Release International

Workers renovating an Indonesian church damaged by jihadists have been given an armed guard after a second attack on the building.

A homemade bomb was detonated outside the Eklesia Church in Gebang Rejo village in Poso earlier this month. It caused no injuries and no major damage to the building -- but has left nerves frayed. The blast was heard 3km away.

The church in Pulau Seram Street was being renovated after Islamist extremists set light to it several years ago, says The Jakarta Post. A spokesman for the provincial police suggested the recent attack may have been designed to reignite inter-religious tensions.

Reconstruction workers returned to the site six days after the attack on July 1, with the protection of security officers. The blast occurred just two days before the withdrawal of the Poso Security Restoration Operation Command (Koopskam), which began its tour of duty in 2005 following the beheading of three schoolgirls and the bombing of Tentena marketplace.

• Pray for the congregation of Eklesia Church in Poso, that they will be a powerful witness in extending God's kingdom in the town.
• Pray that the withdrawal of special security forces from Poso will not provoke any further violence in the troubled area.

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