Thursday, December 25, 2014

In the News ... "President & First Lady Obama Christmas Message"

White House Image
• Weekly Address: Happy Holidays from the President and First Lady

Ezra Mechaber
whitehouse.gov

WASHINGTON, D.C. In this week's address, the President and First Lady wished Americans a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, and thanked our brave troops for their service ... The President and First Lady asked everyone to take some time this holiday season to visit JoiningForces.gov and find out how to give back to the men and women in uniform who have given so much for all of us.

"Our family will join millions across the country in celebrating the birth of Jesus – the birth not just of a baby in a manger, but of a message that has changed the world: to reach out to the sick; the hungry; the troubled; and above all else, to love one another as we would be loved ourselves ..."


Read the full text of the President and First Lady's message, and watch a video ...

In the News ... "Homeowners In The Basin Get Christmas Wishes Granted Early"

KMID Photo
• Helping families for more than 40 years

Lauren Tropea, Reporter
KMID-TV


MIDLAND, TEXAS - Homeowners across the Basin get early Christmas wishes granted thanks to one non-profit organization who hopes to help with a few much needed home repairs.

"When you don't have the money to remodel your house from the outside, it's kind of hard," said homeowner Gloria Chavarria.

Hard for homeowners who need a little extra help with repairs. That's where Christmas In Action comes into play ...

read/watch the rest of this KMID report


In the News ... "Queen Elizabeth II Christmas Message"

BBC Image
• Queen's Christmas speech emphasises reconciliation

Staff Report
BBC News

LONDON, ENGLAND The Queen has used her Christmas Day broadcast to highlight the importance of reconciliation between people.

She spoke of the impact of the Scottish independence referendum, and also paid tribute to the moment German and British soldiers put down their weapons and met on Christmas Day 1914.

"Sometimes it seems reconciliation stands little chance... but the Christmas truce reminds us peace and goodwill have lasting power," she said ...

... The Queen described how the life of Jesus Christ was an "inspiration and an anchor in my life".

"Christ's example has taught me to seek to respect and value all people, of whatever faith or none," she said ...

Read the rest of this BBC report and watch a video of the Queen's message ...

In the News ... "Law enforcement delivers Christmas dinners"

OA Photo by Mark Sterkel
• Food boxes go to 15 families


Ruth Campbell, Reporter
Odessa American


ODESSA, TEXAS - Members of the Odessa Police Department and Ector County District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday delivered holiday meal boxes to 15 local families.

Deputy Chief Lou Orras said this is the first year the food distribution has been held, starting with Thanksgiving when 10 boxes were delivered to needy families.

A little more than $1,000 was raised for the effort. Donations came from the Odessa Police Department, Odessa Teddy Bear Patrol, the District Attorney’s Office and the Odessa Peace Officer Memorial. Albertsons grocery store on Eighth Street offered a discount to help out ...

 • 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: December 25, 2014


MINUTE FOR MISSION: NATIVITY OF JESUS CHRIST, CHRISTMAS DAY - Dressed in a choir robe, she looked from the back of the church out across the sea of families who had made their way downtown to rejoice in the day that God had sent the Son into this world. Recently she had lost her well-paying job; her stability. She wouldn’t be able to afford to fly home; today, she would be alone.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a woman in the last pew of the church buried under two old raggedy coats and surrounded by three or four large plastic shopping bags stuffed to the fullest. She thought of her family ...

CLICK HERE
to read more.


The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook now available ... 

 The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the compassionate and prophetic disciples among us. They proclaim God’s justice — extending God’s reign each and every day through their lives and work. Their stories will inspire and encourage you. Engage in ministry alongside them by praying through the Mission Yearbook each day.

Order your copy from the Church Store ...

From Austin Seminary: "Advent Devotional" for December 25

"A gift from our community of faith to you. We at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary are devoted to preparing outstanding leaders for Christ’s church. One of the ways that we nurture leaders is by building a loving community of faith and extending God’s grace to others. In this season of anticipation, we extend God’s grace to you and invite you to explore this book of Advent devotions. Through this collection, please join us as we prepare to receive God’s greatest gift—the birth of Jesus Christ."

