The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: January 8, 2012
MINUTE FOR MISSION: UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY - Every January the senior class at University of Dubuque Theological Seminary divides into groups that go with faculty members on various journeys. It's a course called Evangelism and Mission in Context that immerses students in rural, urban, and Native American contexts. Frequently, it tests their sense of call as well. CLICK HEREto read more.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: January 21, 2012
COLOMBIA - Studying Bonhoeffer, singing karaoke, worshiping together - these are just a few of the ways Presbyterian sisters and brothers from Colombia and the United States made manifest the partnership they have shared for the past 10 years. Through a retreat in the countryside of Medellin, leaders from both presbyteries have been able to study, worship, play, and envision a better future together. CLICK HEREto read more.
MIDLAND, TEXAS - Nineteen Christmas carolers presented a check Thursday to a nonprofit organization that specializes in helping the homeless. Voces Dei raised $3,300 in donations during the Christmas season for Family Promise of Midland.
The group is comprosed of singers who sing at various events in the community for an offering. All money goes to a charity. This year, Voces Dei selected Family Promise as its recipient agency.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: January 20, 2012
VENEZUELA - The New Life Mission congregation in the city of Calabozo, state of Guarico, was born from a group of seven women, three adolescents, and eight children. In the early days, they met in the homes of the Santaella, Lopez Ortega, and Alvarez Herrera families, among others, converting the homes into spaces to meet and worship God. CLICK HEREto read more.
ODESSA, TEXAS - --"For the churches to team up like this, it means so much to us, it means so much to these kids, it means an actual home for these children," said Amber Chapman, High Sky Children’s Ranch.
Eighteen churches in the Permian Basin started the initiative [this week] of One More Home, recruiting the community to step up and keep foster kids closer to home.
CLICK HERE to read/watch the rest of the KOSA story.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: January 19, 2012
CARIBBEAN ISLANDS - She was a lawyer in her hometown and wanted to make a difference by helping ordinary people become aware of their basic human rights. She offered her time and talents and left the comforts of her home and island for six months to provide language training as a member of our Joint Mission Action Team. Her faith was stretched, and she saw God transform her life in ways she least imagined. CLICK HEREto read more.
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 12/18/12
AFGHANISTAN - Please keep the children of Afghanistan’s government-run orphanages held close in prayer. Pray for children who have had their food, clothing, and bedding stolen by those hired to care for them. • Pray that the directors and staff of these orphanages will have a change of heart towards the orphans in their care. Pray they will value children over money, political ties, or ingrained corruption. • Give thanks to God for the work of the new director at the National Directorate of Orphanages in Afghanistan and his indignation at the suffering so many of these vulnerable children endure. Pray that God will provide this director, an orphan himself, with the resources and tools needed to protect all children in government-run orphanages. A report from the New York Times
BULLYING - Please pray for children who are bullied…who are intentionally tormented in physical, verbal, or psychological ways. Pray for their physical and emotional health—bullying can affect children’s sense of self-worth and future relationships. Pray that children who experience bullying will find a trusted adult in whom to confide. • Please pray for girls and boys who experience sexual harassment — who have been subjected to unwelcome comments or jokes; inappropriate touching or sexual intimidation; harassment through texts, emails, social networking sites; or have had sexual rumors, innuendos, or photos spread about them. A report from the New York Times • Pray for children who are marginalized by or considered unimportant because of their different learning styles; the shape, size, or color of their bodies; their lack of athletic skill or intellectual ability; their disability or illness; or their lack of wealth. A report from the Daily Mail • Pray for children who desperately want to fit in, but are ostracized—given the cold shoulder—by their peers. Pray for God’s comfort and encouragement. Pray that a network of support will surround these children. • Please pray that adults who are made aware of bullying will respond to the situation and not ignore it. Pray for school administrators and teachers who deal with bullying situations…that God will give them wisdom and courage to handle the challenges of bullied children and child bullies. Bullying page on Kids Health website • Pray for children who use violence, name-calling, threats, or other physical tactics to get what they want from their victims. Pray for children who bully by shunning others or spreading rumors about them. • Give God thanks for programs like Rachel’s Challenge that exist to help students make a positive difference in their world. Praise God that so many students have embraced this program and that bullying and violent behavior on many school campuses has been replaced with kind and compassionate behavior, enabling students to learn in a safer and more respectful environment. Rachel's Challenge website
UNITED STATES - Give God thanks and praise for the “One More Home” initiative to develop 200 more foster homes during the next two years in the Permian Basin (17 West Texas counties make up this area). More than half of the children picked up by Child and Family Protective Services in the Permian Basin are sent out of the region because there aren’t enough foster homes. A report from the Midland Reporter-Telegram One More Home website • Thanks be to God for the 14 churches involved in this initiative and pray that more will recognize the desperate need for foster homes in the area and become involved with the project. • Pray for children who are removed by CPS and placed in foster care outside their community. Pray for those who lose their families, friends, homes, and communities when they are removed. Parental visitation, when allowed, is more difficult when children are placed in a different county from their home county. Pray for children who are moved often or must stay long periods in emergency shelters because of the lack of foster homes.
