So they took a canoe out onto the lake. Under the light of the moon and stars they worked hard all night. Again and again they threw out their nets and drew them back in - empty. Just as the first light of day was dawning, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) came and stood on the shore. John 21:3-4 (FNV)
After years of a slow trickle of international migration because of COVID-19, economic opportunities and global crises are driving record numbers of people to Alberta at a time when housing is increasingly unavailable and unaffordable. Provincial data for net migration shows Alberta received about 36,000 international migrants in the first quarter of this year – about 70 per cent of total newcomers. There were nearly 30,000 in the final months of 2022. In that same period in 2019, it was 10,400 people. Calgary settlement agencies that work with families like hers say chronic underfunding and a national housing crisis are leaving many newcomers homeless or in precarious housing. Agencies say they have found newcomers sleeping on Calgary's streets, at the airport or at homeless shelters because nothing else is available.
We pray for those who fled from a country under attack and now find themselves without a roof over their heads. Lord God, we pray that housing may become available - whether at houses of worship, new apartments or homes, or even a spare bedroom of a welcoming neighbor. For those fleeing trauma, we pray for healing.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is expected to hold a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a White House official. On Monday, United States National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson indicated that the meeting would be part of ongoing discussions over weapons sales between the two countries. “As we have warned publicly, arms negotiations between Russia and the DPRK are actively advancing,” Watson said, using an acronym for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or North Korea. “We have information that Kim Jong Un expects these discussions to continue, to include leader-level diplomatic engagement in Russia,” she added. Last week, the White House said Russia was already in secret, active talks with North Korea to acquire a range of munitions and supplies for Moscow’s war in Ukraine. The Kremlin says there is “nothing to say.”
God, we are so troubled by the news of Russia, the great aggressor, and North Korea gathering to discuss weapons sales. This is an affront to world peace, to the Ukrainian people, and to the safety and security of people across the globe. Halt the hands of those who seek to inflict harm, God.
Dozens of world leaders and heads of state are gathered in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, as the Africa Climate Summit 2023 -- the continent’s first-ever climate summit -- gets underway.
African Heads of State, high-profile dignitaries and thousands of delegates are set to debate over the continent's pressing climate change challenges and forge a path to a more resilient and sustainable environment. The UAE, which is due to host COP28, announced the biggest pledge so far with $4.5 billion towards clean energy initiatives. According to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), Africa contributes just 3.8% to global greenhouse gas emissions. However, the continent has so far taken the brunt of the effects of the global warming crisis, according to many experts, and has experienced various climate-related disasters. At least 4,000 people have been killed, and 19 million more have been affected by extreme weather events in Africa since the beginning of 2022, according to research published by Science Direct. “Those who produce the garbage refuse to pay their bills,” President William Ruto, a host of the summit, said to an audience that included senior officials from China, the United States and the European Union — some of the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases.
We pray for collaboration, for innovation, and for commitment to the shared vision of protecting our collective future. We pray that the nations of Africa might be one in their determination, and might speak boldly to the other nations of the world in funding and supporting climate mitigation and adaptation projects.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he wants Eritrean migrants involved in a violent clash in Tel Aviv to be deported immediately and has ordered a plan to remove all of the country’s African migrants. The remarks came a day after bloody protests by rival groups of Eritreans in south Tel Aviv left dozens of people injured. Eritreans, supporters and opponents of Eritrea’s government, faced off with construction lumber, pieces of metal and rocks, smashing shop windows and police cars. Israeli police in riot gear shot tear gas, stun grenades and live rounds while officers on horseback tried to control the protesters. The violence on Saturday returned to the fore the issue of migrants, which has long divided Israel. Its resurgence comes as Israel is torn over Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul plan, and supporters cite the migrant issue as a reason why the courts should be reined in, saying they have stood in the way of pushing the migrants out.
God of grace and mercy, we pray for peace in the streets of Tel Aviv, and for those who seek to inflict harm on their neighbor might be halted in their tracks. We pray for the injured and the traumatized. For calmer tongues, we pray. For those who’ve caused this violence, we pray they are brought to justice.
Nine ministries are joining to equip and encourage our congregations more than ever before. Our new name is Thrive. In coming together, we hope to provide churches with one-stop access to support resources that are fully integrated, and responsive to the changing needs of local congregations. To learn more, see this news story.
September 24th is Safe Church Sunday. The abuse awareness topic for 2023 is The Power of Trauma-Informed Ministry. You can access resources for this Sunday and beyond on this website.
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