In the News ... "Local Business Owner Holding Fair Trade Market This Weekend"

KWES Photo

• Unique, one-of-a-kind gifts

Staff Report
KWES-TV

MIDLAND, TEXAS - A local business owner is holding a Fair Trade Market this weekend to help out women in Latin America.

Deborah Brown is the owner of Colores Del Pueblo.

She opened up her business back in 1997.

She said she was inspired to jump start her business after traveling to Latin America and seeing the poverty there ...

 • read/watch the rest of this KWES report ...

In the News ... "RTD Skate Park Now Open Daily"

Staff Report
KOSA-TV

MIDLAND, TEXAS - Teens looking for something to do now have a new place to go every night.
>br /> The Rock the Desert Skate Park is now officially open to the public.

RTD is kicking off the opening of the skate park with a ‘Tricks for Treats’ Friday, October 31st ...

• read/watch the rest of this KOSA report ... 

In the News ... "Mercy Trips show the love"

Courtesy Photo

• Fundraiser helps nonprofit send doctors, medical care to villages in Uganda

By Lyndsay Weaver, Reporters
Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - When Christine Reiswig returned to Uganda for the second time on a Mercy Trips Healthcare Outreach, the people there greeted her with the phrase, “oh, you came back,” Reiswig said.

“When I made the third trip, they said, ‘oh, you’ve come home,’ ” she continued. “And that’s the way it is for me. I feel like I’ve come home. I have family there now. Several of the young adults, call me ‘mum.’ ”

The faith-based nonprofit organization in Odessa partners with health care workers and sends groups of people from the Permian Basin to Uganda twice a year to help with their medical needs. It was created in 2006 (to improve the relationship with the Lodoi Foundation in Uganda) and with Reiswig and Dr. Craig Daniel at the helm, they’re back again trying to raise money to pay for the medical supplies for 2015’s trips ...

 • read the rest of this OA report

In the News ... "Churches hosting events for International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church"

MRT Photo by Tim Fischer

• Discuss, raise awareness of religious persecution

Steve Kuhlman, Reporter
Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS - The 2014 International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church will be recognized this Sunday, calling for a unified day of prayer for Christians facing persecution all over the world.

Both First Presbyterian Church and First Baptist Church of Midland will host events this weekend discussing and raising awareness about international ministries and religious persecution ...

 • read the rest of this MRT report ... 

Faces of Children: Prayer Concerns for This Week

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).

Prayer Concerns for the Week of 10/29/14

Nigeria

• Continue to pray for the more than 200 school girls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram last April. Pray for the girls’ safety and their quick release. Nigeria’s government had made a truce with a representative of the Islamist militant group, but a wave of violence shortly after the announcement raises doubts about the girls’ release.
• more on this request ...
• Pray for the parents of the missing girls as they wait and hope for news about their daughters’ release. Pray God will sustain them during this season of uncertainty and fear.
• Please pray for children and families living in the religiously mixed northeast region of Nigeria where Boko Haram (whose name means Western education is forbidden) is trying to create an Islamic state. Pray for those who’ve had their homes and communities attacked by Boko Haram militants. Pray God will comfort those whose loved ones have been massacred by this violent group.
• Pray for peace and an end to the violence in northeast Nigeria.

Pakistan, India, Britain

• Give God thanks for 17-year-old Malala Yousafzai and her fearlessness in advocating for the education of all children. The Pakistani teen was recently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2014 with Kailash Satyarthi, an Indian child’s rights advocate.
• more on this request ...
• Thanks be to God the courageous efforts of Malala (a Pakistani Muslim) and Kailash (an Indian Hindu) were recognized in this joint award by the Nobel Committee. The committee wanted to highlight this common struggle for the education of children and against extremism by individuals who are from countries currently involved in ongoing conflict.
• Continue to pray for Malala, who was shot in the head two years ago by Taliban gunmen intent on silencing her. Malala now lives in Britain with her family as they cannot return to Pakistan because of ongoing threats by the Taliban. Pray for her efforts to empower girls through education.
• Please keep Kailash in prayer as he continues to work to stop the exploitation of children for financial gain through peaceful protests and demonstrations.

