He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. - Isaiah 40:11
The people of Syria have celebrated the fall of Bashar al-Assad and dared to dream of a better future after five decades of dynastic rule came to a sudden and unexpected end with the dictator fleeing to Moscow. Crowds of people waved the Syrian revolutionary flag and pulled down statues and portraits of the president and his father, Hafez, while celebratory gunfire and car horns echoed around Damascus on Sunday as an astonishing rebel advance reached the capital. In photos and videos of families reunited with loved ones long lost to the dark of the regime’s notorious prison system, people cried and clung to one another in disbelief at their newfound freedom. Others gleefully ransacked the presidential palace, marveling at the abundance of luxury goods and designer cars in a country where 90% of the population lives below the poverty line. Just hours before, it was announced that Assad had fled the capital in a private plane and that his regime had fallen. On Sunday evening, Russian state news agencies reported that the president and his family were in Moscow and had been given asylum on “humanitarian grounds”.
While we are glad Heavenly Father that a tyrannical ruler is gone, we now pray for what comes next. History has taught us that these moments of transition is often full of violence and chaos. We pray for safety for all Syrians who both celebrate this change as we bring worry about what comes next to you.
This year is now almost certain to be the hottest year on record, data shows. It will also be the first to have an average temperature of more than 1.5C above preindustrial levels, marking a further escalation of the climate crisis. Data for November from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) found the average global surface temperature for the month was 1.62C above the level before the mass burning of fossil fuels drove up global heating. With data for 11
months of 2024 now available, scientists said the average for the year is expected to be 1.60C, exceeding the record set in 2023 of 1.48C. Samantha Burgess, the deputy director of C3S, said: “We can now confirm with virtual certainty that 2024 will be the warmest year on record and the first calendar year above 1.5C. This does not mean that the Paris agreement has been breached, but it does mean ambitious climate action is more urgent than ever.” The Paris climate agreement commits the 196 signatories to keeping global heating to below 1.5C in order to limit the impact of climate disasters. But this is measured over a decade or two, not a single year. Nonetheless, the likelihood of keeping below the 1.5C limit even over the longer term appears increasingly remote. The CO2 emissions heating the planet are expected to keep rising in 2024, despite a global pledge made in late 2023 to “transition away from fossil fuels”.
Empower us as we piece together some semblance of a viable future. The news is utterly bleak, and seemingly gets worse by the day. Correct us God, for we know what we do and do not do better.
Dozens of Palestinians – including women and children – have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, health authorities say, as a power outage threatens the lives of more than 100 patients at a hospital in the besieged territory’s north. Gaza’s Health Ministry said on Monday that 50 people were killed the previous day and 84 others were injured as Israeli forces committed three strikes in the territory. An Israeli drone attack in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza on Monday morning killed three people, sources told Al Jazeera. “[The victims] were trying to leave their home in search of food in the vicinity of their neighborhood when they were targeted by a drone,” said Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from central Deir el-Balah in Gaza. “They were killed right away. Their bodies are still in the street and nobody has the ability to get to the bombed site and remove the bodies from the street.” Jabalia has been under Israeli siege for 65 days, with thousands of Palestinians being denied access to food and water supplies, leaving many starving.
Compassionate one, you are near to the grieving. Be near, now. Illuminate the ways in which we can play a role in this violence ceasing. Shine light on the path to peace, Lord.
The Canada Post strike involving more than 55,000 workers has hit 25 days. In a statement Sunday, Canada Post says it is awaiting a formal response from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers to the proposal it submitted to the union Friday. In a Friday statement, the union said it was reviewing what Canada Post put forward and questioned when the mediation process will officially resume. The union said it is committed to returning to the bargaining table. The strike
began Nov. 14, and federal mediation was put on hold nearly two weeks ago due to the sides being too far apart. Calls for government intervention have been mounting from the business community, but so far the government has said it's not stepping in. The federal government has intervened in other high-profile labor disputes recently, including the ports, using a controversial section of the law to get the labor board to order binding arbitration.
We pray for meaningful work that is compensated at a rate for families to not just scrape by, but to live full, vibrant lives. For both sides to come to the negotiating table, we pray.
Introducing a leadership development course designed to equip those who are preparing to serve as a deacon or those who are deacons in the Christian Reformed Church. This 5-lesson, self-led course will orient your team to the teachings about deacons in the Bible, our confessions, and the ordination form for deacons. By the end of this course, you will have a deeper understanding of your role as a deacon and how you can participate in God's mission as it is uniquely embodied by your church. Enroll »
In this episode of Do Justice, Thrive’s Disability Consultant joins to explore the transformative work of accessible church ministry. We delve into the Accessible Church Ministry cohort, a group dedicated to rethinking church inclusivity, and share stories of how churches have worked to better welcome people of all abilities. Listen »
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