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After a vision, Jacob declared, “How awesome is this place! This is none
other than the house of God” (Genesis 28:17). This worship space, too, is
the house of God, and so is your heart. Welcome!
NOTE: Sheet music for all hymns can be found at the end of this document.
Ushers:
This worship service can be watched live on YouTube, as it happens,
anywhere you have an internet connection. Additionally, past services
will be archived so you can stay up-to-date or relive your favorite
Sunday morning moments. You can find the link on our website or check
it out at https://bit.ly/FPClive
Order of Worship
July 19, 2020
Faith Presbyterian Church of Emmaus 3002 N. Second Street, PO Box 507
Emmaus, Pennsylvania 18049 610.967.5600
[email protected] www.faithchurchemmaus.org
THE ORDER OF MORNING WORSHIP SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
10:00 AM JULY 19, 2020
THE FIRST NOTE OF THE PRELUDE begins our worship. Please use the prelude time to turn your attention to God’s presence and help. Nurturing our relationships and friendships in fellowship is essential to our life as a congregation, so please continue to do so following our time of worship.
*Those who are able are invited to stand.
FOCUSING UPON GOD’S PRESENCE AND VOICE
PRELUDE “Title” CREDIT
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
*CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Now is the moment of grace.
This is the hour of blessing.
People: Today is the day of salvation. Here is the path to new life.
Leader: Already joy is abounding, and love is flowing.
People: For this is the day God is making; Let us rejoice and sing.
*OPENING PRAYER
HYMN #402 “How Lovely, Lord” MERLE'S TUNE
(The soloists will sing the hymn. You are invited to follow along in the hymnal and reflect on the words. May this be a time of prayer for you!)
LITANY OF AFFIRMATION Leader: God beckons to us: draw close. Be present. Let us be fully present in worship,
confessing before God and each other all that we are, all that God calls us to be,
and forgiving each other for the ways we’ve fallen short, first in silence and then
together.
A moment of silence for personal confession
People: Be gracious to us today, our Lord, for we are in need of your mercy. We are often quick to doubt and slow to pray. We are tempted to let go of faith when we need to hang on. We are discouraged by wrong when we need to be encouraged by your Spirit. O God, we are thankful for the strength you give us to trust in you all the days of our lives. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
*SHARING THE PEACE
Leader: Since God has forgiven us, let us also forgive one another. The peace of our
Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
People: And also with you. Leader: Let us share our forgiven joy with one another.
*HYMN OF ASSURANCE #581 GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, Amen.
THE WORD OF GOD TO THE CHURCH
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
FIRST SCRIPTURE LESSON PSALM 119:105-112
105Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 106I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to observe your righteous ordinances. 107I am severely afflicted; give me life, O LORD, according to your word. 108Accept my offerings of praise, O LORD, and teach me your ordinances. 109I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget your law. 110The wicked have laid a snare for me, but I do not stray from your precepts. 111Your decrees are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. 112I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.
SECOND SCRIPTURE LESSON MATTHEW 12:1-14
12At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the sabbath; his disciples were
hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2When the Pharisees
saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on
the sabbath.” 3He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his
companions were hungry? 4He entered the house of God and ate the bread of the
Presence, which it was not lawful for him or his companions to eat, but only for the
priests. 5Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests in the
temple break the sabbath and yet are guiltless? 6I tell you, something greater than
the temple is here. 7But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not
sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8For the Son of Man is lord
of the sabbath.” 9He left that place and entered their synagogue; 10a man was there
with a withered hand, and they asked him, “Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath?” so
that they might accuse him. 11He said to them, “Suppose one of you has only one
sheep and it falls into a pit on the sabbath; will you not lay hold of it and lift it
out? 12How much more valuable is a human being than a sheep! So it is lawful to do
good on the sabbath.” 13Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He
stretched it out, and it was restored, as sound as the other. 14But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.
SERMON “The Miracle of Sabbath” REV. REBECCA MALLOZZI
ANTHEM “Lord, Make Us Worthy” NATALIE SLEETH
Sandy Gingrich, Dianne Macdonald & Deanna Robinson
SHARING JOYS & CONCERNS
INTERCESSIONS AND PETITIONS
THE LORD’S PRAYER GLORY TO GOD HYMNAL – PG. 35
(Please use “debts & debtors”.)
