection and that they will be released unharmed. Pray also for their families who must be so worried.Pray for staff of NGOs and civil society organisations, for activists, human rights defenders and those who are potential targets. Please pray for wisdom and protection and peace for them and their families.Thank you for your prayers.
God bless, Karyn
Southern Africa Team, Tearfund
Please do what you can to share this news, contact Tearfun or Amnesty International for further info on what you can do to support the people of Zimbabwe.
In Wythenshawe we have a Zimbabwean Church and are collecting basic medical items to send soon. If you would like to donate paracetamol, bandages, antiseptic, vitamins and other basic items please drop them off very soon to St. Andrews House, St Andrews Methodist Church in Wythenshawe M22 for Revd Brenda Shaw to pass on.
 
Monday, 8 December 2008
 
Sri Lanka letters - reminder!
At our November Synod all the postal bags included detailed info about the crisis in Sri Lanka and what our local churches can do in support of the people there in such dire times. Trinity Community Church in Manchester have contacted me to say they have used the letter from Synod post bags for the congregation to sign and send off to Brussels and also sent copies to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, David Milleband & MPs Gerald Kaufman & Tony Lloyd too.
Please do contact me to let me know if your church has done something similar so we have an idea about how many local churches and Christians are responding from our Synod. If you haven't done so then please speak with your minister or Synod rep about this material to send off before Christmas.
many thanks.
Posted by Kate at 03:22 0 comments
Thursday, 4 December 2008
AN APPEAL BY PCT TO THE GLOBAL CHURCH FAMILY FOR PRAYERS CONCERNING THE ABUSE OF JUSTICE AND VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN TAIWAN
 
On behalf of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) and out of unyielding concern for the dignity and selfhood of the 23 million people of our nation, as well as for peace in the Asia region, we sincerely appeal to you our sisters and brothers in Christ to join us in expressing concern and offering prayers for Taiwan.
 
Ever since the Legislative Elections of January 2008 when the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang KMT) garnered the overwhelming majority of seats and later the KMT candidate, Ma Ying-Jeou, won the Presidential Election on 20 May 2008, the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT), along with many others in our land, have held deep concerns and reservations for the future of democracy and human rights in our country Taiwan.
 
Sadly, the performance of President Ma and his KMT administration the past six months has time and again underscored our fears. We in particular express our grave concern for recent events:
 
1) the detentions of both present and former government officials of the opposition party, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) accused of corruption. We understand one or two detainees have been charged but several accused are still held without being charged and incommunicado, this is a basic violation of due process of justice and rule of law. Furthermore, we are concerned the prosecutor's office is seemingly leaking information to the press while the accused are unable to defend themselves. This "trial by press" also violates justice and the norm that any accused should be considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Since only members of the DPP opposition party are targeted this action implies the KMT is "using" the justice system to retaliate the former government under Chen's administration.
 
2) the visit to Taiwan (3-7 Nov 2008) of Mr. Chen Yun-Lin, Chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) from China; and the signing of the four cross-strait accords between the ARATS chairman Chen and the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) represented by its Chairman, Chiang Pin-Kung. This action to develop direct aviation, shipping, market trade and economic relations with China accelerated fears that the methods used by the Ma Administration are costly in terms of the legal process, Taiwan's dignity and sovereignty as well as being a real threat to democracy in Taiwan.
 
3) the violation of human rights, freedom of speech and expression, undergirded by the government's action to deploy more than 10,000 police including riot police officers, to Taipei city to "guard" the visiting dignitary Chen and the sixty people who accompanied him. These measures to "guard and protect" the visiting envoy from China were excessive and disturbingly reminiscent of the dark years under Martial Law.
 
With this letter we add a brief overview of some of the events of last week that hopefully will help you further understand the reason for our concerns.
 
On behalf of the PCT and Taiwan, thank you for your support and we ask that you kindly share this prayer request with your church members.
 
Sincerely yours, in grace and peace
 
Rev. Chang Te-Chien (Andrew)
General Secretary