Some Do, Some Don't

It jumped out at me this week as I was reading. After Peter's Pentecost sermon . . .

Acts 2:37 - "Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" "

But then after Stephen's very similar sermon . . .

Acts 7:54 - "Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him."

Just like today. Some hear the message, repent, and are baptized, as after Peter's sermon, and some hear the message, become enraged, and reject both the Word and the messenger who brings it. But the result is not up to us; that is the work of the Holy Spirit. It is for us to simply preach the Word. Always. Sometimes it will bring us the joy of baptism and new life, and sometimes it will bring stones hurled at us - both physical and verbal. When it does, may we be like Stephen, who was like Christ, and pray: Father, forgive them.

Churches Burned in Egypt

Here is a list of the churches the have been burned in Egypt (HT: Father Z). Please keep the Christians of Egypt in your prayers.

Alexandria

1. Father Maximus Church

Arish

1. St George Church | Burned | Source

Assiut

1. Good Shepherds Monastery |  Nuns attacked
2. Angel Michael Church | Surrounded
3. St George Coptic Orthodox Church | Photo, Photo, Photo, YouTube
   
4. Al-Eslah Church| Burned | Source
5. Adventist Church | Pastor and his wife kidnapped | Photo
6. St Therese Church | Photo
7. Apostles Church | Burning | Source
8. Holy Revival Church | Burning | Source
9. Qusiya Diocese | MCN

Beni Suef

1. The Nuns School | Photo
2. St George Church | al-Wasta

Cairo

1. St Fatima Basilica | Heliopolis | Attempted Attack
2. Virgin Mary’s Church | Hakim Village | Burned | Photo

Fayoum (Five churches)

1. St Mary Church | El Nazlah | Gallery
2. St Damiana Church | Robbed and burned
3. Amir Tawadros (St Theodore) Church | EgyNews (Arabic), Twitter
4. Evangelical Church | al-Zorby Village | Looting and destruction
5. Church of Joseph | Burned | Source
6. Franciscan School | Burned | Source

Gharbiya

1. Diocese of St Paul | Burned | Source

Giza

1. Father Antonios
2. Atfeeh Bishopric

Minya (Around twelve churches)

1. Church of the Virgin Mary and Father Abram | Delga, Deir Mawas | Source
2. St Mina Church | Abu Hilal Kebly, Beni Hilal | Source, photo
3. Baptist Church | Beni Mazar | Source
4. Monastery | Deir Mawas  | Ahram (Arabic)
5. Delga Church | Attacked (Previously attacked with fire)
6. The Jesuit Fathers Church | Abu Hilal district
7. St Mark Church | Abu Hilal district
8. St Joseph Nunnery | Photo, photo
9. Amir Tadros Church | Photo, photo, photo, album, photo, photo
10. Evangelical Church | Photo
11. Anba Moussa al-Aswad Church | Photo
12. Apostles Church | Source

Qena

1. St Mary’s Church | Attempted Burning

Sohag

1. St George Church |Photo album, photo, photo, video, source, source, video
2. St Damiana | Attacked and burned | Source
3. Virgin Mary | Attacked and burned | Source
4. St Mark Church & Community Center
5. Anba Abram Church | Destroyed and burned | Source

Suez

1. St Saviours Anglican Church | Source
2. Franciscan Church and School | Street 23 | Burned |Photo, photo, source/photos, photos
3. Holy Shepherd Monastery and Hospital | Photo
4. Good Shepherd Church (molotov cocktail thrown)- Relationship with Holy Shepherd Monastery unknown.
5. Greek Orthodox Church | Photo, Photo

Christian Institutions

• House of Father Angelos (Pastor of Church of the Virgin Mary and Father Abram) | Delga, Minya | Burned | CBN News, Ahram (Arabic)
• Properties and Markets of Copts | al-Gomhorreya Street, Assiut
• Seventeen Coptic homes | Delga, Minya | Burned | Source, Source
• YMCA | Minya| Burned | Photo
• Coptic Homes | Qulta Street, Assiut | Attacked
• Offices of the Evangelical Foundation & Oum al-Nour | Minya
• Coptic-owned shops, pharmacy, and hotels | Karnak and Cleopatra Streets, Luxor | Attacked and Looted
• Dahabeya Nile Boat | Minya| Church-owned | Source,Photo, Photo
• Bible Society bookshop | Cairo | Burned | Photo
• Bible Society | Fayoum | Photo
• Bible Society | al-Gomohoreya Street, Assiut | Photo, Photo
• Ezbet el Nekhl | Source, source, source (Arabic)