OUR RESPONSE TO GOD'S WORD CALL FOR OFFERTORY OFFERTORY “Allegretto” G. BOHM PRAYER OF DEDICATION *CHARGE & BENEDICTION CHORAL SENDING “God Be With You Till We Meet Again” RALPH VAUGHN WILLIAMS *POSTLUDE “Good Christians All, Rejoice and Sing” DAVID N. JOHNSON
“In the spirit of love of caution, we are limiting our
indoor gatherings to a max of 25 people. Though most are continuing to worship virtually, please
keep in mind we will seat on a first come, first served basis until further notice.”
Photo Directory
It's time (again!) to schedule your photography appointment for
our new church picture directory! Our photography days are August 4,
5, and 6.
Click here https://booknow-lifetouch.appointment-plus.com/
b7q6g942/ to book your appointment today! If you have any questions
or need help, please let Pastor Becki know.
Pets are welcome!
If you are able to help sign up to be a welcome crew on the
photography days, please let me know as soon as possible. Greeters
will help direct traffic, help us make sure people are being socially distant, and sign people in when they arrive for their appointments.
Please book your appointment as soon as possible to get your
first choice time slot!
Peace, Pastor Becki
Pastor’s Online Column
Pastor Becki has an online column which can be accessed at revmallozzi.blogspot.com/. An easily clickable link is included in the online copy of the bulletin, as well as in the weekly email blast. If you would like to be added to that list, please email the church office.
Prayer Chain Requests Messages to be shared via the Prayer Chain may be emailed
directly to [email protected]. Messages can also be sent through a form on the Prayer Requests page of the church website. If you wish to be included in our Prayer Chain distribution list (or if you don’t think you are receiving messages), please contact the church office.
Faith Life SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020
Sunday Morning Fellowship
Please join us on Zoom for Fellowship on Sunday Mornings following Worship. The link for Sunday Morning Fellowship can be found in the Thursday email blast. If you would like to be added to the list to receive these emails, please contact the office.
7/19 Anthony McWhinney, Mark Smickley
7/21 Anne Zayaitz, Skylar Zuzzolo
7/22 John Robertson
7/23 Michael Comoglio
THIS WEEK Sunday, July 19 10:00 AM— Worship Service 5:00 PM— Youth Group (outside) Monday, July 20 Church Office Closed 7:30 PM— Celebration Committee (Zoom) Tuesday, July 21 Wednesday, July 22 Church Office Closed 3:30 PM— Zoom Story Time for Kids 7:00 PM— Reading Group Thursday, July 23 Church Office Closed 7:00 PM— Narcotics Anonymous (FH) 7:00 PM— Communications Committee (Zoom) Friday, July 24 Church Office Closed Noon— Friday Meditation (Facebook Live) Saturday, July 25 Noon— Crazy Quilters (FH)
NEXT WEEK Sunday, July 26 10:00 AM— Worship Service 5:00 PM— Youth Group (outside) Monday, July 27 Church Office Closed Tuesday, July 28 7:30 PM— Fellowship Committee (P) Wednesday, July 29 Church Office Closed 3:30 PM— Zoom Story Time for Kids Thursday, July 30 Church Office Closed 7:00 PM— Narcotics Anonymous (FH) Friday, July 31 Church Office Closed Noon— Friday Meditation (Facebook Live) Saturday, August 1
Two Weeks of Faith
This calendar is prepared a few days prior to distribution. Please see the church website for the most up-to-date information.
710 N. Cedar Crest Blvd., Allentown, PA 18104 www.lehighpresbytery.org E-mail address: [email protected] Phone number: 610-391-9020
LEHIGH PRESBYTERYJuly 10, 2020
For such a time as this, the congregations and leadership of Lehigh Presbytery will partner to challenge and resource each other, so that we may boldly risk our comfort for the sake of the Gospel of Christ.
Letting Go of Stuff, Letting Go of the Past
When my children were small, I would occasionally go through their rooms and play areas with a large black
garbage bag, gathering up items that were broken, worn out, and/or no longer used. I would do this while they
were at school or outside playing. Most of the time, no one even noticed that this “stuff” was gone.