FACES OF CHILDREN - Give thanks to God for the life of Jane Riddle, a Faces of Children intercessor in Washington, who died January 6, 2012. Please keep Jane’s family and friends held close in prayer as they celebrate the life of this amazing woman of prayer. • Give thanks to God for the opportunity to share the ministry of Faces of Children with members of Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas last week. And thanks be to God for the new prayer partners from Westlake Hills who committed to pray for children through Faces of Children • 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.
*Name changed for confidentiality and/or protection.
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
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: January 18, 2012
MINUTE FOR MISSION: CHRISTIAN UNITY - The theme of this year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity comes from Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth. "We shall be changed by the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 15: 51-58). What a fascinating theme for a focus on Christian unity! So much of the ecumenical work of the church is healing divisions born out of past struggles over differences between Christians - differences that resulted in labeling who's right and who's wrong - who will win and who will lose. At the same time, we are mindful of new divisions that emerge as a result of "irreconcilable differences.'' Unfortunately, one of the legacies of the Presbyterian/Reformed traditions is our proclivity for schism. Some divisions have been healed through reunion efforts, only to have other schisms emerge. Each scenario creates its own set of winners and losers. CLICK HEREto read more.
ODESSA, TEXAS - As the month that signals the start of the New Year, January is inherently full of changes for most people.
And no change is more significant to the Rev. Cory Ward and his family than becoming missionaries in Asia for the Christian nonprofit MANNA Worldwide. MANNA is an organization that partners with regional missionary groups to care for children in need by feeding and educating them.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: January 17, 2012
JAMAICA AND THE CAYMAN ISLANDS - Crime and violence, especially among adolescents and youth, are major concerns for Jamaica. Statistics indicate that both the perpetrators and victims of crimes are to a large extent youth aged 14 to 24. This is a big concern for the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, so we continue to seek ways to positively influence and empower young people. CLICK HEREto read more.
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.
FLASH: “Disappeared” Human Rights Lawyer Gao Zhisheng Imprisoned in Remote Far Western China Distributed by ChinaAid, January, 2012 ...
"WASHINGTON, D.C. – For the first time since his most recent forced disappearance 20 months ago, the whereabouts of human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng were confirmed on Sunday.
ChinaAid learned that Gao Zhisheng’s older brother, Gao Zhiyi, received written notification on Sunday of Gao’s incarceration in Shaya Prison in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in far western China. The notification was signed and dated on Dec. 19 by the prison." CLICK HEREfor more on this story from China Aid
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).
Epiphany
“O God, who became vulnerable for our sake, you challenge the powers that rule this world through all who work for justice, freedom, and peace: Fill us with your passion that we may have the courage to persevere against evil in all its disguises; in the name of your Beloved, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.” Women’s Uncommon Prayers, by Elizabeth Geitz
A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children
Greetings, Faces of Children Prayer Partner,
I was drawn to this prayer because it reminds me that all of us involved with Faces of Children are engaged in this work for justice, freedom, and peace about which Geitz writes. However, it’s not the kind of work or involvement society might think of immediately. The average person probably wouldn’t consider prayer to be an effective form of work in helping children.
