@d moderator, front page pls.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-21953899

St John's Episcopal Church has opened its doors to Muslims for Friday prayers
On a bitterly cold and snowing afternoon in Aberdeen, the doors of St John's Episcopal Church are open to hundreds of Muslim worshippers, arriving for daily prayers.

The familiar sounds of Christian hymns have been replaced with Islamic prayer in the chapel this Friday lunchtime and the church priest with the imam from the neighbouring mosque.

Muslims from the Syed Shah Mustafa Jame Masjid mosque next door share this church with Christian worshippers up to five times a day.

Church leaders believe this may be the only place in the country where Christian and Muslim worshippers pray side by side.

The rector at St John's has opened his doors to Muslims because there was not enough space for them to pray in their own mosque and many were forced to worship outside on the street.

The Reverend Isaac Poobalan, who grew up in Southern India surrounded by Islam, said he would not have been true to his faith if he did not help his neighbours.


Reverend Isaac Poobalan grew up in Southern India surrounded by Islam
"It was a very cold day, like today, and when I walked past the mosque I saw dozens of male worshippers praying outside, on the streets, right near the church.

''Their hands and feet were bare and you could see their breath in the freezing cold.

''Jesus taught his disciples to love your neighbour as yourself and this is something I cannot just preach to my congregation, I had to put it into practice."

Reverend Poobalan adds: ''I felt very distressed when I saw my neighbours praying out in the cold and I knew I needed to do something to help.''

''I know I cannot solve the world's problems, but when there is a problem I can solve, I will.''


The mosque is next door to the church
Reverend Poobalan asked his congregation for permission to open the church doors to Muslims.

At first, Muslims were reluctant to accept the invite, but they have now settled in well into their new home.

Worshipper Mozhid Sufiyan said: ''We are so grateful to the church for giving us a space for our prayers.

"It was very difficult, especially for the elderly, to pray outside on the floor.

''Father Poobalan has been very kind to us all by inviting us into his church.'

''He has respected all of our beliefs and made us feel comfortable."

There has been some opposition to the arrangement, with Reverend Poobalan facing abuse by online trolls on social networking sites.


The Bishop of Aberdeen said it couild be a lesson for the rest of the world. Christians believe Jesus is the son of God, while Muslims regard him as a prophet.

But despite these differences, there does not seem to be any tension in St John's Church, with both faiths having learnt to respect each other.

Peter, a member of the church congregation, said: "Any opposition is from people who do not belong to the church and do not understand the arrangement we have here.

"We do not have any issues with sharing our building.

''My faith says if you see anyone out in the cold, you invite them in, so I don't have any problem with it all."

Muslims and Christian worshippers at St John's Church hope their special relationship could serve as a model for the rest of the country.

The Episcopal Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney, Dr Robert Gillies, said the arrangement at St John's could serve as a lesson for the rest of the world.

''What we are doing here, is something local that has global significance,'' he said.

''We have demonstrated that Christians and Muslims do not have to agree with one another.

''But they can learn to respect each other's different beliefs and actually come to get along and even like one another."

adewasco2k:

Its a good think to apply for positions while still serving, that is because some firms or ministries will call for test after several months of advert, so the person might have finished then, but your friend was unlucky with this one....if they aint gonna ask for NYSC cert during test he should have been lucky again and may be when they will finally call for interview he will be through then.

bottom line is personally i feel they will not allow him write with the way the invitation is stated. but hey!! no harm in trying if i was the one i will still try....its better to try and waste little money than blame your self for not trying at all

Tnx, I apprc8 ur comment.

Gfrey6:
pls dnt discourage d guy
pls my friend go infact dis
mayb d only test u wil write to get ur dream job in Jesus name.
Go i did something like dat and am still waitin4my employment letter.
Go wit evidence dat u are servin dat all-like copy of ur call up letter and nysc id

Tnx for your advice.

Pls Guyz, I need ur intelligent contributions for a situation... I av a friend who is presently serving in the North and has been shortlisted for the NTA test. Everyone is told to come with their NYSC discharge Cert or Exemption letter, the question is : Should he go for the test or forgo it?

P.S- The guy will be passing out in June.

By what standard did u pick these women, IMO, d list is full of ordinary people who have not cross the rubicon, and whose life achievements are not better than that of my grandma in d village. For instance, d likes of Mary Kay Ash does, Marie Currie, etc did not male d list. Na wa o!

Please, don't crucify the Igbos, they are only living up to their names...Igbo (Marijuana).

tjmc:


so for your mind, yoruba people sabi book pa for naija. soorrry ohh. its only the yorubas from ondo dat are dat brilliant from my experience.
for me the igbos come first, then the yorubas before odas, den the abokis shud be d last on the list

It seems that this feeling of paranoia is a common syndrom of every Igbo people. They always see the Yorubas as a threath to them, when it comes to everything that requires intellectual prowess. It's a known fact that the Yorubas are still ahead of the Igbos, the same way the Whites are ahead of Blacks. I hardly come across a situation where an Igbo student is ahead of all the Yorubas in the class. Bye 4now.

mcnepow: Poster drop yo mail addy lemme send u materials I got. Na free I get am, na free I go give d first 3 addies wey I see. Then u share wif others.

My email is muyizcybernet@yahoo.com. tnx

hot DOG

Oh my! OAU came to Lagos and carted away the first prize in the midst of all Lagos State Institutions. LASU's second position is just a pointer to the fact that UNILAG is living on the past glory! Ever corrosive Lasuite!!!