Reports From Lulwanda: Program Coordinator's Report for March 2013

Natalie Rolfe serves Lulwanda Children's Home in Uganda as program coordinator: organizing and coordinating the programs of the Home, school, and clinic; overseeing sponsor connection and relationships (on the side of the children); and hosting American visitors that come to the Home.

March, 2013

"March has been a wonderful and busy month. We have felt the many blessings of the Lord as we have had times of celebrations, gifts, and seeing people we love. Be sure to check out the photos for March 2013."

 • CLICK HERE to read the rest of Rolfe's March, 2013 report.

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2013 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the question of Jesus to his disciples, “How many loaves have you?” from Mark 6:38. The book is filled with stories of God’s abundance in the face of overwhelming needs and a scarcity of resources.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: April 30, 2013

LESOTHO - Three -year-old Motlatsi had been taken in by relatives of his father after the deaths of his parents, but he was an extra mouth to feed and not really “theirs.” When he was brought to the attention of the chief of his village, he weighed 15 lbs. and was seriously depressed. He was sent to an orphanage in the capital city and later transferred from there to the care of Mamonyane Mohale at Ministry of Hope Lesotho, which is related to our partner, Lesotho Evangelical Church.

CLICK HERE to read more.

ChinaAid: Local Government in Shandong Province Launches City-Wide Investigation of "Privately Established Religious Meeting Sites"

The China Aid Association is a non-profit Christian organization - based in Midland, Texas - with a mission to uncover and reveal the truth about religious persecution in China, focusing especially on the unofficial church. They do this, they explain in their website, by exposing the abuses, encouraging the abused and equipping the saints to advance the kingdom of God throughout China.

Local Government in Shandong Province Launches City-Wide Investigation of "Privately Established Religious Meeting Sites"
Distributed by ChinaAid, April, 2013 ...

JIAOZHOU, SHANDONG, CHINA – ChinaAid recently obtained an internal government document issued just before the annual national legislative session that called for a city-wide multi-agency initiative to "thoroughly investigate … privately established religious meeting sites" in Jiaozhou, coastal Shandong province.

The March 1 document was jointly issued by the Jiaozhou Communist Party United Front Work Department and the Jiaozhou Municipal Bureau for Ethnic and Religious Affairs.

• more on this story from China Aid

Invitation to Prayer

Faces of Children is an ecumenical prayer ministry under the auspices of First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas. Our mission is to initiate ministries of prayer for children in churches, communities, and neighborhoods. In doing so, we seek to provide an opportunity for people of God to join together, learn about children and their needs throughout the world, and celebrate Christ's love (especially as it relates to children).

Precious Waiting

"Life is...a short moment of waiting. But life is not empty waiting. It is to wait full of expectation. The knowledge that God will indeed fulfill the promise to renew everything, and will offer us a 'new heaven and a new earth,' makes the waiting exciting ...

This 'little while' is a precious time. It is a time of purification and sanctification, a time to be prepared for the great passage to the permanent house of God. What is my task during my 'little while'? I want to point to the signs of the Kingdom to come, to speak about the first rays of the day of God, to witness to the many manifestations of the Holy Spirit among us."

Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Sabbatical Journey: A Diary of His Final Year
by Henri J.M. Nouwen

"A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me." Then some of his disciples said to one another.... "What does he mean by this 'a little while'? We do not know what he is talking about." Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them...."Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy.... So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you." John 16:16-22 (selected verses) NRSV

"Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit, though I am here for 'a little while,' keep me ever aware that my earthly weeping and mourning will be replaced by rejoicing when I see you in your heavenly glory. Amen."

Lent and Easter Wisdom from Henri J.M. Nouwen
by Judy Bauer

A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children

Greetings, Faces of Children Prayer Partner,

IIt is helpful for me to be reminded that our pain will turn into joy, our weeping into rejoicing when we meet God face-to-face. It is helpful, especially during times of great sorrow in our hearts, our homes, our communities, our nations. The past couple of weeks have seemed especially sorrowful... bombs going off during times of celebration; explosions in quiet farming communities; earthquakes destroying homes and everyday lives; girls cutting short their own young lives; the third anniversary of my mother's death.... It is good to be reminded of this when my heart is breaking... Yes, it is good.

