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Thu, 29 Dec 2005
Dec 29, 2005, 16:09
[top/devotionals]
A New Year’s Prayer
Dear Lord, please give me…
A few friends who understand me and remain my friends;
A work to do which has real value,
without which the world would be the poorer;
A mind unafraid to travel, even though the trail be not blazed;
An understanding heart;
A sense of humor;
Time for quiet, silent meditation;
A feeling of the presence of God;
The patience to wait for the coming of these things,
With the wisdom to recognize them when they come. Amen.
Lord, let this year be filled with the things that are truly good — with the comfort of warmth in our relationships, with the strength to help those who need our help and the humility and openness to accept help from others.
As we make our resolutions for the year ahead, let us go forward with great hope that all things can be possible, with Your help and guidance. - Anonymous
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· Begin to cultivate the skill of praying in every situation, and you will discover that prayer spiritualizes all aspects of your life. (Ken Boa)
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Tue, 20 Dec 2005
Dec 20, 2005, 17:16
[top/devotionals]
A Christmas Prayer
Loving Father, Help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds,
and worship of the wise men.
Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
by Robert Louis Stevenson
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· If God had granted all the silly prayers I’ve made in my life, where would I be now? (C. S. Lewis)
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Thu, 24 Nov 2005
Nov 24, 2005, 14:44
[top/devotionals]
Prayer for Day 41
Prayer for Day 41
Teach us, good Lord, to serve Thee as Thou deserves; to give and not to count the cost; to fight and not to heed the wounds; to toil and not to seek for rest; to labour and not to ask for any reward save that of knowing that we do Thy will.
Amen.
By Ignatius Loyola
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Thu, 17 Nov 2005
Nov 17, 2005, 14:42
[top/devotionals]
Keeping Up Appearances
One of my favorite television shows is the British comedy Keeping Up Appearances. The story line is always a variation on this theme: middle-aged, middle-class Hyacinth is obsessed with trying to impress her neighbors with her exquisite taste and aristocratic manners. The results, of course, are ludicrous. Hyacinth wants class, and she doesn’t even have style.
As Christians, “keeping up appearances” can sometimes become the beginning and end of our spiritual lives. We want others to think well of us, considering us the cream of the religious crop. But when that becomes our goal, we become like the Pharisees Jesus confronted in his ministry. We continually have one eye in the mirror to see what kind of impression we’re making. We act as if others exist just to be dazzled by us and to spread our reputations throughout our community.
Jesus reminds us that greatness in his kingdom is not about people standing in awe of us. It’s about seeking to be servants even to the least desirable people in society. After Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, he said that serving others should be the pattern for their own lives.
Lord, give us eyes to see people who need care in your name. In service to our neighbour, may we render service to you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
(Dr. Robert Heerspink, TODAY, the Family Altar, May 2005)
· Harold: Maude, do you pray? Maude: Pray? No, I communicate. (text from the 1971 movie, Harold and Maude)
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Tue, 15 Nov 2005
Nov 15, 2005, 16:28
[top/devotionals]
Christ Call to Mercy
Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known,
Will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?
Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile star should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?
Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean, and do such as this unseen,
And admit to what I mean in you and you in me?
Will you love the “you” you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around,
Through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?
Christ, your summons echoes true when you but call my name,
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In your company I’ll go where your love and footsteps show,
Thus I’ll move and live and grow in you and you in me.
(The Iona Community)
· We have really learned how to pray when we realize that prayer is a privilege rather than a duty. (Anon)
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Fri, 28 Oct 2005
Oct 28, 2005, 16:50
[top/devotionals]
Ponder and Pray -3
O Lord, increase our awareness of fragmented people around us, especially those who have been broken by the chaos in our world.
In a world where so many have so little, we live as the few with so much. Help us to be stewards of what you have entrusted to us:
fresh air and water, forest and farmland, minerals and money.
Fortify our obedience that we might share out of ourselves whatever will sustain the needy. Grant that
our cheerfulness will meet their sadness,
our hospitality will dispel their loneliness,
our listening will defuse their frustration, and
our intercession will offer the prayer they can’t quite utter.
In all of this let our joy be irrepressible,
our humour infectious,
our obedience glad, and
our open-handedness without guile.
For we follow gladly Him whose commandments are not burdensome,
Whose service is our freedom, and whose summons is our peace.
(Victor Shepherd, Ponder and Pray)
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Tue, 25 Oct 2005
Oct 25, 2005, 10:56
[top/projects/H2O]
Rain Didn’t Stop H2O Day
It was a rainy day and a cold one at that when 61 people arrived at PMC for H2O’s Community Clean Up Day. Sixty people chose to brave the cold and rain and make a difference in our local community!