Yet, I firmly believe God is at work through our individual and corporate prayers for children in challenging the powers that rule this world. I’ve witnessed so many answers to prayer ... so many ways in which God has worked through prayer…that I am humbled by God’s power and God’s grace.
Just last week, I was blessed to meet in person Emmanuel and Grace (these are their real names—love it!) …children who, against all odds, escaped poverty and exploitation in Africa and were reunited with family in the United States. These beautiful children grinned with joy and happiness when told they had been prayed for by so many of you. They looked me in the eye and said, with deepest sincerity and love, “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
And now, I pass this “thank you” from Emmanuel and Grace along to you because you did the hard work of prayer. It isn’t easy to open your heart to the pain and suffering of children, but your passion for them and prayers of concern for them helped you persevere. You became an instrument of God’s work by praying for Emmanuel and Grace. You prayed and God, who is with us always, listened and answered. Thanks be to our generous God of grace.
The Midland Faces of Children prayer group will meet on Wednesday, January 18, 2012, at 11:30 a.m. to pray for the children of our local and global community. The Midland Faces of Children prayer group meets in the Bride's room at First Presbyterian Church-Midland. Please join us for this time of prayer, and afterward for lunch ($5) and a time of fellowship.
If you have 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 me at at claufer@facesofchildren.net, or give me a call. Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer for the children of our world.
Giving thanks to the God of Grace and Emmanuel and you,
MIDLAND, TEXAS - With twin 6-year-old boys and a 2-year-old girl, Pastor Daniel Stephens assumed he and his wife, Kayla, were done adding to their family.
Kayla wasn't so certain. The Bible teaches Christ's followers to care for orphans, and Kayla said she felt like the Lord asked them to adopt.
Their story is one the Stephens family hopes will become more common in 2012. While their own experience started out of a desire to adopt, Daniel Stephens said they learned about statistics that indicate Midland-Odessa is doing an abysmal job in caring for its children.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: January 16, 2012
CUBA - There has always been something special to me about gardens, something soothing and miraculous about looking out over beds of tender plants. A garden is a feast for the eyes and salve to the soul.
For the church is in the business of "cultivation" ... cultivating spirits and hearts in the love of God in Jesus Christ; cultivating minds in the knowledge of God; cultivating friendships, mutual regard, and concern among people of diverse backgrounds and nationalities. Why would the church not also cultivate gardens of fresh vegetables to nourish the bodies of the seminary community and to share with neighbors. CLICK HEREto read more.
ECPAT-USA is is a non-profit children's rights organization whose mission is to protect all children from commercial sexual exploitation, and is the US Chapter of Thailand-based ECPAT (End Child Prostitution and Trafficking) International, working at the community, national and international levels.
NEW YORK - Arresting children involved in prostitution does not rescue them. That is the clear message of “What I’ve Been Through Is Not Who I Am,” a new documentary released by
ECPAT-USA and WITNESS that tells the story of Katrina, a formerly sexually exploited teen who was arrested many times. It was only after she accepted an offer of help from a safe haven that she was able to escape.
“Most states’ laws allow children to be arrested for prostitution. Instead of a jail cell we need to give them a safe place to heal. They are not ‘bad’ children, they are abused children,” says Carol Smolenski, Executive Director of ECPAT-USA, a nonprofit organization that advocates for policies to protect sexually exploited children.
“We believe this film will bring much needed visibility to this issue,” says Kelly Matheson, WITNESS Program Manager for the Americas. “When decision makers hear Katrina’s personal story and understand that we are jailing children who are bought and sold for sex, it would be devastating if they did not change the system.”
Children under 18 years old who are sold in the commercial sex industry should be offered protection and a way out of the life of prostitution. This is the message of the new 21-minute documentary released today by two human rights organizations, ECPAT-USA and WITNESS. In the documentary, Katrina, tells the story of being lured into the sex industry while still a teen, and the abuse she suffered from a trafficker who keep her in that life. Her compelling and emotional story takes us from Atlanta to New York City to Atlanta again, from desperation to recovery and success. Her story illustrates the failure of the criminal justice system to help these youth.