What would happen if you did this in your church building?
Churches are notoriously stuffed full of things no one has used for decades—books, hymnals, choir robes, Sunday
School curricula and craft supplies, nursery equipment, Christmas pageant costumes, etc., etc. In many of our
buildings, virtually every nook and cranny is packed with broken, worn out items that no one would even miss if
they disappeared. Disorganization reigns.
Yet visitors notice these things. When a church is full of old stuff and bulletin boards are full of faded, outdated
material, the message to someone new is that this is a congregation stuck in the past. This is a church so busy
grieving the loss of the “good old days” that they can’t move forward. At the very least, it says that the members
don’t care much anymore about their property and how it looks to outsiders.
What is stopping your congregation from getting rid of its “stuff?” What keeps you from cleaning out those rooms,
closets, drawers, and containers? Are you holding on to the past, hoping that everything will go back to the way
it was 50 years ago when all of that stuff was needed? Not likely.
In the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic, when no (or at least fewer) people are in your building, invite a couple
of people (wearing masks and social distancing) to help you take a critical look around. Try to look at everything
with fresh eyes, as if you were a first-time visitor. What first impression does your facility make? Be honest. Then,
using large black garbage bags, gather up items that are broken, worn out, and/or no longer used. Things that
are still serviceable can be given away or sold. Be ruthless! Ask for forgiveness rather than permission and get rid
of that stuff!! It’s time to release your congregation’s hold on the past and move forward.
What does your church need to let go of?
Grace and peace,
Rev. Rhonda Kruse, Transitional Presbytery Leader
What is a Matthew 25 church?
Matthew 25:31–46 calls all of us to actively engage in the world around us, so our faith comes alive and we wake up to new possibilities. Convicted by this passage, both the 222nd and 223rd General Assemblies (2016 and 2018) exhorted the PC(USA) to act boldly and compassionately to serve people who are hungry, oppressed, imprisoned or poor.
https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/matthew-25/
“The Church Is Not a Building” Check out this brief Matthew 25 video that will make you (or at least some of us of a certain age) think of Avery and Marsh, and consider how your congregations might use it.
Page 2
7.10.2020 - Lehigh Presbytery News
As churches, worshiping communities and their leaders continue to grapple with the spread of COVID-19; some are finding ways to live into their commitment to the Matthew 25 invitation.
Launched in April, Matthew 25 calls on Presbyterian churches and groups of all forms to actively engage in the world around them, so that our faith is ignited in our efforts to act boldly and compassionately to serve people who are hungry, oppressed, imprisoned or poor. More than 437 churches, 37 mid councils and 11 groups have accepted the invitation.
Social distancing has required PC(USA) churches to rethink and rework how they do worship. First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, Illinois, is among the many churches that have turned to Zoom videoconferencing as an alternative for in-person worship and meetings. Yet the church, which is working on all three Matthew 25 focus areas (building congregational vitality, dismantling structural racism and eradicating systemic poverty), is taking its use of Zoom one step further by making it available to outside groups like Healthier Together.
“Many of our community change agents do not have the resources or technical know-how to gather online for meetings,” said the Rev. Rob Dyer, the church’s senior pastor. “We are becoming a valuable resource to others with what we have.
That isn’t a change in what we do. That is just a change in where we are needed.”
South Presbyterian Church in Rochester, New York, is an example of a community prepared for the shifts in worship. The church has long been experimenting with alternative forms of “doing church.”
“When COVID-19 forced us into new paradigms, we benefited from the prior practice we had in being flexible and thinking outside the box,” said the Rev. Laura Bachmann, the church’s associate pastor. That included rolling out videotaped messages and sermons at the onset and training members how to use Zoom.
Ultimately, Dryer believes that the situation will create more opportunities.
“The busy nature of most people’s lives has been a challenge to churches in general. We are finding that this
environment of social distancing is opening up opportunities to get people’s attention again,” he said.
Members of South Presbyterian Church, according to Bachmann, are “pretty flexible, so they are doing really well with the changes.” This is due, in part, to the change they experienced selling their church building five years ago.
