http://blogs.ancientfaith.com/glory2godforallthings/2015/03/11/can-you-forgive-someone-elses-enemies/

Father Stephen Freeman on forgiveness.  A good read for Lent/present times …

http://www.opendoorsuk.org/give/syria_emergency.php 

PRAY.  SHARE.  DONATE.

Father Edwin drew our attention to this appeal yesterday at our Sheffield Liturgy.  Please click on the above link and donate if you possibly can.  

Lord have mercy!

Syria appeal update…

The violence in Syria continues to escalate but the response to the Syria emergency appeal has been outstanding. Open Doors partners have now begun to provide relief packs to the first 1,000 displaced families, but Syria’s beleaguered Christians still need your help.

A local church leader said, “I want to let you know that this relief work is offering a much needed help to hundreds of Christian families who lost everything… It is opening an amazing door for the church to reach out to them with the gospel. This is a rare opportunity for breaking the denominational barriers through the love of Christ.”

Prior to the violence in Homs an estimated 40 thousand Christians were living in the city but now only an estimated five thousand are left.

The church leader explained: “There are Christian families forced to leave their homes knowing that others would take them. They were threatened that ‘bad things’ would happen if they would have stayed. With their lives at risk, staying was no option anymore.”

Christians are depending on help from organisations like Open Doors or from local churches, who are doing everything possible to help displaced people from Homs and other cities. Open Doors is supporting churches and about one thousand families will receive food parcels, hygiene kits and other useful items.

• A gift of £70 will provide a family of six with an emergency family relief pack containing food, fuel and medical aid.

• A gift of £118 will provide a family of six with an emergency family relief pack, a family Bible and other urgently needed support such as trauma counselling.

Download the Syria Emergency video to show at your church or prayer group.

Whatever you can give will provide security and protection for Christians facing an uncertain future.