United States

• Keep 16-year-old Hackett, Dakota, Jacob, and Carly and Stephanie close in prayer.
• Pray for all the sick children all over the world. Pray for their safety and healing.

Faces of Children

• Please keep in prayer 5-year-old Carolyn, the granddaughter of a Faces of Children intercessor, as she faces additional surgery to clear scar tissue from a previous surgery that’s now blocking her kidney. Carolyn has Ewing’s sarcoma, a primary bone cancer that affects mainly children and adolescents, and has recently gone into remission, thanks be to God.
• Please continue to keep Hank Richey, the brother of Faces of Children prayer partner Robin Richey, close in prayer as he begins radiation treatments for cancer. Pray God will bless him with healing and the peace that surpasses all understanding during this difficult season.
• Keep close in prayer Faces of Children intercessor Ramon and her husband Bob as they grieve the loss of Bob’s sister Betty. Pray God will comfort them in this season of sorrow. Pray for Betty’s husband Herb as he deals with the loss of his wife and his own Alzheimer’s disease.
• Give thanks to God for the new prayer partners who joined with Faces of Children following the presentation and workshop at First Presbyterian Church, Pensacola, FL last Saturday. Thanks be to God for the opportunity to share the ministry of Faces of Children with so many at this event and during worship at First Presbyterian Church the next morning. Please pray those who heard the message of prayer for children will take it into their churches and communities.
• Please continue to pray that more churches and individuals will join with the ministry of Faces of Children in spreading awareness about children in crisis and inviting more people to pray for children at risk.

---

If you have prayer requests 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 Chris Laufer, FOC Coordinator, at claufer@facesofchildren.net

Invitation to Prayer: TOMORROW

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).

A Listening Heart

“The discipline of the heart…makes us aware that praying is not only listening to but also listening with. The discipline of the heart makes us stand in the presence of God with all we have and are: our fears and anxieties, our guilt and shame, our greed and anger, our joys, successes, aspirations and hopes, our reflections, dreams and mental wandering, and most of all our people, family, friends and enemies, in short, all that makes us who we are. With all this we have to listen to God’s voice and allow God to speak to us in every corner of our being. This is very hard since we are so fearful and insecure that we keep hiding ourselves from God.

We tend to present to God only those parts of ourselves with which we feel relatively comfortable and which we think will evoke a positive response. Thus our prayer becomes very selective and narrow. And not just our prayer but also our self-knowledge, because by behaving as strangers before God we become strangers to ourselves.”

Spiritual Direction by Henri J. M. Nouwen

A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children

Greetings, Faces of Children Intercessor,

The Midland Faces of Children prayer group will meet on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 at 11:30 a.m. in the Family Life Center conference room at First Presbyterian Church-Midland, Afterwards, we'll share lunch ($5) and fellowship.

I hope you are able to join us as we pray for the children of our local and global communities.

Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer for the littlest citizens of God’s Kingdom! 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

Invitation to Prayer: WEDNESDAY

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).

A Listening Heart

“The discipline of the heart…makes us aware that praying is not only listening to but also listening with. The discipline of the heart makes us stand in the presence of God with all we have and are: our fears and anxieties, our guilt and shame, our greed and anger, our joys, successes, aspirations and hopes, our reflections, dreams and mental wandering, and most of all our people, family, friends and enemies, in short, all that makes us who we are. With all this we have to listen to God’s voice and allow God to speak to us in every corner of our being. This is very hard since we are so fearful and insecure that we keep hiding ourselves from God.

We tend to present to God only those parts of ourselves with which we feel relatively comfortable and which we think will evoke a positive response. Thus our prayer becomes very selective and narrow. And not just our prayer but also our self-knowledge, because by behaving as strangers before God we become strangers to ourselves.”

Spiritual Direction by Henri J. M. Nouwen

A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children

Greetings, Faces of Children Intercessor,

The Midland Faces of Children prayer group will meet on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 at 11:30 a.m. in the Family Life Center conference room at First Presbyterian Church-Midland, Afterwards, we'll share lunch ($5) and fellowship.

I hope you are able to join us as we pray for the children of our local and global communities.

Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer for the littlest citizens of God’s Kingdom! 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

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. How often have you wondered, where are the young adults in the PC(USA)? Wonder no longer. The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the theme of young adults in the church. Its stories, many told by young adults, lift up how Presbyterians of all ages are engaging and joining with Presbyterian young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: October 26, 2014

MINUTE FOR MISSION: REFORMATION SUNDAY - World Mission Initiative at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary offers opportunities for students and congregations in our region to witness God’s mission through the global church and discover how they can be involved. A hallmark of our ministry is providing opportunities for students to participate with the church in Africa, Asia, and Latin America on short-term mission trips. We see how this transforms a student’s view of the church, the world, and how God is calling us as “sent people.” As one student has said, “You cannot fully understand the local church without understanding the global church.” ...

• 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. How often have you wondered, where are the young adults in the PC(USA)? Wonder no longer. The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the theme of young adults in the church. Its stories, many told by young adults, lift up how Presbyterians of all ages are engaging and joining with Presbyterian young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: October 25, 2014

IRELAND, NORTHERN IRELAND - Recognizing that young people lacked the opportunity to participate in the church’s decision making, in 2009 the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) organized a pilot youth assembly called SPUD—speaking, participating, understanding, and deciding. Annual SPUD Assemblies allow young people from various congregations to connect, feel part of the larger church, understand how Presbyterianism works, and discover and use their voices on issues important to them ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

From @FWMission ... Friday Story: "Education x2"

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.

---

Friday Story: "Education x2"

Greetings and happy Friday!

n many developing countries education is a privilege, not an expectation. Many people with disabilities in these countries don’t receive an education simply because they are unable to be transported. This was the case for Malachi:

At the age of five, Malachi developed an illness that left him unable to walk without anyone ever being able to explain why. He lives with his older sister in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). She has cared for him since their father died many years ago and their mother was left unable to take care of him on her own ...

• read the rest of this story ...

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There's a conspiracy afoot in the Tall City, and across the country ... though it's not the kind of conspiracy you'd find in a Dan Brown novel. Advent Conspiracy is an international movement working to restore the spirit of Christmas by substituting compassion for consumption - a movement of Christ-followers who want to ...

 • Worship Fully,
 • Give More,
 • Spend Less, and
 • Love All.

It's a conspiracy without a hidden agenda ... speaking openly, conspirators remind us that the story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love. So, what happened? What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a savior has somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists. And when it's all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will take months to pay off, and this empty feeling of missed purpose. Is this what we really want out of Christmas?

We all want our Christmas to be a lot of things. Full of joy. Memories. Happiness. Above all, we want it to be about Jesus. What we don't want is stress. Or debt. Or feeling like we "missed the moment". Advent Conspiracy is a movement designed to help us all slow down and experience a Christmas worth remembering. But doing this means doing things a little differently. A little creatively.

What if Christmas became a world-changing event again? ... Welcome to the Advent Conspiracy. ... It means turning Christmas upside down.

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. How often have you wondered, where are the young adults in the PC(USA)? Wonder no longer. The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the theme of young adults in the church. Its stories, many told by young adults, lift up how Presbyterians of all ages are engaging and joining with Presbyterian young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: October 24, 2014

EUROPE - What is the idea of Europe? European Union leaders promote a Europe of peace, freedom, democracy, prosperity, and justice. Geography matters less. To be European is to subscribe to these values, but what is the source of European values?

Many Christians might see Europe as a shipwreck of faith ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

How to Make 1=4 ... the "Match-and-Match" is Back ... UNTIL TOMORROW

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!

Buy ONE wheelchair for $72, and send FOUR! Magic? No. What's 's happening is that local supporters of the Free Wheelchair Mission have once again arranged for "double matching funds" for contributions received from right now, until October 24th.
THAT'S TOMORROW!

Want to take one for a test drive? During normal business hours, visit the lobby at the Illinois Street entrance of First Presbyterian Church-Midland (across the street from Midland High School), 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 ... and matched again ... reaching not one, but FOUR recipients.

Please note on your check "Wheelchair Matching Gift."
 