The Faces of Children prayer group will meet to pray for children on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 11:30 a.m. in the Bride’s room at First Presbyterian Church-Midland, with lunch ($5) and fellowship to follow.

If you have prayer concerns or celebrations about children, those who care for them, those who have authority over them, or those who harm them (the really hard prayers to say sometimes), please send them to me at at claufer@facesofchildren.net, or give me a call.

Rejoicing in God's promise of renewal,

Chris

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2013 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the question of Jesus to his disciples, “How many loaves have you?” from Mark 6:38. The book is filled with stories of God’s abundance in the face of overwhelming needs and a scarcity of resources.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: April 29, 2013

MADASCAR - God takes what we offer in faith and multiplies it. Training is one of the best ways to multiply efforts. Training youth produces an even greater effect. The skills and habits developed by youth impact not only those youth and their peers but also their immediate families and their future families.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Mwangaza to shine in the Tall City next week

Mwangaza Children's Choir is an inspiring group of hopeful and talented children, ages 8-12, who admirably represent the orphaned and poverty-stricken youth of Uganda. The choir, which is based in Gaba, Uganda, tours as a ministry outreach of Africa Renewal Ministries to share a special message of hope through original Ugandan song and dance. In the process, the children seek to raise awareness of and resources for the churches, schools, orphanages, medical clinics and child sponsorships that have been established by Africa Renewal Ministries.

Mwangaza is the Swahili word for “shining light”

As part of their 2013 tour of the United States, the Mwaganza Children's Choir will be performing at four venues in Midland, Texas, over the course of a week.

Sunday, May 5, 6 pm – 8 pm
Mid-Cities Community Church, 8700 Texas 191, Midland, Texas

Monday, May 6, 9:20 am – 9:50 am
Midland Christian School, 2001 Culver Drive, Midland, TX

Wednesday, May 8, 7 pm – 9 pm
Golf Course Road Church of Christ, 3500 W. Golf Course Road, Midland, Texas

Sunday, May 12, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
First Presbyterian Church of Midland, 800 W. Texas Avenue, Midland, Texas

Rolling Mission

Founded in 2001, Free Wheelchair Mission is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to providing wheelchairs for the impoverished disabled in developing nations. Headquartered in Irvine, California, FWM works around the world in partnership with a vast network of humanitarian, faith-based and government organizations, sending wheelchairs to hundreds of thousands of disabled people, providing not only the gift of mobility, but of dignity, independence, and hope.



The new and improved model!

Want to take one for a test drive? During normal business hours, visit the lobby at the Texas Street entrance of First Presbyterian Church-Midland, at the northwest corner of Texas and A streets, on the west side of downtown Midland. You can give the gift of mobility. The cost of $72.00 is a bargain to us ... but it is a life-changing gift to impoverished and disabled recipients ... and for a limited time, your contribution will be matched, reaching not one - but TWO recipients. Please note on your check "Wheelchair Matching Gift."

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2013 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the question of Jesus to his disciples, “How many loaves have you?” from Mark 6:38. The book is filled with stories of God’s abundance in the face of overwhelming needs and a scarcity of resources.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: April 28, 2013

MINUTE FOR MISSION: PITTSBURGH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY - Shivers run up and down my spine when I read this portion of Scripture from the book of Revelation. The bride and the bridegroom are united! Our God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—dwells with us and we with God.

As elusive as our God might sometimes seem to us, we often feel his presence as we gather with others in his name. Just yesterday—a beautiful, sunny, and warm day—the local presbytery meeting was being held on our campus. I stopped in for a portion of the meeting and then took a break to walk outside to the seminary’s sun-dappled quad, where people were sitting, reading, talking, and laughing.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2013 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the question of Jesus to his disciples, “How many loaves have you?” from Mark 6:38. The book is filled with stories of God’s abundance in the face of overwhelming needs and a scarcity of resources.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: April 27, 2013

MOZAMBIQUE - Yosefa Mhalamhala was one of thousands of young men who traveled to the diamond mines of Kimberley in the late 1800s in search of work. In 1882, after living on a Swiss mission station and becoming a Christian, he returned to his family home in what is today southern Mozambique. Mhalamhala began to preach the gospel. Soon, he and other Swiss-trained evangelists had established a cluster of thriving Christian communities.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2013 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the question of Jesus to his disciples, “How many loaves have you?” from Mark 6:38. The book is filled with stories of God’s abundance in the face of overwhelming needs and a scarcity of resources.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: April 26, 2013

