West Texas Missioner

Monday, June 9, 2014

Invitation to Prayer: Wednesday

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

Prayer and Hope

“To pray means to open your hands before God. It means slowly relaxing the tension which squeezes your hands together and accepting your existence with an increasing readiness, not as a possession to defend, but as a gift to receive. Above all, prayer is a way of life which allows you to find a stillness in the midst of the world where you open your hands to God’s promises and find hope for yourself, your neighbor, and your world. In prayer, you encounter God not only in the small voice and the soft breeze, but also in the midst of the turmoil of the world, in the distress and joy of your neighbor, and in the loneliness of your own heart.”

With Open Hands by Henri J. M. Nouwen

A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children

Greetings, Faces of Children Intercessor,

The Midland Faces of Children prayer group will meet in the new Family Life Center conference room at First Presbyterian Church-Midland, on Wednesday, June 11, 2014 at 11:30 a.m. After our time of prayer, we'll have unch ($5) and fellowship.

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

Grace and Peace,

Chris

In the News ... "PBBDA looks to rebuild its roots"

OA Photo by Edyta Blaszczyk

• "Solidarity with the Savor" event begins June 10

By Jared Wilson, Reporter
Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - The Permian Basin Baptist District Association is one that many may not have heard of, but it has longstanding roots and is currently looking to revise and rebuild those roots for future generations.

In order to get the ball rolling on the resurgence of the PBBDA, the Rose of Sharon Church will be hosting “Solidarity with the Savior,” but there are much larger goals looming in the future for current PBBDA congress president, the Rev. Donald Flinn, Midland’s Shiloh Baptist Church pastor, Pastor Charles Sims, and the organization.

The four-day event will feature a pre-congress musical on Monday night, followed by a youth division, a minister’s conference and Christian leadership classes on Tuesday through Thursday.

• read the rest of this OA report ...

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. How often have you wondered, where are the young adults in the PC(USA)? Wonder no longer. The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the theme of young adults in the church. Its stories, many told by young adults, lift up how Presbyterians of all ages are engaging and joining with Presbyterian young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: June 9, 2014

PRESBYTERY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE, OHIO - The Presbytery of the Western Reserve encompasses the greater Cleveland metropolitan area and is home to 9,209 members of 46 congregations and one new church development. Together, the presbytery seeks to be Christ in and for the world.

This mission of being Christ includes a variety of unique and creative ministries..

• CLICK HERE to read more.

Sunday, June 8, 2014

FPC-Midland Uganda Mission 2014: "Travel Maps of Our Trip"

After much preparation, packing and prayer, a team of our brothers and sisters in Christ - men, women and children from West Texas - will be at work in the east Africa nation of Uganda as part of an ongoing, annual Christian mission effort. The 2014 Uganda Mission Team from First Presbyterian Church-Midland will be posting reports from Uganda - along with photos, videos and more - on the Uganda Mission Team 2014 blog.

Travel Maps of Our Trip

• read the rest of this post ...

In the News ... "Tiananmen 25 years later"

• Commemorating the past and marching on for freedom

EDITOR'S NOTE - Wednesday, June 4, marked the anniversary of the Communist Party of China’s military crackdown on mostly student protestors at Tiananmen Square. Midlander Bob Fu, founder and president of China Aid, was at the protests.

Pastor Bob Fu (right) testifying before the U.S. Congress

Bob Fu, Founder and President of China Aid
Special Contributor to the Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS - Twenty-five years ago, as an ambitious young man along with millions of fellow students and Chinese citizens, I marched in the Tiananmen Square in Beijing. What we appealed was a freer and more democratic China with an accountable government. After almost two months of a “Beijing Spring,” the bloody crackdown was ordered by the hardliners of the Communist Party of China. The Tiananmen Square massacre on June 4, 1989 brutally took the lives of innocent students and other Chinese citizens and exposed the marked deterioration of basic human rights and freedoms in China to the world. As China searches for its identity in the 21st century and responds to economic growth, the Chinese government must simultaneously address political reforms and expand social freedom. As a critical step toward this goal, the Chinese government must acknowledge and rectify the injustices that transpired in the June 4 massacre and seek to address and deter all acts of violence and persecution, past, present and future, against its citizens.

