ASSIST News Service (ANS) -
PO Box 2126, Garden Grove, CA 92842-2126 USA
E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com, Web Site: www.assistnews.net
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
SENIOR UK POLICE OFFICER APPEALS FOR PRAYER SUPPORT ON NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR POLICE OFFICERS
By Patrick Reilly
Special to ASSIST News Service
LONDON, UK (ANS) -- The Assistant Chief constable of Norfolk, Simon Taylor has made a bold and direct appeal for prayer support for all police officers on Thursday May 20th --- ascension day for the forces of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
(Pictured: Christian Police Association logo).
Special services will be held in churches across the country and at police HQ’s as a demonstration of spiritual solidarity for police officers to mark the fifth national day of prayer promoted by the Christian Police Association (CPA).
(Pictured: Simon Taylor).
POLICE OFFICERS, ORDINARY PEOPLE DOING AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB
Don Axcell, assistant director of the CPA, wants Christians to be bold and let police officers know that they are praying for them. “Get to know your local beat officers and ask them if they have anything that they would like you to pray about.”
Don knows only to well the stress and strain that officers can suffer, a former policeman himself he also acts as chaplain at a police rehabilitation centre. “I go down there and I meet officers and some of them are really hurting,” he said. “Police officers are human beings and suffer just like anyone else. I have so many opportunities to minister to them.”
PAYING THE ULTIMATE PRICE, NO MAN HAS GREATER LOVE THAN THIS…
A memorial book inside the entrance of Scotland Yard, London bears tragic testimony of the officers who have paid the ultimate price for their dedication to the job. The name of Stephen Oake a committed Christian is among them, dated January 14th 2003.
(Pictured: Stephen Oake).
A much loved and active member of his local Baptist church in Stockport, Stephen died from stab wounds protecting his colleagues while taking part in an anti terrorist operation in Manchester. Among thousand mourners who attended his funeral was Prime Minister Tony Blair. Stephen was part of Mr. Blair’s security team when the PM had visited the area.
PRAYER, A POWERFUL WEAPON IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME
Dave Riley is a police officer in Merseyside which was once described by the Chief Constable as the “European drug capital.” Dave believes the power of prayer has reduced the crime rate across Liverpool by a staggering 45% since the launch two years ago of IMPACT (In Merseyside Police And Churches Together).
In Merseyside Police And Churches Together is a unique community partnership which has now over 100 churches praying regularly for the police and the crime situation. The scheme has won the approval of the Chief Constable Norman Bettison who attended the Launch of the project and senior commanding Officers. Dave told ANS, “The best way to pray for a police officer is to imagine what a police officer has to deal with and try and put yourself in that police officers position, think of yourself as that police officer and having to deal with a particular situation. That could range from a minor traffic accident to a murder.”
The Christian Police Association is the oldest police support association and was founded in 1883 by Catherine Gurney. Its mission is to promote and foster fellowship of Christians in the police service. More information on the ministry of the CPA and contact details can be found at
www.CPAuk.net.
Patrick Reilly is a freelance Christian journalist based in the UK. He can be contacted by e-mail at
patrickr@fish.co.uk.
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