The documentary brings together a diverse set of experts from juvenile justice, law enforcement, child rights, and service providers to speak about the traumatic effects of commercial sexual exploitation of children. They make the case that arresting children is not the right approach for ensuring their recovery from the trauma of prostitution.
The video was created to educate public policy makers, especially state legislators, about the best way to help children involved in the sex trade and ask them to make changes on behalf of these youth. Legislative reform measures and new approaches, recommended in the film, can shift our collective responsive from a punitive one to a restorative one.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: January 15, 2012
MINUTE FOR MISSION: RACE RELATIONS - As a white, Presbyterian woman, my heart cries out for an end to the injustice of racism and for the vision of "the beloved community'' to become our reality. I am very thankful for the engagement of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in antiracism work, and my own opportunity to participate through the Presbytery of Detroit Antiracism and Reconciliation Team and Presbyterian Women's Churchwide Antiracism Committee. CLICK HEREto read more.
ODESSA-MIDLAND, TEXAS -Rock the Desert continues to work to bring in bands for its August 2-4 concerts. The festival confirmed via twitter on Tuesday that Climbing Blind would be performing at the annual Christian rock event.
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).
Epiphany
“The wise ones hurried from the East. They are the wise of the world. They are the ones wise in science, for they read the ‘intelligent design’ of the stars. They are the wise ones of the economy, for they come with gold. They are the wise ones of politics, for they sought a king. They are our delegates, as we stand carrying all the learning of the academy, of the market, of the laboratory, of the halls of power.
They came, tenaciously and eagerly and regally. They came and bowed down before your foolishness. They sensed the contradiction between his vulnerability and their sagacity, between his innocence and their calculation, between his exposure and their many concealing robes of power
They worshiped him! They recognized that he called into question all that they treasured, so they yielded their best to him, their preciousness, their secret potions, their rich perfumes.
And we stand alongside them with our wealth, our control, our smarts, our sophistication, our affluence.
Give us freedom like theirs to yield, to worship, to adore, to have our lives contradicted.
Give us grace like theirs to embrace the foolishness of the child, that the first will be last and the last first, that the humble will be exalted and the exalted humbled, that we may lose the world and gain our lives.
Give us the imagination like theirs to go home by another route on the path where foolishness is wisdom and weakness is strength and poverty is wealth.
Make our new foolishness specific that the world might become — through us — new.” Prayers for a Privileged People, by Walter Brueggemann
A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children
Greetings, Faces of Children Prayer Partner,
Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer for children, those who care for them, those who have authority over them, and also for those who harm them. Your prayers are indeed gifts of love!
We will meet on Wednesday, January 11, 2012, at 11:30 a.m. to pray for the children of our local and global community. The Midland Faces of Children prayer group meets in the Bride's room at First Presbyterian Church-Midland. Please join us for this time of prayer, and afterward for lunch ($5) and a time of fellowship.
If you have 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 me at at claufer@facesofchildren.net, or give me a call. Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer for the children of our world.
Thank you for your prayers for the children of our world!
Christmas and New Year’s blessings to you and those you love,
MIDLAND, TEXAS - For Mildred Stone, giving back has become second nature.
When she recently was asked to attend a luncheon where she’d be honored for her service, Stone replied that she appreciated the offer but that she would have to decline. She said she volunteers because she enjoys the work, not because she wants anyone to know of her contributions.
“I just like to do it and kind of stay in the background,” she said.
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.
Nearly 50 Shouwang House Church Members Detained on New Year’s Day in Beijing
Distributed by ChinaAid, January, 2012 ...
"BEIJING, CHINA – On the first Sunday of 2012, nearly 50 members of Shouwang Church in Beijing were detained following the church’s decision to continue its outdoor worship services that began in April, ChinaAid has learned." CLICK HEREfor more on this story from China Aid
MIDLAND, TEXAS -Stephen Ray and his wife, Janet, took their family to the Holy Land in 2000. The trip wasn't the first for Steve and Janet, but the opportunity to visit key places mentioned in the Bible made the experience significant for their children.
"When we took our kids it had a profound effect on our kids' lives," Stephen Ray said. "I thought to myself, wouldn't it be great if we could take everyone."