• read the rest of this column

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

MINUTE FOR MISSION: DAY OF PENTECOST / THE PENTECOST OFFERING - I was asked, when I stood my examination before the presbytery, what I thought the most important mission field was in our day. I think people thought I should say Africa or maybe the Middle East. But I said that we should focus on the mission field right outside our doors; that all of us can do mission in the communities where we live, because some kind of ministry always needs doing, and the place we live is the place whose needs we know best.

• CLICK HERE to read more.

Saturday, June 7, 2014

FPC Youth Mission to Peru: Day 1 in Lima

From June 1-11, 2014, senior youth from 1st Presbyterian Church of Midland will be engaged in a mission partnering with Buckner Peru and joining their ongoing mission efforts to orphans and communities in Lima and Cuzco. They will do a variety of things that may range from Vacation Bible School to soccer tournaments to life skills training to medical projects all geared towards addressing issues present in settings of abject poverty. You can follow their progress, and enjoy photos from the mission, on their "Postcards from the Edge" blog, and their Facebook page.

Day 1 in Lima

What a great day in Pamplona! After getting to the Hotel Colon in Miraflores about midnight, we got to sleep in before meeting the Buckner staff and hearing more about the ministry we’ll be doing. A couple of quick facts that we learned:

-50% of the population of Peru is under 18 years old
-50% of the country lives in poverty
-The Family Hope Center in Pamplona has distributed 300,000 pills to battle parasites

It set a great stage for us to step in to serve in Pamplona.

• more on "Postcards from the Edge"

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

PRESBYTERY OF SCIOTO VALLEY, OHIO - From Concord Presbyterian Church’s beginning as a new church development in 2003, mission has been its shared passion. Mission leaders knew that no single witnessing community can engage all peoples, so the congregation was called to prayer seeking to discern their direction.

Ethiopia was the answer that God provided.

• CLICK HERE to read more.

Friday, June 6, 2014

FPC-Midland Uganda Mission 2014: "We're back ..."

We're back ...

We're back for another trip to Uganda this year! Our team consists of 25 people from First Presbyterian Church in Midland, TX and Cornerstone Church North in Bedford, TX. We are excited to have represented on this trip two congregations from over 300 miles apart, to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of the Most High! We will be teaming with the Eastern Ugandan Presbytery in all of our efforts there. The majority of men from the Ugandan team are pastors and teachers who have congregations in Uganda. We are blessed to have such loyal and Spirit driven men and women by our side once we get there and throughout the trip.

• read the rest of this post ...

In the News ... "Local church organizes senior prom for seniors at nursing home"

Photo by Chase Gilbert www.CGILLY.com

By Jared Wilson, Reporter
Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - Remember that big night in high school, picking out the perfect tuxedo or dress, finding a date and firming up plans for the unforgettable prom night? But what if you were able to do it all over again or never had the chance to participate at all?

A group of seniors at the Buena Vida Nursing Home in Odessa got to relive or get their first taste of prom Sunday — thanks to a group of volunteers at The Bridge, a part of First United Methodist in Odessa.

The Bridge Church is the second campus to First United Methodist Church in Odessa which launched in January of 2013 and is looking to reach out to the community.

• read the rest of this OA report ...

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

MINUTE FOR MISSION: 1001 WORSHIPING COMMUNITIES - It has been my great joy and privilege to help lead the 1001 effort since this important initiative was launched by the 220th General Assembly in June 2012. The first year saw considerable fruit: by the end of July 2013, more than 160 new worshiping communities had been recognized. By April 2014, the number had reached 220.

The Presbyterian Mission Agency has put in place a new grant process, a debt-forgiveness program for students, internships for new shepherds, multiple training events, coaching, and regional centers to assist mid councils, congregations, and individuals with the initiative.

