10th June 2026

Israeli air and artillery strikes across southern Lebanon killed at least 13 people on yesterday.  The Israeli military warned residents of Tyre and its surrounding area to leave their homes and move beyond the Zahrani river, about 30km (20 miles) to the north. For the first time, the evacuation order included the Christian quarter, in the city's north-west. Whilst the Israeli's say that they are not specifically targeting Christians in Lebanon, new data presented by the Religious Freedom Data Center shows a sharp rise in harassment of Christians in Israel with the authorities showing little inclination to address the abuses.  90 incidents have already been documented this year, including 63 in the second quarter alone, putting 2026 on pace to exceed last year’s total of 181 cases. Most of the incidents involve spitting and verbal insults, vandalism and desecration of graves, tombstones, statues and crosses, and defacement of signs and graffiti, have taken place in Jerusalem’s Old City. However, there have also been cases of harassment, vandalism and arson at Christian holy sites in northern Israel. Such incidents are an everyday occurrence, and the authorities are reluctant to treat the abuses seriously. 

Loving God, we we place into your care and protection our sisters and brothers living in Lebanon and Israel.  We pray that the Israeli authorities and the Israeli people will treat them with human dignity and respect.  May they not be forced from their homes, nor harassed in the street.  May no one be made to feel they do not belong in the places where Jesus himself walked and brough your love and healing to broken people.  We pray that the Christian Church across the Middle East will be be a beacon of love and peace.  Strengthen your faithful people to resist retaliation, to show love to those who persecute them, and be the body of Christ in that place so that others are drawn closer to you.  Guide the Christian Church across the world to support all who proclaim Jesus as Lord, yet find they are oppressed, rejected or abused for doing so.  May they know they are loved and supported by the great cloud of witnesses across the world an in heaven.   In Christ's name we pray.  Amen.

Authorities in two Los Angeles districts are required to clean up  thousands of pounds of trash from the LA and San Gabriel rivers so they can be used for the Olympic Games in 2028. Long Beach will be hosting Olympic events, such as rowing and open swimming. Consequently, the rivers must be a clean as they can be. Boyan Slat, a key figure behind the Ocean Cleanup, the international non-profit using the currents of the ocean to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, has also invented a device for cleaning up rivers called the Interceptor. It has already been used in Ballona Creek near Marina Del Rey, where it is collecting some 28,000 pounds of trash every year from Westside communities like Venice, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica. “One of the challenges with the LA River and San Gabriel River is the sheer volume of trash,” Slat said. “We need a good extraction method that can actually pull trash out in a rapid amount of time.”  Slat's team is already making huge improvements to the quality of the water.  It is amazing what can be done when there is a will, and determination, to make it happen.  There is no need for our rivers to become open sewers.  If we can clean them for Olympic Games we can clean them and enjoy them as part of God's wonderful creation, every day, every year. Los Angeles challenge will be to ensure the quality of the river environment remains good enough to swim in when the Olympics are over.

You can find out more here.

Glory to God,

Gory to God,

Glory to God in the highest.

Almighty and eternal God

we thank you that you love us.

We thank you that you have forgive our sin.

We thank you for your gift of eternal life

through faith in your Son Jesus Christ.

Glory to God,

Gory to God,

Glory to God in the highest.