After the family returned to the States, Ray had an idea that would allow him to "take everyone" on a trip to the Holy Land. In the middle of the night, he woke up knowing he had to create a video series to document the history of the Catholic faith.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: January 8, 2012
MINUTE FOR MISSION: BAPTISM OF THE LORD - For over eight years, the Lord has called me to walk alongside our South Sudanese siblings as a member of Christian Solidarity International (CSI), a human rights organization delivering humanitarian aid in South Sudan since 1995. CSI also assists in retrieving family members taken into slavery. CLICK HEREto read more.
MIDLAND, TEXAS - To Kyle Mahan, a second-grader at Santa Rita Elementary, there’s no time like the present to give back to others and be philanthropic.
After seeing a news report about starving children in Africa and being shocked by the physical weakness of their bodies, Kyle said he wanted to do something to help.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: January 7, 2012
GUATEMALA (continued) - The Union Sinodica Femenil is the national women's organization of the National Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Guatemala. Established in 1951, the Sinodica now has a membership of about 3,000 women and includes 18 presbyteries and 5 different language groups. The mission of the Sinodica is to train, orient, and accompany Presbyterian women in their different ministries. This is often difficult because of the status of women in the society and in the church. CLICK HERE to read more.
MIDLAND, TEXAS - The transition from childhood to adolescence is not an easy one for parents or children. There often seems to be a bit of turbulence. Nationally-known family and teen consultant, Mark Gregston, will speak about those issues Saturday at Midland College.
Gregston, an author, speaker, radio host and the founder and director of Heartlight, a therapeutic boarding school in East Texas, has worked with families for more than 30 years.
During Saturday’s Turbulence Ahead seminar, Gregston will host two sessions “What’s happening to my teen?” and “Parenting teens in a confusing culture.”
The event is coordinated by Charis Ranch, a newly-formed Christian therapeutic counseling program for struggling teens ages 13-17 that currently offers mentoring, guidance and animal connection programs to teens who are struggling, said Executive Director Bella Lucero. The ranch hopes to open a year-long residential program in the future, she said.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: January 6, 2012
GUATEMALA - In 1986, a group of Central American Christians from a variety of churches asked how to be faithful to Jesus Christ in a context of widespread poverty and violence. They dreamed that their churches might become agents of transformation. More than 25 years later, the Central America Evangelical Center for Pastoral Studies (CEDEPCA) continues to offer theological training and pastoral accompaniment to women and men aimed at changing lives, churches, and communities. CLICK HEREto read more.
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 12/4/12
IRAQ, UNITED STATES - Pray for women widowed during decades of violence, war, and uprisings in Iraq. Approximately nine percent of Iraq’s women — about 900,000 — are widows, according to the Iraqi Ministry of Planning. Pray for those with children, and especially for widowed mothers who struggle to provide for their families. Please pray that more programs designed to help widows become economically self-sufficient will be available. Pray God will bring comfort to children who have lost their fathers to violent deaths. A report from the New York Times • Pray for the children and people of Iraq following the departure of American troops and almost nine years of war. Pray the multitude of issues facing this country—how to divide the country’s oil wealth, how to share power between Iraq’s three main sectarian groups (Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds), how to establish an impartial justice system—may be resolved peacefully and justly. Another report from the New York Times • Give thanks to God so many American soldiers have been able to return from Iraq in time for the Christmas holidays. Pray for these service personnel as they adjust to life back in the United States with their families and friends. Please pray for God’s comforting presence for children whose fathers or mothers will never come home from war. A report from the Washington Post • Pray for the thousands of former and current U.S. military personnel who experience post-traumatic stress disorder, an anxiety disorder resulting from traumatic events. Many have difficulty maintaining relationships with spouses and children and often experience feelings of isolation. Pray for families who are unsure how to help these wounded loved ones who have such devastating, but invisible injuries. A report from the Chicago Tribune • Pray for military veterans and current service personnel who have been injured in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Pray they will receive the right treatment and medical care for their conditions. • Give thanks to God for the work of the staff and volunteers with the Wounded Warrior Project in providing support for so many injured military men and women. Wounded Warrior Project website
