Anglican Communion rallies in prayer and support behind Sudan

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Posted On : January 7, 2011 12:42 PM | Posted By : Admin ACO

ACNS: http://www.aco.org/acns/news.cfm/2011/1/7/ACNS4764

> Related Categories: Sudan

The Anglican Communion rallies in prayer and support behind Sudan

> By ACNS staff

People across the Communion have stepped up to support of the people 
of Sudan as the country prepares for its historic referendum on Sunday (9th).

Online demonstrations of concern for the country and its pending vote 
include prayer walls, a Facebook campaign, videos and blogs.

The Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams issued a statement on 
Friday calling the 9th January "an immensely important day for 
Sudan." He urged everyone to stand with the Sudanese people "to 
ensure that the referendum takes place peacefully and that the 
process and the results are fully respected."

Dr Julianne Stewart, Programs Director of the Anglican Board of 
Mission in Australia, who is scheduled to travel to Sudan later this 
month said, "We are asking all Anglicans in Australia to pray for 
peace in Sudan. Whatever the outcome of the referendum, our hope is 
that the millions of people who have suffered amidst the conflict of 
the past few decades will come to know lasting peace."

Staff at Episcopal church Trinity Wall Street in New York have set up 
a section on their website called Praying for Peace that features 
links to a range of resources and actions including a Facebook group 
and an open letter to the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon.

CMS Ireland invited local Christians to travel to their Belfast 
offices to join them in prayer today (7th January). The agency said 
it was eager that, in what they called "small and simple ways", the 
Church should help ensure that its partners in Sudan have a voice and 
that the international spotlight is turned on Sudan at such a crucial 
time in their history.

Several dioceses including Salisbury in England and The Church of 
Ireland's Diocese of Connor have prayer walls or resources on its 
websites encouraging visitors to uphold the people of Sudan in their prayers.

Capturing the spirit of Sudanese Christians and helping to tell their 
stories of living in and around the country's north-south border 
region has been a year-long passion and media project for a team of 
Episcopalians from the Diocese of Chicago.

The Renk Media Team just launched an educational video for those 
considering forming partnerships with the Episcopal Church of Sudan, 
and a documentary that focuses on the plight of Sudanese Christians 
and their resilience in the face of great adversity and challenge. 
The media team is named after the Sudanese Diocese of Renk, which has 
shared a companion relationship with the Chicago diocese for nine years.

In the video several interviewees share their hopes and concerns 
regarding the vote and the future of their nation.

Anglican leaders from Sudan continue to call for support from 
brothers and sisters across the Communion. The Rt. Rev. Anthony 
Poggo, Bishop, Diocese of Kajo-Keji asked readers of one website to 
pray for his country: "During the referendum, the choice is between 
unity and separation. On the same day, there is supposed to be a 
referendum in Abyei for them to choose whether to join the South or 
the North in the event that the South chooses to separate from the 
North. This will not take place as there many obstacles to the Abyei 
referendum.

"The people of Southern Sudan are excited on this coming plebiscite. 
I am hopeful that the prayers as well as the advocacy that has been 
undertaken will bear fruit. Do continue to pray that the referendum 
will be held as scheduled and that it be free and fair and that the 
results will be respected by all the partners.

"It is very likely that the people of Southern Sudanese will vote for 
secession. My fears are on the post referendum period especially 
since there are still many issues that need to be agreed upon. These 
issues include; citizenship, Sudan's foreign debt, national currency, 
how to share the oil revenues, and how the boundary between the North 
and the South will be agreed upon. It is estimated that 80% of 
Sudan's oil is in the South, while the refinery is in the North. Pray 
that the two sides will reach an amicable solution to this issue."

> ENDS

NB: For links to the resources or websites mentioned above see the 
article on the Anglican Communion website here

> ____________

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