CLICK HERE for a complete schedule of this season's devotionals.
CLICK HERE to learn how you can support the mission of Austin Seminary


Advent Devotional for Thursday, December 25

Luke 2:8-10

One of my favorite artists is Carroll Cloar, an Arkansan whose paintings were often illustrated fables set against the backdrops of Southern landscapes. Cloar left his native Crittenden County, Arkansas, to get his education at Rhodes College, and stayed there in Memphis for much of his life. He became perhaps the city’s most famous artist. When I think of his work, I think particularly of his painting, “The Night They Heard the Heavenly Music.” It’s based on his childhood memory of walking home one Sunday evening from the humble Pentecostal church to which his mother was devoted. Dressed in the best they have, the painting captures a rural scene and Cloar and his mother pausing to look up at something. They have heard music, and they search for its source through the leafless tree branches and amidst the twinkling stars across a night sky.

Has the music come from somewhere way up and above them? Their faces, cocked intently toward the heavens, make it clear that this is no ordinary night, and what they’re hearing is no ordinary music. Instead, this is a moment of great mystery and wonder.

I think of this well-known painting as I imagine those shepherds “keeping watch over their flock by night.” They are interrupted by an angel who announces to them— to them of all people!—that a Savior has been born in Bethlehem. A humble child wrapped in bands of cloth is lying in a manger; and the angel’s news is hardly out before the most beautiful heavenly music starts up for them, too. “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

The shepherds run until they find that child, and they tell Mary and Joseph about the heavenly music. And, who knows? It may be this news about the music that Mary treasures the most—pondering it in her heart long after the shepherds have returned to their flocks. On their way back, by the way, Luke tells us that they, too, form their own impromptu choir—“glorifying and praising God for all they have heard and seen.”

What is it about this birth, this baby, this Gospel, that invites such heavenly music into our lives and hearts? Even today, it’s a safe bet that, as you read these words, your sound system is rejoicing with Bach and Handel and Amy Grant and Bobby McFerrin. How can we not sing when we get the news that he is born?

Across the days and months ahead, as this baby grows up, we will be following him—as he challenges us,

inspires us, even disturbs us. We will follow him, as best we can, to a world in need, and to a cross, and finally to the life everlasting. But, in each moment of the mystery and wonder of the Christian life, we will never be without a soundtrack. In every season of his life, and of ours, it will all be set to music—sweet, majestic, hymnic, redemptive, heavenly music.

“My life flows on in endless song,
above earth’s lamentation.
I hear the clear, though far-off hymn
that hails a new creation.
No storm can shake my inmost calm
while to that Rock I’m clinging.
Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth,
how can I keep from singing?”

Glory to God, Hymn 821

Theodore J. Wardlaw
President and Professor of Homiletics



For the glory of God and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary is a seminary in the Presbyterian-Reformed tradition whose mission is to educate and equip individuals for the ordained Christian ministry and other forms of Christian service and leadership; to employ its resources in the service of the church; to promote and engage in critical theological thought and research; and to be a winsome and exemplary community of God's people.




This post produced with Bible Gateway reference/link 


Wednesday, December 24, 2014

In the News ... "Local Church Advises People to Be Aware of Thieves This Christmas"

KWES Photo
• Although theft happens year round, many churches are more concerned during Christmas

Zora Asbury, Reporter

KWES-TV

ODESSA, TEXAS - Christmas is a holiday of giving but some people are more concerned with taking, causing some churches to invest in security during the holidays.

Father Mark Woodruff of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church said, "Church is a place where people really feel at home and they feel like it's a religious atmosphere, so they're not realizing that unscrupulous, dishonest people can take advantage of that situation." Unfortunately, some people do capitalize on situation ...

 • read the rest of this KWES report ...


In the News ... "Drilling Company Donates Bonus Checks to Charities"

KOSA Photo
• Opportunity to give back to the community

Caitlin Crawford, Reporter
KOSA-TV


ODESSA, TEXAS - Fasken Oil and Ranch gives out yearly bonuses based on work performance and safety. After only one minor injury, Fasken decided to give the $10,000 dollar bonus to CanElson this year.

Rather than splitting the check among themselves, they decided to donate the funds to charity, and Thursday, the drilling company donated $5,000 to both the West Texas Food Bank and CASA of the Permian Basin ...

