In the News ... “Midland Habitat for Humanity celebrates 25 years"

MRT Photo by James Durbin

• Providing solid foundations, windows of opportunity to Midlanders

Rich Lopez, Reporter
• Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS - The pounding of hammers. The whirring of an electric saw. Several people likely in the same T-shirt bustling about.

This was a scene that happened often this summer as volunteers worked to build homes with Midland Habitat for Humanity. As of this year, this is a scene that’s been happening for 25 years. The housing organization celebrates a quarter century of providing homes for low-income applicants and changing lives. Over the course of its tenure in Midland, Habitat has provided 139 homes for more than 600 Midlanders. But the nonprofit has provides far more than just a roof overhead ...

 • read the rest of this MRT report

MRT Photo by James Durbin

Invitation to Prayer from Faces of Children ... TODAY

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).

Invitation to Prayer, TODAY

Hi Friends,

Thank you for joining me in prayer for the children of the world. If you can, we'd love to have you pray together with us this Wednesday - TODAY - at 11:30 a.m., in the gym conference room at First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas, followed by lunch together.

Also, Faces of Children is now on Facebook ! I invite you to like our page so that you can see regular stories, prayer needs, and updates from partner ministries.

All the best,

Carrie

---

Dear Intercessors,

Continuing the theme of school for one week more, I wanted to invite us to pray about the following needs that impact children and education:

LOUISIANA // "Twenty-two districts across a vast swath of southern Louisiana were forced to close last week by a historic flood, delaying or interrupting the start of the school year for tens of thousands of children. Although some districts remain closed indefinitely - and the superintendent of one hard-hit district is living in an emergency shelter - the majority plan to welcome students back within the next two weeks, according to John White, the Louisiana state superintendent. But school leaders are far more worried about making sure they have enough teachers than they are about the physical condition of classrooms, White said. "There is the facility and capacity in the region to serve all students," he said. "The greater challenge is displacement, especially of teachers." He estimated that 4,000 teachers and other staff members who are critical to the schools' operation - including bus drivers, cafeteria workers, paraprofessionals and janitors - have been displaced by the flood."

• Read the rest of the Washington Post report ...

Father, as the children affected by floods go back to school, we ask that you help meet their schools' needs for resources, supplies, and facilities. Most of all, please enable the teachers and other professionals to be able to return to work. And as the children begin to process the experience they've just lived through -- scary rains, flooding, and the loss of their sense of security as many of them have lost everything -- please help the grown-ups in their lives to be a strong support and encouragement as they begin the journey to recovery.

Mountain Child Photo

NEPAL // The April 2015 earthquake that struck Nepal demolished many villages across the country, destroying homes, livelihoods, medical clinics, and schools across the nation. Though the world's attention has moved on, the nation is still struggling to rebuild. Mountain Child and Missionary Aviation Fellowship are working together to deliver relief supplies and building materials to remote villages to help people reclaim their lives. According to a recent video produced by MAF and Mountain Child regarding their work in the area, their focus remains on rebuilding schools. "When you don't have a school, children become vulnerable for a lot of things. Number one trafficking. They become vulnerable to finding other solutions for education outside of their valleys."

• Watch the video ...

Father, as Nepal continues to rebuild, please empower and encourage those individuals who are serving you by helping others rebuild their lives. Protect the pilots of MAF and the relief workers from Mountain Child. Sustain the local staff who have seen an endless stream of overwhelming needs for the last few years. And for those children whose lives are still in shambles, we pray for your protection to rest on them and for each of their needs to be met.

EUROPE // Children who escape Syria and survive the journey to safety may be considered the lucky ones. According to the UNHCR, almost a third of refugees and migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Europe are children, many traveling alone. But just reaching Europe's shores does not mean they can begin to rebuild normal lives. As the Deputy Europe Director of Amnesty International said in her recent OpEd piece for CNN, "Some of the children we've met have spent so long out of school that they have forgotten how to read and write. One 16-year-old boy from Syria who has been in a camp on the Greek mainland told us: 'We have been here for 423 days with no hope, no education, no schools. I need the chance to complete my studies.' These children need safety, special care, education, and a roof over their head. They need governments to allow and facilitate family reunification. They need countries to follow through on their promises to relocate and resettle families like Ahmed's."

