Wrightbus went into administration last week with the loss of 1,200 jobs.

Jeff Wright is a pastor at Green Pastures Church and owns a controlling stake in a company which was one of the UK’s main bus builders and supplied the “Boris Bus” red double decker Routemaster when the Prime Minister was London mayor.

Green Pastures is a Christian charity and received £15 million in donations from the Co Antrim firm when it was profitable.

Mr Wright said a lot of former workers were afraid and scared about the future.

He told the congregation at Sunday worship: “They don’t know what way to turn, so we must be mindful of that.”

He said negotiations to save the company were at a delicate stage.

“I won’t jeopardise the future so I can look good.”

He received a standing round of applause in the church.

Protesters outside Green Pastures church in Ballymena during a Sunday Service

The decision to spend company dividends on the evangelical church has been criticised by some former workers and some held banners to that effect on Sunday.

Mr Wright said: “I am so sorry that this church has to go through what they went through, I never thought this would happen.”

He said he had fought to build Wrightbus into a world-class entity through crisis after crisis and maintained its reputation for quality and integrity.

He added: “It…

West Yorkshire Police said officers were called to Regent Street in Leeds at around 11.58am on Sunday after a silver Peugeot left the road and crashed into the building, reported to be a Universal Church of the Kingdom of God Help Centre.

A 26-year-old female passenger in the vehicle has been taken to hospital in a critical condition, while the driver and other passengers – including two adults and a baby – suffered minor injuries, the force said.

A spokesman said a blue Audi had been involved in the collision and that the driver of that car, a 27-year-old man, has been arrested on suspicion of driving whilst over the prescribed limit.

Two children who were on the pavement when the crash happened suffered minor injuries, the force said.

Car driven into church doorway on Regent Street #Leeds this morning pic.twitter.com/QC4WhDFtI8

— Steve Hoey (@steve_hoey) September 29, 2019

A spokesman added: “The road is still closed, and could be for some time whilst police carry out their investigation.

“Officers are appealing to the public for witnesses to the collision itself or if anyone saw the vehicles prior to the collision.”

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Attended by heads of state and government from across the world this year’s UNGA featured the first summit tracking progress towards delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since their adoption in 2015.  

Catholic aid agency CAFOD warned governments at the UN in New York they would not achieve the Sustainable Development Goals unless they work with faith groups at the heart of communities worldwide.

Director of CAFOD, Christine Allen, spoke in New York this week at an event called, ‘Why faith actors are critical to achieving the 2030 Agenda’, at the UNGA. She told Premier CAFOD’s message is that “it is really important to work with faith communities in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

“No one can do it on their own, faith leaders and faith communities are ready, willing and able, we just need a better invitation. We also need for governments both nationally and locally to invite us in and to be part of the planning and part of the delivery.”

In 2015, world leaders gathered in New York to agree a set of SDGs in order to make the world a better place. The goals include, reducing numbers of people in absolute poverty, improving nutrition, tackling inequalities, and to have a much more sustainable approach to care for the earth.

Christine Allen told Premier: “Organisations like CAFOD, Tearfund and Christian Aid, are…

They chose a private farewell for one of Africa’s most divisive figures after a weeks-long dispute with the administration that forced him from power.

To cries of approval, the priest said: “This man lives forever,” and added: “This gathering is a paradox. We are mourning at the same time we are celebrating because this man lived his life in a manner that many of us would want to emulate.”

Later, standing by the coffin, he prayed: “God, take pity on him. Don’t judge him harshly.”

Mr Mugabe died this month in Singapore aged 95 after leading Zimbabwe for nearly four decades before being pushed into a shocking resignation as thousands danced in the streets.

His coffin, draped in the country’s flag, was carried into a tent for the service in Zvimba by military pallbearers as his black-veiled wife Grace looked on.

The tent displayed a photo of Mr Mugabe holding up his fist in a classic gesture of defiance, while a floral arrangement in front of the casket spelled “Dad.”

Many mourners wore T-shirts saying “Liberator” and “Torch bearer”.