• CLICK HERE to read more.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Reports From Lulwanda: Program Coordinator's Report for May 2014

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

May, 2014

"Whoa! You know when you have one of those months that just flies by and you barely have time to catch your breath? Well that has been May for us at LCH (at least for me, being involved in every scheduled activity). We have had such a fun school holiday, filled with many new memories and many old traditions ..."

... After a super fun holiday, children reported back to school on May 19th. The secondary students have returned to their various boarding schools, and the LPS campus is buzzing with learning once again."

• read the rest of Rolfe's May, 2014 report

• enjoy a May, 2014 photo album from LCH

FPC Youth Mission to Peru: On Our Way

On Our Way

Peru! Here we come!!!! It's so early!

• more on "Postcards from the Edge"

Faces of Children: Prayer Concerns for This Week

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

Prayer Concerns for the Week of 06/05/14

Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger, Algeria

The northern part of Mali has long been a hotbed of violence as Tuareg rebels and Islamist militants struggle for independence from the government of Mali. In January 2012, increased fighting between these groups, followed by international intervention the next year, caused a surge in refugees fleeing to neighboring countries. In January 2013, farmer Massaya and his wife Taghri and their six young children fled central Mali along with half of the members of their village. They walked five days to reach Mbera refugee camp across the border in Mauritania, part of an influx of 15,000 refugees arriving in the camp that month. An estimated 60,000 refugees struggle to survive shortages of water and food in the 122 F degree heat. Shortly after their arrival, Taghri realized she was pregnant. An ultrasound revealed she was carrying quadruplets. With help from Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), Taghri delivered the three boys and one girl five weeks early by caesarian section.
• more on this issue
• more on this issue
• more on this issue
• Thanks be to God for the safe delivery of the quadruplets who are now 4 months old and in very good health.
• Give thanks to God Taghri was able to access medical help—living in the refugee camp gave her access to care she might not have had at home in Mali.
• Please pray for Massaya and Taghri as they raise their 10 children while living in a swelteringly hot tent in the Mbera refugee camp. Give God thanks for the compassionate neighbors who help out with the four babies and six other children while Massaya tries to find work. Pray their children will be able to continue their education and have hope for a future.
• Pray for all of the refugees in this camp and in others in Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Algeria. Please pray God will provide for their physical and spiritual needs while living in such difficult circumstances.
• Pray the situation in Mali will stabilize and refugees will be able to return home.

Turkey

An explosion at a coal mine in Soma killed 301 miners on May 13, 2014. An electrical fault is believed to have triggered the blast and cut power to the elevators, trapping coal miners more than a mile below the surface and several miles from the mine entrance. Many miners died of carbon monoxide poisoning or were killed in the pit collapse. Four hundred and fifty miners were rescued with 80 suffering minor injuries. Coal mining is a major industry in Soma, but safety issues have long been a concern. Protests about this mine disaster broke out in two of Turkey’s major cities and three mine company personnel have been arrested and charged with negligence, including the mine company’s operations manager.
• more on this issue
• more on this issue
• Please keep close in prayer the loved ones—the parents, spouses, children, grandchildren, siblings—and friends of those killed in this mine disaster. Pray for the children and loved ones of those still missing. Please pray each of them will feel God’s comforting presence in this difficult season.
• Please pray for the survivors as they process this frightening experience and the trauma it may have caused.
• Pray for the safety of those still involved in the recovery process at the mine.
• Pray the cause of this disaster will be revealed and, if there is negligence involved, that justice will be obtained.

United States

Eight-year-old Tyler* and his 3-year-old sister Rebecca* were caught in a bitter custody battle between their grandparents and their mother. Their mother Anna* is pregnant and unable to take her medications for bipolar disorder, making her quite emotionally volatile. * Name changed for confidentiality and/or protection.
• Give God thanks for answering prayers about Tyler and Rebecca’s custody. Their grandparents were recently awarded custody of Tyler and Rebecca’s birth father has custody of her. Please continue to pray Tyler and Rebecca will feel God’s loving arms around them throughout this chaotic time.
• Pray for Anna as she struggles with her mental illness and her relationships.
• Pray for peace, reconciliation, and healing in all of these relationships.