• Read the rest of this CNN op-ed ...

Father, thank you that you know each of these precious children by name. You know the number of hairs on their heads, and you know the horrors they have seen. We know you are weeping over the brutality and trauma they have experienced in their short lives. God, we humbly ask for a miracle of justice and peace to spread in Syria and throughout that part of the world. We thank you for the people you have placed in the middle of the conflict, waging peace in the face of brutal war. We ask that you empower and strengthen them in their fight. For European nations facing an influx of migrants, we pray that they are able to rise up and meet this need with compassion and mercy, enabling these victims to begin rebuilding their lives in safety.

Praying with you,

Carrie

Carrie J. McKean
Faces of Children Director
First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas
(432) 684-7821 x153

---

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 info@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.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: August 31, 2016

TACOMA CHURCH FINDS SUCCESS IN LEARNING CENTER FOR CHILDREN - On any given afternoon, Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Tacoma, Washington, is abuzz with young people talking about math or science or reading a good book. It’s not uncommon to find fifth graders sitting with kindergartners, helping them with their homework ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

Invitation to Prayer from Faces of Children ... 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).

Invitation to Prayer, TOMORROW

Hi Friends,

Thank you for joining me in prayer for the children of the world. If you can, we'd love to have you pray together with us this Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., in the gym conference room at First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas, followed by lunch together.

Also, Faces of Children is now on Facebook ! I invite you to like our page so that you can see regular stories, prayer needs, and updates from partner ministries.

All the best,

Carrie

---

Dear Intercessors,

Continuing the theme of school for one week more, I wanted to invite us to pray about the following needs that impact children and education:

LOUISIANA // "Twenty-two districts across a vast swath of southern Louisiana were forced to close last week by a historic flood, delaying or interrupting the start of the school year for tens of thousands of children. Although some districts remain closed indefinitely - and the superintendent of one hard-hit district is living in an emergency shelter - the majority plan to welcome students back within the next two weeks, according to John White, the Louisiana state superintendent. But school leaders are far more worried about making sure they have enough teachers than they are about the physical condition of classrooms, White said. "There is the facility and capacity in the region to serve all students," he said. "The greater challenge is displacement, especially of teachers." He estimated that 4,000 teachers and other staff members who are critical to the schools' operation - including bus drivers, cafeteria workers, paraprofessionals and janitors - have been displaced by the flood."

• Read the rest of the Washington Post report ...

Father, as the children affected by floods go back to school, we ask that you help meet their schools' needs for resources, supplies, and facilities. Most of all, please enable the teachers and other professionals to be able to return to work. And as the children begin to process the experience they've just lived through -- scary rains, flooding, and the loss of their sense of security as many of them have lost everything -- please help the grown-ups in their lives to be a strong support and encouragement as they begin the journey to recovery.

Mountain Child Photo

NEPAL // The April 2015 earthquake that struck Nepal demolished many villages across the country, destroying homes, livelihoods, medical clinics, and schools across the nation. Though the world's attention has moved on, the nation is still struggling to rebuild. Mountain Child and Missionary Aviation Fellowship are working together to deliver relief supplies and building materials to remote villages to help people reclaim their lives. According to a recent video produced by MAF and Mountain Child regarding their work in the area, their focus remains on rebuilding schools. "When you don't have a school, children become vulnerable for a lot of things. Number one trafficking. They become vulnerable to finding other solutions for education outside of their valleys."

• Watch the video ...

Father, as Nepal continues to rebuild, please empower and encourage those individuals who are serving you by helping others rebuild their lives. Protect the pilots of MAF and the relief workers from Mountain Child. Sustain the local staff who have seen an endless stream of overwhelming needs for the last few years. And for those children whose lives are still in shambles, we pray for your protection to rest on them and for each of their needs to be met.

EUROPE // Children who escape Syria and survive the journey to safety may be considered the lucky ones. According to the UNHCR, almost a third of refugees and migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Europe are children, many traveling alone. But just reaching Europe's shores does not mean they can begin to rebuild normal lives. As the Deputy Europe Director of Amnesty International said in her recent OpEd piece for CNN, "Some of the children we've met have spent so long out of school that they have forgotten how to read and write. One 16-year-old boy from Syria who has been in a camp on the Greek mainland told us: 'We have been here for 423 days with no hope, no education, no schools. I need the chance to complete my studies.' These children need safety, special care, education, and a roof over their head. They need governments to allow and facilitate family reunification. They need countries to follow through on their promises to relocate and resettle families like Ahmed's."