MALAWI (continued) - Malawi has not escaped these challenging times! Life is being extinguished daily due to an ongoing shortage of fuel. Businesses have nearly come to a standstill, and the sick are unable to reach the nearest clinic in time to save lives. The national currency continues to plummet in value, and the cost of basic commodities increases beyond the reach of most people. Corruption is everywhere. The government rules with an iron fist, through the violent suppression of human rights. The U.S., U.K., and other nations have responded with sanctions, cutting off economic aid that accounts for 40 percent of the nation’s budget.

CLICK HERE to read more.

In the News ... "How the West was won"

OA Photo by Edyta Blaszczyk

 By Michelle Brownstone, Reporter
Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - The Wild West could soon be used to tame troubled teens.

Solid Rock Fellowship Out West, 4601 W. Interstate 20, is planning to build a cowboy ranch for teens in the Permian Basin.

The ranch would be modeled after an authentic Western town, complete with wood-planked sidewalks, a blacksmith shop and an old saw mill.

The idea falls in line with the church’s self-proclaimed atypical approach on their website as a blend of about 100 “real-life Cowboys and Cow Girls with decades of experience working on farms and ranches.

 • read the rest of this story

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2013 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the question of Jesus to his disciples, “How many loaves have you?” from Mark 6:38. The book is filled with stories of God’s abundance in the face of overwhelming needs and a scarcity of resources.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: April 25, 2013

MALAWI - Mr. Kenneth Kamwani, headmaster of Nkhoma Primary School, must solve a critical math problem every day: 2,500 students from kindergarten through seventh grade, taught by 35 teachers in only 15 classrooms. This means over 70 students per classroom, each the size of an average bedroom, and numerous classes sitting under trees or in corridors because there is simply no space within the archaic building. To help with crowding, younger students are on split schedules, quietly seated in rows on the floors due to lack of the most basic classroom supplies. The oldest students, preparing for an exam that will determine whether they are able to proceed to secondary school, start at 6:00 a.m., break for lunch, and then work until late afternoo.

CLICK HERE to read more.

In the News ... "Religious leaders gather to promote tolerance, understanding"

MRT Photo by James Durbin

Maggie Pearson, Correspondent
Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS - In an effort to promote peace and tolerance, leaders from different religious backgrounds met in Midland on Wednesday night for an interfaith discussion. St. Nicholas’ Episcopal Church played host to leaders of the Baptist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Mormon faiths, and more than a hundred listeners.

“I’m reluctant to believe that any religion is wrong, so for me, it’s (about) finding a way to correlate every religion to the other religions,” said Adam Syed, a member of the audience and the Muslim Association of West Texas.

 • read the rest of this story

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2013 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the question of Jesus to his disciples, “How many loaves have you?” from Mark 6:38. The book is filled with stories of God’s abundance in the face of overwhelming needs and a scarcity of resources.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: April 24, 2013

ZAMBIA (continued) - We Presbyterians often throw up our hands when we look at the graying of our congregations, fearing that in two decades or so the church will have shrunk by half. But there is an extraordinary opportunity for the transformation of these very congregations by persons around the globe who follow Jesus Christ. These Christians, often from the global South, have much to teach us if we are willing to learn and are willing to join with them. But there has to be a true partnership, in which we really do listen and join with them, one in which we don’t assume that we have the right to determine how they must change in order to join with us. We must find ways to collaborate on our shared commitments to spreading the good news of the gospel and working for justice, peace, and reconciliation.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Reports From Lulwanda: Administrator's Report for March 2013

Lulwanda Children's Home Administrator Patrick Busima holds a Bachelor of Education degree from Makerere University located in Kampala, Uganda. He has also taken formal training in management of personnel and management of projects. For 5 years he was Project Director of the Nawanjuki Child Development Center, after which he spent 5 years as Principal of the Yesu Afaayo Christian School.

March, 2013

"March ushered in a new weather, new grace, and new exposure. We glorify God for the management team had an opportunity to attend a one day workshop on OVCs (orphaned and vulnerable children) at Namirembe Cathedral. This was experience sharing in line with Government policies and regulations regarding the operation of Children’s Homes. We are so grateful for the GICF leadership and sense of direction, financial, moral and spiritual support towards the effective running of Lulwanda Children’s Home."