In the News ... "Jesus House Hosts Church on the Streets Event"

KOSA Image

Staff Report
KOSA-TV

ODESSA, TEXAS - Saturday, October 18th, the Jesus House Odessa hosted their Church on the Streets event. Volunteers gathered at La Promesa del Norte to spend the day serving the community and sharing the Gospel

Several youth groups from across West Texas traveled to the Permian Basin to join the Jesus House in distributing children's, women's and men's jackets. They also provided people with a free month's supply of groceries, but the giving didn't stop there ...

• read/watch the rest of this KOSA 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. How often have you wondered, where are the young adults in the PC(USA)? Wonder no longer. The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the theme of young adults in the church. Its stories, many told by young adults, lift up how Presbyterians of all ages are engaging and joining with Presbyterian young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: October 23, 2014

PRESBYTERY OF WESTERN NEW YORK - On a rainy autumn evening, a group of young adults from First Presbyterian Church of Buffalo gathered at a cozy home for a meal and discussion. It was a planned event for the congregation’s annual stewardship campaign, yet—as often happens when any from this group get together—the Spirit was present, transforming the gathering into much more.

They are a diverse group of people, varied in many ways, including ethnicity, socioeconomics, theology, family background, and marital status. Where differences often divide, the Spirit unites ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

In the News ... "St. John’s students’ animals receive annual blessing"

OA Photo by Mark Sterkel

• Event mirrors life of St. Francis of Assisi

By Don Munsch, Reporter
Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - Students at St. John’s Episcopal School took paws Friday morning, so to speak, to allow their dogs to get a new leash on life. Other animals figured in the mix, too.

Students and their family members along with school and church staff celebrated St. Francis Day with the annual Blessing of the Animals on the school grounds. The school does the celebration the Friday before St. Francis Day, which will be celebrated Saturday, said Emily McDoniel, school principal. Clergy members do the blessings with the words “May God, the great Creator all, bless and keep this His creature. Amen.”

“This is the most fun you’ll have in your whole life,” said the Rev. Les Jackson, rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church, moments after blessing a child’s rabbit ...

• read the rest of this OA 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. How often have you wondered, where are the young adults in the PC(USA)? Wonder no longer. The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the theme of young adults in the church. Its stories, many told by young adults, lift up how Presbyterians of all ages are engaging and joining with Presbyterian young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: October 22, 2014

PRESBYTERY OF WEST JERSEY - Young adult ministry is a story we yearn to tell, and we offer it below in the form of tweets representing various ministries in our presbytery ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

In the News: Bidhop's Column: "Catholic Church responds to Ebola crisis with hope, help, prayer"

• Church is trying to give people hope in a variety of ways

Bishop Michael Sis
Roman Catholic Diocese of San Angelo

SAN ANGELO, TEXAS - The Ebola epidemic has claimed more than 4,400 lives, and its destructive impact continues to expand. Since some cases have been confirmed in the United States, the disease is causing increased worry locally.

The most severely impacted countries are Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, all of which have severely underfunded health care systems. Their situation is made more complicated by a lack of clean water and basic hygiene services.

The (Catholic) Church is trying to give people hope in a variety of ways ...

 • read the rest of this MRT column ... 

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. How often have you wondered, where are the young adults in the PC(USA)? Wonder no longer. The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the theme of young adults in the church. Its stories, many told by young adults, lift up how Presbyterians of all ages are engaging and joining with Presbyterian young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: October 21, 2014

PRESBYTERY OF UTICA, NEW YORK - In the past two years, the Vanderkamp Center, a partner of the Presbytery of Utica, has radically rethought youth ministry. After wrestling with the question of why youth leave the church, Vanderkamp has responded by attempting to treat them as equals rather than people to be managed and told what to do.

The Vanderkamp staff has eliminated rules that seem to be in place strictly for the convenience of adults ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

How to Make 1=4 ... the "Match-and-Match" is Back ... UNTIL FRIDAY!

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!

Buy ONE wheelchair for $72, and send FOUR! Magic? No. What's 's happening is that local supporters of the Free Wheelchair Mission have once again arranged for "double matching funds" for contributions received from right now, until October 24th.
THAT'S THIS WEEK!