Some of the comments illustrate the impact getting out and, as the Samaritan did, opening their eyes to the needs in the community. Reflect on some of these comments from the evaluations:
- I have never ventured into these parts of the city. Very seedy!
Terrific need!
- It showed the importance of fellowship; serving with others; cultivating stewardship and love for our city
- We need to take responsibility for our city and the state that it is in – we contribute to the garbage! Also, we need to be willing to do things that are not publicly recognized. It was a humbling experience and made me think differently about service.
- Working is hard ! And people see!
- It reminded me of the need to touch the community
- I didn’t want to do this; I almost used the rain as an excuse to stay home. But then I figured if I couldn’t do this, how could I even begin to understand MERCY!
To those of you who came out – my sincere thanks! To those who were unable – We’ll be doing it again in the Spring … Stay tuned for details!
Blessings!
Shirley
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Fri, 21 Oct 2005
Oct 21, 2005, 14:31
[top/devotionals]
Ponder and Pray II
Lord, today we ask you to increase our confidence in your word and deed. So cause your word of truth to unfold within us that we shall be your instrument
of clarity to those who are confused,
of certitude to those who doubt,
of contentment to those who are agitated,
of hope to those who see no future.
As often as we recognize the world’s deepest hunger,
As often as we see its attempt at easing it,
As often as we hear our Lord’s “I AM”,
So let us hold up him whose shed blood will ever be
its life, its hope, and its happiness.
We pray in the confidence that who you are for us you are eternally. Amen. (Victor Shepherd, Ponder and Pray)
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· Most computers today are armed with software to filter through unwanted e-mail, allowing important messages through and sending others to electronic oblivion. People are limited. They can handle only so much communication and offer only so much help. God, on the other hand, never tires of s-mail (spirit mail). His ear is always open to our prayers. And He has unlimited capacity to help. (Craig Brian Larson)
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Wed, 19 Oct 2005
Oct 19, 2005, 14:24
[top/devotionals]
Ponder & Pray
Save us, O Lord, from hearing only the teaching which comforts, while ignoring the word which confronts:
that the earth is yours and is not ours to pollute;
that our assailants must hear our word of pardon;
that our assistance to the homeless and
our kindness to the imprisoned and
our selflessness before the wretched of the world
are the measure of our love for you, O Lord.
Eternal God, you have not held yourself from us but have come down among us in love, truth and power. We praise you for the earthly ministry of our Lord wherein the infirm found healing of body, mind and spirit. Increase our trust in you in all times and places.
As we pray, we know that you are ever doing a new thing in our world. We trust you to illumine it for us, and we thank you that you will bring to completion that good work which you have begun in us, in others, and throughout your creation. Amen.
(Victor Shepherd, Ponder and Pray)
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· If your mind wanders to something else when you’re praying, pray for that something else. (E. Stanley Jones)
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Thu, 06 Oct 2005
Oct 06, 2005, 15:20
[top/devotionals]
Spiritual Life
The spiritual life has its cycles and seasons. Christian growth is no simple straight line. One of the most basic cycles is that of giving and receiving. There are times when we are strong and have much to give. At other times we struggle, we are weak, and we need help and encouragement.
“We have to pray on behalf of those who do not pray”. (Mother Teresa) We need to carry the burdens of our brothers and sisters in the community of faith, and also pray on behalf of those who have no faith at all.
Praying for others is an acknowledgement of our inability to help or fix things on behalf of others. Thus, this intercessory kind of prayer is an act of humility. In this form of prayer, we surrender ourselves to the sovereignty of God. It is a way of saying, “Lord, we cannot make this happen, but our eyes are upon you.”
Lord, grant that we may be so open to your Spirit that we may be led to pray for those who are in need. Amen. (Charles Ringma, Wash The Feet of the World)
· The time of business does not differ with me from the time of prayer; and in the noise & clutter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were on my knees. (Brother Lawrence)
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Fri, 30 Sep 2005
Sep 30, 2005, 11:37
[top/devotionals]
Summer School 2005 Chapel Prayer
O Lord, Our Lord, we acknowledge that you are God and we are not.
You, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
We confess that we are a distracted people; that we miss cooperating with your coming kingdom when we don’t trust you to supply our daily bread.
We confess that we need help seeking forgiveness of others and offering forgiveness to others as well as ourselves.
Give us the desire and the courage to work for your dream for this world that you love.
We ask for the grace to discern well what is your will,
FOR YOUR ARE OUR GOD AND WE ARE YOUR PEOPLE.