• Read the rest of this CNN op-ed ...

Father, thank you that you know each of these precious children by name. You know the number of hairs on their heads, and you know the horrors they have seen. We know you are weeping over the brutality and trauma they have experienced in their short lives. God, we humbly ask for a miracle of justice and peace to spread in Syria and throughout that part of the world. We thank you for the people you have placed in the middle of the conflict, waging peace in the face of brutal war. We ask that you empower and strengthen them in their fight. For European nations facing an influx of migrants, we pray that they are able to rise up and meet this need with compassion and mercy, enabling these victims to begin rebuilding their lives in safety.

Praying with you,

Carrie

Carrie J. McKean
Faces of Children Director
First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas
(432) 684-7821 x153

---

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 info@facesofchildren.net

In the News ... “Faith & Philanthropy Roundup: News and events for Need to Read, Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity, more"

• Opportunities to make a difference in the community

Rich Lopez, Reporter
• Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND/ODESSA, TEXAS - Midland Strong program fundraisers/events contribute to empowering, educating and connecting with the community;  Alzheimer’s Association will host the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on October 1;  Weaver Private Foundation has named Habitat for Humanity as its Charity of Choice for its 2015-16 fiscal year ...

 • read the rest of this MRT 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.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: August 30, 2016

NOSTALGIA CREATES NEW CONNECTIONS IN TENNESSEE - More than a decade had passed, but church members throughout the presbytery remembered the Pentecost Event. “Remember all those people? We filled the gym at Rhodes College!” “Remember that choir? Magnificent!” “I got to catch up with so many old friends!” “It was the best thing our presbytery has ever done!”

That nostalgia shaped a new event that brought our 42 churches together to celebrate Pentecost ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

From @chinaaid : "8 months in prison, tortured pastor writes he is ‘brought closer to God’"

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.

---

8 months in prison, tortured pastor writes he is ‘brought closer to God’
Distributed by ChinaAid, July, 2016 ...

GUIYANG, GUIZHOU, CHINA – A pastor imprisoned in China’s central Guizhou province on a falsified “divulging state secrets” charge penned a letter to his wife on June 30, thanking God for the chance to rest after serving as a pastor for 23 years.

“This is a good place to rest, where I am cut off from the rest of the world and brought closer to God,” Li Guozhi, a pastor at Huoshi Church who goes by the pseudonym Yang Hua, wrote of his jail cell. “I can no longer hear the clamorous noise, but can better listen to the Lord’s voice” ...

• more on this story from China Aid

Invitation to Prayer from Faces of Children ... 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).

Invitation to Prayer, WEDNESDAY

Hi Friends,

Thank you for joining me in prayer for the children of the world. If you can, we'd love to have you pray together with us this Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., in the gym conference room at First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas, followed by lunch together.

Also, Faces of Children is now on Facebook ! I invite you to like our page so that you can see regular stories, prayer needs, and updates from partner ministries.

All the best,

Carrie

---

Dear Intercessors,

Continuing the theme of school for one week more, I wanted to invite us to pray about the following needs that impact children and education:

LOUISIANA // "Twenty-two districts across a vast swath of southern Louisiana were forced to close last week by a historic flood, delaying or interrupting the start of the school year for tens of thousands of children. Although some districts remain closed indefinitely - and the superintendent of one hard-hit district is living in an emergency shelter - the majority plan to welcome students back within the next two weeks, according to John White, the Louisiana state superintendent. But school leaders are far more worried about making sure they have enough teachers than they are about the physical condition of classrooms, White said. "There is the facility and capacity in the region to serve all students," he said. "The greater challenge is displacement, especially of teachers." He estimated that 4,000 teachers and other staff members who are critical to the schools' operation - including bus drivers, cafeteria workers, paraprofessionals and janitors - have been displaced by the flood."

• Read the rest of the Washington Post report ...

