Belfast churches are praying for their city and the nation after another night of unrest following a brutal knife attack.
Protests and rioting have followed the stabbing of Stephen Ogilvie, with homes and vehicles set on fire, and riot police and water cannon deployed in a bid to restore calm.
Ogilvie sustained serious injuries to his head and neck in Monday night’s attack, and has reportedly lost his left eye.
On Wednesday, a 30-year-old Sudanese man, reportedly an asylum seeker, appeared in court charged with attempted murder.
Belfast City Vineyard said it was “heartbroken” over the events of recent days. It has been holding online prayer meetings in response to the situation.
In a message to members, the church said, “As followers of Jesus we are called to reject hatred, violence and the dehumanisation of others. Instead, we seek to be guided by the words of Jesus:
‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God’ (Matthew 5:9) and ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ (Luke 10:27).
“Today we stand in lament and say ‘Lord, have mercy on this city.’
“We also pray for all those who are fearful, have been affected by the violence, or are working to bring peace.”
UTBelfast has asked people to pray for Belfast and Northern Ireland.
Christian Fellowship Church Senior Pastor Andrew Gibson said the knife attack was “horrific” and that he was praying that “justice prevails”. However, he said that the violent response to that attack “is not the way of the Kingdom of God” and that rioters were “causing more harm”.
“It’s not the way of Jesus. Violence will only create a cycle of more violence,” he said.
He called on people to pray for their communities and civic leaders, and for peace, adding, “Pray for peace to descend and remain in our time … to allow respectful, well-thought and considered listening to one another.”
The unrest has impacted local churches, some of this being down to disruptions to travel and transport, with New Life City Church postponing a meeting planned for Tuesday night and the Northern Ireland Evangelical Alliance telling Premier Christian News that it closed its offices early on Wednesday.
The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, which is meeting in Belfast until Friday, has also been affected as the installation of its new Moderator, Rev Dr Richard Kerr, has been moved to Thursday.
Outgoing Moderator, Rt Rev Dr Richard Murray, said he was “appalled” by the attack on Ogilvie but that he was equally “appalled” by the rioting in response to it. He led members of the General Assembly in praying for the situation earlier this week.
Addressing the General Assembly, he said that “whilst in a democracy, people have the right to protest, they don’t have a right to riot, or to intimidate, or to threaten, or even to take life”.
“We commend the PSNI for their work in protecting people and property, as well as the other emergency services, and as Moderator speaking on behalf of this denomination, I want to appeal to the wider community for peace and calm, and for sense to prevail,” he said.
The Methodist Church in Ireland said in a statement that it “strongly condemns” Monday night’s attack.
“The thoughts and prayers of the Methodist people in Ireland are with the victim, his family, and those affected by or who witnessed this traumatic incident,” it said.
READ THE COMPLETE STORY HERE via Christian Today