The High Court has ordered a Muslim sect to stop using a redundant chemical works in West Ham as a mosque. Meanwhile, Christians prepare to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation with a prayer meeting on a path overlooking the site.
Newham Council were granted an injunction last Friday (24th May 2013) ordering the Anjuman-E-Islahul-Mislimeen Trust, which uses old industrial buildings on the Riverine Centre or Abbey Mills site, to clear the land of temporary buildings and cease religious activities there.
The action was brought after the mosque trustees, from the purist Tablighi Jamaat sect, breached an undertaking given to Newham to submit a planning application in line with Council policy.
In another twist, the Trustees have until Wednesday 8th June 2013 to appeal against the Council’s refusal of the planning application they did eventually submit.
The Mosque was to have been the size of Battersea Power Station, dominating the Abbey Mills area, according to the architect submitting the proposal. It would have accomodated 12,000 devotees, becoming by a factor of four the largest place of worship in Britain, as well as the headquarters of Tablighi Jamaat.
Local Councillors refused the application last December, reported the London Evening Standard.
The hardline Islamic group announced their intention to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate at Bristol, according to the Standard’s later report, but having sacked their third and latest firm of architects shortly after the refusal, it is far from certain they will be able to offer a coherent appeal, if they manage one at all.
Christian Voice members have been meeting for prayer at the site of the proposed development on the first Saturday morning of every month since January 2007. Â The next meeting is Saturday 1st June 2013, the day before the 60th anniversary of the Coronation of Her Majesty the Queen.
Stephen Green, National Director of Christian Voice, said today:
‘We give thanks to God that Newham Council are determined to see the back of a group described by American security officials as a “recruiting ground for Al Qaeda” and by French intelligence as an “antechamber of fundamentalism.”
‘We give thanks also for her Majesty’s Coronation, for the Christian symbolism within it and for our rich Christian heritage.
‘The battle of the ‘megamosque’ is not over yet and the focus of our prayer must now shift to Bristol and the appeals process.
‘As to the state of our nation, we shall be praying for their Lordships to show wisdom from on high as they debate and vote on the Government’s ‘gay marriage’ proposals on Monday 3rd June.
‘With so much going on, it will be a privilege to gather together and seek the Lord on Saturday.’
COME ALONG to the next prayer meeting at West Ham: Saturday 1st June 2013 (and every first Saturday in the month thereafter) from 103.0am to 12.30 pm. Meet at the site where the Greenway pedestrian path crosses Canning Road. Aim for Channel Sea House at E15 3ND (Streetmap.co.uk).
If coming by rail, take the DLR from Stratford or West Ham to Abbey Road. Turn right out of the station, and left up Canning Road. We meet at the top on the left on the Greenway.  This weekend, the Hammersmith and City Line has engineering works, and there is no Circle Line or Metropolitan Line either between Kings Cross and Moorgate.  Use the District Line, Jubilee Line or Mainline from Fenchurch Street.
Check at Transport for London for ‘planned engineering works’ to the Tube.
If coming by car, turn into Mitre Road which becomes Abbey Road, turn left into Canning Road, park at Channel Sea House at the end and just walk 50 yards back to the Greenway. You can also approach from the other direction: From the A118 High Street turn into Abbey Road. SatNav: E15 3ND.
PLEASE COME and stand up for Christ whatever the weather and be challenged and blessed! (Phil 1:27-29). The meeting is always a wonderful and peaceful time of fellowship, worship and seeking the Lord in prayer and in His word.
PRAY: That there is a good turn-out with powerful prayer for our nation. Pray that God will bless our nation with repentance and that His enemies, whether Secularist or Islamic, will be converted to the cause of Christ, or that their plans will come to nothing before our holy and awesome God. Who is on the Lord’s side? Come along and stand with us!
Postscript: Muslims view Jesus Christ as a mere prophet, superceded by Mohammed. Â Christians believe that Jesus was and is the Son of God. Allah denies having begotten a son, so clearly Allah and the Almighty are not the same being.
See our previous stories:
‘Megamosque’ refused planning permission
Objections invited to ‘Megamosque’
Prayer at West Ham ‘megamosque’ site
Council Moves Against Proposed Megamosque
Block the Olympic Mosque (ignore ‘Secret Meetings’ – it’s no longer relevant)
Find out how to join Christian Voice and stand up for the King of kings (clicking on the link below does not commit you to join)
I haven’t spent much time looking but is there a time? Information needs to be clearly accessible and printed in several places to make sure it’s seen. Not everyone will trawl through a site if it is not immediately apparent and you may loose supporters for the meetings as a consequence.
‘COME ALONG to the next prayer meeting at West Ham: Saturday 1st June 2013 (and every first Saturday in the month thereafter). Meet at the site where the Greenway pedestrian path crosses Canning Road. Aim for Channel Sea House at E15 3ND (Streetmap.co.uk).’
10.30am to 12.30pm. We’ll edit it. Thanks
Good job and well done
My regards to Alan Craig on the mosque and we must not stop praying on this issue
Dear Stephen,
Can we meet up for fellowship some time and share a few things together – as the Lord leads!!
David – The Lord bless you and make His face shine upon you and your family.
If it is important to God that Secularist or Islamic plans will come to nothing before holy and awesome God, is it really necessary to pray to God to achieve this ? I can see that one might pray to God to ensure that Stephen’s plans triumphed over an Imam’s plans, but surely when it comes to God defeating the plans of his own enemies, this can and should be left to God himself ? I am not at all clear on the theory of the theology of this, however, and would appreciate an explanation.
The theology of it is that God wants us to be part of what he is doing. John Wesley said “God will do nothing, but in answer to prayer.” The Lord Jesus told his disciples to pray that God would send evangelists:
Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
Did not the Father know the need? Would not one prayer of the Lord Jesus be worth a thousand of ours? Yes, he does, and yes, it would. But all the same, we are told to pray ‘without ceasing’ because God wants us to share in his purpose and his victory.