Want to take one for a test drive? During normal business hours, visit the lobby at the Illinois Street entrance of First Presbyterian Church-Midland (across the street from Midland High School), 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 ... and matched again ... reaching not one, but FOUR recipients.

Please note on your check "Wheelchair Matching Gift."
 

In the News ... "Odessa Salvation Army Angel Tree Registration Open"

Courtesy Image

Staff Report
KOSA-TV

ODESSA, TEXAS - The Salvation Army of Odessa has already begun signups for their Angel Tree Christmas Assistance program. Every day until Friday, October 24, you can sign up from 9:00 to 11:45 a.m. at their office at 810 E. 11th Street ...

• read the rest of this KOSA 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. How often have you wondered, where are the young adults in the PC(USA)? Wonder no longer. The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the theme of young adults in the church. Its stories, many told by young adults, lift up how Presbyterians of all ages are engaging and joining with Presbyterian young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: October 20, 2014

PRESBYTERY OF THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY, NEW YORK - Superstorm Sandy mobilized the body of Christ in many places. In the Presbytery of Susquehanna Valley, the response included volunteers and the gathering of supplies such as water, food, equipment, Bibles, and blankets. This flood-relief effort was not the presbytery’s first. It dispatched personnel and supplies in response to Hurricane Katrina, only to experience severe local flooding in 2006 and 2011. The ongoing need of folks affected by Sandy was well understood by the members and friends of Union Presbyterian Church in Endicott...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

FPC-Midland Belize Mission: Our Mission Partner

From November 8th through the 15th, 2014, a team from 1st Presbyterian Church-Midland will be traveling to the Central American country of Belize, and working with The Word at Work ministry. This will be an opportunity to reach out and share the gospel with the people of Belize while working side-by-side with the local community and The Word at Work staff on a much-needed construction project ... all of this building upon a foundation of relationships that was laid early this year.

---

Our Mission Partner

Some members of the First Prez mission teams are old hands with Belize, having spent years living and working there ... others will be making their first visit to that nation. Others are somewhere in between, with a brief visit of a day or a short span of days that afforded a tantalizing glimpse of what lay just outside our vision, just around that next bend in the road, on the other side of that next hill ... not so much scratching the surface of Belize ... but just scratching the surface of 'scratching the surface.'

Fortunately, we will be partnering with a ministry that has a long, deep acquaintance with the nation, its people and their needs. And not only that, they're a neighbor of sorts, headquartered 'just up the road' from Midland.


"The Word at Work is a ministry that mobilizes churches and individuals to answer God's call to minister to those in need," writes Rev. Tim Tam, Director of the Amarillo, Texas-based ministry. "Through our relationships, God reveals needs and opportunities for service. As we come along side the poor, new friendships develop and doors for ministry open. As we serve, God provides the resources to supply for the needs he reveals."

"Simply put, we're a bridge connecting resources with needs, and churches and people with opportunities to serve."

"The birth of our ministry came from the conviction that Christians need to put what they hear into practice in obedience to Jesus and His word. As we put our faith into practice (putting God's Word to work), and give ourselves away in mission, we ourselves are transformed."

Among the valuable insights that The Word at Work provides its visiting partners, is that there is more to their mission than simply bricks-and-mortar.

God has revealed to us an entire host of people and places in Belize that need the regenerative touch of His hand. So, we are obedient to Jesus' call on our lives," Tam explains. "We run short term mission trips for groups of people from churches of all denominations from the USA to Belize, Central America."

"Relationships are central to the Gospel with which we are entrusted. God is at work in Belize and He calls us to join Him in that work, empowering us in a unique way to match needs and resources. We are honored to have hundreds of friends in Belize who teach us about service each time we travel there with a team. Our work complements, adapts, supplements, and encourages Belizean ministries in their work for those in need.

For more information about The Word at Work and its ministry, please visit their website. 