Father, as the children affected by floods go back to school, we ask that you help meet their schools' needs for resources, supplies, and facilities. Most of all, please enable the teachers and other professionals to be able to return to work. And as the children begin to process the experience they've just lived through -- scary rains, flooding, and the loss of their sense of security as many of them have lost everything -- please help the grown-ups in their lives to be a strong support and encouragement as they begin the journey to recovery.

Mountain Child Photo

NEPAL // The April 2015 earthquake that struck Nepal demolished many villages across the country, destroying homes, livelihoods, medical clinics, and schools across the nation. Though the world's attention has moved on, the nation is still struggling to rebuild. Mountain Child and Missionary Aviation Fellowship are working together to deliver relief supplies and building materials to remote villages to help people reclaim their lives. According to a recent video produced by MAF and Mountain Child regarding their work in the area, their focus remains on rebuilding schools. "When you don't have a school, children become vulnerable for a lot of things. Number one trafficking. They become vulnerable to finding other solutions for education outside of their valleys."

• Watch the video ...

Father, as Nepal continues to rebuild, please empower and encourage those individuals who are serving you by helping others rebuild their lives. Protect the pilots of MAF and the relief workers from Mountain Child. Sustain the local staff who have seen an endless stream of overwhelming needs for the last few years. And for those children whose lives are still in shambles, we pray for your protection to rest on them and for each of their needs to be met.

EUROPE // Children who escape Syria and survive the journey to safety may be considered the lucky ones. According to the UNHCR, almost a third of refugees and migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Europe are children, many traveling alone. But just reaching Europe's shores does not mean they can begin to rebuild normal lives. As the Deputy Europe Director of Amnesty International said in her recent OpEd piece for CNN, "Some of the children we've met have spent so long out of school that they have forgotten how to read and write. One 16-year-old boy from Syria who has been in a camp on the Greek mainland told us: 'We have been here for 423 days with no hope, no education, no schools. I need the chance to complete my studies.' These children need safety, special care, education, and a roof over their head. They need governments to allow and facilitate family reunification. They need countries to follow through on their promises to relocate and resettle families like Ahmed's."

• Read the rest of this CNN op-ed ...

Father, thank you that you know each of these precious children by name. You know the number of hairs on their heads, and you know the horrors they have seen. We know you are weeping over the brutality and trauma they have experienced in their short lives. God, we humbly ask for a miracle of justice and peace to spread in Syria and throughout that part of the world. We thank you for the people you have placed in the middle of the conflict, waging peace in the face of brutal war. We ask that you empower and strengthen them in their fight. For European nations facing an influx of migrants, we pray that they are able to rise up and meet this need with compassion and mercy, enabling these victims to begin rebuilding their lives in safety.

Praying with you,

Carrie

Carrie J. McKean
Faces of Children Director
First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas
(432) 684-7821 x153

---

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 info@facesofchildren.net

In the News ... "FBC Odessa pastor emeritus dies"

• Was pastor through the 1980s until April 1992

Staff Report
• Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - The Rev. H. Bailey Stone, pastor emeritus of First Baptist Church in Odessa, died at the age of 86 at Baylor Scott and White Hospital in Plano, a church spokeswoman confirmed ...

 • 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.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: August 29, 2016

IN MISSISSIPPI, REMEMBERING THE CHILDREN IN JESUS' NAME - Larry Coleman has been the sexton at Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi, for some 38 years. He was in his early 20s when he came to Briarwood and for years has enabled the ministry of the congregation in many ways. Four years after he started working at Briarwood, he became a bus driver for the Jackson Public Schools. It was then that the damp chill of a Southern winter gave rise to an informal ministry that unfolded in a special way ...

• 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.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: August 28, 2016

MINUTE FOR MISSION: PUBLIC EDUCATION - In the summer of 2013, Nikkitta Jacobs of Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, received news that her son, Jaden, who had just turned three, would not have a spot at the Clara Hearne Head Start Center that fall. Facing a $267,000 budget reduction, the center had to cut 37 children from its incoming class ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

In the News ... "THIS WEEKEND - Local church looks to help beautify school"

KWES Photo

• Sunday, August 28 at 9:30 a.m. at the campus of South Elementary

Eric Onyechefule, Reporter
• KWES-TV

MIDLAND, TEXAS - Members of God Bless Midland, an outreach group for the First United Methodist Church, will hold their second "School Refresh." It's one of the many projects done by the group and helps schools who may not have as many resources as others. This year, the group will be lending a hand to South Elementary ...