Some of Mr Mugabe’s political rivals, including opposition figures who were routinely arrested or harassed during his 37-year rule, attended the service while long-time colleagues did not.

Notably absent were senior officials from the ruling party that he led for more than four decades, including during the fight for liberation.

Just a…

Former 44-year-old striker, Dyer played for Crystal Palace and Watford but his career was caught up with drink and drugs.

Dyer became a Christian in the late 1990s after a divine encounter, he said: “I hit a really, really dark patch in life – I had an issue with drink, an issue with drugs.

“I began a 20-year journey that brought supernatural transformation to my life through Jesus Christ.”

Bruce retired from football in 2008. He launched Love Life UK Church as a small group in 2018, but now it has its own building in Barnsley.

Dyer said: “We worship, preach, pray and have a desire to have a positive impact in the community.”

“I’ve never publicly said this, but because of the church and what we are trying to achieve and my passion for number one Jesus, and my passion and love for people, I just want to help people.

“By the grace of God, Jesus sorted me out and if you’ve got something that’s good it would be wrong not to hand it out.”

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Another mainstream film is positively showing the ideas of faith, prayer, and personal relationships with God. The new Misters Rogers movie portrays Mister Rogers’ praying.

“Do you know what that means, to forgive?” Hanks, who portrays Rogers in the film, can be seen asking in the latest trailer. “It’s a decision we make to release a person from the feelings of anger we have toward them.”

The film is based on an article written by journalist Tom Junod, who formed a strong friendship with Rogers while profiling him. The movie reportedly tells the story about how their friendship developed over the years after meeting for the first time.

‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’ will be released on 22 November 2019 in the US and on 6 December 2019 in the UK.

It only takes one person to inspire a world of kindness. Based on the true story, #ABeautifulDayMovie in theaters this Thanksgiving. pic.twitter.com/woaz0BEvKh

— A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (@ABeautifulDay) July 22, 2019

Rogers was the subject of a 2018 documentary titled ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor’, which documented his life and work.

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The 25-year-old British actress was given the lead role in a stage version of The Color Purple in March.

But just a day after she was cast in the production, an old Facebook post in which she quoted the Bible to express her Christian beliefs led to her being sacked as a ‘homophobe’ and dropped by her agent.

Six months on and unable to get work, the 25-year-old is suing, saying she is a victim of religious discrimination.

Last night, the actress told The Mail on Sunday she is no longer even invited to auditions.

“I’m heartbroken,” she said. “If I’m unable to get back to the stage, then I feel there is no point. It’s the only thing I have ever wanted since I was a young girl.”

After training at the prestigious Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, the London-born actress quickly found parts in the West End and at the National Theatre.

In March this year, she auditioned for a production of the musical to be staged in Birmingham and Leicester and was ecstatic to be given the part of Celie, the central character in Alice Walker’s novel who was played by Whoopi Goldberg in the 1985 film.

But the next day she received a tweet with a screenshot of her Facebook post from September 2014. 

In a discussion about homosexuality, she had written: “It is clearly evident in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 what the Bible says on this matter. I do not believe you can be born…

The Christian relief and development agency has been responding in the region since the earthquake and tsunami hit, delivering life-saving aid and helping people build new homes and businesses. 

4,300 people were killed and 190,000 were left in need of assistance when the earthquake hit, which triggered not only a tsunami, but also liquefaction, a phenomenon which caused whole villages to be swallowed up by the earth.

It is not known how many bodies are still unaccounted for, but flags placed among the rubble indicate where those still not recovered may be buried deep under the rubble and mud. 

Now a year on, 57,000 people are still homeless, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Cresecent (IFRC). For survivors like Suparjo, aged 60 and his wife Ina, aged 64 , who escaped with only their lives and each other, recovery has meant an entirely new start.

The couple fled Palu when their house was destroyed by liquefaction following the earthquake. They have since been living in a temporary shelter in a camp in Pombewe, surviving on food donations and in March joined Tearfund’s cash programme, receiving funds to start a small business making banana chips, which with they are selling in Palu and in nearby kiosks.

They are now earning enough to support themselves and saving to repair their house. Suparjo said: “We lost everything but we…