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the suffering
body of christ |
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CHRISTIANS ATTACKED IN SRI LANKA
Colombo: On March 25, a pastor and church
worker were attacked by a man armed with a machete,
according to a report from the National Christian
Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka. The armed man barged
into the Vineyard Community Church in the city of
Pannala, North Western Province and slashed the men.
Both believers sustained serious injuries. Local church
members suspect the assailant previously burned the
church's electricity meter and attacked the caretaker.
At last report, no arrest had been made.
During the past three months, members of the Assembly of
God church in the town of Bulathkohupitiya, Sabaragamuwa
Province have faced threats and intimidation from local
villagers and Buddhist monks. The congregation is also
being monitored. A petition for the church's closure has
reportedly been sent to the Ministry of Religious
Affairs. As a result of the tension, many church members
have been unable to meet together for worship. |
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CHURCH BURNED
Hyderabad: At approximately 6:30 p.m. on
March 24, 2009 the Jesus Prayer House church building in
the village of Kuruvakalva, was burned by Hindu
militants. Bibles, hymnals and furniture as well as the
roof the church were destroyed. |
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BELIEVERS ATTACKED IN AP
Hyderabad: A group of believers was
attacked on March 27, 2009 in the capital city,
according to All India Christian Council. Pastor
Pramodam Joshua, his wife, his son and seven other
church members were gathered in a believers' home when
three youths approached the owner of the building and
threatened him for allowing the prayer service.
Two youths confronted the Christians while they were
travelling home and demanded to know why they were
converting Hindus. Pastor Joshua and at least two other
believers were beaten and injured.
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PASTOR SHOT DURING CHURCH SERVICE
The pastor of an Illinois church, Rev. Fred Winters, was
shot to death during a Sunday service in front of
horrified parishioners who then tackled the gunman.
The gunman walked in during the service at the First
Baptist Church of Maryville, walked up to the pulpit and
opened fire. The gunman's .45-calibre pistol jammed
after he shot Winters thrice. The shooter then pulled
out a knife and turned it on himself before being
tackled by some of the roughly 150 worshippers attending
the church. Two of those who went after the attacker
suffered non-life-threatening injuries, while the
assassin's injuries are "very serious.”
Rev. Mark Jones, another pastor at First Baptist, said
he briefly saw the gunman but did not recognize him by
name or face. "We have no idea what this guy's motives
were," Jones said outside the church. "We don't know if
we'll ever know that.”
Many coming for the second service arrived to find
emergen-cy vehicles directing them away from the church,
which reported-ly has 1,500 members. Some parked at a
nearby senior centre where they were consoling one
another.
Jeffrey Hawkins, executive director of the Christian
Security Network said "This shooting is a tragic
situation, but one that has been witnessed many times
over the years. This violent incident against a
Christian church is another reminder that these
incidents are not going to stop and can occur anywhere,
at any time. The only recourse that churches have to is
to acknowledge that it can happen to them and to be
prepared. "In the first two months of 2009 alone our
Network has tracked 139 incidents in 31 states against
Christian churches, schools and ministries," Hawkins
said. |
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MUSLIMS ATTACK CHRISTIAN OWNED SHOPS IN ALEXANDRIAN
ALEXANDRIA, Egypt, April 5: (Reuters)
Hundreds of Muslims pelted Christian owned shops and a
police station with stones in the Mediterranean port
city of Alexandria on Sunday after a Muslim man was
killed, an eyewitness said.
A security source said the violence started after word
of mouth reports a Muslim man, identified as Ahmed Abdel
Razeq Gomaa, had been stabbed to death in the street by
his Christian landlords.
Crowds of Muslims assembled near a mosque for funeral
prayers for Gomaa chanting "They'll die, they'll die,"
in reference to the three Christian landlords, brothers
Ayman, Atef and Farag Tagy, the witness said. Police and
security vehicles were positioned in the area.
Security sources said the Muslim man was the sole Muslim
tenant in the building owned by the trio, and had been
injured in an earlier fight with the brothers. One
security source added that the three landlords had been
detained over the death.
Christians account for up to 10 percent of Egypt's
population. Relations with the Muslim majority are
usually harmonious, but disputes over land, religious
buildings or women some-times lead to violence.
In 2006, there were three days of sectarian clashes in
Alexandria after a Muslim stabbed a Coptic Christian to
death. Authorities claimed the attacker was mentally
ill.
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This page is
updated on April 20, 2009 |
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PRAISE THE ALMIGHTY
10 YEARS CELEBRATION
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