CLICK HERE to read the rest of Busima's February, 2013 report.

In the News ... "Fire at FUMC contained to electrical room"

Staff Report
Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS - There weren’t any injuries reported after a fire broke out at First United Methodist Church, 300 N. Main St., just before 10 a.m. Friday.

The fire ignited after sparks from a cutting torch, used to remove pipes in the electrical room, fell down a chase way and ignited combustible materials in the basement, said Sara Higgins, the city’s public information officer.

 • read the rest of this story

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2013 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the question of Jesus to his disciples, “How many loaves have you?” from Mark 6:38. The book is filled with stories of God’s abundance in the face of overwhelming needs and a scarcity of resources.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: April 23, 2013

ZAMBIA - When officers of the church of Central African Presbyterian, Synod of Zambia (CCAP Zambia), first heard about Community Health Evangelism (CHE) in 2010, their immediate reaction was an enthusiastic "Yes!" The synod is passionate about evangelism, but with 60 percent of Zambians living on less than a dollar a day, the cash-strapped synod struggles with Christ's injunctions to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and care for the sick. CHE, a grassroots ministry implemented by community volunteers, promotes both spiritual growth and community development with minimal financial resources.

CLICK HERE to read more.

ChinaAid: House Church in Yili, Xinjiang Shut Down by Police & Religious Affairs Bureau

The China Aid Association is a non-profit Christian organization - based in Midland, Texas - with a mission to uncover and reveal the truth about religious persecution in China, focusing especially on the unofficial church. They do this, they explain in their website, by exposing the abuses, encouraging the abused and equipping the saints to advance the kingdom of God throughout China.

House Church in Yili, Xinjiang Shut Down by Police & Religious Affairs Bureau
Distributed by ChinaAid, March, 2013 ...

YILI, XINJIANG, CHINA – A house church in the far western region of Xinjiang that has been meeting for 13 years has been shut down by local police and the religious affairs bureau, ChinaAid has learned.

The public security bureau and the religious affairs bureau of Yili Autonomous Prefecture, Xinyuan County, sealed up the house church's simple and crude meeting site on March 10. They also told the village chief that there was a deadline by which the meeting place had to be demolished. However, the village chief explained that he did not have the authority to do so.

• more on this story from China Aid

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2013 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the question of Jesus to his disciples, “How many loaves have you?” from Mark 6:38. The book is filled with stories of God’s abundance in the face of overwhelming needs and a scarcity of resources.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: April 22, 2013

MINUTE FOR MISSION: EARTH DAY - We declare that God created the earth and all in it and called it good (Gen. 1). We confess that God sent Christ to save the whole cosmos (John 3:16–17). Along with the psalmist, we sing of all creatures looking to God to provide food and satisfy desire (Ps. 145). Evidence of the love of God for God’s creation and of our human vocation to care for this creation is visible throughout Scripture. It likewise shows up in our hymns, The Book of Confessions, our Directory for Worship, and our celebration of the sacraments.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Midland Group Offers "Prayer Band That Started a Revolution"

The China Aid Association is a non-profit Christian organization - based in Midland, Texas - with a mission to uncover and reveal the truth about religious persecution in China, focusing especially on the unofficial church. They do this, they explain in their website, by exposing the abuses, encouraging the abused and equipping the saints to advance the kingdom of God throughout China.

Issued by ChinaAid ...

"This prayer band has been declared illegal in China."

"Chinese police have stopped people on the streets and taken the bands off their wrists. Some have been interrogated and arrested; at least three families were evicted from their homes—for the government, the prayer band is a symbol of revolution."

"We thank everyone across the U.S. and around the world who answered the call to wear a 'Pray for China' prayer band and pray during the Olympics. Your willingness to stand with Chinese house church Christians encouraged them as they also wore prayer bands and prayed for their country. Their commitment came with a cost. Read more."

"Yet, house church Christians refuse to be intimidated. They say that prayer for China is even more critical now that the world is no longer watching. Persecution has increased. Will you join in this revolution of prayer for China?"