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


Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

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

Today in the Mission Yearbook: December 24, 2014


PRESBYTERY OF PLAINS AND PEAKS, COLORADO AND NEBRASKA - Summer camp at Highlands Presbyterian Camp and Retreat Center in Allenspark, Colorado, provides faith-transforming encounters for the young adults who serve as counselors and the youth in their charge. One such encounter happened in the drought-afflicted summer of 2012 as the devastating High Park fire burned over 136 square miles of mountain terrain near Fort Collins.

On June 12, Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp, 30 miles north of Highlands, was forced to evacuate. The Lutheran camp faced losing an entire summer’s program ...

CLICK HERE
to read more.


The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook now available ... 

 The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the compassionate and prophetic disciples among us. They proclaim God’s justice — extending God’s reign each and every day through their lives and work. Their stories will inspire and encourage you. Engage in ministry alongside them by praying through the Mission Yearbook each day.

Order your copy from the Church Store ...

From Austin Seminary: "Advent Devotional" for December 24

"A gift from our community of faith to you. We at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary are devoted to preparing outstanding leaders for Christ’s church. One of the ways that we nurture leaders is by building a loving community of faith and extending God’s grace to others. In this season of anticipation, we extend God’s grace to you and invite you to explore this book of Advent devotions. Through this collection, please join us as we prepare to receive God’s greatest gift—the birth of Jesus Christ."

CLICK HERE for a complete schedule of this season's devotionals.
CLICK HERE to learn how you can support the mission of Austin Seminary


Advent Devotional for Wednesday, December 24

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

This is a puzzling text for Christmas Eve. It contains no explicit mention of Christ, no allusion to prophecy or anticipation of the Day of the Lord. Instead, the reading waxes philosophical, ruminating on time and the varied seasons, travails and joys within time. Why read such a text on the cusp of the Savior’s birth?

We read it to be reminded that Jesus Christ entered our time, our history and was subject to the time that we experience: entering the world as a vulnerable infant, growing, as Luke expresses it, “in wisdom and years,” experiencing rejection and affirmation, eventually dying at the hands of a powerful Empire. The time that Jesus entered—distant as it now is from us—was remarkably like our own. A powerful nation exerted its economic and military domination throughout much of the known world; culture and custom more often set people against one another than united them; as poverty extended its insidious grasp, many awaited a better life and a more humane time. Yet this Jesus who entered our time is also the Lord of all time, the foundation of the world, the alpha and omega, the fulfillment of God’s covenant with humanity, the One who makes all things new.

In his letter from Birmingham City Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. writes to white clergy who had encouraged King to wait patiently because the time for equality was not yet ripe. King responds to this advice by reminding these pastors that time is not neutral. It can be used to build up or to tear down, to enslave or to free. Jesus Christ enters our time to show us the Way beyond the violence, hatred, and division that wracks us over time. He enters our time to proclaim that this new time is now.

Holy God, on this day we give thanks that your Son entered time as subject and Lord. We know there is nothing that we experience in time that Christ has not taken as his own. Show us the ways that reflect his life during the time that we have. Amen.

David H. Jensen
Academic Dean and Professor in the Clarence N. and Betty B. Frierson Distinguished Chair of Reformed Theology



For the glory of God and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary is a seminary in the Presbyterian-Reformed tradition whose mission is to educate and equip individuals for the ordained Christian ministry and other forms of Christian service and leadership; to employ its resources in the service of the church; to promote and engage in critical theological thought and research; and to be a winsome and exemplary community of God's people.




This post produced with Bible Gateway reference/link 


Tuesday, December 23, 2014

In the News ... "Energy Companies Giving Back Despite Declining Oil Prices"

KMID Photo
• Donating money and volunteer time

Camila Bernal, Reporter
KMID-TV


MIDLAND, TEXAS - The price of oil is the lowest it's ever been in years and yet, energy companies in the Permian Basin are making huge monetary contributions during the holidays.

"One of the things that I think any successful business should do, is give back to those in need especially during the holiday season," said Mason Askins C.O.O. Precision Frac, a Midland-based company.

