Baptists urge support for Norman Kember

Baptists urge support for Norman Kember

-31/12/05

The head of the Baptist Union of Grea

Baptists urge support for Norman Kember

-31/12/05

The head of the Baptist Union of Great Britain has urged his own denominationís local churches, alongside those of other traditions, to pray and express solidarity for Dr Norman Kember and the other Christian Peacemaker Teams activists still held captive in Iraq after one month.

The call came over the Christmas and New Year season from the Rev Dr David Coffey, who is also a senior figure in Free Church, evangelical and ecumenical circles.

Speaking after a visit to Dr Kemberís wife, Pat, last week, along with the Rev Graham Sparkes, head of the Baptist Unionís faith and unity department, Dr Coffey declared: ìI want to encourage all our Baptist churches to stand in solidarity with Norman and Pat and the family.î

He added: ìI hope they will be in our prayers as there is as yet no resolution to the situation faced by Norman and his fellow-captives, who were in Iraq on a mission of peace.î

Mrs Kember, said Dr Coffey, speaking to the Baptist Times newspaper, had been moved by the many supportive letters and cards she had received.

Dr Coffey and Mr Sparkes took part in a recent service at College Road Baptist Church in Harrow, which is the home church of the Kembers.

The service was also attended by the Rev Dr Pat Took, regional minister and team leader for the London Baptist Association.

ìThe church at College Road has been deeply grateful for the hundreds of expressions of support it has received from all over the world, and I know that our Baptist family will want to uphold them too in our prayers,î said Dr Coffey.

Weekly silent prayer vigils will also continue for Norman Kember in central London. They are organised by Pax Christi and the Fellowship of Reconciliation, established Christian peace organisations to which Dr Kember belongs, and are also supported by Muslims.

The other captives currently held captive by the Swords of Truth Brigades in Iraq are Tom Fox, Jim Loney and Harmeet Singh Sooden. Nothing has been heard of them since 8 December 2005.

Ekklesia is an associate of Christian Peacemaker Teams UK.

Baptists urge support for Norman Kember

-31/12/05

The head of the Baptist Union of Great Britain has urged his own denomination’s local churches, alongside those of other traditions, to pray and express solidarity for Dr Norman Kember and the other Christian Peacemaker Teams activists still held captive in Iraq after one month.

The call came over the Christmas and New Year season from the Rev Dr David Coffey, who is also a senior figure in Free Church, evangelical and ecumenical circles.

Speaking after a visit to Dr Kember’s wife, Pat, last week, along with the Rev Graham Sparkes, head of the Baptist Union’s faith and unity department, Dr Coffey declared: ‘I want to encourage all our Baptist churches to stand in solidarity with Norman and Pat and the family.’

He added: ‘I hope they will be in our prayers as there is as yet no resolution to the situation faced by Norman and his fellow-captives, who were in Iraq on a mission of peace.’

Mrs Kember, said Dr Coffey, speaking to the Baptist Times newspaper, had been moved by the many supportive letters and cards she had received.

Dr Coffey and Mr Sparkes took part in a recent service at College Road Baptist Church in Harrow, which is the home church of the Kembers.

The service was also attended by the Rev Dr Pat Took, regional minister and team leader for the London Baptist Association.

‘The church at College Road has been deeply grateful for the hundreds of expressions of support it has received from all over the world, and I know that our Baptist family will want to uphold them too in our prayers,’ said Dr Coffey.

The other captives currently held captive by the Swords of Truth Brigades in Iraq are Tom Fox, Jim Loney and Harmeet Singh Sooden. Nothing has been heard of them since 8 December 2005.

Ekklesia is an associate of Christian Peacemaker Teams UK.