Missionaries of the World

While speaking this past weekend in Kisumu, Kenya, Will Graham, grandson of evangelist Billy Graham preached the Good News of Jesus Christ to over 21,000 people over a three-day period of which 1,350 witnesses committing themselves to Jesus. Will Graham preached at the Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground in Kisumu on June 07- 09, 2013, nearly 53 years after his grandfather, Evangelist Billy Graham preached in the same city.

An Egyptian court has convicted a Coptic Christian teacher in guilty of blasphemy but didn't hand down a prison sentence and only imposed a fine on her. Ms.Demiana Ebeid Abdelnour who teaches social science at a primary school in Tout, Luxor, was accused of insulting Islam and the Prophet Mohammad after several parents and pupils complained in April about one of her classes.

Pope Francis said people must to admit their sins like Saint Paul and not just their good deeds during his daily Mass in the chapel of Saint Martha’s House on June 14. Pope Francis said “We have to be humble, but with real humility, from head to toe. If we only pride ourselves on our service record and nothing more, we end up going wrong”. The head of the Congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, concelebrated the Mass with the Pope, while staff and clergy from the congregation attended it.

There is growing religious intolerance in Sri Lanka: a group of unknown persons attacked the Catholic Church of St. Francis Xavier in Angulana in the Archdiocese of Colombo. The vandals destroyed an ancient statue of the Virgin, and then demolished the tabernacle: they removed it from the altar trying to set fire to the Eucharist. The incident occurred on June 5th at around 10 pm, but so far the police have not yet identified the perpetrators.

Religious freedom was among the topics which Pope Francis touched upon Saturday during his meeting with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano. In his address, Pope Francis recalled how 2013 marks the 17th centenary of the Edict of Milan, a document which many consider to be the first example of religious freedom being promoted. "In today's world, religious freedom is more often affirmed than put into practice", the pope said. It is often threatened, and not infrequently violated. The serious outrages against this fundamental right are a source of serious concern, and need to be confronted at the global level.

Hindu extremists brutally attacked 20 Protestant Pastors of the Telugu Baptist Church in the district of Mahehwaram Mandal in Hyderabad, the state capital of Andhra Pradesh in India. According to All India Christian Council (AICC), an ecumenical organization of Christian communities in India, on June 04, 2013 about 50 militants of the "Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh" (RSS) group interrupted a spiritual retreat of the Baptist Pastors at the Baptist Church, at Maheshwaram attacked and beaten them with sticks and rods and also abused them. During the violence, the militants accused the Pastors of forcing people to convert to Christianity

The Archbishop of Canterbury Most Reverend Justin Welby has thanked the Queen for her commitment during the six decades of her reign. He delivered the sermon at a service in Westminster Abbey on June 04, 2013 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Queen's coronation. The Queen of England - Elizabeth was accompanied by members of the royal family, including the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The Moderator of Church of South India and Bishop of Kanyakumari Diocese, The Most Rev. Dr.G.Devakadasham has given ordination to fourteen Church workers at the Holy Ordination service of CSI Kanyakumari Diocese held on June 02, 2013 at Home Church, Nagercoil, Kanyakumari District. The Holy ordination followed their successful completion of their three-year theological studies and successful completion of their ministerial probation at the various churchs in the diocese. The moderator was preaching the sermon at the commissioning of 14 probationers. During the service, Er.S.Byju Nizeeth Paul, (Vice President of the Diocese), Dr.M.J.Moses, (Secretary of the Diocese), Rev.Muthuswamy Christudhas, (Treasurer), Presbyters, Evangelists, Church workers and Probationers were attended. More than 5,000 members of the congregation participated the Holy service.