But it's not just one company. Many in West Texas share that generosity ...

read/watch the rest of this KMID report


In the News ... "A Christmas miracle"

OA Photo by Courtney Sacco
• Salvation Army distributes food, toys; Empty Stocking still in need of funds


Ruth Campbell, Reporter
Odessa American


ODESSA, TEXAS - An anonymous $65,000 donation and several other generous Monday donations brought this year’s Empty Stocking Fund almost to the finish line of a $150,000 goal.

The Empty Stocking Fund is an annual fundraising effort by the Odessa American and The Salvation Army that uses donations to provide food, clothing and toys for needy Odessa families.

This year’s goal is $150,000, and as of Monday afternoon, the donations had grown to $128,079.94, including a boost of the anonymous $65,000, which Lt. Joe Contreras said was tremendous.

“It’s a Christmas miracle in itself,” he said ...

 • read the rest of this OA report
 


Special announcement for this week's "Invitation to Prayer"

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

God Became a Little Baby


While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.     Luke 2:6-7 The Message

“God became a little baby. Who can be afraid of a little baby? A tiny little baby is completely dependent on its parents, nurses, and caregivers. Yes, God wanted to become so powerless as to be unable to eat or drink, walk or talk, play or work without many people’s help. Yes, God became dependent on human beings to grow up and live among us and proclaim the good news. Yes, God chose to become so powerless that the realization of God’s own mission among us became completely dependent on us. How can we fear a baby we rock in our arms? How can we be envious of a tender baby? That’s the mystery of the incarnation. God became human, in no way different from other human beings, to break through the walls of power in total weakness. That’s the story of Jesus.”

"Jesus, as we celebrate your birth, may we always appreciate the humility revealed when you, one with God for all eternity, became weak for our sake."

Living in Hope: Advent Meditations from the writings of Henri Nouwen by James E. Adams


A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children

Greetings, Faces of Children Prayer Partner,

The Midland Faces of Children prayer group will not meet on Wednesday, December 24, 2014 as our offices will be closed for the Christmas holiday.

Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer for the littlest citizens of God’s Kingdom! If you have prayer concerns or celebrations about children, those who care for them, those who have authority over them, or those who harm them (the really hard prayers to say sometimes), please send them to me at at claufer@facesofchildren.net, or give me a call.

Christmas blessings,

Chris



Prayer Concerns for the Week of 12/24/14

China

Please pray God’s healing mercies will be upon three little girls at New Day North foster home in China. Rina, Ruby, and Clara were significantly malnourished when they entered the program at New Day and have continued to struggle with digestive issues and other serious medical problems. Please pray these little ones will improve quickly. Give God thanks for the nannies who are working hard to make sure Rina, Ruby, and Clara receive the nutrition and love they need.
more on this from the New Day website ...
Please keep 3-month-old Esther in prayer as she is in very serious condition and needs a new liver. Doctors are only giving her a few weeks to live, but she must be 6 months old before she’s eligible to go on the waiting list for a liver transplant. Pray God will bless Esther with a miracle of healing. Pray she will grow stronger and defy the odds she has been given. Pray for Esther’s nanny and other New Day Foster Home caregivers as they work tirelessly to help this little one survive.

India

Please keep in prayer the children and people who continue to be affected by the world’s deadliest industrial disaster 30 years ago in Bhopal, India. More than 5,000 people were killed when a toxic gas accidentally leaked from a pesticide factory on December 3, 1984 and was blown into the slum colonies surrounding the plant. Activists believe 25,000 people have died since then from illnesses connected to the leak of 40 metric tons of cyanide gas.
more on this issue ...
Pray the thousands of tons of toxic waste buried inside and outside the pesticide factory will be cleaned up soon. Pray for the 50,000 people living around the site whose drinking water has been poisoned by this toxic waste seeping into the ground.
Pray for the survivors of this disaster as they struggle with long-term health issues like cancer, blindness, respiratory difficulties, and immune and neurological disorders. Pray they will receive the support and health care they need to cope with these devastating disabilities.
Please pray for the second and third generations of children affected by this disaster—children born to survivors who were exposed to the gas and to women who drank water contaminated by undisposed toxic waste around the factory. Pray for children born with congenital deformities possibly linked to the deadly leak. Pray for healing and comfort for children born with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, Down’s syndrome, cleft palate, mental disorders, and speech impairments.
more on this request ...
Give God thanks for the work of Rashida Bee and Champa Devi Shukla—two women survivors of the Bhopal disaster—who established a charitable rehabilitation center to help care for 700 children affected by the calamity. Thanks be to God for the dedication of these women and the staff and volunteers with Chingari Rehabilitation Centre as they provide children with physiotherapy, occupational and speech therapy, and hope for the future.
Please pray for wisdom for those in the Supreme Court as they decide which Bhopal victims are eligible for compensation and free health care. Pray the youngest victims will be recognized and given the support they need to survive and thrive.

