P.S.
Poznámka Julie: Moje dcerka, Kristýna mi řekla, že se na setkání křesťanské mládeže dozvěděla, že Mel Gibson prohlásil, že ve filmu nemá žádnou roli, až na malou výjimku: Jsou to Gibsonovy ruce, které přibíjejí Ježíše na kříž. A zdůraznil, že to byly jeho vlastní ruce, které Ježíše přibyly na kříž (a naše také).

Ne všichni můžeme vykonat velké skutky, ale můžeme konat malé s velkou láskou.

Další informace k tomuto tématu na www.kshk.cz/clanek0104_1.html.

*Nejnovější zprávy v originální anglické verzi jsou vždy zde (klikněte).

In an effort to unite Christian broadcasters in the event of another catastrophic incident such as 9/11, the Christian Emergency Network (CEN) was officially launched at the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) convention in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Feb. 16. It is part of an ongoing effort by the Mission America Coalition to prepare the Christian community to be "response ready" in times of national crisis. CEN founder Mary Marr presented the vision of CEN along with Tom Bowen who served with search and recovery teams at ground zero following the 9/11. "There is a real need for a coordinated response from the Christian community in times of national tragedy, and CEN is answering that call," said Bowen. Once the media channels are fully in place, CEN expects to reach out to local churches and parachurch organizations to train and prepare Christians to be ready for any disaster. CEN's mission is to "share the eternal hope of Jesus Christ in times of national crisis through a joint prayer, care and share ministry and media response." Last month World Markets Research Center ranked the U.S. as the fourth most likely of 186 countries -- behind only Colombia, Israel and Pakistan -- to be the target of a terror attack within the next 12 months. The company provides research on the risk of terrorism for 500 public and private multinational clients. (Assist News Service/Christian Examiner)

LUTHERAN CHURCHES LOSE GROUND IN EUROPE, NORTH AMERICA, AUSTRALIA

Lutheran churches are growing in all parts of the world except in Europe, North America and Australia. The latest statistics issued by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Geneva show that the total number of Lutherans has increased in the last two years by 570,000 (0.9 percent) to nearly 66 million. The fastest regional growth (9.3 percent) was in Africa where 1.1 million Lutherans were added in the last two years, pushing the number up to 13 million. Increased membership was also recorded in Asia (2.5 percent). The number of Lutherans in Europe, however, dropped by 1.75 percent to 36 million members, and North America registered a slight loss as well while the Lutheran Church of Australia saw a decrease of 12 percent in the last two years. Germany has the highest number of Lutherans in one country (13.2 million) but also saw high losses (385,000). LWF treasurer Peter Stoll of Stuttgart, Germany, attributes the decrease to demographic changes as deaths continue to outnumber baptisms. The effects on churches in eastern Germany are dramatic. Only 20 percent of the population is affiliated with any church compared to 70 percent in the rest of the country. (Assist News Service/IDEA)

'PAVEMENT PROJECT' AIMS TO HELP STREET CHILDREN WORLDWIDE

A pioneering project aimed at bringing hope to some of the estimated 100 million street children worldwide will launch in Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, March 17. Pavement Project is the result of four years unprecedented research by Scripture Gift Mission (SGM) into the psychology of traumatized children living on the street. From this research, Christian street workers have developed a "Big Green Bag" containing pictures, activities and Bible stories that evoke a sense of value and self-worth among even the most traumatized children. The resource has been written in seven languages so far. More than 350 street children were asked to tell their stories of how they came to be on the streets and how they viewed themselves. "I felt bad about the picture of the abandoned, crying child because I also experienced being abandoned by my parents," said one of the children. "It's as if a thorn was removed from me. I'm like the lost sheep - - searched for and cared for again." Pavement Project is working with established street ministries and organizations, to train their workers in how to take a child through the pack's therapeutic process. The resources are used one-on-one with children in day centers, shelters and out on the streets. (Scripture Gift Mission/Religious Media Agency)

MINISTRY EQUIPS CHRISTIAN ARTISTS TO 'RECLAIM HOLLYWOOD'