Faces of Children

• Give thanks to God for the life of Louise Lang, the mother-in-law of Faces of Children prayer partner Karen Lang. Louise died last weekend following complications from surgery. Pray God will comfort Louise’s family and all those who loved her in this season of grief..
• Please keep in prayer 20-year-old Donnie, the friend of a Faces of Children intercessor, as he receives treatment for cancer. Pray God will bring healing to this young man and comfort him during his treatments.
• 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

In the News ... "Andrews native brings in big names in Christian music"

Meagan Lee Buck, Reporter
Midland Reporter-Telegram

ANDREWS, TEXAS - Greg Griffin was shocked when he learned what teenagers in his hometown were going through. With high rates of teen pregnancies, drug use and teen suicide, the small West Texas town of Andrews was not the same community where he grew up.

“I was raised here, but there weren’t kids sleeping in the park like there are today, and it really broke my heart,” said Griffin, who owns Andrews-based service company GTG Automation.

At an April 2012 Christian concert in Odessa, Griffin found a way to make a difference in his community.

• read the rest of this story

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

PRESBYTERY OF MUSKINGUM VALLEY, OHIO - A decade ago, there were very few youth in the aging congregation of Christ Presbyterian Church. Today, they are part of a growing ministry that focuses on the journey of growing up in Christ. With the help of their pastors and youth leaders, they have discovered and pursued passions born of God’s call. Through their challenge, the congregation is striving to reduce its carbon footprint. And youth participate not only in leading worship but also in the congregation’s outreach into the community and beyond. Indeed, they are a vital part of the renewal of downtown Canton.

• CLICK HERE to read more.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

My 2¢ ... PCUSA's 'Fossil Fuels' Overture: Being smothered by the blanket

By Jeff McDonald
West Texas Missioner

Whether it's around town or around the world, one of the challenges Christians face in sharing Christ's message, Christ's love, is the image people have of all Christians ... based upon the words and actions of a few Christians.

An example ... Westboro Baptist Church, known for its extreme ideologies and unflinching commitment to share those ideologies with the public in a variety of forums. More than once, I've heard some variation of, I could never accept a Savior or embrace a faith that preaches such hatred.

I know, I know ... WBC is hardly representative of Christianity, or the Baptist denomination. But through that single church's efforts, and the attention focused upon those efforts, we are ALL covered by a single, smothering blanket ... one that does not allow for air or light ... and certainly does not allow for any discernment on the part of the general public.

And just as we can be smothered by a blanket thrown over us, we can smother others with a blanket we throw over them. That's exactly what we would do with the proposed "Divestment from Fossil Fuel Companies Overture," a blanket demand that our denomination completely divest from all fossil fuel companies.

Answer me this ... do we conduct our personal finances that way? Do we throw everything out? Or do we look a little more closely at our investments, and try to more specifically target those investments.

Rather than a blanket divestment, shouldn't we instead consider a careful and prayerful reinvestment, reallocating or redirecting our funds into fossil fuel companies that earn those funds?

Perhaps it's because I have lived and worked in the 'oil patch' for the past thirty years (not as an oilman, but as a journalist), but I have gained a great appreciation for the advances oil-and-gas companies have made in recent years in just about every aspect of their operations ... a number of which have a direct impact on the environment, whether it's burning-off less pollutants, producing cleaner-burning fuels and longer-lasting lubricants, reaching out to landowners and communities, or remediating the land after use. And I appreciate those efforts ... due in part to my commitment to environmentalism, fostered during my younger years in the late 60s and early 70s.

If I were a part of the discussion over the "Divestment from Fossil Fuel Companies Overture," I would recommend that those responsible for our investments develop criteria for examining fossil fuel companies, and deciding whether they merit reinvestment, divestment, or whatever. And at the same time ... I would apply those same standards to investments in renewable energy companies (wind, solar, whatever). AND, I would include language that we continue to find ways to reduce our use of energy ... however that energy is generated.