UNITED STATES - Please continue to pray that God will bring healing to 6-year-old Ty who hasn’t responded well to new chemotherapy treatments. Pray his condition improves—he has come out of the coma he was in, but now he’s unable to form words properly, is lethargic, and can’t stand up. Please keep Ty’s parents and little brother Casey in prayer, as well. Pray God will bring them all comfort, assurance, and peace during this frightening time. • Pray for 15-year-old Ian who was diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumor, an aggressive and extremely rare form of cancer. Ian is one of only 200 documented people who have been diagnosed with this rare cancer since 1989. Pray for God’s healing presence with Ian during this difficult time. Give thanks to God for Ian’s positive attitude and determination to train for cross country track again in the spring. Praise be to God for Ian’s track teammates and church family as they rally around this young man and his family, providing encouragement and support. A report from WDAY-TV • Please continue to keep 11-year-old Dallas in prayer as he adjusts to life in the foster home in which he was placed after his mother was arrested. Give thanks to God that he is doing very well in school now. Pray that his mother Betty* will make better choices for herself and Dallas in the future. Pray she will be able to provide more stability in Dallas’ life. • Give God thanks that 17-year-old Thomas* is doing well in the alternative high school he attends now. Thomas was expelled from school last year for possessing a firearm — he accidentally shot a friend in the abdomen. Pray Thomas will focus on school and commit to attending regularly. Recently, he skipped school and was involved in a traffic accident that totaled a neighbor’s car. Pray for Thomas’ mother and father as they struggle to parent this young man. Thomas’ father is disabled because of a cancerous brain tumor and his mother has Crohn’s disease, an autoimmune disorder that is aggravated by stress. Chron's Online website
FACES OF CHILDREN - Please continue to keep 26-year-old Brittany, the friend of a Faces of Children prayer partner, held close in prayer as she begins aggressive radiation treatment for cancer that has spread to her skull. Pray God’s healing power will completely cure Brittany and that this miracle will be a testimony to the people in her life of God’s mercy and love. Pray that God will wrap arms of comfort around this young woman and bring her peace • 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
*Name changed for confidentiality and/or protection.
MIDLAND, TEXAS -Midland Bible Church will provide the movie and food, but some members recommend that attendees bring a few extra tissues — just in case.
The congregation’s men’s and outreach ministries are hosting a showing of the movie “Courageous” at the church’s auditorium at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $5 and admission will include a steak dinner and a chance to win door prizes including 30 copies of the movie on DVD, two $25 Mardel gift cards and a 46-inch HD television.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: January 5, 2012
MEXICO (continued) - Seven-year-old Abril plays tambourine as we sing "El Senor Marchando Va!" or "The Lord Marches On!" Four months earlier drug cartels abducted Abril's father, just as they have so many others. As I watch this thin, awkward little girl press on as she looks to her mom, I am struck by God's power. At this moment in the service, I realize God is unstoppable as he carries this little girl and all of us onward, no matter what. This small, Presbyterian mission church, on the edge of the dusty, dangerous town of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, appears just as awkward and vulnerable as Abril, but here you can see the Lord marching on! CLICK HEREto read more.
MIDLAND, TEXAS - Advent marks a change in season for churches waiting to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but this year it also brought a new change to the way Catholics celebrate Mass.
Changes to the Roman Missal, the official prayer book used at Mass, came into effect Nov. 27, the first Sunday of Advent for English-speaking parishes around the world. The revisions brought new English translations from the original Latin that affect prayers both priests and their parishes have used for decades.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: January 4, 2012
MEXICO - Gethsemane Presbyterian Church is a beacon of the dignity, freedom, and hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not unlike the believers of Colossea, believers in the rural Huasteca region of central Mexico struggle to understand and live the reality of their new lives that are "hidden with Christ in God'' (Col. 3:3). Nevertheless, they have no doubts about the power of the gospel to loosen the bonds . CLICK HEREto read more.
