Support

Open Doors

St Alban’s has been supporting the persecuted church for many years. We continue to pray regularly for our persecuted brothers and sisters as part of a continuing wave of worldwide prayer.  In recent years we have become a connected church with Open Doors and as such we aim to:

  • Hold at least one church service for persecuted Christians each year (planned to be on the 3th Sunday in October)
  • Pray regularly as a whole church for persecuted Christians.
  • Engage with emergency appeals as and when they are launched (this would be on an individual basis)
  • Share petitions that call on our political leaders to support persecuted Christians.

 

Our service in 2024 will be held on 20th October when John Barringer from Open Doors will be addressing us during the service.  John also came in 2023 when his address was well received by the congregation, many of whom spoke to John and his wife Liz following the service.

We have also been supporting the Open Doors petition in support of the Church in Sub-Saharan Africa.  This is asking local African governments, the EU and the UN to provide:  Protection, Justice, Healing and Restoration to 16.2 Million Christians and their communities in Sub Saharan Africa whose plight has gone largely unnoticed by the wider world. For additional information please see Open Doors web site ( see below)

Many of the congregation continue to make regular contributions to Open Doors Worldwide Mission.

We are supported in our endeavours by our MP Peter Lamb and our former MP Henry Smith.   Henry Smith regularly attended the annual launch or Open Doors World Watch report in Parliament each  January and Peter Lamb who has also told us that  “I assure you I will continue to support action to defend the freedom of religion and belief and stand against persecution and oppression in any form”  In  2024 the launch was again attended by nearly 100 MPs and Henry Smith wrote to us to tell us how moved he was to be there.

Sarah and I have also regularly attended the Open Doors annual Standing Strong conference; this year a local conference was held in Royal Tunbridge Wells and we were very moved to have been there to worship and hear testimony from the Persecuted Church in Yemen and news from the persecuted church in other countries.

Please continue to pray for and support our Christian Brothers and Sisters and their families who continue to be persecuted.  For further information please visit: www.opendoorsuk.org

Alan and Sarah Magrath