But, please, no blanket decrees ... in the end, such extremism will smother a lot more than just the fossil fuel companies.

Later this summer, the 221st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA will consider a "Divestment from Fossil Fuel Companies Overture," stating "Our Faith Compels us to Bold Denominational Action In recognition that our faith with corresponding works is dead (James 2) we recommend that the General Assembly call on the Board of Pensions and the PCUSA Foundation to immediately stop new investment in fossil fuel companies and eliminate all current holdings over the next five years."

The overture (as reported by Fossil Free PCUSA ) recommends that "The General Assembly expresses its profound concern about the destructive effects of climate change on all God’s creation. Climate change has had a disproportionate impact on those living in poverty and in the least developed countries, the elderly and children, and those least responsible for the emissions of greenhouse gases. General Assembly thus recognizes the moral mandate for humanity to shift to a sustainable energy plan in a way that is both just and compassionate. This mandate propels us to action as a denomination: to divest from the fossil fuel industry even as we reduce our use of fossil fuels and shrink our carbon footprint."

I, personally, object to this overture for so many reasons ... and I plan to address those objections in the next couple of weeks leading up to the General Assembly's meeting in Detroit. They are based upon my life, my faith and my experience as a Christian in the PCUSA denomination ... but they are also based upon the first-hand experience and insights I have gained from decades as an environmentalist AND a resident of the 'oil patch.' If you would like to contribute to the discussion - REGARDLESS of your stand on this overture - please CLICK HERE for an e-mail link.

WAW Wednesdays: Prayers, Partners and Chickens

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

Prayers, Partners and Chickens

Friends,

We are so excited by your response to last week's message!! You have answered our prayer to fund the next container going to Belize, and we are so grateful!

As heard on television ... "But wait, there's MORE!"

Our friends in Roswell, New Mexico, are loading up computers, school desks, filing cabinets and more from a school that is being demolished there! This means another container is coming down the pike soon ... we are so encouraged by our Ministry Associates who are always on the lookout for opportunities like this!

We are told in Matthew 25:40 that what we do for the least of these, we do for Christ ... we have a wonderful partner, MAP International, that helps us provide life-saving medicines at an incredible discount ... $400 USD can literally provide upwards of $15,000 in meds ... we currently have a donor helping us provide medications to the Belize prison infirmary each quarter; we could send even more medicines for more of the least of these with your help. Would you leverage your tithe and help us in this effort?

Please please fill out this Commitment Card and return it to our office!

Finally, lets talk chickens! We are really excited about a chicken coop that our friends from Texas have provided at the King's Children's Home!! The plan is to start off with a flock of 200 hens! This photo shows the beginning stages ... watch for an updated photo on our Facebook page!

Our first team of the summer arrives in Belize this Friday - please keep our staff members and this group working in the Valley of Peace in your prayers.

Thanks for your time,

Tim Tam
The Word at Work

In the News ... "ECISD: No Official Prayer at Graduations After Lawsuit Threat, Valedictorian Will Still Share Faith"

By Matthew Rist, Reporter
KOSA-TV

ODESSA, TEXAS - The Ector County Independent School District officially removed the tradition of an invocation at the beginning and end of its high school graduation ceremonies. Many West Texas families spoke out against the changes.

The news comes after the threat of a lawsuit from a Washington, D.C. based organization called Americans for Separation of Church and State.

The superintendent said having invocation is against state law and school board policy, there's just no getting around it, but the new system may still allow students to pray and one valedictorian tells me no matter what happens, she's sharing the word with her peers.

• read/watch the rest of this story

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

PRESBYTERY OF THE MIAMI VALLEY, OHIO - What do James Taylor, Johnny Cash, Jimmy Buffet, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, the Chieftains, John Denver, Ray Charles, Dolly Parton, Bruce Springsteen, Frank Sinatra, Willie Nelson, Carole King, the Mills Brothers, and the Beatles have to do with faith and life?