ODESSA-MIDLAND, TEXAS -Rock the Desert festival officials have announced on Twitter that they are in the process of booking Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow as a speaker for an "RTD event" with the band Switchfoot, sometime between February and May. CLICK HERE to read the rest of the OA story
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: January 3, 2012
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN (continued) - In the mountains of Cochabamba, Bolivia, in celebration of the bicentennial of Latin American Caribbean independence in 2010, the Forum of Ecumenical Theological Education of Latin America and the Caribbean (FETELAC) was formed. According to FETELAC, the reality of Latin America and the Caribbean is dynamic because of the growth of new religious expressions, the renewed manifestation of original and Afro cultures and religions, and new social and political movements. CLICK HEREto read more.
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.
Chinese House Church Alliance’s 2012 New Year’s Message: Nothing can separate us from the love of God
Distributed by ChinaAid, January, 2012 ...
"MIDLAND, TEXAS –'We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.' (II Corinthians: 8-9)
In God’s grace and keeping, the Chinese House Church Alliance and all house churches in China usher in 2012, a year full of hope. In the past year, the Chinese government continued its policy of persecution against house churches and did so with increasing intensity. CLICK HEREfor more on this story from China Aid
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).
Christmas … the Very Next Day
“Had we the chance, we would have rushed
to Bethlehem
to see this thing that had come to pass.
Had we been a day later,
we would have found the manger empty
and the family departed.
We would have learned that they fled to Egypt,
warned that the baby was endangered,
sought by the establishment of the day
that understood how his very life
threatened the way things are.
We would have paused at the empty stall
and pondered how this baby
from the very beginning was under threat.
The powers understood that his grace threatened all our coercions;
they understood that his truth challenged all our lies;
they understood that his power to heal nullified our many pathologies;
they understood that his power to forgive
vetoed the power of guilt and the drama of debt among us.
From day one they pursued him, and schemed and conspired
until finally…on a gray Friday …
they got him!
No wonder the family fled,
in order to give him time for his life.
We could still pause at the empty barn —
and ponder that all our babies are under threat,
all the vulnerable who stand at risk before predators,
our babies who face the slow erosion of consumerism,
our babies who face the reach of sexual exploitation,
our babies who face the call to war, placed as we say, ‘in harm’s way,’
our babies, elsewhere in the world,
who know of cold steel against soft arms
and distended bellies from lack of food;
our babies everywhere who are caught in the fearful display of ruthless adult power.
We ponder how peculiar this baby at Bethlehem is,
summoned to save the world,
and yet
we know, how like every child, this one also was at risk.
The manger is empty a day later …
the father warned in a dream.
Our world is so at risk, and yet we seek after and wait for
this child named ‘Emmanuel.’
Come be with us, you who are called ‘God with us.’” Prayers for a Privileged People, by Walter Brueggemann
A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children
Greetings, Faces of Children Prayer Partner,
Please join us in prayer for children on Wednesday, January 4, 2012, at 11:30 a.m. in the Bride's room at First Presbyterian Church-Midland. Please join us for this time of prayer, and afterward for lunch ($5) and a time of fellowship.
If you have 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 me at at claufer@facesofchildren.net, or give me a call. Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer for the children of our world.
Thank you for your prayers for the children of our world!
Christmas and New Year’s blessings to you and those you love,
MIDLAND, TEXAS - Christian Nichles knew teenagers wanted to speak hope to their peers -- they just weren't quite sure what to say.
After students across the Permian Basin began stepping up to speak out against teen suicide, the teens Nichles works with as minister of students at First Baptist Church-Midland turned to him for help when they had trouble answering their friends' tough questions.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: January 2, 2012
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN - One of the many riches of Brazil that I have enjoyed through the years are the delicious fresh tropical fruits, from the prickly watermelon-size jaca, which grows on tall trees, to the deep purple grape-size jabuticaba, which grows directly on the tree trunk. The variety of juices and ice creams from fruits in the Amazon area is amazing. CLICK HEREto read more.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: January 1, 2012
MINUTE FOR MISSION: COLUMBIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY -You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. (Isaiah 62:3)
As his pastor and friend, I had a strong urge to reach out and touch James's hand.
He was lying in a hospital bed. There were no medicine-filled tubes connected to his swollen and discolored body. The cancer had already wreaked havoc. Medically, there was nothing left that could get James well. His death was just a matter of time, a short time. CLICK HERE to read more.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
