The Barnabus fund are a Christian organisation dedicated to:
Directing our aid only to Christians, although its benefits may not be exclusive to them (“As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:10, emphasis added)
Aiming the majority of our aid at Christians living in Muslim environments
Channelling money from Christians through Christians to Christians
Channelling money through existing structures in the countries where funds are sent (e.g. local churches or Christian organisations)
Using the money to fund projects which have been developed by local Christians in their own communities, countries or regions
Considering any request, however small
Acting as equal partners with the persecuted Church, whose leaders often help shape our overall direction
Acting on behalf of the persecuted Church, to be their voice – making their needs known to Christians around the world and the injustice of their persecution known to governments and international bodies
As we have seen recently across Europe there have been a spate of attacks on Churches with the mainstream media being very slow to identify those responsible. There was of course a horrific attack on an 84-year-old priest in France who was killed and four other people taken hostage by two armed men who stormed his church in a suburb of Rouen in northern France.
The two attackers, who said they were from the Islamic State (IS), slit Fr Jacques Hamel’s throat during a morning Mass.
The Barnabus fund have now written about a terrible threat to UK Churches on their website:
Handwritten letters threatening petrol bomb attacks and mass stabbings have been sent to 15 churches in the UK in the past two months.
“Stop all your services straight away”, said one letter sent to a church in Sheffield, South Yorkshire “if you don’t your church will be petrol bombed while in service. Continue behind closed doors and your congregation members will be stabbed one by one. Blood on your hands. You have been warned.”
One of the handwritten letters, bearing a West Midlands post mark, was sent to a Sheffield church, demanding that it stop services or risk being bombed
Services are continuing and police officers have been deployed to the churches affected.
A local faith school decided to withdraw pupils from services at the Sheffield church after they received the threatening letter.
A police investigation has been opened and, at the time of writing, inquiries are ongoing.
West Midlands Police took over the investigation from the South Yorkshire force after discovering all the letters originated from the region.
In a statement the force said: “West Midlands Police is investigating after several threatening letters have been sent to mainly churches and supermarkets across the region and officers are aware of a few sent further afield over a period of months. Enquiries remain ongoing.”
As of yet there is know way to ascertain who is behind this with suggestions on social media ranging from Islamic extremists, militant secularists or someone with mental health issues.