(Regent College Summer School 2005 Chapel Prayer)
· You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed. (John Bunyan)
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Fri, 23 Sep 2005
Sep 23, 2005, 15:04
[top/devotionals]
A Prayer for the Church Family
O Lord of all the nations, you’ve brought us to this place;
You’ve granted us each other, as symbols of your grace,
Like those who walked in darkness, we’ve seen the rising Sun;
A pilgrim path pursuing, a holy quest begun.
You purify our passions, you loose the ties that bind.
You soften stony spirits, you lighten troubled minds.
You enter our emotions, untangle webs of pain.
You touch us with your finger, and we are whole again.
Lord, be our friend and mentor, whatever lies ahead.
Your love is our refreshment, your will our daily bread.
Until we taste your glory, until we are made new,
Within each one engender, an appetite for you. (David Montgomery)
· There is no such thing as private prayer; there is only prayer in private. (Richard John Neuhaus)
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Sep 23, 2005, 12:37
[top]
Shall We Dance?
Movie-going with a Purpose: An irresistible invitation:
by Bryan Wylie
Whether we admit it or not, Christians are a literary lot. After all, we thrive on metaphor: the bread of life, living water, the good shepherd, the fruits of the Holy Spirit, the tree of knowledge, the body of believers, etc. Christian writers know the power of metaphor as well. One need only recall C. S. Lewis’ trinity, “the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe”.
The “dance of life” is not a new image. I am particularly familiar with a rather gruesome version of the theme by the late 19th c. Norwegian artist, Edvard Munch, better known for “The Scream”. What a far cry “Shall We Dance?”, Hollywood’s recent cinematic version of the theme, is from the Scandinavian one!
A successful Chicago lawyer, whose forte is wills, is getting a bit tired of clients who predictably end their sessions, posing the question: “is that it?”
This question begins to haunt his private life.
One night, while commuting home on the El, the train slows as it passes the window of Miss Mitzi’s Dance School. In the window, a beautiful woman looks out into the night. Her stance and the look on her face are the embodiment of the question haunting the lawyer, so he is drawn to the dance class where the sign in the foyer says that all are “free to watch”. Before he knows it, he is signed up for 8 lessons.
At this stage, you are probably tempted, as I was, to write this movie off as the stereotypical disillusioned-with-the-world husband who has a fling with like-minded beauty. And when the 2 people involved are Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez, chances are you will be right.
Wrong! Those of you who are avid readers: do you ever notice how when you are fully engrossed in a book, you tend to start seeing life through that book’s eyes? I guess it’s the same with anything you do intensely. When I used to direct plays, I found that my everyday conversation started to remind me of lines in the script. These were usually isolated connections and when I tried to connect the entire play to my entire life at that moment, the analogy always fell apart quite quickly. Try connecting “Shall We Dance?” to Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life and here’s what happens.
You have this lawyer, John Clark, who feels something is missing in his life. He has a loving wife, two responsible children, an elegant suburban home, a respected job, but there is a gap. He questions what on earth he is here for. And then an invitation, as if by chance, comes his way; an irresistible invitation, an invitation that touches deeply the gaps he is feeling; an invitation to dance.
He becomes part of a group, a motley crew, who have responded to the same invitation. Despite their very different motives for forming this little group, they have one thing in common: a passion for the “dance”. They are, at this stage, quite inept and rather laughable but are willing to commit to the discipline needed to become better dancers.
Along the way, their motives are revealed, their weaknesses exposed, their individual uniqueness surfaces, and their respective talents are discovered and developed, all of which turns the group into a small community of encouragers. The time of testing comes when they must go public and become a witness to their co-workers and families of just exactly what it is they have been dedicating their lives to recently. Their public debuts show great progress, but they are clearly still works in progress. There are, of course, the inevitable misunderstandings and rejections on all fronts, but a commitment has been made and transformation has begun and there is no turning back.
Does this all sound familiar? I never dreamed I would be looking at this film as an analogy for the Christian walk and was quite surprised when the first bits of the analogy started to work. Like all such analogies, I expected it to fall apart at any moment. I was sure the moment would be during the big rumba dance sequence between Gere and Lopez. What an opportunity for some suggestive camerawork! Wrong again. Instead, there is a visually stunning dance scene, with camera angles startlingly synced to some jolting rhythms. And just when you expect the inevitable kiss, you get something else.
This is not a profound movie, but it is focused and reaffirming of truths learned long ago, in much the same way as Rick Warren’s book is. These truths reach out, like gently extended hands, as if to say, “Shall we dance?”
And to those who fully engage in “the dance”, life can never be the same for you or the people around you. We might be tempted to decline the offer. Or to reply sarcastically: to the ticket collector who dutifully tore off my stub and mechanically asked, on entering the theatre, “Shall We Dance?” I replied, “Not today, buddy”. But the invitation is extended to us all.