The church sees the current changes as exciting and an opportunity to “grow in new ways, to encounter God in new ways and to raise up new leaders for new times and circumstances,” Bachmann said.
None of it, she said, has come about without a struggle. “Of course, people are struggling, particularly with not being able to see one another,” Bachmann said. “So, there is fear and anxiety and loneliness too. We are doing our best to stay in touch with each other to mitigate these responses.”
While both churches continue to adjust to new routines and new formats, living out the Matthew 25 invitation is as top of mind as ever.
Part of First United Presbyterian Church’s Matthew 25 ministry is a pilot program where the church has “teamed up with a local social service agency to fill gaps in the current aid system,” Dyer said. “Much of this work can continue over email, phone and other methods that don’t require personal presence. We are also able to reach out to our community partners to assess the actual needs of our community during this time.”
Bachmann said South Presbyterian Church is “trying to make decisions so that the needs of the least of these are uppermost in our minds.”
“It is hard to live out Matthew 25 when you can’t be present in person and we are still working out how to do these things at a safe distance,” she said. “I feel like we have way more questions than answers, but I remain confident that God will not forsake us, that the new ideas and energy we need to implement them will bubble up, that we will run and not grow weary. We will do it together — maybe not physically together, but spiritually together in prayer and praise and communication and love.”
https://www.presbyterianmission.org/yearbook/July-8-2020/
WHAT MAKES FOR EFFECTIVE MATTHEW 25 MINISTRY DURING A PANDEMIC By Mari Graham Evans, Former Social Media Specialist, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Lord God, we lift up your church as it works to spread your love, made known to us through Jesus Christ. May its congregations and clergy touch more lives with the good news of the gospel. May they be an inspiration for us as we work to spread the message of Christ. Amen.
Page 3 Lehigh Presbytery News – 7.10.2020
224th General Assembly (2020) of the Presbyterian Church (USA) June 19, 26-27, 2020 – recorded on-line
Due to the COVID019 pandemic, the 224th General Assembly (2020) was held online June 19, 26-27, 2020. The docket was abbreviated to address critical business issues. You can catch up on what happened and watch the recorded sessions from the links below. Watch the recorded sessions at https://ga-pcusa.org/
Read about the newly elected Co-Moderators
Check out the happenings on the Spirit of GA facebook page
Follow the business on PC BIZ
Get the latest General Assembly News
As the COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of going away, the Office of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has begun looking at ways to reduce costs in the wake of shrinking dollars. Among the cost-savings measured implemented: a ban on domestic and international travel for the remainder of the calendar year and replacement of face-to-face conferences and gatherings with online meetings.
Last week, OGA leaders offered retirement incentive packages to 16 staff members ages 60 and older. They have until August 14 to accept or reject the offers.
OGA is funded by per capita dollars, supported by presbyteries in the denomination. Per capita giving has been on a decline for years in the church and leaders have had to rely on reserve funding to make budget.
At the recently concluded 224th General Assembly, commissioners approved a slight increase in the per capita rate of $8.98 per member for 2021 and 2022. The three cent increase from the previous rate of $8.95 represents financial implications of two actions taken by the 224th General Assembly.
“We recognized that like the national office, presbyteries and churches have all been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 virus that has forced
churches to move away from in-person worship and replace it with online meetings,” said the Reverend Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the PC(USA). “Coupled with job losses by church members, this virus has had a domino effect on everything the church is involved with.”
Nelson says tough days lie ahead for the agency as it continues to look for ways to meet the needs of mid councils and churches while dealing with the new realities that come with the pandemic.
“Despite the struggles ahead of us, we believe that the Lord God is still on the throne and will guide this church through the storm and to a better place,” he said. “I still believe the church is still thriving and that God is in the midst.”
For 2021, OGA staff will have to reduce the per capita budget by $4.2 million and by $4 million in 2022, representing 35% and 30% reductions, respectively.
