The group spent decades fighting for Holy Trinity Old Church in St Day – called “an ecclesiastical toy fort” by the English poet – over fears the abandoned church would be sold to developers.

The church had no roof and was partly wrecked but St Day Old Church Community Interest Company has been given control of it by the Church of England.

The grade II-listed church was built in 1826 and was one of twelve in Cornwall funded by the Church Building Commissioners from money made available for church buildings following the Battle of Waterloo.

Chairman of the St Day Old Church Community Interest Company, Bernadette Fallon, told the Daily Telegraph: “When we started this project 30 years ago we hardly dared to dream that we would arrive at this day, but here we stand, on the threshold of a whole new and exciting future for the old church.

“We have had a great deal of support from the people of St Day over the years, and we’re going to need a lot more. There will be something for everyone to do to make the old church project a great success in the future.

“When we’re up and running we hope to put on fantastic events which will attract people from all over the region, as well as visitors to Cornwall.”

The group plans to turn the church into a community space for theatre, music, film, art, and other educational and social…

The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance in the United States held on the first Thursday of May, inviting people of all faiths to pray for the nation. The focus of this year’s observance is unity.

Frank Pomeroy, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas, told a news outlet his family, as well as survivors of the massacre, have been invited to the ceremony at the White House.

“We did not expect a personal invitation to the White House from the president,” the pastor’s wife, Sherri, told My SanAntonio.

“When I received that email, I confirmed the legitimacy of the invitation and accepted, of course.”

Police said gunman Devin Kelley walked into the church last November and killed 26 members of the church’s congregation during a Sunday morning service.

Sherri added: “While this invitation is bittersweet because of the events that brought us to this place, may we never turn down a forum to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ wherever it takes us.”

Frank will lead a prayer at the service and attend a private banquet celebrating the National Day of Prayer on Thursday evening.

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Kate and Gerry, who are Catholics, are being joined for the service by a war memorial in their home village of Rothley, Leicestershire by loved ones and supporters.

Madeleine’s great uncle Brian Kennedy, who is attending the service, was quoted by the Daily Star as saying: “We find it hard to believe eleven years have passed but we never lose hope.

“We’ve no idea how many might turn up after such a long time but all are welcome.”

Madeleine was three-years-old when she vanished in Praia de Luz, in the southwestern Algarve region of Portugal on 3rd May 2007.

A police investigation to try and find the youngster has cost more than £11 million.

In a message left on the official Find Madeleine Campaign page on Facebook, Kate and Gerry said: “It gets harder to know what to say or write as each anniversary of Madeleine’s abduction approaches then passes.

“Life is full and busy which helps but Madeleine is still missing and she is still dearly missed.

“Information continues to come in (incredible as it may seem after so long, although we are grateful for that) and work goes on.

“Perseverance and hope remain.”

Cuneiform tablets, cylinder seals, and clay bullae dating back to 2100-1600 BCE were initially intercepted by customs agents and found to be falsely labeled as tile samples for retailer Hobby Lobby.

The company – whose president, Steve Green is the founder of the Museum of the Bible – agreed last year to surrender the items it received and pay $3 million to settle civil proceedings brought by the US Justice Department.

Court documents revealed the company purchased more than 5,500 artifacts, but has agreed that if it receives any of the remaining items or learns where they are, it will notify the federal government.

However, the privately held Hobby Lobby has insisted the seized artifacts were not intended for the museum.

In a statement, the company said it had been acquiring artifacts “consistent with the company’s mission and passion for the Bible”.

US Attorney Richard Donoghue said US officials “are proud to have played a role in removing these pieces of Iraq’s history from the black market of illegally obtained antiquities and restoring them to the Iraqi people”.

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