Many will interpret this invitation literally and seek out a dance class somewhere. After all, Hollywood makes dancing look easy. Everyone in the movie ends up looking like Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers. Expect a rush on dance schools, one that will surpass the craze for tango lessons after Al Pacino’s unforgettable footwork in “The Scent of a Woman”.
For Christians, however, “life is a dance toward God. And the dance is not so graceful as we might think. For while we glide and swing our practiced sway, God crowds our feet, bumps our toes, and scuffs our shoes. He lowers His head, whispers soft and confident, ‘you will dance to the beat of “Amazing Grace”, or you will not dance at all’. And so we learn to dance with the one who made us. And it is a taxing dance to learn.” (Donald Miller, Prayer and Volkswagen Maintenance)
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Sep 23, 2005, 12:37
[top/devotionals]
Why Pray?
Because God has promised….
- A focused peaceful mind and heart (Isaiah 26:3; Philippians 4:6-7)
- Renewed spiritual vitality (Isaiah 40:31); Psalm 18:1)
- New joy (John 16:24; Psalm 16:11)
- A new source of grace (2 Corinthians 12:7-9; John 1:16)
Because God delights….
- In drawing us into His presence (James 4:8; Psalm 5:3)
- In giving us wisdom (1 Kings 3:11-12; Psalm 51:6)
- In giving us good things (Matthew 7:7-8; Luke 11: 11-13)
- In our worship of Him (Matthew 6:9b-13; Psalm 95:6)
Prayer is the simplest form of communication that we have with God. It is during times of reflection and quietness that we hear God speaking to our hearts and renewing us in His presence. Although prayer is a special time of praising Him, confessing our sins, and expressing our own needs to God, it is also a time to ask Him to be working in the world around us. (40 Days of Purpose, A GUIDE TO PRAYING FOR YOUR COMMUNITY)
· There are few men who would dare publish to the world the prayers they make to almighty God. (Montaigne)
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Sep 23, 2005, 12:32
[top/ministries/youth]
Re*Create
Submitted by Betty Brouwer
Re-create is an open arts studio in downtown Hamilton, where street-involved youth can begin to re-connect to themselves, others, and their community through the creative arts while gaining valuable life skills. It seeks to provide a non-judgmental studio space for the youth. Re-create believes that the act of creating is not only a form of self-expression but also provides the potential for imagining new possibilities.
Re-create is a non-profit organization based on the principles of Christian love and compassion. We are building partnerships with the community -with local churches, schools, businesses, individuals and government organizations.
This fall we received funding from the Hamilton Community Foundation to run Creative Connections:
You Me Art Time , a focus art expression group for street-involved and/or at risk youth and their young children. The initial group will meet at Philpott on Friday afternoons for 4 weeks. Courtney Wilson, a member of the oXyGEN group volunteers and helps to organize the program.
Focused art activities will be provided to encourage the development of healthy parent-child interaction. Creating together provides meaningful, memory-building times which enhance the healthy bond between parent and child. This time will provide an accessible art experience for socially and economically disadvantaged youth-parented families.
Both Courtney and I are excited about this program. We are very thankful to Philpott for its warm hospitality and generosity in providing us with a space to meet. We ask for your continued prayers for Re*create Outreach Art Studio and the youth and their children who will be attending.
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Fri, 16 Sep 2005
Sep 16, 2005, 14:38
[top/family_news]
About Adam Brown
My name is Adam Brown and I am in the middle of a Masters of Divinity degree at
McMaster Divinity College. I did my undergraduate degree in Political Science at
the University of Ottawa, after which time I had the tremendous opportunity to
work on and around Parliament Hill for a couple of years. After the installation
of our current Prime Minister, I returned to my home hamlet of Coldstream, where
I was the fourth generation in my family to purchase property and the third
generation to sell concrete products for city infrastructure and rural drainage.
After eight months of successfully redirecting water and sewage through our
products, however, I felt called to Hamilton to pursue training for ministry.
God miraculously opened door after door for me, eventually bringing me to
seminary and to Philpott as an intern. This year I am pleased and excited to say
that I have another internship with Philpott as the oXyGEN Coordinator.
oXyGEN is in a very thrilling spiritual and practical space right now. We are
gearing up to expand 8 broad ministries for people in the oXyGEN and larger
Philpott communities. Our mission for this year draws on Micah 6:8 (to act
justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God) and on John 15:4-5 (to
bear fruit in the lives of individuals and in the life of the community through
God’s grace and gifting).
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Sep 16, 2005, 14:38
[top/family_news]
Sept 2005 Announcements
Men’s Retreat: Sept 23 to 25, at Teen Ranch, Orangeville. “Mastering Mediocrity”. Speaker is David Adams from Grindstone Creek. Contact Larry MacDonald.