A unified budget was approved at the General Assembly, representing the budgets of all three entities combined, (OGA, Presbyterian Mission Agency and the Administrative Services Group) of about $80.1 million in 2021 and about $83.4 million in 2022.
https://www.pcusa.org/news/2020/7/9/oga-offers-retirement-package-staff-60-years-and-o/
OGA offers retirement package to staff 60 years and older Agency faces budget shortfall in the midst of COVID-19
Rick Jones | Office of the General Assembly - July 9, 2020
Page 4
7.10.2020 - Lehigh Presbytery News
More Than Good Intentions “What can we do?” That question has been the refrain for many people in conversations about the issues of systemic racism that we as a country, and particularly white people in the U.S., have been wrestling with in new and profound ways since the murder of George Floyd and the rise of the racial justice protest movement.
It is the right question, because the question itself recognizes that it not enough to make statements as individuals and organizations declaring that we stand against systemic racism and white supremacy. While good intentions and supportive words are all important, they have little power to effect change on their own; they must be fulfilled through concrete action.
As Christians, this work for justice is at the very heart of our discipleship of Jesus Christ, whose commitment to serving those who are poor, excluded, or oppressed was at the very heart of his public ministry. In fact, since discipleship means to follow someone, it is worth remembering that the one we follow began that public ministry with a declaration of purpose and intent in his hometown synagogue: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19). And then the rest of his ministry was practically defined by him doing exactly that in his ministries of teaching, healing, and hospitality. Intention, in other words, was followed by action.
“The 21-Day Racial Justice Immersion Project” takes its name from two sources. The word “immersion” is a reference to one of the most well-known verses about justice in the Bible: “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:24). The prophet Amos calls God’s people to be immersed in the waters of justice, to plunge themselves into God’s work for justice, and this project will help us to understand the realities of systemic racial injustice in the United States and how we can be part of helping wash them away. The second source for the title is also a major source for the project itself: the work of Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr., a prominent educator and thought leader on issues of racial diversity and privilege.
Dr. Moore created a “21-Day Racial Equity Challenge” to help people develop “good habits” of working for racial justice. Research suggests that it takes 21 days of intentional, daily practice to break a bad habit and develop a new one. Dr. Moore developed a set of practices to facilitate this goal, and has encouraged organizations throughout society to adapt and build on his work. (If you are curious, you can learn more about Dr. Moore’s work here.)
With his encouragement, the First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem is adapting Dr. Moore’s work to shape their own, and is grateful for his wisdom in developing his work and his generosity in sharing it. For more information or to participate in the 21-Day Racial Justice Immersion Project at First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem go to www.fpc-bethlehem.org/racialjustice .
Page 5 Lehigh Presbytery News – 7.10.2020
SUNDAY SERVICES
9:00 a.m.
First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem – contemporary worship on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FirstPresBethlehem. You can go to their website for a link to view the service.
9:30 a.m.
Community Presbyterian Church of Mt. Bethel-Portland, Mt. Bethel, PA on zoom https://zoom.us/j/216305804?pwd+NXVwajdXcXAzMXV0cFBsdC8ydjBzdz09 Meeting ID: 216 305 804, Password: 998322. Or by phone, please call 1-646-558-8656, Meeting ID: 216 305 804#; participant ID enter # and password enter 998322
10:00 a.m.
East Stroudsburg Presbyterian Church – drive-in style worship service or you can participate virtually on facebook or youtube live. Visit their website at https://www.espresbyterian.com/worship/ for the links and more information
Faith Presbyterian Church of Emmaus – has opened for worship in person or you may participate virtually on YouTube https://bit.ly/FPClive. You can also access it through their website at https://faithchurchemmaus.org/
First Presbyterian Church of Allentown (English language) – pre-service music and announcements begin at 9:45 a.m. – go to https://fpcallentown.org/, scroll down and click on “All Things Livestream Worship Related,” scroll down to “All Videos”, click on the video with the word “Live” on it. Or join by phone: 1-646-558-8656, enter meeting ID 536-955-148, press # to enter as a guest.
First Presbyterian Church of Hokendauqua on facebook https://www.facebook.com/HokeyPres
First Presbyterian Church of Stroudsburg on facebook https://www.facebook.com/FPCStroudsburg/
Pennside Presbyterian Church of Reading on facebook https://www.facebook.com/PennsidePresbyterianChurch/
Presbyterian Church of the Mountain in Delaware Water Gap on facebook https://www.facebook.com/Presbyterian-Church-of-the-Mountain-234593743269661/
The Barn on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/theBarnLehighValley/ or by Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/3542000339; 9:00 am. Children’s Pajama Storytime; 9:30 a.m.–Prayer meeting; 10:00 a.m.–Gathering; 11:00 a.m.–Small group gathering
10:30 a.m.