"They can arrest me or put me in prison, but I'm not going to stop praying for China. Although the prayer band is banned in China, prayer can never be banned. I am asking every Christian to support believers in China by wearing a prayer band." - a prominent house church leader

"At this crucial time, will you partner in prayer? And, will you please forward this information to others who will want to pray for the persecuted in China."

 • CLICK HERE to order a China Prayer Band

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2013 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the question of Jesus to his disciples, “How many loaves have you?” from Mark 6:38. The book is filled with stories of God’s abundance in the face of overwhelming needs and a scarcity of resources.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: April 21, 2013

MINUTE FOR MISSION: McCORMICK THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY - When I describe McCormick Theological Seminary, I invite people to imagine a classroom in which the diversity is so rich that there is no racial ethnic majority among the students, where women and men from all sections of the theological spectrum—conservative, liberal, moderate—study theology together, and where the education transforms all, teachers and students alike. Sunday may still be the most segregated day of the week, but at McCormick we believe we are a learning community that mirrors the body of Christ in both its diversity and its unity. Census experts believe that by the year 2040 the U.S. will no longer have a statistical racial ethnic majority. At McCormick we already experience this reality and seek to learn faithfully in and through it.

CLICK HERE to read more.

In the News ... "Pfeifer asks for public's prayers, support for West"

Bishop also requests prayers for people

affected by Boston bombings

Staff Report
Odessa American

SAN ANGELO, TEXAS - Bishop Michael D. Pfeifer of the Catholic Diocese of San Angelo distributed a statement about the West explosion, asking priests to encourage people to pray for the victims of the disaster at weekend Masses.

 • read the rest of this story

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2013 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the question of Jesus to his disciples, “How many loaves have you?” from Mark 6:38. The book is filled with stories of God’s abundance in the face of overwhelming needs and a scarcity of resources.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: April 20, 2013

ZIMBABWE - In Zimbabwe, where unemployment is between 60 and 85 percent, education continues to be a crucial aspect of making progress for new generations. The Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa, Presbytery of Zimbabwe, is committed to education on many levels. Through the presbytery’s Presbyterian Education Trust, numerous students are funded for theological college. These students will soon be leaders across the nation, and not just in matters of religion. The trust is also committed to education at primary and secondary levels; it oversees the operation of 10 schools, thereby educating thousands of students around Zimbabwe.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2013 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the question of Jesus to his disciples, “How many loaves have you?” from Mark 6:38. The book is filled with stories of God’s abundance in the face of overwhelming needs and a scarcity of resources.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: April 19, 2013

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO - Several times every year, women from a small church in West Kasai, Democratic Republic of the Congo, carry cassava and corn flour, dried fish, cassava leaves, pots, pans, and small metal stoves to their churchyard to make 450 “loaves” of bidia (soft, putty-like balls of grain) and a sauce of fish and greens. Other church members meet the women and help carry the food, by foot, several miles to the local prison to provide a worship service and meal for 400 prisoners. The meals are part of an ongoing prison ministry. With members of the session, Pastor Tshibuabua regularly visits, counsels, and prays with priso.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Invitation to Prayer

Faces of Children is an ecumenical prayer ministry under the auspices of First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas. Our mission is to initiate ministries of prayer for children in churches, communities, and neighborhoods. In doing so, we seek to provide an opportunity for people of God to join together, learn about children and their needs throughout the world, and celebrate Christ's love (especially as it relates to children).

Being Disciples

"To follow Christ means to relate to each other with the mind of Christ; that is, to relate to each other as Christ did to us-in servanthood and humility. Discipleship is walking together on the same path. While still living wholly in this world, we have discovered each other as fellow travelers on the same path and have formed a new community...We have become a new people with a new mind, a new way of seeing and hearing, and a new hope because of our common fellowship with Christ. Compassion, then, can never be separated from community. Compassion always reveals itself in community, in a new way of being together."

From Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life
by Henri J.M. Nouwen, Donald P. MacNeill and Douglas A Morrison 

"That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who he was ...


They came to the edge of the village where they were headed. He acted as if he were going on but they pressed him: "Stay and have supper with us. It's nearly evening; the day is done." So he went in with them. And here is what happened: He sat down at the table with them. Taking the bread, he blessed and broke and gave it to them. At that moment, open-eyed, wide-eyed, they recognized him. And then he disappeared.