 • read the rest of this KWES 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.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: August 27, 2016

CREATIVE APPROACH LEADS RETIRED PASTORS TO SERVE 10-MEMBER CONGREGATION - Two years ago Glacier Presbytery faced a challenge that may not be unique to that presbytery—how to find effective pastoral leadership for a very small, very rural congregation. The congregation of Community Presbyterian Church in Whitlash, Montana, with its 10 members, provides a vital ministry to that area, being the only church in that ranching community. Their remoteness presented an additional difficulty, as they are located more than 20 miles from the nearest paved road. Over the years they had tried many methods of securing pastoral leadership, sharing with nearby churches from other denominations, making weekly calls seeking a pastor to fill the pulpit, and helping a local person become trained as a commissioned ruling elder. When their pulpit once again became vacant, they reached out to the presbytery, wondering if there was a way to have a teaching elder serve them, even though their funds were very limited ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

From ServLife International ... "Humbled and Excited"

ServLife International is a movement defined by values of God’s kingdom, not programs built around human efforts and activities. The reign and rule of God should be made apparent to every person on the planet, despite their religion, race or socioeconomic status. We believe that issues of justice are inseparable from the good news that Jesus Christ came to proclaim. ServLife exists to take the gospel of Christ and the hope of a better, more just, world to the lives of people we touch. This happens through individual contributions of time, creativity, resources and dreams.

---

Humbled and Excited

It’s been almost a year since I went on ServLife’s teacher training trip. I’m excited to think about the people who are preparing to go on this year’s trip as I think about how much I got out of my own trip. I myself am not a teacher nor am I pursuing a degree in education; however, I have finished my sophomore year of studying history and international relations. One doesn’t need to study these things to go on a mission trip, but my schooling gave me a deeper understanding of the challenges facing Nepal, and my experiences on the trip enriched what I study ...

• CLICK HERE to read the rest of this post from ServLife ...

---

 
From Adam Nevins
Executive Director
ServLife International Inc.


Join Our Mission

ServLife International propels reconciliation and justice by building global community to plant churches, care for children and fight poverty. Compelled by the message, life and love of Jesus Christ, we seek to care for the spiritual, physical, social, and economic areas of life in northern India and Nepal.  Learn more about our latest news, featured stories, and how to get involved at servlife.org

Support a Pastor Our church planters spread the love of Christ in some of the most difficult environments in the world. • Support Them ...	Sponsor a Child For only $30 per month you can help give a child food, education, care and, most importantly, hope. • Sponsor Now ...	Fight Poverty The HOPE Fund, our micro-finance program, provides start-up funds for a small business, paving a way out of poverty for families in need. • Learn More ...

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ServLife International, Inc.
P.O. Box 20596
Indianapolis, IN 46220
USA

From @FWMission ...Friday Story: "Regaining Mobility"

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: "Regaining Mobility"

Greetings, and Happy Friday!

As an orphan, Francine never really had anyone to care for her properly. An illness in the 6th grade resulted in her losing strength in both her legs. After a six-month stay in the hospital, Francine moved to a center for people with disabilities. There she received a brace for her left leg, but both her legs were so weak she still couldn’t stand ...

• read the rest of this story ...

In the News ... "Angel Tree program to take applications in September

• New clothing or toys for children of needy families

Staff Report
• Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - The Salvation Army of Odessa will soon be accepting appointments to apply for the Christmas Angel Tree Program.

Those interested must secure an appointment in person starting from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 6 through Sept. 30 on weekdays. No phone calls will be accepted.

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.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: August 26, 2016

CONGREGATION EMBRACES ORGANIC GARDENING TO COMBAT HUNGER - The rolling, beautiful valleys of Marin County, California, provide the perfect backdrop for Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church.. One look at this majestic landscape and it doesn’t take much to inspire people to protect and nurture it ...

• 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.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: August 25, 2016

FAIR TRADE ARTISAN GROUP CREDITS PRESBYTERIANS WITH HELPING IT REACH MILESTONE - Artisans from Peru, Cambodia, and other countries who have struggled with poverty most of their lives are celebrating a milestone. Partners for Just Trade (PJT), a nonprofit that connects artisans from impoverished areas with North American consumers, is commemorating its 10th anniversary this year ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

Invitation to Prayer from Faces of Children ... TODAY

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).