Philippines

Please keep the children and people of the Philippines close in prayer as they recover from another powerful typhoon that struck the archipelago’s eastern island of Samar on December 6, 2014. Typhoon Hagupit crushed more than ten thousand homes and damaged twice that number of houses as it followed almost the same path taken by last year’s deadly Typhoon Haiyan.
more on this issue ...
more on this issue ...
Thanks be to God the Philippine government evacuated millions of people to higher ground before Hagupit made landfall. And give God thanks the loss of life (an estimated 27 people so far) was significantly lower than with Haiyan which left more than 7,000 people dead or missing and left millions homeless.
more on this request ...
Pray for children and families in remote villages who’ve been cut off from help by washed-out roads. Heavy rains, storm surges, flooding, and landslides have made it very difficult for emergency workers to reach coastal villages hit by the storm. Pray assistance will reach those who’ve been stranded; that God will fulfill their most immediate and deepest needs.
Pray for all those affected by Typhoon Hagupit … for those who’ve been left homeless; those who are in need of food, water, and safe shelter; and for those who have lost crops and livelihoods.

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.



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 ... "Community remembers ‘Mr. Affordable Housing’ Don Hellinghausen"

Courtesy Photo
• "Saw the face of God in every person he met"

By Ed Todd, Reporter
Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS - To know Don Hellinghausen is to witness the good works of a saintly soul.

In crusading for affordable housing for Midland’s poor population, Hellinghausen was the consummate volunteer, gentle and humble, unrelenting and never discouraged. He was ever-persevering in doing the “Lord’s work” in following the Gospel of Matthew by helping others in need ...


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. 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: December 23, 2014


PRESBYTERY OF GLACIER, MONTANA - In April 2012 First Presbyterian Church in Great Falls opened Peace Place Respite Care, which supports families under serious pressure—those with young children (infant through age 5) with special needs. Peace Place offers a paradise of rest (or respite) for a few hours each week. We are fully licensed by the state and are supported by First Presbyterian, Glacier Presbytery, and several grants. We have two caregivers trained in CPR and first aid as well as a host of volunteers ...

CLICK HERE
to read more.


The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook now available ... 

 The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the compassionate and prophetic disciples among us. They proclaim God’s justice — extending God’s reign each and every day through their lives and work. Their stories will inspire and encourage you. Engage in ministry alongside them by praying through the Mission Yearbook each day.

Order your copy from the Church Store ...

From Austin Seminary: "Advent Devotional" for December 23

"A gift from our community of faith to you. We at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary are devoted to preparing outstanding leaders for Christ’s church. One of the ways that we nurture leaders is by building a loving community of faith and extending God’s grace to others. In this season of anticipation, we extend God’s grace to you and invite you to explore this book of Advent devotions. Through this collection, please join us as we prepare to receive God’s greatest gift—the birth of Jesus Christ."

CLICK HERE for a complete schedule of this season's devotionals.
CLICK HERE to learn how you can support the mission of Austin Seminary


Advent Devotional for Tuesday, December 23

Hebrews 8:1-13

In this passage, God promises to “establish a new covenant with the house of Israel” and to “place my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts.”

This intimacy with God’s law will mean that “I shall be their God, and they shall be my people.” People will no longer need to teach others about God because “they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.”

These beautiful promises emerge from Hebrew’s complicated meditations on sin, forgiveness, and temple holiness. Human sin creates distance between God and humans. The purpose of the temple, priests, and sacrifices was to overcome this distance. God is holy and merciful, but people cannot access God’s holiness and forgiveness directly. It must be mediated to them. We need temples and priests.

This passage insists that the days of mediation are over because Jesus is an eternal high priest. There is no longer any need for temples since in Christ humans have an eternal intimacy with God’s holiness and God’s mercy. No sin can undo this intimacy.