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. How often have you wondered, where are the young adults in the PC(USA)? Wonder no longer. The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the theme of young adults in the church. Its stories, many told by young adults, lift up how Presbyterians of all ages are engaging and joining with Presbyterian young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: October 19, 2014

MINUTE FOR MISSION: CHILDREN'S SABBATH - The following is excerpted from a letter by Children’s Defense Fund president Marian Wright Edelman that accompanies the 2013 Children’s Sabbaths materials.

Dear Faithful Welcome to the 22nd annual National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths celebration, “Beating Swords into Plowshares: Ending the Violence of Guns and Child Poverty.” Your faithful preaching, teaching, service, and hard, urgent, and persistent work for justice are needed now more than ever to create a world in which children are safe from the pervasive violence of guns and poverty ...

• 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. How often have you wondered, where are the young adults in the PC(USA)? Wonder no longer. The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the theme of young adults in the church. Its stories, many told by young adults, lift up how Presbyterians of all ages are engaging and joining with Presbyterian young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: October 18, 2014

PRESBYTERY OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND - The 33 congregations of the Presbytery of Southern New England respond with compassion and justice to a range of mission concerns. For many years First Presbyterian Church of New Haven, Connecticut, has been providing meals to the homeless, working in partnership with Columbus House, the city’s main provider of housing to homeless individuals. Several years ago the church helped to found Abraham’s Tent, an effort now shared by more than 20 Christian, Jewish, and Muslim congregations, who open their buildings for one week each to provide a dozen homeless men a respite from the harsh New England winteR ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

How to Make 1=4 ... the "Match-and-Match" is Back ... FOR ONE MORE WEEK!

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!

Buy ONE wheelchair for $72, and send FOUR! Magic? No. What's 's happening is that local supporters of the Free Wheelchair Mission have once again arranged for "double matching funds" for contributions received from right now, until October 24th.
THAT'S NEXT WEEK!

Want to take one for a test drive? During normal business hours, visit the lobby at the Illinois Street entrance of First Presbyterian Church-Midland (across the street from Midland High School), 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 ... and matched again ... reaching not one, but FOUR 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. How often have you wondered, where are the young adults in the PC(USA)? Wonder no longer. The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the theme of young adults in the church. Its stories, many told by young adults, lift up how Presbyterians of all ages are engaging and joining with Presbyterian young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: October 17, 2014

PRESBYTERY OF THE PALISADES, NEW JERSEY - We had to put on our Tyvek suits, lay on our backs, and do the army crawl,” one AmeriCorps NCCC volunteer said. “We got under the trailers, ripping out contaminated insulation and installing new. It’s amazing how appreciative the people are. We were thankful for everything they did for us, and they are grateful for everything we’re doing for them. It is so wonderful!”

AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) is a federal program through which volunteers aged 18–24 serve up to 10 months in communities across the country ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

Faces of Children: Prayer Concerns for This Week

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).

Prayer Concerns for the Week of 10/15/14

Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger

Due to the Ebola outbreak, schools in Liberia are closed and activities where groups of children come together are discouraged in hopes of preventing the spread of the deadly virus. The staff of Hinds Feet Ministries (HFM) has been giving away books and homework to lower income families in order that learning will continue even with this unwanted hiatus from school. Hinds Feet Ministries sponsors the early childhood education of some of central Monrovia’s poorest children, many of whom come from homes in which there isn’t access to reading materials, much less games or entertainment.
• more on this issue from Hinds Feet Ministries website ...
• Please keep the children and families served by Hinds Feet Ministries close in prayer during this frightening time. Pray God will provide for their immediate and deepest needs and keep them healthy.
• Give thanks to God for the staff and volunteers with HFM and their dedication to vulnerable children and families. Pray for their protection and safety from this deadly disease. Pray they will feel God’s comforting embrace and that the emotional strain will be lifted from them.
• Pray God will provide the resources HFM needs to serve this impoverished community during a season of fear and sickness. The ministry is short on food, disinfectants, buckets, soap, and other sanitary supplies needed to combat the Ebola virus .

