Charles Gardner shares some touching stories
WELSH CHAPELS TO RE-OPEN
A retired chartered surveyor has invested £200,000 of his own savings in re-opening a dozen dis- used chapels in the South Wales valleys where a great revival broke out in 1904. Rev Robert Stivey aims to bring the Gospel back to the towns and villages where crime came to a virtual halt through the revival.
He says: “I am intent on attracting new fellowships… and using these chapels, not as museum pieces, but centres of worship.”
“LIVELY” PRISON SERVICES
As inmates around the country discover the Gospel and flock to Bible studies and services, one prison chaplain comes back to work on his day off to attend the worship service there, as it’s the “best and liveliest one in town”.
C OF E CALLS FOR HOLOCAUST REPENTANCE
A Church of England report admits the substantial role played by mistaken Christian theology in the centuries-old persecution of Jewish people. One example is attributing Jewish suffering as punishment for crucifying Christ, when the Bible clearly states that it was God’s will for Jesus to suffer (Isaiah 53:10).
The report was welcomed with reservation by the UK’s Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis.
‘CATS’ MUSICAL IS CHRISTIAN ALLEGO- RY
The hugely successful musical ‘Cats’ – now a movie and based on T S Eliot’s poems about crazy cats – is actually an allegory of the Christian faith, according to the evangelistic magazine ‘Hope’.
HAIR AND PRAYER
A new hair salon in Mexborough, Doncaster is offering prayer as well as haircuts. The salon includes a prayer room; now founder Chris Green is looking for more ways the building can serve the local community.