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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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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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)

· 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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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)

· If your mind wanders to something else when you’re praying, pray for that something else.  (E. Stanley Jones)

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“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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