Invitation to Prayer, TODAY

Hi Friends,

Thank you for joining me in prayer for the children of the world. If you can, we'd love to have you pray together with us this Wednesday - TODAY - at 11:30 a.m., in the gym conference room at First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas, followed by lunch together.

Also, Faces of Children is now on Facebook ! I invite you to like our page so that you can see regular stories, prayer needs, and updates from partner ministries.

All the best,

Carrie

---

Dear Intercessors,

It's back to school! Every day I see friends posting pictures on Facebook and Instagram of their children, fresh and ready for their first day of school. My own little girls start in early September. My oldest will be in Kindergarten and my youngest will be in Pre-K3. They are eager and ready, and though it's a bit sad for me to see them another year older, mostly I'm deeply grateful for their good health and development because it means they can take part in milestones like this.

But as kids go back to school, I think about so many ways we can pray for our children...

For children who face bullying or constantly feeling like an outsider, school can be a lonely, terrifying and even dangerous place. For those children, I pray God's presence is like a hedge of protection around them, guarding them before and behind - comforting, nurturing, and empowering them as His sons and daughters. And I pray He raises up other children to be their defenders and their friends.

For children who do not have a home that is a safe refuge... whose parents didn't bother buying school supplies or ensuring there's breakfast each morning; for children who are responsible for getting themselves and their younger siblings out the door and to school on time and don't have any compassionate grown-ups ensuring that their home work is done and that they go to bed at a decent time. For those children, I pray that God's presence is like a mother's warm hug, enveloping them in peace, safety and security.

In each classroom, there are so many back-stories that we may never fully understand: sick parents, parents who abuse drugs or alcohol, families staring down homelessness or hunger, children who come to school having only heard words of anger and abuse since waking. Each child brings so much into the classroom... so many things far heavier than their backpacks. For those children's teachers, I pray God's presence brings wisdom and divine insight. That in addition to teaching the three R's, they would be able to meet the deepest soul-needs of the children in their care. And I pray God raises up volunteers, "classroom grannies," and room parents to help fill in the gaps for all the children.

And as our kids go back to school, I look around the world and can think of so many ways to pray for our children who never get to go to school ...

Reuters Photo

INDIA // To satisfy the world's appetite for sparkly eye-shadow and glittery cars, unregulated and unlicensed mica mines have sprung up and many take advantage of child labor. According to a major report done by Thomson Reuters Foundation, some experts estimate that 70 percent of India's mica production comes from illegal mines and estimate 20,000 children are involved in mica mining in Jharkhand and Bihar, India. Not only is it dangerous and deadly work, but even for children who survive, they do not get basic opportunities like going to school.

NIGERIA // In April of 2014, Boko Haram (an Islamic militant group) kidnapped 219 girls from their secondary school in Chibok, sparking a global firestorm of #BringBackOurGirls media attention and criticism of the Nigerian government for not doing enough to rescue the kidnapped girls. Now, nearly two years later, the first girl has been rescued along with her 4-month-old baby. Amina Ali, 21, said she is now afraid of school and isn't sure she wants to go back. Instead she would like a sewing machine so she can learn to sew clothes. She hopes the other surviving girls are also rescued.

I hope you'll join me this week in praying for all of our children going back to school ... and all the children who will never get that chance.

Praying with you,

Carrie

Carrie J. McKean
Faces of Children Director
First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas
(432) 684-7821 x153

---

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 info@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.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: August 24, 2016

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS YIELD IMPRESSIVE RESULTS FOR EARTH CARE CONGREGATION - Nearly three years ago, Fellowship Presbyterian Church (FPC) in Huntsville, Alabama, launched its witness for environmental conservation by simply changing its lightbulbs. Since then, FPC has greatly expanded its environmental ministries, becoming a PC(USA) Earth Care Congregation and organizing a food distribution community program to complement its environmental commitment. As PC(USA) Associate for Environmental Ministries Rebecca Barnes says, “We recognize that earth care ministries do well to encompass issues of poverty and hunger alleviation, peacemaking, and more. Caring for all in God’s creation includes social justice” ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

Invitation to Prayer from Faces of Children ... 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).