Seniors: Friday September 30th – Lunch together at the Mandarin Restaurant. Cost is $11. Sign-up on the seniors’ bulletin or contact Dawna Vyse.
Small Groups: Want to join a small group? Talk to Val Harvey at the Small Groups Table across from the nursery after the service.
40 Days of Mercy Launch: October 16th, 2005. H2O Clean-Up Day: Saturday October 22nd, 2005
ESL Classes: every Tuesday night starting September 20th, 2005. We are looking for teachers and someone who can help with childcare. Contact Leny van der Mark.
Living Rock: A great way to serve our downtown community! Help with the Living Rock Youth parenting program on Wednesday afternoons and Thursday mornings – childcare, mentoring young moms or providing snacks. Contact Christine Vaughan if you are willing to help out!!
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Sep 16, 2005, 14:38
[top/family_news]
About Sean Adams
My name is Sean Adams and I am in my third and final year of my M.Div degree at McMaster Divinity College with a focus on New Testament and Greek.
I am really excited about the opportunity to minister at PMC this year. I am going to be working with Val Harvey towards the refinement of the Small Group program, both in Oxygen and within the larger church.
Being a past member of PMC, I am looking forward to seeing how the church has developed in its call to minister to those in Hamilton and to be challenged in how I minister to others. I anticipate an excellent time and look forward to the opportunity of meeting new people and being challenged in my thinking of ministry.
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Sep 16, 2005, 14:38
[top/ministries/seniors]
Seniors Ministry Growing
By Dawna Vyse
Yes, it has been a very hot summer but each Tuesday morning approximately 35 of us kept nice and cool in the chapel and had a good time of fellowship. We continued our “games time” each week with a few of our regulars coming and going throughout the summer.
But a good time was had by all as we played dominoes, scrabble, crokinole or skip-bo. We passed on the shuffleboard as the gym was too warm for that game. But, as the gym was empty, we took the opportunity to make a nice change. The floor was stripped down of wax and lines and circles from previous groups, and a third shuffleboard court was added. On Tuesday mornings we often had people wanting to play and not enough room or equipment for them. Now we have the room and a new set of equipment.
This year we have been delighted to have had 6 or 7 new people come to join us. As we add to our numbers, we don’t ever want to say we don’t have room for them. So now we have room for YOU! Come along on Tuesdays at 9:30 for games, coffee break, devotions and a good time of fellowship with other folks “55 and up”!!
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Sep 16, 2005, 14:38
[top/ministries]
Roots Group Digs Deeper
By Ben Hartford
Since the end of January, the Roots Group has been meeting at our home weekly for fun and challenging times in God’s Word.
Together with our leaders-in-training James and Lia Dean, Barb and I have led the group through the first 2½ books of a Bible study series called “Walking With God.” This excellent resource guides participants through various stages of discipleship. We learn everything from how to dig deeper in God’s Word to a thorough investigation of each person’s unique God-given gifts and abilities. The goal is to help people grow in their walk with God to the point where they are serving Christ in their areas of strength and impacting the lives of others.
Here are some comments from participants:
- The people are a fantastic bunch! Committed to walking with God, or at least trying our best, and encouraging one another weekly… I’m excited about this group. I’m learning and growing tons… and we do food well.
- I appreciate the scripture-based curriculum, which does not emphasize ‘feelings’ over substance, but combines the two.
- I want to say how wonderful the whole group experience has been. There is a very committed and godly group of people assembled each week and new relationships have certainly formed.
If this sounds like the kind of thing you would like to be involved in, the good news is that we plan to launch new Roots Groups from time to time, beginning September 2006. We’ll be in touch!
Until next time, for the Roots Group.
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Sep 16, 2005, 14:38
[top/ministries]
Two Poor Villages Separated by Hope
By Danielle Major
Wabaseemong. It’s Ojibwe for “White Dog”, a Native reserve about one and one half hour North of Kenora. I spent a week in July there volunteering with a kids’ summer program run by Agidasin Initiatives, a Christian organization whose goal is to “see every aboriginal young person living life to the fullest”. I knew the community was very poor, and that it being a reserve there would be cultural differences, but really, how different could the circumstances there be from downtown Hamilton? I left Whitedog with a heavy heart and an overwhelming feeling of helplessness.