Pakistan, Nigeria, Afghanistan

Polio has become a public health emergency in Pakistan as another new case was diagnosed last week, bringing the total for 2014 to 202 cases. This marks Pakistan’s highest transmission rate of the disease in more than 12 years. Health officials are worried there will be even more cases by the end of the year. Pakistan now accounts for 80 percent of all polio cases in the world and is one of only three countries, including Nigeria and Afghanistan, at risk of exporting the disease outside its borders. Health officials in Pakistan and around the world are very concerned about the spread of the disease and Pakistan’s ability to halt it. Because of a deep mistrust of vaccination teams, some parents and religious leaders in remote areas of Pakistan will not allow their children to receive the vaccine. The Taliban and other Islamist militants have killed more than 50 health workers and security officials after discovering the CIA had used a vaccination campaign to track down Osama bin Laden.
• more on this issue ...
• Please pray for children who live in Pakistan, Nigeria, and Afghanistan as those countries are the only ones left in the world where the virus is endemic due to violent conflicts, weak health systems, and poor sanitation. Pray for children in these countries under age five—they are most vulnerable to contracting the polio virus.
• Give God thanks that relief workers were able to administer 700,000 vaccinations in Pakistan this past summer. Pray the vaccination campaigns will be successful this winter and spring.
• Please pray polio can be eradicated throughout Pakistan. Pray the efforts to vaccinate every child in the country will be fruitful and that political unrest and the fight against terrorism won’t stop the forward progress of the vaccination campaign.
• Continue to praise God that India is now considered polio-free by the World Health Organization (WHO). Thanks be to God for the efforts of India’s millions of public health workers who have immunized hundreds of millions of children in this almost 20-year-long program to eradicate polio.
• Pray polio will be eradicated from the face of the earth.

Faces of Children

• Please keep in prayer Jim, the husband of Faces of Children prayer partner Carol, as he recovers from several strokes. Pray Jim can regain strength and mobility once again. Please pray for Carol as she helps care for her husband during this difficult season.

• Pray for Faces of Children intercessor John and his wife Kerry as they move back to Colorado from Texas later this month. Give God thanks for the ways in which God is providing guidance and support for this faithful couple.

• Give thanks to God for the opportunity to share the ministry of Faces of Children this week with the congregation of First Presbyterian Church and members of the Pensacola, FL community. Please be in prayer for the church and community participants as they learn about Faces of Children and how they can pray for suffering and at-risk children. Pray hearts and ears will be open to God’s message about prayer for children.

• Please keep Elyse and Ryan, the daughter and son-in-law of Faces of Children prayer partners Chris and Jeff Laufer, close in prayer as they await the birth of their second daughter. Pray God will comfort their 2-year-old daughter Hayley during this season of change and excitement.
• Please continue to pray that more churches and individuals will join with the ministry of Faces of Children in spreading awareness about children in crisis and inviting more people to pray for children at risk.

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If you have prayer requests 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 Chris Laufer, FOC Coordinator, at claufer@facesofchildren.net

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. How often have you wondered, where are the young adults in the PC(USA)? Wonder no longer. The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the theme of young adults in the church. Its stories, many told by young adults, lift up how Presbyterians of all ages are engaging and joining with Presbyterian young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: October 16, 2014

MINUTE FOR MISSION: WORLD FOOD DAY - when I read the 10 powerful verses of Luke 9:18–27, I think of Jaff Napoleon, the director of RELUFA, a partner organization in Cameroon. Jaff, a Presbyterian by birth, tirelessly works with communities to ensure that they have a voice when multinational corporations come to their communities to export natural resources—whether oil, minerals, or commodities—from the land. Corporations often negotiate with the government without participation from the communities affected. People find their land taken with no recourse.

I think of Jesus’ words in Luke 9:18, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” Jaff has been called many things—socialist, anticapitalist, liar, fanatic ...

• 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. How often have you wondered, where are the young adults in the PC(USA)? Wonder no longer. The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the theme of young adults in the church. Its stories, many told by young adults, lift up how Presbyterians of all ages are engaging and joining with Presbyterian young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: October 15, 2014

PRESBYTERY OF NORTHERN NEW YORK - The number of young adults continues to decrease in the area of the country where the Presbytery of Northern New York works and ministers. As a result, smaller congregations find it difficult to maintain a youth group of their own. In an effort to minister to young adults, the presbytery is involved in three mission activitieS ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.