Page 20 - Voice of the Persecuted Christians - Apr-Jun 2023 - 122

RELEASE INTERNATIONAL AND YOUR CHURCH
Christian martyr tour dates
We are delighted to announce a speaker tour in June to mark the conclusion of our Out of these Ashes campaign.
The tour includes several dates across England and Wales, culminating in a final event at Holy Trinity Church in Eastbourne on Thursday, June 29, the Day of the Christian Martyr. This final event will also be broadcast online.
The speakers will include Pastor Eric Foley from our associate ministry Voice of the Martyrs Korea who will join us for the final two events in Southampton and Eastbourne. From his extensive experience working with North Korean Christians, Dr Foley will challenge us on the meaning of ‘martyrdom’ for Christians in the UK.
Thursday 22nd June Life Church, Lichfield
Photos help keep our family’s plight in focus
Monday 26th June Tuesday 27th June Wednesday 28th June
Thursday 29th June
Keir’s coffee morning proves grounds for celebration
Thornhill Church, Cardiff
Bradley Stoke Evangelical Church, Bristol
Southampton Lighthouse International Church
Holy Trinity, Eastbourne
Following the success of our involvement at Christian conferences and festivals in 2022, we will be on the road again this summer exhibiting at several events including Bible by the Beach, Big Church Festival, the Keswick Convention, New Wine United 23 (TBC), ReFuel and Bangor Worldwide.
A huge thanks to 16-year-old Keir and everyone at Stonelaw Church in Rutherglen who raised a staggering £2,000-plus through a special coffee morning in aid of Release International’s work!
Release International will once again be taking part in the annual Christians in Parliament Prayer Breakfast.
The theme for this year’s event, which takes place on Tuesday, June 27, will be ‘The power of forgiveness in public life’.
One of the few items a displaced
family may quickly be able to grab when forced to flee at short notice is
a precious family photo. So, we have produced framed photos of several Christian refugee families we know which will be given out to those who sign up for our prayer resources. These framed photos can be displayed on walls or mantelpieces next to their own family photos as a reminder to pray regularly for these believers and others who have had to flee because of their faith.
Keir, pictured, heard our Engagement Manager James Fraser speak at the church last summer and was so moved to learn about the experiences of persecuted Christians that he decided to do something practical to help.
We will be hosting a seminar called ‘Father, forgive them: Praying for persecutors of Christians in East Asia’, and are delighted that Bob Fu, President of ChinaAid, and Eric Foley, CEO of Voice of the Martyrs Korea, will be our special guest speakers.
‘It really hit me how badly some people are treated because of their faith,’ said Keir. He was hugely encouraged by the support of the church congregation who turned out en masse to support the fundraising event, and when asked if he would do something similar again, replied: ‘One hundred per cent!’
At last year’s event we focused on persecution in several countries in Africa, under the theme of ‘God’s goodness in times of trial’. This year the spotlight will be on countries such as China, North Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia, calling
for prayer not just for those who are persecuted, but for those who perpetrate cruelty and violence towards them.
If you are at a Christian event this summer, please do come say hello at our stand. We would love to see you.
Parliamentary
This year our exhibition stand focuses on Christians in flight. Our main banner displays a ‘flight’ map highlighting multiple situations across the world where Christians have been forced to flee because of their faith. To help bring the reality of this issue to people’s attention, in the foreground we will recreate a scene from a refugee camp with a blue tarpaulin tent structure, clothes, cooking utensils, suitcases,
and a video projector displaying the background sights and sounds of a typical camp. We want our stand to be an immersive experience for those who visit and one that will have a lasting impact.
prayer breakfast
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