A teenage boy had committed suicide the day I arrived, so the volunteer team decided to cancel all formal activities for the week out of respect. We decided just to be available to hang out and talk with the kids, many of whom knew the boy who had died. In talking with these kids, I was shocked at how unaffected they all seemed by this suicide, given what a small community they lived in. One of the leaders there said “They are affected by it. It’s so common here that they’ve become numb to it, like it’s normal. They don’t see the tragedy in it anymore. That’s how they’re affected.” Normal. Addiction is “normal” there, too. On this particular reserve the product of choice is paint thinner. Unemployment is also “normal.” Kenora is too far to go for work and there are virtually no jobs on the reserve. This only grazes the surface of what is “normal” in White Dog. It doesn’t even begin to describe the complicated social and economic problems common to many reserves throughout Canada. During my time there, I was overwhelmed by the problems on the reserve and even more so by the prospect of how to resolve some of these issues.
I also spent some time working in medical clinics in small villages surrounding Ayapata high in the Andes mountains of Peru (through Medical Ministry International). There was poverty there, too. Some people didn’t have enough food. Most people didn’t have access to proper medical care. In fact, the people of Ayapata are probably quite a bit poorer in terms of material things that the people of White Dog. There is no welfare or food stamps there. But there is one overwhelming difference between the two communities: Hope. The people of Ayapata exude hope. You could see it in their faces when you played volleyball with them in the dusty street, when you handed them their little bag of medication. They have hope that their little village will grow, that its economic situation will improve, and in the meantime they will keep farming their potatoes and raising their chickens.
And then there is Whitedog. There is hope there, too, in some of the children. Many of the children I spoke with had dreams of being teachers, lawyers, veterinarians, hairstylists, just to name a few. How do you mend a community that is so broken, a people who have in many ways lost their identity because they have lost touch with their traditional way of life, their ancestry and their values? The question is so big, the task so daunting, that thinking about it fills me with a sense of helplessness and hopelessness - until I remember that God loves the people of Whitedog. He is there helping them through the work Agidasin Initiatives. He is there speaking to them through the very small but slowly growing church present on the reserve. And He is there through me, leading me to the reserve this summer to show me the brokenness so that I would come to have a heart for these people. So that you could read this and come to have a heart for them, too.
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Sep 16, 2005, 14:38
[top/staff_editorials]
Welcome to Our Community of Grace
Welcome to Philpott Church, A Community of Grace! We are delighted to have you with us as you begin your week and a new year. You will always be welcome here, but you might not immediately catch on to our purpose, direction, and culture without a little help. Here’s a thumbnail sketch… We exist to glorify God by making and nurturing followers of Jesus. We do that by deepening our own spiritual lives, making friends, investing ourselves in the lives of those who need our help, and celebrating God’s presence in our lives. Our passion is to know God through his unique son, Jesus. Our concern for one another reflects our connection to Jesus; he enables us to care for one another. Our compassion is for those who are in need of anything that we can provide by God’s personal help.
We use the phrase ‘A Community of Grace’ in a very precise manner. Just as God loves and accepts us just as we are, we want to embrace all whom we know with that same unconditional love, that grace.
We have a long and storied history at Philpott Church. The stories of Jesus have been told here for more than 113 years. We are discovering their depth all over again in our own lives, and would be glad to have you join us on our journey. We want to make a difference in our world. We could use your help to make that happen!
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Sep 16, 2005, 14:38
[top/ministries/international]
Come From Away Begins
The International Small Group is starting again with a new name and a new time. “Come from Away (Internationals)” starts September 18th and will be Sundays at 11:00 a.m. in the church. Child care is available.
We will explore more fully the Sunday morning message we have just heard, and the essentials of the Christian faith. We will use everyday language and have a discipleship and ESL emphasis.
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Thu, 15 Sep 2005
Sep 15, 2005, 14:38
[top/devotionals]
PRAYER IN THE AFTERMATH OF KATRINA
Ask God to:
· Protect relief crews serving in the region
· Help churches know the most effective manner to help people in their community who have been affected by the disaster
· Work on the hearts of business owners around the country who may be able to donate much-needed supplies to the region give pastors wisdom and insight as they attempt to lead their congregations to minister in the Gulf Coast region
· Make Christians in the area sensitive to the urgent spiritual questions being asked by victims
· Provide the resources churches need to meet the incredible needs they are encountering
PMC has entered into prayer partnership with 2 churches in the U.S., in light of the recent catastrophes resulting from hurricane Katrina: Highlands Fellowship, in Abingdon, VA, and Scott Obenchain, who is spearheading an “adopt-a-town” project; through our contact with him, we have made a connection with First Baptist Church of Luling, LA, pastored by Todd Hallman (wife Tabitha) who are presently in need of manual labour to help with cleanup. In addition to your prayers for the many areas of need suggested above, please remember Scott, Todd, Tabitha, Highlands Fellowship and First Baptist Church of Luling in your prayers.
Lord, bless our “welcome back” time today as we gather as a church family in a location that You have preserved for over 120 years. May it be a time of renewed relationships, as we fondly look back on the re-creation of the summer, and look ahead to the plans You have for us, especially in the upcoming 40 Days of Mercy.