For members and friends of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Piqua, the music of these artists provides the background for lively discussions. This is Faith on Tap, a monthly discussion of music, faith, and life.

• CLICK HERE to read more.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Invitation to Prayer: TOMORROW

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

Our Desire for Communion

“What do we really desire? As I try to listen to my own deepest yearning as well as to the yearnings of others, the word that seems best to summarize the desire of the human heart is ‘communion.’ Communion means ‘union with.’ God has given us a heart that will remain restless until it has found full communion. We look for it in friendship, in marriage, in community. We look for it in sexual intimacy, in moments of ecstasy, in the recognition of our gifts. We look for it through success, admiration, and rewards. But wherever we look, it is communion we seek ...

The desire for communion…is a God-given desire, a desire that causes immense pain as well as immense joy. Jesus came to proclaim that our desire for communion is not in vain, but will be fulfilled by the One who gave us that desire. The passing moments of communion are only hints of the Communion that God has promised us. The real danger facing us is to distrust our desire for communion. It is a God-given desire without which our lives lose their vitality and our hearts grow cold. A truly spiritual life is life in which we won’t rest until we have found rest in the embrace of the One who is the Father and Mother of all desires.”

Here and Now by Henri J. M. Nouwen

A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children

Greetings, Faces of Children Intercessor,

The Midland Faces of Children prayer group will meet in the new Family Life Center conference room at First Presbyterian Church-Midland, on Wednesday, June 4, 2014 at 11:30 a.m. Lunch ($5) and fellowship will follow our time of prayer.

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

Grace and Peace,

Chris

In the News ... "Protest Held in Support of Prayer During ECISD Graduations"

Geena Martinez, Reporter
KWES-TV

ODESSA, TEXAS - Students, parents and people from the community protested in front of the Ector County ISD administration building on Monday afternoon.

The protest comes just days after the district announced some changes during graduation ceremonies involving prayer.

With signs, megaphones and their faith, the group took to the streets and protested for prayer.

"This is my faith and I will stand for my faith no matter what it takes," Louvdie Piña, a senior at Odessa High School, said.

"Christians also have rights and it's time someone stood up for those rights," Allen Sutphen, an Odessa resident, said.

• read/watch the rest of this story

In the News ... "In response: More prayer at graduations"

• City, county officials see no change in public prayer policy

By Lyndsay Weaver and Nathaniel Miller, Reporters
Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - With the backdrop of the Ector County Independent School District Administration Building, 70 or so parents and teenagers called for their First Amendment rights to be recognized during a protest on a hot Monday afternoon.

• read the rest of this story

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

MAUMEE VALLEY PRESBYTERY, OHIO AND MICHIGAN - God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, I am has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3:14)

When Jennifer Richards responded to the invitation of Maumee Valley Presbytery to interpret her sense of call, she responded by creating a beautiful piece of art. She was the winner of the presbytery-wide contest for young adults to share their faith story.

• CLICK HERE to read more.

Monday, June 2, 2014

ChinaAid: "CA president submits statement to congressional hearing about Tiananmen Square anniversary"

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.

China Aid president submits statement to congressional hearing about Tiananmen Square anniversary

Distributed by ChinaAid, May, 2014 ...

China Aid File Photo

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre less than a week away, Bob Fu, China Aid founder and president, along with others, submitted testimonies (corrected on May 30, 2014) to the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations in a hearing titled “Tiananmen 25 Years Later: Six Leaders Who Were There.”

Fu called the Chinese government’s denial of the events that occurred on June 4, 1989, “unacceptable,” saying “the Chinese government must bring those responsible for human rights violations to justice.

• more on this story from China Aid

Invitation to Prayer: Wednesday

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

Our Desire for Communion

“What do we really desire? As I try to listen to my own deepest yearning as well as to the yearnings of others, the word that seems best to summarize the desire of the human heart is ‘communion.’ Communion means ‘union with.’ God has given us a heart that will remain restless until it has found full communion. We look for it in friendship, in marriage, in community. We look for it in sexual intimacy, in moments of ecstasy, in the recognition of our gifts. We look for it through success, admiration, and rewards. But wherever we look, it is communion we seek ...