Back and forth they talked. "Didn't we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?" They didn't waste a minute. They were up and on their way back to Jerusalem. Luke 24:13-16, 28-34

From The Message

"Great God of the entire human family, give me the ability to recognize Jesus in all whom I meet. Help me to give up my self-centered blindness and open my eyes so that I can acknowledge that we are one in you. Amen."

From Lent and Easter Wisdom from Henri J.M. Nouwen
compiled by Judy Bauer

A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children

Greetings, Faces of Children Prayer Partner,

The Faces of Children prayer group will meet on Wednesday, April 17, 2013 at 11:30 a.m. in the Bride’s room at First Presbyterian Church-Midland, with lunch ($5) and fellowship to follow.

If you have prayer concerns or celebrations about children, those who care for them, those who have authority over them, or those who harm them (the really hard prayers to say sometimes), please send them to me at at claufer@facesofchildren.net, or give me a call.

Grace and peace,

Chris

In the News ... April 2013 issue of "The Reed" now in the virtual news stands

The April 2013 issue of "The Reed," a monthly e-newsletter from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, is now on the virtual racks and ready for your perusal. This month's issue includes an article by APTS's John Leedy (MDiv '11) on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in Rome.

• get your copy

ChinaAid: Reformed Church in Shanghai Forced by Government to Shut Down, Pastor Under Surveillance

The China Aid Association is a non-profit Christian organization - based in Midland, Texas - with a mission to uncover and reveal the truth about religious persecution in China, focusing especially on the unofficial church. They do this, they explain in their website, by exposing the abuses, encouraging the abused and equipping the saints to advance the kingdom of God throughout China.

Reformed Church in Shanghai Forced by Government to Shut Down, Pastor Under Surveillance
Distributed by ChinaAid, March, 2013 ...

SHANGHAI, CHINA – A Reformed Church in Shanghai has been targeted by the local government for persecution, including ordering the church to shut down and putting the senior pastor under surveillance, ChinaAid has learned.

Senior Pastor Gao Baoluo (Paul) said that the situation has been increasingly tense since the beginning of March. He said, the government departments don't even bother trying to have any direct contact; instead, they go behind our backs to threaten the landlord and not allow us to continue worshipping here. Then they go to the work units of the individual church members and give them orders, telling them they do not have permission to come to our church anymore, otherwise, they must resign from their jobs or they will be fired.

• more on this story from China Aid

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2013 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the question of Jesus to his disciples, “How many loaves have you?” from Mark 6:38. The book is filled with stories of God’s abundance in the face of overwhelming needs and a scarcity of resources.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: April 14, 2013

MINUTE FOR MISSION: LOUISVILLE PRESBYTERIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY - We Presbyterians often throw up our hands when we look at the graying of our congregations, fearing that in two decades or so the church will have shrunk by half . But there is an extraordinary opportunity for the transformation of these very congregations by persons around the globe who follow Jesus Christ. These Christians, often from the global South, have much to teach us if we are willing to learn and are willing to join with them. But there has to be a true partnership, in which we really do listen and join with them, one in which we don’t assume that we have the right to determine how they must change in order to join with us. We must find ways to collaborate on our shared commitments to spreading the good news of the gospel and working for justice, peace, and reconciliation.

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In the News ... "FBC to host homecoming, grand opening this weekend"

Audrie Palmer, Reporter
Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS - Midlanders are invited to join First Baptist Church members and staff this weekend to celebrate the church's anniversary and grand opening of the newly completed sanctuary during the church's Homecoming Weekend.

The church recently completed construction on the new worship center and began holding services in the new sanctuary March 24.

The church celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2011 but with the building project underway, postponed the anniversary celebrations until now.

FBC senior pastor the Rev. Randal Everett said this weekend gives past and present members the opportunity to celebrate the church's history as well as see old friends and tour the new facility.

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Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2013 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the question of Jesus to his disciples, “How many loaves have you?” from Mark 6:38. The book is filled with stories of God’s abundance in the face of overwhelming needs and a scarcity of resources.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: April 13, 2013

REPUBLIC OF THE SUDAN - You think that we have problems? Consider our sisters and brothers in the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church. Under the British mandate, Sudan was divided administratively into the north (with an Arab and mostly Muslim population) and the south (mostly African and animist). In 1956, when Sudan became independent, these two parts were brought together, but the political power was lodged in the north. Southerners, who were rapidly becoming Christians, were oppressed. When the south voted to form a separate country in July 2011, the problems did not go away; they simply changed and intensified.