On this 4th anniversary of 9/11, we remember, in the midst of our celebration, those for whom life is more filled with grief than with rejoicing. Our prayer for them today and every day is that they come to a greater awareness of your peace, the peace that passeth all understanding.
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Sep 15, 2005, 14:38
[top/cool_stuff]
Church Advertising in the UK
This web site has a lot of cool advertising ideas for churches, including their latest campaign. Apparently, they’re receiving a lot of attention.
• Why is it modelled on Che Guevara?
A challenging face, a hero, a real revolutionary. It’s Jesus who changed the world, not Che. And it’s not “gentle Jesus, meek and mild” - it’s modelled on the unmistakable image of Jesus with the crown of thorns.
Check it out.
~Jason
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Sep 15, 2005, 14:38
[top/devotionals]
Prayer - 1
Prayer for the beginning of a New Year
Grant, O Lord, that as we begin a new phase of the year, we may make the fullest use of the time and the opportunities that you have granted us. Help us to use both wisely and well, for the profit of mind, soul and body. Give us strength and courage to fight always for what we know to be right. Lead us to new adventures, bind us all into one family and, above all, make up the difference between what we are and what we ought to be. As the seasons change, may we find rest in Your eternal changelessness, for You are both Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, whose years shall not fail.
We thank you, Lord, for the safe return of the Louisiana cleanup crew. Continue to bless the efforts of all those involved in relief efforts. Lead us to a better understanding of what role you wish us to play, as a congregation, in the recovery months ahead.
We come before you today, “as a weak child, one who is all soiled and badly bruised – a child that has been hurt from falling again and again. [We] come to the Lord as one who has not strength of his own; ….as one who has no power to cleanse himself. [We] humbly lay [our] pitiful condition before your gaze.” (Jeanne Guyon, Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ)
· The great people of the earth today are the people who pray. I do not mean those who talk about prayer; nor those who say they believe in prayer; nor yet those who can explain about prayer; but I mean those people who take time and pray. (S. D. Gordon)
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Wed, 14 Sep 2005
Sep 14, 2005, 14:38
[top/projects/H2O]
Report from New Orleans
We are holding up pretty well. The first day, we rolled in about 2:30 pm, climbed out of the van, had a stand up orientation and immediately got to work on the ‘line.’ Cars drive up into the church parking lot, make their requests for baby diapers, food, etc., then have their requests dropped into their open trunks, along with bottled water and boxes of food. We put in an eight hour shift as soon as we arrived the first day, then someone woke up the five guys sleeping on the youth room by mistake at 7am, when the next semi arrived! They hopped up and put in another twelve hour day.
Tuesday afternoon, three of us went to pick up fallen limbs in a back yard, others drove another direction to pull up ruined carpet and sheetrock in a flooded home.
Wednesday, we have all worked together unloading trucks, distributing food boxes on the parking lot, sorting the arriving donations of food, baby supplies, toys, clothes, etc.
So many bags of clothes have arrived that First Baptist Luling persuaded Luling United Methodist next door to take on clothing processing. We sent them one semi load and their entire building was jammed with clothing; they can’t take any more. Now, the latest clothing donations are piled on FBC’s lot, hoping it doesn’t rain.
We may send a crew into Plaquemine Parish tomorrow for a survey trip; half that parish is still under water, the Gulf having reclaimed much land permanently. The parish council of St. Bernard’s Parish yesterday deliberated condemning the entire parish, requiring the bulldozing of 27,000 houses. Lots of people are here from there, now with no place to go.
We are well, hot and tired.
Thanks for your prayers.
Lane
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Sun, 11 Sep 2005
Sep 11, 2005, 14:38
[top/projects/H2O]
Welcome Back Send Off
What a fabulous day today at Philpott! Both congregations joined together into one at 10:30, and we sang our lungs out, and worshipped God with all our hearts. After a rousing message from Lane, we enjoyed Live music from Johannes Linstead, and filled up on delicious hamburgers!
I think I had six!
Finally, after the music and the food, a crew drove off the property in a rented van, on their way to Louisianna to help with clean up after Katrina’s devistation. Let’s remember to pray often for them.
If I hear word from any of the helpers down there, I’ll be sure to post it here on our blog.
Happy September!
~Jason
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Thu, 01 Sep 2005
Sep 01, 2005, 14:38
[top/devotionals]
Prayer - Beginning of Fall
O Lord, the time of year reminds us that for every end there is a beginning; after the rest and re-creation of summer, there is the return to the routine of daily life. O Lord, help us to maintain the youthful spirit of summer throughout the coming year, remembering that youth is not a time of life – it is a state of mind. So long as our hearts receive messages of beauty, cheer, courage, grandeur, and power from the earth, from man, and from You, O Lord, so long are we young.