College Hill Presbyterian of Easton on zoom https://zoom.us/j/569896612 Or by phone, please call 1-646-558-8656. If you are not a Zoom account holder, simply hit # to bypass the Participant ID prompts. When it prompts you for the meeting ID, enter 569-896-612.
First Presbyterian Church of Easton on facebook live https://www.facebook.com/EastonFPC/
Hope of Christ Presbyterian Church in Summit Hill on facebook https://www.facebook.com/HopeOfChristPresbyterianChurch/
Korean Church of the Lehigh Valley – Korean language worship by “PRISM Live”. If you are interested in receiving the link, contact Pastor Mark Cho at [email protected]. He will send you the link on Sunday morning.
United Presbyterian Church of Pottsville on zoom https://zoom.us/j/543310189 or on facebook https://www.facebook.com/united.pres/
11:00 a.m.
First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem – traditional worship on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FirstPresBethlehem You can also go to their website for a link to view the service. If you do not have internet access and would like to listen to the service on your phone, call 1-929-205-6099 and when prompted enter Meeting ID: 955 325 387.
Shawnee Presbyterian Church on facebook https://www.facebook.com/shawnee.church/
11:30 a.m.
First Presbyterian Church of Allentown (Arabic language) - Go to www.fpcallentown.org, scroll down and click on “All Things Livestream Worship Related,” scroll down to “All Videos,” click on the video with the word “Live” on it. Or join by phone: 1 (646) 558-8656, enter meeting ID 134-624-148, press # to enter as a guest.
12:30 a.m.
First Presbyterian Church of Allentown (Chin Burmese language) go to www.fpcallentown.org, scroll down and click on “All Things Livestream Worship Related,” scroll down to “All Videos,” click on the video with the word “Live” on it. Or join by phone: 1 (646) 558-8656, enter meeting ID 233-411-498, press # to enter as a guest.
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7.10.2020 - Lehigh Presbytery News
SHARE WITH OTHERS WHAT MINISTRY AND MISSION YOUR CHURCH IS ENGAGING IN
What are the new and exciting ways you are reaching out to your members and community?
Please share with us pictures of any ministry/mission (new, old, expanded, etc.) that is occurring in your congregation during this time of pandemic along with a short description or article of who and what is in the image. For example…..Are you making masks, holding blood drives, or have a community food pantry? These are just a few examples.
Your pictures and stories will be featured in one of our upcoming newsletters so others in the Presbytery can celebrate your ministry. Please email them to [email protected]
We will also share these photos and descriptions with the Synod of the Trinity, who is putting together a collage from around the Synod region celebrating all of the good work being done in the churches!
IN THE MISSION YEARBOOK
July 10, 2020 – Small Beginnings - Promoting health in all areas of life in South Sudan during the Coronavirus
When something is at its beginning, there are many possibilities. Something that looks small and insignificant at its beginning can become something big, beautiful and of great use with slow, steady progress. With that perspective, we asked the women to share some of their dreams. What impact could they have as a group? Some of their top dreams included:
Adult education (many of them have not gone very far in school; they would like to learn to read and write)
Employment (perhaps through a store where the women can sell their handcrafts, or a farm)
Spiritual strengthening (including prayer, Bible study)
Trauma healing training
Health awareness (e.g., about diseases, including cancer)
(click the link to read the article) https://www.presbyterianmission.org/yearbook/July-10-2020/
Let us pray:
Lord, we thank you for the growth of our church. Continue to bless, guide and inspire us all to serve you faithfully so that the world may turn to you in praise. Amen.
Mission Toolkit: Short-Term Mission
Has your church always participated in a summer mission or service trip? Will it be possible this year?
Presbyterian World Mission has an updated resource on how (or whether) to do a summer mission or service trip during the pandemic and some alternatives to consider.
https://www.presbyterianmission.org/wp-content/uploads/Short-term-Mission-Trips-Revised.pdf