We may not have instincts for returning to the liturgies of the Jerusalem temple. But we do know the power of sin to separate, divide, and isolate. Sin breaks relationships, with other people, with God, and with ourselves.

This passage promises that Jesus, our high priest, has broken the power of sin to break us. Jesus eternally and perpetually overcomes the power of sin to kill and divide. God’s mercy and grace are inscribed on the heart of every child of God. And sin cannot erase it.

We may on occasion say to each other, “God forgives you,” but we are not mediating thereby any forgiveness. Forgiveness is written on the heart of every child around the table. We are announcing. Reminding. God’s forgiveness is engraved on everyone’s heart. We each in the hearing know it is true.

God of grace and mercy, we remember this day the power of Jesus Christ to overcome any separation between you and your people. You are our God, and we are your people, forever. Amen.

Lewie Donelson
The Ruth A. Campbell Professor of New Testament



For the glory of God and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary is a seminary in the Presbyterian-Reformed tradition whose mission is to educate and equip individuals for the ordained Christian ministry and other forms of Christian service and leadership; to employ its resources in the service of the church; to promote and engage in critical theological thought and research; and to be a winsome and exemplary community of God's people.




This post produced with Bible Gateway reference/link 


Monday, December 22, 2014

In the News ... "Permian Basin Area Foundation announces $750,000 in grants"

MRT Photo by Tim Fischer
• Gratitude for area nonprofits and donors who support them

Staff Report
Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS - Permian Basin Area Foundation will award $750,000 in year-end grants to 27 regional nonprofits, foundation officials announced Thursday at a press conference at Manor Park.

“The good work of nonprofit organizations is evident every day in our communities, and the foundation is grateful for each of (them) and (their) dedication and passion,” Andrea Goodson, a member of the foundation’s Grants Committee, said in a press release. “These nonprofits enrich the quality of life we enjoy here in the Permian Basin. Their volunteers and staff reflect the character and caring nature of West Texans. It is an honor and privilege for the foundation and its donors to partner with these organizations” ...

 • read the rest of this MRT report ... 


Special announcement for this week's "Invitation to Prayer"

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

God Became a Little Baby


While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.     Luke 2:6-7 The Message

“God became a little baby. Who can be afraid of a little baby? A tiny little baby is completely dependent on its parents, nurses, and caregivers. Yes, God wanted to become so powerless as to be unable to eat or drink, walk or talk, play or work without many people’s help. Yes, God became dependent on human beings to grow up and live among us and proclaim the good news. Yes, God chose to become so powerless that the realization of God’s own mission among us became completely dependent on us. How can we fear a baby we rock in our arms? How can we be envious of a tender baby? That’s the mystery of the incarnation. God became human, in no way different from other human beings, to break through the walls of power in total weakness. That’s the story of Jesus.”

"Jesus, as we celebrate your birth, may we always appreciate the humility revealed when you, one with God for all eternity, became weak for our sake."

Living in Hope: Advent Meditations from the writings of Henri Nouwen by James E. Adams


A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children

Greetings, Faces of Children Prayer Partner,

The Midland Faces of Children prayer group will not meet on Wednesday, December 24, 2014 as our offices will be closed for the Christmas holiday.

Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer for the littlest citizens of God’s Kingdom! If you have prayer concerns or celebrations about children, those who care for them, those who have authority over them, or those who harm them (the really hard prayers to say sometimes), please send them to me at at claufer@facesofchildren.net, or give me a call.

Christmas blessings,

Chris



Prayer Concerns for the Week of 12/24/14

China

Please pray God’s healing mercies will be upon three little girls at New Day North foster home in China. Rina, Ruby, and Clara were significantly malnourished when they entered the program at New Day and have continued to struggle with digestive issues and other serious medical problems. Please pray these little ones will improve quickly. Give God thanks for the nannies who are working hard to make sure Rina, Ruby, and Clara receive the nutrition and love they need.
more on this from the New Day website ...
Please keep 3-month-old Esther in prayer as she is in very serious condition and needs a new liver. Doctors are only giving her a few weeks to live, but she must be 6 months old before she’s eligible to go on the waiting list for a liver transplant. Pray God will bless Esther with a miracle of healing. Pray she will grow stronger and defy the odds she has been given. Pray for Esther’s nanny and other New Day Foster Home caregivers as they work tirelessly to help this little one survive.