Leaders of a ministry that prepares Christians for entertainment careers say equipping believers to work behind the scenes can bring change from the inside out in Hollywood. Through his 14-city "Conquering Hollywood" tour that began in September, producer and Emmy-winning director S. Bryan Hickox is seeking to train believers to be marketable in Hollywood. He offers two-day writing seminars at Act One, a Los Angeles-based ministry that teaches screenwriting to Christians. The ministry also gives workshops on acting and how to make a successful pitch. Hickox says there are a "few hundred" Christians working behind the scenes in Hollywood, making a difference in job such as set designers, makeup artists and casting directors. Research shows that Christians and non-Christians want more films with a moral base, pointing to the recent success of "Finding Nemo," "Bruce Almighty" and "The Matrix Reloaded," said Hickox, a 40-year industry veteran who came to Christ in 1974. "We have a chance to impact the world," he says. "Other countries are growing weary of American morality. As Christians stand on truth, we can reclaim the entertainment industry." (Religion Today/Charisma News Service)

OMS EVACUATES MISSIONARIES FROM HAITI, RADIO MINISTRY CONTINUES

As unrest continues to escalate in Haiti, OMS International has evacuated most of its missionaries from the country. However, the ministry's 53-year-old radio outreach, based five miles southwest of Cap-Haitien, continues to broadcast a message of hope.

OMS evacuated 10 missionaries and their families the week of Feb. 15 as well as 31 short-term volunteers on five work and ministry teams, reported OMS in a statement issued this afternoon. Another 13 teams scheduled for the remainder of February and March also were canceled. On Friday, Feb. 20, seven OMS missionaries remained in Haiti. Today the mission decided to evacuate those missionaries serving in the Cap-Haitien area.

"At the earliest opportunity OMS missionaries will re-enter Haiti to return to their ministries and to aid with humanitarian relief efforts. We urge the Christian community to support their Haitian brothers and sisters in prayer," the statement said.

Meanwhile, 4VEH, the radio ministry operated by OMS, is bringing hope and encouragement to people across the region, said Jerry Maurer, the station's technical coordinator who left Haiti with his family on Tuesday, Feb. 17. "The station is still on the air, and there is enough fuel to run it for another 30 days." However, the number of hours that the station broadcasts daily is down to nine from 18 to save on fuel for the diesel generators. Rebels have blocked roads to the city, interrupting fuel supplies.

Broadcasts continue to go out in French and Creole on AM at 840 kHz and on FM at 94.1 MHz. Limited programming in English and French airs on 94.7 MHz. OMS also ministers in Haiti via church planting, children's education, agricultural development and community development.

Maurer says the station's non-political stance -- broadcasting a positive gospel message -- has made the ministry less of a target for rebels. However, about 500 squatters have taken advantage of the crisis in the country, occupying an old commercial transmitter site (next to the 4VEH's transmitter facility) and knocking down a 400-foot antenna tower.

Staff members from the HCJB World Radio Engineering Center in Elkhart, Ind., are working with OMS International to establish a satellite radio network in Cap-Haitien that will deliver programs to FM stations nationwide. Downlinks have been installed in Turtle Island and Pignon, and at least three more are planned.

In recent developments, militant government loyalists set up flaming barricades today to block the road into the Haitian capital, and 50 U.S. Marines were flown in to protect the American Embassy and diplomats, reported the Associated Press. Rebels threatened to attack the capital soon.

Frightened cabinet ministers were asking friends for places to hide, senior government sources said, as the rebels were bolstered by having seized Cap-Haitien on Sunday. The rebel victory means that more than half the country now is beyond the control of the central government.

Residents went on a rampage of reprisals and looting that began after rebels seized the city of 500,000 people with little resistance on Sunday. Rebel leader Guy Philippe said his men could do nothing to stop the looting and blamed Aristide's government for leaving most of Haiti's 8 million people "hungry and desperate."

In recent months political division has wracked Haiti with one side demanding that Aristide resign and the other telling the president not to step down before his term ends in 2006. When Aristide, a former Roman Catholic priest, who pledged his allegiance to Haiti's poor, was elected president in 1990, many thought Haiti's history of dictatorship had come to an end. But he was quickly ousted in a bloody coup, which left between 3,000 and 5,000 dead. He was then reinstated by American troops in 1994.

Hundreds have died due to the political violence since September when the crisis erupted over disputed legislative elections in May 2000. Accusations aimed at Aristide and his entourage claimed they were involved in political assassinations and illegal links to drug trafficking. Haiti has suffered more than 30 coups since its independence in 1804. Haitian Prime Minister Yvon Neptune fears that opposition groups soon will become strong enough to mount another coup. (HCJB World Radio/OMS International/Associated Press)

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