FROM CHURCH TO MOSQUE
‘For the Orthodox Church, Hagia Sofia is as important as St Peter’s Basilica in Rome is for Catholics. The church was built in the 6th Century and was devoted to Christ the Saviour. For us, it has been and will always remain the Church devoted to Christ’, says Metropolitan Hilarion, spokesman of the Moscow Patriarchate according to Breaking Christian News. Moments after Turkish President Erdogan’s controversial decision to convert Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia into a mosque, the Muslim call to prayer sounded from the UNESCO World Heritage site. Once the largest church in Christendom, the Hagia Sophia was first converted into a mosque more than 500 years ago during the Islamic Ottoman Empire, then turned into a museum by Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern-day Turkey.

“HOPE” IN PRISON
Anglican News reports that the Church of England broadcast its first online prison church service on Sunday 12 July on prison television and radio as well as on the church’s website, Facebook page and YouTube channel. The service, with the theme of Hope, included contributions from prison staff and chaplains as well as prayers, reflections and artwork written and created by prisoners.

COLIN BUCHANAN ONLINE
A night of song with Colin Buchanan will be held via Facebook Live on Colin’s Facebook page on Thursday 23 July, from 7.30pm. Anyone may tune in online and listen to the songs. The concert is free, and no registration is required. Just turn up on Colin’s Facebook page by the commencement time.

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS
Online church meetings have replaced traditional in-person services across the world, forcing churches to find new digital solutions to reach their communities. The charity Christian Vision (CV) provides free online resources through their website and social media platforms. They have seen a quadrupling of their reach to 182 million people over a 30-day period and more than 17 million individuals have viewed one of CV’s online gospel presentations, introducing them to the person of Jesus Christ. Commenting on this development, Bob Edmiston, Founder and Chairman of Christian Vision, said: “It’s as though God just switched the lights on, and everyone is online during lockdown. People’s lives have been placed on hold and they are looking for answers to life’s biggest questions.”

SURF CHURCH
A growing church planting ministry is having an impact on the surfing community in Northern Portugal. Operation Mobilisation’s Surf Church Porto began in the home of Troy and Michelle Pitney in 2015 with just 6 people. Three years ago, numbers grew to around 80 attendees, forcing the couple to move the church out of their home and into a new location near the beach. Mr Pitney told ASSIST News their vision is to continue planting churches across the country in order to make disciples who go on to disciple others.

CHARLIE DANIELS
Christianheadlines reports that Charlie Daniels, the country/gospel singer and southern rocker who was best known for the 1979 hit The Devil Went Down to Georgia and who also was an outspoken Christian, died last Monday from a stroke. He was 83.