The global persecution of Christians is the unreported catastrophe of our time, John L. Allen Jr. writes in The Spectator. Imagine if correspondents in late 1944 had reported the Battle of the Bulge, but without explaining that it was a turning point in the second world war.

You are the great God — he who is in heaven. You are the creator of life, you make the regions above. You are the hunter who hunts for souls. You are the leader who goes before us. You are he whose hands are with wounds. You are ho whose feet are with wounds. You are he whose blood is a trickling stream, You are he whose blood was spilled for us. Prayer of a Xhosa Christian from Africa

Archdeacon Announces Retirement; Launch of Braemor Studies; Eco Congregation Ireland response to IPCC Report on Climate Change; Events; Lough shore tribute to Amazing Grace author; Protests continue at Ballynahinch church; Graffiti daubed on church walls

C of E response to RE in schools report; Lines that gave us each day our daily bread; Bishop: We can all help make our local credit unions stronger

We have a Victims Commissioner living amongst us who refuses to describe the people who terrorised us for decades as terrorists. Few of us today who have had to live through the Troubles are in any doubt that that is exactly what the men of evil were and we can be absolutely certain that it was their style of evil killing that is now being copied in countries like Pakistan and Kenya, Sandra Chapman writes in the News Letter

God, you have poured the Spirit of your Son into our hearts so that we call you father. Give us grace to devote our freedom to your service that we and all creation may be brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and for ever.  Amen.  Methodist Worship

Churches Initiative on Suicide; CS Lewis 50th anniversary events in Belfast ; Dublin and Glendalough Synods; Bishop Colton Returns to baptismal roots; Demolition of Harryville church under way

Abp of Canterbury 'moved to tears' by visit of Abp Kattey; New Black and Multicultural Churches Directory launched

Anglican Alliance seeks support for Exposed 2013 campaign to end corruption; Southern Africa completes adoption of Anglican Covenant; Alliance highlights scandal of migrants exploited by international recruitment agencies

“Faith isn’t dead… far from it!” says the Most Rev David Chillingworth,  Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church. Writing for The Herald newspaper Bishop David says:

Spirit of God, your church longs to live in peace. We pray for your healing peace; between denominations, within individual churches, in our own hearts. Your church longs to live in peace, but not peace at any price. We pray for those who stir up dissension; disturbing us with new visions and ideas, criticising our apathy and complacency, and provoking us o think afresh about our calling. Amen From Companion to the Revised Common Lectionary, Intercessions, Christine Odell

‘The God Slot’ returns;  Autumn ‘Search’ due out soon; To infinity and beyond; Connor Synod;  Sectarian concerns over Clogher church attacks; Gender relations after Christendom; Mater ‘won’t be performing abortions’

First graduates of church music foundation degree; Church does not need to fear conflict – Archbishop

SA Primate: "Good education at the heart of our capacity to grow”; Thabo Mbeki Calls on Churches to Raise their Voices and Act; WCC urges Pakistan to protect communities from terrorism; Pope to visit namesake's Assisi tomb

 In his brother’s child rape case Gerry Adams faces his own appalling vista, Mick Fealty writes - The most telling part of this whole sordid affair is when the second trial jury officially queries why Gerry Adams has not been brought before them by either the prosecution or the defence.

God our Father, be near to our children growing up in the peril and confusion of these times. Guard them from the forces of evil at work in our society, and lead them in the paths of goodness and truth; enable us as parents, grandparents, family members or as friends to give them at all times the security of our love and the help of our example and our prayers. Amen (Edward Peck)

Historical Society – November Conference; Institution in St Bartholomew’s, Stranmillis; Installation of Vicar at Lisburn Cathedral; Wicklow Parishes Say Farewell to Rector; Chaplain to Kingston College installed; Welfare reforms 'will cost NI £750m’; Two-thirds of Cork’s homeless have mental conditions – report

Abp Welby calls for world to wake up to 'modern day slavery’; Youth camps the secret to the future of Japan's Anglican Church; Southern Africa Anglicans honour synodsman killed in Nairobi

God, who from old, taught the hearts if your faithful people by sending to them the light of you Holy Spirit: grant to us by the same spirit to have a right judgment in all things and to evermore rejoice in his holy comfort. Amen.

Annual Service of Remembrance at Cork University Maternity Hospital; Church Army celebration; Holywood presents £40,000 to Fields of Life; Fields of Life 20th Anniversary Concert; Harvest Gathering to Take Place in St Audoen’s

Sculpture at St Paul's captures horror of war; Church of Scotland partners with Fresh Expressions; Metal theft legislation "step in right direction"

Peshawar All Saints’ update; New theological school launched by 4 US Midwestern dioceses; Archbishop David Gitari, former Kenya Primate dies

Stephen Lyon, Co-ordinator Bible in the Life of the Church Project writes - As part of my role as co-ordinator of the Anglican Communion's Bible in the Life of the Church project, I have spent more hours than most discovering how Anglicans and Episcopalians read their Bible. The consistent truth is that we just don't read it enough which—for a faith tradition that considers scripture, reason and traditional central to who we are—raises all sorts of challenging questions.

Blessed are you, creator of all, to you be praise and glory for ever. As your dawn renews the face of the earth bringing light and life to all creation, may we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep, open our eyes to behold your presence and strengthen our hands to do your will, that the world may rejoice and give you praise. Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Blessed be God forever. (After Lancelot Andrewes, 1626. Common Worship)

Bishop takes a leap of faith for Summer Madness;  YWCA Records featured; Belfast By Moonlight; Memorial to Canon F K Livingstone;  Student grant protests planned across the country today; 'No case' for replacing NI exam system; 'Significant concerns' over NI prisons

Bishop of Oxford welcomes report by think-tank Theos on faith schools; Think-tank calls for more constructive debate around faith schools; Primus' response to publication of the 2011 Census Returns in Scotland

Pope to canonize John Paul II and John XXIII in April; Billy Graham’s grandson: evangelicals ‘worse’ than Catholics on sex abuse

"The decision to withdraw support to build the Peace Building/Conflict Resolution Centre as agreed has now jeopardised the future of the site as a whole," Martin McGuinness in the Assembly yesterday.

Let your love fall upon the altar of our hearts, 
O Lord, as fire from heaven. 
Teach us to guard and cherish its holy flame. Strengthen our souls and kindle your love within our cold hearts that we may walk before you as pilgrims eager to reach their celestial home; through Christ our Lord. Amen  Gerhard Teersteegen, 1697-1769

Annual Law Term Service; Auction in Aid of St Bartholomew’s; Events; Irish schoolchildren to learn about atheism