India

Please keep in prayer the children and people who continue to be affected by the world’s deadliest industrial disaster 30 years ago in Bhopal, India. More than 5,000 people were killed when a toxic gas accidentally leaked from a pesticide factory on December 3, 1984 and was blown into the slum colonies surrounding the plant. Activists believe 25,000 people have died since then from illnesses connected to the leak of 40 metric tons of cyanide gas.
more on this issue ...
Pray the thousands of tons of toxic waste buried inside and outside the pesticide factory will be cleaned up soon. Pray for the 50,000 people living around the site whose drinking water has been poisoned by this toxic waste seeping into the ground.
Pray for the survivors of this disaster as they struggle with long-term health issues like cancer, blindness, respiratory difficulties, and immune and neurological disorders. Pray they will receive the support and health care they need to cope with these devastating disabilities.
Please pray for the second and third generations of children affected by this disaster—children born to survivors who were exposed to the gas and to women who drank water contaminated by undisposed toxic waste around the factory. Pray for children born with congenital deformities possibly linked to the deadly leak. Pray for healing and comfort for children born with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, Down’s syndrome, cleft palate, mental disorders, and speech impairments.
more on this request ...
Give God thanks for the work of Rashida Bee and Champa Devi Shukla—two women survivors of the Bhopal disaster—who established a charitable rehabilitation center to help care for 700 children affected by the calamity. Thanks be to God for the dedication of these women and the staff and volunteers with Chingari Rehabilitation Centre as they provide children with physiotherapy, occupational and speech therapy, and hope for the future.
Please pray for wisdom for those in the Supreme Court as they decide which Bhopal victims are eligible for compensation and free health care. Pray the youngest victims will be recognized and given the support they need to survive and thrive.

Philippines

Please keep the children and people of the Philippines close in prayer as they recover from another powerful typhoon that struck the archipelago’s eastern island of Samar on December 6, 2014. Typhoon Hagupit crushed more than ten thousand homes and damaged twice that number of houses as it followed almost the same path taken by last year’s deadly Typhoon Haiyan.
more on this issue ...
more on this issue ...
Thanks be to God the Philippine government evacuated millions of people to higher ground before Hagupit made landfall. And give God thanks the loss of life (an estimated 27 people so far) was significantly lower than with Haiyan which left more than 7,000 people dead or missing and left millions homeless.
more on this request ...
Pray for children and families in remote villages who’ve been cut off from help by washed-out roads. Heavy rains, storm surges, flooding, and landslides have made it very difficult for emergency workers to reach coastal villages hit by the storm. Pray assistance will reach those who’ve been stranded; that God will fulfill their most immediate and deepest needs.
Pray for all those affected by Typhoon Hagupit … for those who’ve been left homeless; those who are in need of food, water, and safe shelter; and for those who have lost crops and livelihoods.

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.



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 ... "Local nonprofits share holiday needs"

MRT File Photo
• Ways Midlanders can offer support

By Steve Kuhlman, Reporter
Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS - Just as the holiday season is a time to be enjoyed with friends and family, it is also an opportunity to reflect on how to support those who may need a little bit of help.

Whether it’s a single mother struggling to feed her kids on Christmas or seniors pinching pennies to make it by on a fixed income, there are many who rely on the generosity of others ...


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. 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: December 22, 2014


PRESBYTERY OF DENVER, COLORADO - The Presbytery of Denver and its 51 congregations are committed to connecting with young adults and preserving their place at the table. Enormous spiritual, social, and technological changes define our times. How do we pass on a faith worth claiming in this new context? How can we support the next generation as it seeks to live meaningfully and follow Christ in these changing times? And how can our young adults rise to the challenge of energizing the Christian community?

In 2012 a youth and young adult task force, the Flood, was formed to give voice to this age group in our presbytery ...

CLICK HERE
to read more.


The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook now available ... 

 The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the compassionate and prophetic disciples among us. They proclaim God’s justice — extending God’s reign each and every day through their lives and work. Their stories will inspire and encourage you. Engage in ministry alongside them by praying through the Mission Yearbook each day.

Order your copy from the Church Store ...