The Parish Magazine May 2023

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14 The Parish Magazine - May 2023 Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to advertisements Follow Us @ShiplakeCollege • Top brand name flooring at the lowest price • Samples to view in your home/office day/evening • Free Advice / FreeQuotes • Old flooring uplifted & furniture moved • Fast turn around on fitting if required • Carpet, design and wood flooring specialists We supply and install: Amtico Carpets - Laminate - Wood - Vinyl Non-slip and more... Year 9 Co-Ed Entry 2025 ‘Experience Shiplake’ Thursday 8 June 2023, 4.15pm www.shiplake.org.uk/visit Tel: 0118 958 0445 10 Richfield Avenue, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 8EQ info@richfieldflooring.co.uk/www.richfieldflooring.eo.uk
From page 13 PARISH NOTICEBOARD — 5 Nigeria stands at number 6 in the Open Doors World Watch List of the top 50 countries where Christians face the most persecution and they are hardly a minority — Christians account for 100 million, almost half, of the country’s population of 216.7 million. Yet Open Doors has calculated that more Christians are killed for their faith in Nigeria than anywhere else: 'out of a total of 5,621 Christians killed for their faith in 2022, 89% were in Nigeria'. The country moved up one place in the World Watch List this year, reflecting increasing jihadist violence across the country. Persecution has mostly affected believers living in the Muslim majority north and middle belt, but it is spreading to the south. One horrific story is of a Nigerian church minister who was burned to death in January after his home was set alight by suspected Islamists. 12 years earlier he had survived a Boko Haram bombing on the church he was pastoring and where as many as 45 were killed and 73 injured. Another Nigerian pastor was shot dead in March after gunmen stormed his home and kidnapped his wife. The chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria has asked the government to do more to halt the kidnapping and killing of Christians in the state. The Parish Magazine - May 2023 15 THE persecuted church by colin bailey 'Even soldiers are afraid to get into my community' Claude's challenges Fortunately, my hearing appears to be unaffected and I enjoy spending many hours listening to my extensive collection of classical music CD's accompanied by my equally impressive collection of fine malt whiskies! I have much to look forward to with the warmer summer days when I can enjoy my garden, and I have varied concerts to attend as my grandchildren continue their studies. I am also planning a holiday in Scotland to visit one of my granddaughters once she relocates with her job. So, life after Barbara would have been considered as a new chapter, but my stroke has led to me having to create a new book. Although it is without the benefit of an introduction or an index, I am continually rewriting and editing it as I explore the new challenges and adventures of life. The National Christian Centre is a Christian place of inter-denominational worship in Nigeria's capital, Abuja. Miroslav Pavicevic, dreamstime.com The Nigerian government continues to maintain an official position of denial of religious persecution, but it is known that Christians are often specifically targeted because of their faith. There were presidential elections in Nigeria on 25 February but this appears to have had no impact in restoring peace and tackling Islamist extremism. Barnabas Aid report that more than 70 people were killed in the Christian majority areas of Benue and southern Kaduna states in the first half of March. ISWAP Boko Haram began its insurgency in 2009 aimed at overthrowing the secular government and establishing an Islamic state. More than 35,000 have been killed since then. In March 2015, Boko Haram declared its allegiance to ‘Islamic State in Iraq and Syria’ and renamed itself ‘Islamic State in West Africa Province’ (ISWAP). A split gave rise to the Nur/Al-Barnawi faction. Both groupings have been responsible for attacks on Muslims and Christians, murders, and kidnappings. Other perpetrators of violence include militant Islamist Fulani herdsmen. The Fulani are a diverse group of millions, with hundreds of clans. There is a sub-group of individuals of Fulani ethnicity who carry out attacks. At least 10,000 Christians have died in violence since 2015 and huge numbers made homeless. The danger continues. One resident in a camp for displaced people has said, ‘We don’t have anything…Even soldiers are afraid to get into my community now.’ Barnabas Aid is appealing for money to build homes for Christians displaced by violence in Nigeria. Please see link below or telephone 0179 374 4557 to donate (quoting project 39-772 Victims of Violence in Nigeria). PLEASE PRAY Please pray for the Lord to comfort the grieving, guide the government, restrain the extremists and sustain the faith of his people in Nigeria through these difficult times. References and further reading Pray for Nigeria - https://www.barnabasaid. org/gb/news/editorial-pray-for-nigeria-aselection-controversy-continues/ Persecuted Church updates - https://www. barnabasaid.org/gb/news/updates-on-thepersecuted-church-29-march-2023/ World Watch List Nigeria - https://www. opendoorsuk.org/persecution/world-watchlist/nigeria/ Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect - https://www.globalr2p.org/countries/ nigeria/#:~:text=Violence%20perpetrated%20 by%20armed%20extremist,mass%20 atrocities%20in%20northern%20Nigeria. Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust report https:// www.hart-uk.org/blog/long-read-violencein-nigerias-middle-belt-states-ethnic-andreligious-dimensions/ Barnabas Aid appeal for homes for displaced Christians - https://www.barnabasaid.org/ gb/latest-needs/build-homes-for-christiansdisplaced-by-violence-in-nigeria/
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Page 25 and 26: feature — 3 Why go? By Deidre Mor
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Page 29 and 30: around the villages — 1 Easter wo
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Page 33 and 34: THE ARTS — 1 Life and light and l
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Page 39 and 40: Rev Kate's May Quiz PUZZLE PAGE CRO
Page 41 and 42: CHILDREN'S PAGE The Parish Magazine
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