As you prepare for this morning’s service to begin, you are invited to
reflect on the following…
“When Christianity is working, what we care about is the neighbor.
When Christianity is not working, what we care about is Christianity.”
~ John Thatamanil
“Beware of any Christian movement that acts as though the world is full of enemies
to be destroyed rather than full of neighbors to be loved.
Beware of any Christian movement that demands the government be an
instrument of God’s wrath but never a source of God’s mercy, generosity, or
compassion.”
~ Rev. Benjamin R. Cremer
Rabbi Joachim Prinz has said that “Neighbor is not a geographic term. It is
a moral concept.” Who are the “neighbors” in our lives that we might be
overlooking or avoiding?
Things to pray for this week…
We praise God that women in Guatemala who participate in
PWS&D-supported workshops are learning skills that develop their
self-esteem and equip them to participate politically in their
communities.
We lament that in many societies, diversity is seen as a problem
rather than a gift. We pray that our global leaders may recognize
diversity as a blessing to be celebrated.
We pray for people affected by dementia and their
caregivers, that they would know God’s love as they
navigate a world of uncertainty.
Mission Moment
After contracting polio when she was young, Akelwela Adanladi was left with physical disabilities. As subsistence farmers, her parents could not afford to send her to school. Her life changed at 30 when she was identified by the Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) program of the Presbyterian Church in Ghana. Through the CBR program, she obtained a cloth weaving apprenticeship and access to start-up capital for her business. Now a trainer, kelwela empowers young people through skills training. “I am able to generate enough money to meet my needs and I am so grateful to the CBR program for coming to my aid. Today, I have a beautiful life.”