Invitation to Prayer, TOMORROW

Hi Friends,

Thank you for joining me in prayer for the children of the world. If you can, we'd love to have you pray together with us this Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., in the gym conference room at First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas, followed by lunch together.

Also, Faces of Children is now on Facebook ! I invite you to like our page so that you can see regular stories, prayer needs, and updates from partner ministries.

All the best,

Carrie

---

Dear Intercessors,

It's back to school! Every day I see friends posting pictures on Facebook and Instagram of their children, fresh and ready for their first day of school. My own little girls start in early September. My oldest will be in Kindergarten and my youngest will be in Pre-K3. They are eager and ready, and though it's a bit sad for me to see them another year older, mostly I'm deeply grateful for their good health and development because it means they can take part in milestones like this.

But as kids go back to school, I think about so many ways we can pray for our children...

For children who face bullying or constantly feeling like an outsider, school can be a lonely, terrifying and even dangerous place. For those children, I pray God's presence is like a hedge of protection around them, guarding them before and behind - comforting, nurturing, and empowering them as His sons and daughters. And I pray He raises up other children to be their defenders and their friends.

For children who do not have a home that is a safe refuge... whose parents didn't bother buying school supplies or ensuring there's breakfast each morning; for children who are responsible for getting themselves and their younger siblings out the door and to school on time and don't have any compassionate grown-ups ensuring that their home work is done and that they go to bed at a decent time. For those children, I pray that God's presence is like a mother's warm hug, enveloping them in peace, safety and security.

In each classroom, there are so many back-stories that we may never fully understand: sick parents, parents who abuse drugs or alcohol, families staring down homelessness or hunger, children who come to school having only heard words of anger and abuse since waking. Each child brings so much into the classroom... so many things far heavier than their backpacks. For those children's teachers, I pray God's presence brings wisdom and divine insight. That in addition to teaching the three R's, they would be able to meet the deepest soul-needs of the children in their care. And I pray God raises up volunteers, "classroom grannies," and room parents to help fill in the gaps for all the children.

And as our kids go back to school, I look around the world and can think of so many ways to pray for our children who never get to go to school ...

Reuters Photo

INDIA // To satisfy the world's appetite for sparkly eye-shadow and glittery cars, unregulated and unlicensed mica mines have sprung up and many take advantage of child labor. According to a major report done by Thomson Reuters Foundation, some experts estimate that 70 percent of India's mica production comes from illegal mines and estimate 20,000 children are involved in mica mining in Jharkhand and Bihar, India. Not only is it dangerous and deadly work, but even for children who survive, they do not get basic opportunities like going to school.

NIGERIA // In April of 2014, Boko Haram (an Islamic militant group) kidnapped 219 girls from their secondary school in Chibok, sparking a global firestorm of #BringBackOurGirls media attention and criticism of the Nigerian government for not doing enough to rescue the kidnapped girls. Now, nearly two years later, the first girl has been rescued along with her 4-month-old baby. Amina Ali, 21, said she is now afraid of school and isn't sure she wants to go back. Instead she would like a sewing machine so she can learn to sew clothes. She hopes the other surviving girls are also rescued.

I hope you'll join me this week in praying for all of our children going back to school ... and all the children who will never get that chance.

Praying with you,

Carrie

Carrie J. McKean
Faces of Children Director
First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas
(432) 684-7821 x153

---

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 info@facesofchildren.net

In the News ... "Questions of denominations answered"

OA Photo by Jacob Ford

• Fish pursues a swirl of church-related activities

By Bob Campbell, Reporter
• Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - Yolanda Fish went about answering her own questions about denominational distinctions as a teenager, and now as president of the Odessa Ministerial Alliance, she said she believes she has those answers.

Attending a Bible Church in Kenosha, Wis., as a 16-year-old, Fish said, “I wanted to know why we had all these denominations when we just had one God and one Bible" ...