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In the News ... "Mission Messiah, Pt. 2: Without Grumbling or Arguing"

OA Photo by Mark Sterkell

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the seconf of a two part series on Mission Messiah.

By Lyndsey Weaver, Reporter
Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - When you leave here, you feel blessed.

Machalie Jarrett, 25, stood among the displays of candle holders, purses and picture frames at the Women of Worship Fashion Warehouse where she’s learning how to hold a job as student in the Mission Messiah 12-month recovery program.

Her smile is infectious and the change in her heart for Jesus emanates in all she says. Jarrett could be mistaken for a brunette Emma Stone, especially with the rasp of her voice. On Sept. 25, she was released from prison after serving time for drug charges. While incarcerated, she started attending church.

“I decided to change my life. You decide how you want to live. I was tired of making mistakes that led me here,” she said on Wednesday inside Mission Messiah’s store on Grandview Avenue.

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Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2013 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the question of Jesus to his disciples, “How many loaves have you?” from Mark 6:38. The book is filled with stories of God’s abundance in the face of overwhelming needs and a scarcity of resources.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: April 12, 2013

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN (continued) - Greeted by singing and dancing, we were transported into a churchyard where 30 women quickly surrounded us, put us in chairs, and began to lovingly wash our feet. That was my introduction to the women attending the Women’s Leadership Conference in Renk, South Sudan. That was the beginning of a week full of love, laughter, and overflowing baskets. How many loaves do I have? Too many to fit in the basket!

Since arriving in South Sudan, I have discovered my basket may continue to grow, but it is never too heavy to carry.

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In the News ... "Mission Messiah, Pt. 1: God heals all wounds"

OA Photo by Mark Sterkell

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first of a two part series on Mission Messiah.
By Lyndsey Weaver, Reporter
Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - The 19 women and 14 children who live in an old motel on Second Street cling to one another … and to God.

They are learning each day how to live for Christ and live as disciples, while completing the 12-month program called Mission Messiah, leaving behind lives scarred by prison time, drug addiction and alcohol abuse.

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Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2013 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the question of Jesus to his disciples, “How many loaves have you?” from Mark 6:38. The book is filled with stories of God’s abundance in the face of overwhelming needs and a scarcity of resources.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: April 11, 2013

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN - The sun burns bright in the midday sky as we stand under the arms of mango trees. Hands waving and hips twisting, we join our voices with the chorus of children standing before us. My shoes shuffle behind the small bare feet dancing around me. The children giggle with delight as my wife and I sing along with them. The children’s excitement is enough to make us blush, and their vibrant joy is enough to make us wonder how so much love can come from a place that has endured Africa’s longest-standing civil war.

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In the News ... "Baptists among the first to organize in Midland"

Jimmy Patterson,
Special to the Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS - With last week's completion and unveiling of the additions at First Baptist Church, it brings to mind the importance of faith that has been a part of Midland since its earliest days.

The Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians were the earliest denominations to establish churches here, in 1885, although a Catholic Mass was celebrated once in a tent in 1881. The Baptists actually were the third Protestant denomination to organize, and visiting Sweetwater pastor J.A. Moore is given credit as being the first person to preach a Baptist sermon in Midland, according to "Land of the High Sky" by John Howard Griffin.

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Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2013 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the question of Jesus to his disciples, “How many loaves have you?” from Mark 6:38. The book is filled with stories of God’s abundance in the face of overwhelming needs and a scarcity of resources.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: April 10, 2013

RWANDA - For many years, European partners of the Presbyterian Church in Rwanda (EPR) provided financial support for EPR pastors’ salaries. But this practice ended several years ago. Now local EPR congregations are struggling to support their pastors. Rev. Prince Karangwa, presbytery executive, and Mr. Desire Nibagwire, an EPR development specialist, are working to address this situation in Kirinda Presbytery, in central Rwanda, by helping Christians develop income-generating activities.

Through their efforts, Mrs. Judith Karmayanja has found a way to support her family.

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