For all the teachers and students who will return to school after the long summer break: grant them to know that which is worth knowing, to love that which is worth loving and to esteem that which is precious in Your eyes.
May all those involved in making decisions for students with special learning and emotional needs make those decisions based on what is best for the child, to “maintain justice and do what is right.” (Is. 56:1)
Lord, we ask that you come alongside those students who will feel rejected by their peers or teachers. Plant people in their lives who will love them unconditionally. May those who ostracize them “stop doing wrong, [and] learn to do what is right.” (Is. 1:17)
Teacher’s Prayer:
God, grant me wisdom, creativity, and love. With wisdom, I may look to the future and see the effect that my teaching will have on these children, and thus adapt my methods to fit the needs of each one. With creativity, I can prepare new and interesting projects that can challenge my students and expand their minds to set higher goals and dream loftier dreams. With love, I can praise my students for jobs well done and encourage them to get up and go on when they fail. Lord, reveal yourself through me. Amen.
· Anything creative, anything powerful, anything biblical, insofar as we are participants in it, originates in prayer. (Eugene H. Peterson)
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Thu, 25 Aug 2005
Aug 25, 2005, 14:38
[top/devotionals]
Prayer Renews
I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily, he shall strike root like forests of Lebanon. Hosea 14:5
Deep silence leads us to suspect that, in the first place, prayer is acceptance. A person who prays is one who stands with his hands open to the world. He knows that God will show himself in the nature, which surrounds him in the people he meets, in the situations he runs into. He trusts that the world holds God’s secret within it, and he expects that secret to be shown to him. Prayer creates that openness where God can give himself to man. Indeed, God wants to give himself; he wants to surrender himself to the man he has created, he even begs to be admitted into the human heart.
This openness, however, does not simply come of itself. It requires our confession that we are limited, dependent, weak and even sinful. Whenever you pray, you profess that you are not God and that you wouldn’t want to be, that you haven’t reached your goal yet, and that you never will reach it in this life, that you must constantly stretch out your hands and wait again for the gift, which gives new life.
(Daily Lenten Meditations, from the works of Henri Nouwen)
I renew my resolve to make more time in my life for God.
- You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might pray also in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance. (Kahlil Gibran)
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Fri, 19 Aug 2005
Aug 19, 2005, 14:38
[top/devotionals]
Knowing a Faithful God
So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; and they took him and threw him into a pit. Genesis 37: 23-24
Only as you pray with hope can you break through the barriers of death. For no longer do you want to know what it will be like after you die, what heaven exactly will mean, how you will be eternal, or how the risen Lord will show himself. You don’t let yourself be distracted by daydreams where all your conflicting desires are satisfied in a wish-come-true hereafter. When you pray with hope, you turn yourself toward a God who will bring forth his promises; it is enough to know that he is a faithful God. This hope gives you a new freedom, which lets you look realistically at life without feeling dejected.
(Daily Lenten Meditations, from the works of Henri Nouwen)
Lord, may I learn to pray in ever deeper hope.
Father, we pray that you fill the PMC community with Your Spirit. Here may the strong renew their strength and seek for their working lives a noble consecration; here may the poor find help and the friendless, friendship. May the sorrowing and bereaved find comfort and the truth that death has no dominion over their beloved.
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· He prayeth best, who loveth best, all things both great and small; for the dear God who loveth us, He made and loveth all. (Samuel Taylor Coleridge)
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Wed, 17 Aug 2005
Aug 17, 2005, 14:38
[top/devotionals]
About Prayer
A man put it to me, about prayer, by saying “I can believe in God all right, but what I cannot swallow is the idea of Him attending to several hundred million human beings who are all addressing Him at the same moment.”
Many of us can imagine God attending to any number of applicants if only they came one by one and He had an endless time to do it in. So what is really at the back of this difficulty is the idea of God having to fit too many things into one moment of time.
Well, that is of course what happens to us. Our life comes to us moment by moment. That is what Time is like. And of course you and I tend to take it for granted that this Time series – this arrangement of past, present and future – is not simply the way life comes to us but the way all things really exist. We tend to assume that the whole universe and God Himself are always moving on from past to future just as we do. (C. S. Lewis, MERE CHRISTIANITY)
Prayer is first of all listening to God. It’s openness. God is always speaking; He’s always doing something. Prayer is to enter into that activity. Prayer in its most basic sense is entering into an attitude of saying, “Lord, what are you saying to me?” (Henri Nouwen)
· A single grateful thought raised to heaven is the most perfect prayer. (Gotthold Ephraim Lessing)
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