The desire for communion…is a God-given desire, a desire that causes immense pain as well as immense joy. Jesus came to proclaim that our desire for communion is not in vain, but will be fulfilled by the One who gave us that desire. The passing moments of communion are only hints of the Communion that God has promised us. The real danger facing us is to distrust our desire for communion. It is a God-given desire without which our lives lose their vitality and our hearts grow cold. A truly spiritual life is life in which we won’t rest until we have found rest in the embrace of the One who is the Father and Mother of all desires.”

Here and Now by Henri J. M. Nouwen

A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children

Greetings, Faces of Children Intercessor,

The Midland Faces of Children prayer group will meet in the new Family Life Center conference room at First Presbyterian Church-Midland, on Wednesday, June 4, 2014 at 11:30 a.m. Lunch ($5) and fellowship will follow our time of prayer.

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

Grace and Peace,

Chris

In the News ... "Odessa Senior Takes a Stand to Keep Prayer as Part of Graduation Ceremony"

Macey Mariggi, Reporter
KOSA-TV

ODESSA, TEXAS - After the Ector County Independent School District decided to take prayer off the graduation ceremony line-up, one Odessa High senior decided to take a stand.

Next Saturday, 18-year-old Alexis Leal will finally have the freedom to choose. She is preparing to graduate from Odessa High and enter a new chapter of her life.

But, for one last day, the school district makes the call.

"It’s a big tradition they’re taking away from us. Everyone is so used to having a benediction and invocation and it’s just changed a lot of things already," says Leal.

• read/watch the rest of this story

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

PRESBYTERY OF MACKINAC, MICHIGAN AND WISCONSIN - For the past three summers, the senior high youth of First Presbyterian Church of Marquette (MI) have been raising money to go on mission trips.

Their first was to Common Ground Presbyterian Church outside of Youngstown, Ohio. Goodness Grows, a ministry of Common Ground, is an ecomission that grows food locally and teaches sustainable agriculture. The Marquette group learned how to build garden beds and about composting, planting, and harvesting. At the end of the week, they gathered at a farm outside of Youngstown, where they shared food they had brought from Marquette—Lake Superior whitefish, pasties, and cardamom bread.

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Sunday, June 1, 2014

Fun 'fair trade' items for Dad this Father's Day

Since 1997, Colores del Pueblo been working with artisan cooperatives in Guatemala. Through fair trade practices we hope to inspire postive change in the world. Not only does paying a fair wage help families and communities rise above the cycle of poverty, but it gives them an incentive to continue cultural craft traditions like weaving, basket-making, pottery-making, woodworking and more. Buying socially responsible gifts can help empower women, children, and the economically disadvantaged -- and help them gain some control over their lives.

"Show your appreciation for Dad and bring out his fun-loving side with pants from the "Pineapple Express" and "The Big Lebowski" movies. We work with artisans in Guatemala to help them exit the cycle of poverty and to inspire self-sufficiency. Through this partnership, we, too, are enriched by their beautiful creations."

• We have masks, santos, slingshots, and folk art from Latin America. All pieces are one-of-a-kind ...

• Products made from recycled materials like tire inner tubes, cassette tapes, and candy wrappers ...

• Hand-woven clothing with ikat designs ...

Find out more at ...

Colores del Pueblo
Midland, Texas
(432) 247-1407
• coloresdelpueblo@yahoo.com

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

MINUTE FOR MISSION: RURAL LIFE - I was asked, when I stood my examination before the presbytery, what I thought the most important mission field was in our day. I think people thought I should say Africa or maybe the Middle East. But I said that we should focus on the mission field right outside our doors; that all of us can do mission in the communities where we live, because some kind of ministry always needs doing, and the place we live is the place whose needs we know best.

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