• 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.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: August 23, 2016

CONGREGATION HOSTS INTERFAITH CONVERSATION - “There is something about being a junior at a Catholic college that makes you more Muslim,” Ali Ahmed recently quipped to a packed fellowship hall at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Ahmed, who at the tine was a senior at Xavier University and president of the university’s Muslim Students Association (MSA), shared his personal faith story with 90 members of Northminster who had assembled to get to know their neighbors better. The Northminster group heard about faith journeys from four Muslim students and a Muslim faculty member from Xavier. The interfaith event was the result of two organizations seeking to respond to God’s call to love one’s neighbor ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

From @chinaaid : "Officials seal serially persecuted house church"

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.

---

ChinaAid Photo

Officials seal serially persecuted house church
Distributed by ChinaAid, July, 2016 ...

GUANGZHOU, GUANGDONG, CHINA – Officials in China’s southern Guangdong province shut down and sealed one branch of a house church on June 23, threatening to take action if the church continued meeting.

This incident marks the fourth incursion against the Taihe County branch of Guangfu Church, also known as Taihe Hall, this year ...

• more on this story from China Aid

Invitation to Prayer from Faces of Children ... 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).

Invitation to Prayer, WEDNESDAY

Hi Friends,

Thank you for joining me in prayer for the children of the world. If you can, we'd love to have you pray together with us this Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., in the gym conference room at First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas, followed by lunch together.

Also, Faces of Children is now on Facebook ! I invite you to like our page so that you can see regular stories, prayer needs, and updates from partner ministries.

All the best,

Carrie

---

Dear Intercessors,

It's back to school! Every day I see friends posting pictures on Facebook and Instagram of their children, fresh and ready for their first day of school. My own little girls start in early September. My oldest will be in Kindergarten and my youngest will be in Pre-K3. They are eager and ready, and though it's a bit sad for me to see them another year older, mostly I'm deeply grateful for their good health and development because it means they can take part in milestones like this.

But as kids go back to school, I think about so many ways we can pray for our children...

For children who face bullying or constantly feeling like an outsider, school can be a lonely, terrifying and even dangerous place. For those children, I pray God's presence is like a hedge of protection around them, guarding them before and behind - comforting, nurturing, and empowering them as His sons and daughters. And I pray He raises up other children to be their defenders and their friends.

For children who do not have a home that is a safe refuge... whose parents didn't bother buying school supplies or ensuring there's breakfast each morning; for children who are responsible for getting themselves and their younger siblings out the door and to school on time and don't have any compassionate grown-ups ensuring that their home work is done and that they go to bed at a decent time. For those children, I pray that God's presence is like a mother's warm hug, enveloping them in peace, safety and security.

In each classroom, there are so many back-stories that we may never fully understand: sick parents, parents who abuse drugs or alcohol, families staring down homelessness or hunger, children who come to school having only heard words of anger and abuse since waking. Each child brings so much into the classroom... so many things far heavier than their backpacks. For those children's teachers, I pray God's presence brings wisdom and divine insight. That in addition to teaching the three R's, they would be able to meet the deepest soul-needs of the children in their care. And I pray God raises up volunteers, "classroom grannies," and room parents to help fill in the gaps for all the children.

And as our kids go back to school, I look around the world and can think of so many ways to pray for our children who never get to go to school ...

Reuters Photo

INDIA // To satisfy the world's appetite for sparkly eye-shadow and glittery cars, unregulated and unlicensed mica mines have sprung up and many take advantage of child labor. According to a major report done by Thomson Reuters Foundation, some experts estimate that 70 percent of India's mica production comes from illegal mines and estimate 20,000 children are involved in mica mining in Jharkhand and Bihar, India. Not only is it dangerous and deadly work, but even for children who survive, they do not get basic opportunities like going to school.

NIGERIA // In April of 2014, Boko Haram (an Islamic militant group) kidnapped 219 girls from their secondary school in Chibok, sparking a global firestorm of #BringBackOurGirls media attention and criticism of the Nigerian government for not doing enough to rescue the kidnapped girls. Now, nearly two years later, the first girl has been rescued along with her 4-month-old baby. Amina Ali, 21, said she is now afraid of school and isn't sure she wants to go back. Instead she would like a sewing machine so she can learn to sew clothes. She hopes the other surviving girls are also rescued.

I hope you'll join me this week in praying for all of our children going back to school ... and all the children who will never get that chance.

Praying with you,

Carrie

Carrie J. McKean
Faces of Children Director
First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas
(432) 684-7821 x153

---

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 info@facesofchildren.net