Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Reflecting God - "Speak of Forgiveness" by Mark Hendrickson - – Embrace Holy Living - The Global Church of the Nazarene's Foundry Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States for Tuesday, 1 May 2018 - Acts 26:9-18

Reflecting God - "Speak of Forgiveness" by Mark Hendrickson -
 – Embrace Holy Living - The Global Church of the Nazarene's Foundry Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States for Tuesday, 1 May 2018 - Acts 26:9-18
"Speak of Forgiveness" by Mark Hendrickson - Acts 26:
9 “I used to think it was my duty to do all I could to combat the name of Yeshua from Natzeret; 10 and in Yerushalayim I did so. After receiving authority from the head cohanim, I myself threw many of God’s people in prison; when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 Often I went from one synagogue to another, punishing them and trying to make them blaspheme; and in my wild fury against them, I even went so far as to persecute them in cities outside the country.
12 “On one such occasion, I was traveling to Dammesek with the full authority and power of the head cohanim. 13 I was on the road, and it was noon, your Majesty, when I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my traveling companions. 14 We all fell to the ground; and then I heard a voice saying to me, in Hebrew, ‘Sha’ul! Sha’ul! Why do you keep persecuting me? It’s hard on you to be kicking against the ox-goads!’ 15 I said, ‘Who are you, sir?’ and the Lord answered, ‘I am Yeshua, and you are persecuting me! 16 But get up, and stand on your feet! I have appeared to you to appoint you to serve and bear witness to what you have already seen of me, and to what you will see when I appear to you in the future. 17 I will deliver you from the People and from the Goyim. I am sending you 18 to open their eyes; so that they will turn from darkness to light, from the power of the Adversary to God, and thus receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who have been separated for holiness by putting their trust in me.’
(Complete Jewish Bible).
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“Been there. Done that. Have the t-shirt.” This little slang phrase is helpful sometimes. It means someone has experienced something to the extent that it’s as if they stayed around and bought a t-shirt as a souvenir commemorating the experience.
Sometimes it’s easy to forget the Apostle Paul “had the t-shirt” when it came to rejecting the gospel of Jesus Christ. He planted so many churches and wrote so many helpful things it’s hard to remember his previous life as a persecutor of the Church.
In today's passage, Paul brought up his sordid past in order to highlight the magnitude of God’s grace. Paul’s new mission: to spread the word about Jesus so people may be forgiven, brought into the light, and added to the number of those being sanctified.
God gives us the same mission, no matter what kind of T-shirt we earned in our lives before Christ. Our role is to proclaim, through our actions and sometimes our words, the reality of forgiveness and new life in Jesus. It’s not something a select few who have “evangelism gifts” do. It’s something we all do. How will your life bear witness to God’s forgiveness in Jesus today?
Hymn for Today: "Ye Ransomed Sinners, Hear" by Charles Wesley.
1. Ye ransom'd sinners, hear,
The pris'ners of the Lord;
And wait till Christ appear,
According to his word:
Rejoice in hope, rejoice with me;
We shall from all our sins be free.
2. In God we put our trust;
If we our sins confess,
Faithful is he and just
From all unrighteousness
To cleanse us all, both you and me:
We shall from all our sins be free.
3. Surely in us the hope
Of glory shall appear:
Sinners your heads lift up,
And see redemption near:
Again I say, rejoice with me;
We shall from all our sins be free.
4. Who Jesus' sufferings share,
My fellow-pris'ners now,
Ye soon the crown shall wear
On your triumphant brow:
Rejoice in hope, rejoice with me;
We shall from all our sins be free.
5. The word of God is sure,
And never can remove;
We shall in heart be pure,
And perfected in love:
Rejoice in hope, rejoice with me;
We shall from all our sins be free.
Thought for Today: Therefore, go and make people from all nations into talmidim, immersing them into the reality of the Father, the Son and the Ruach HaKodesh, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember! I will be with you always, yes, even until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20a).
Please pray: For the development of Christian leaders in Bolivia.
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The Upper Room Daily Reflections: the daily words of wisdom and faith of The United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, United States for Tuesday, 1 May 2018 "Seeing Christ in Others"

The Upper Room Daily Reflections: the daily words of wisdom and faith of The United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, United States for Tuesday, 1 May 2018 "Seeing Christ in Others"
Today’s Reflection:
IN VIRTUALLY EVERY BENEDICTINE COMMUNITY, we see the affirmation, “Treat everyone as Christ.” This statement illuminates the heart of the Benedictine ethic and the hospitality for which many know it. Benedictine hospitality stems from the belief that Christ is present as guest and host in every encounter. …
We can see our spouses, friends, children, grandchildren, coworkers, and strangers as God’s beloved children, treating them always – and even in difficult situations – as we would treat Christ. Our actions matter because they impact our neighbors’ spiritual growth. They shape the quality of God’s experience of the world. (Bruce G. Epperly, The Mystic in You)
From pages 42-43 of The Mystic in You: Discovering a God-Filled World by Bruce G. Epperly. Copyright © 2017 by Bruce G. Epperly. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question: In whom have you seen Christ?
Today’s Scripture: While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. (Acts 10:44, NRSV)
This Week: pray growth of body, mind, and spirit.
Did You Know?
In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers. Call 1-800-251-2468 or visit The Living Prayer Center website.
This week we remember: Athanasius (May 1).
AthanasiusAthanasius
May 01
Athanasius (ca. 296-373), bishop of Alexandria. A native of Alexandria, Athanasius was appointed a deacon and served as secretary to Alexander, bishop of Alexandria, whom he attended at the Council of Nicaea in 325. In 328 Athanasius succeeded Alexander. Because of his refusal to compromise on the decisions made at Nicaea, he earned the enmity of the Arianizing party that gained much power during the latter part of Constantine's and throughout Constantius II's reign. He was exiled five times.
Athanasius is remembered chiefly for his strong stand against Arianism. While in his twenties he wrote his famous work On the Incarnation in which he argued that restoration of human relationship with God necessitated the Incarnation. Between 339 and 359 he penned a series of treatises defending the decisions made at Nicaea. He even enlisted the venerable desert hermit Antony in the cause by writing Antony's biography in 356. After 361 he sought to win the large Semi-Arian party to the Nicene formula homoousios ("of the same essence") and to uphold the full divinity of the Holy Spirit. As a friend of Pachomius and Serapion and biographer of Antony, he gave a boost to the ascetic movement in Egypt. He also introduced monasticism to the West when he brought two Egyptian monks to Rome during his second exile in 339.
If Athanasius had taken the Spiritual Types Test, he probably would have been a Sage. Athanasius is remembered on May 1.
[Excerpted with permission from the entry on Athanasius by E. Glenn Hinson, from The Upper Room Dictionary of Christian Spiritual Formation, edited by Keith Beasley-Topliffe. Copyright © 2003 by Upper Room Books®. All rights reserved.]
Lectionary Readings for Sunday, 6 May 2018
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Acts 10:44-48
Psalm 98
1 John 5:1-6
John 15:9-17

Acts 10:44 Kefa was still saying these things when the Ruach HaKodesh fell on all who were hearing the message. 45 All the believers from the Circumcision faction who had accompanied Kefa were amazed that the gift of the Ruach HaKodesh was also being poured out 46 on the Goyim, for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Kefa’s response was, 47 “Is anyone prepared to prohibit these people from being immersed in water? After all, they have received the Ruach HaKodesh, just as we did.” 48 And he ordered that they be immersed in the name of Yeshua the Messiah. Then they asked Kefa to stay on with them for a few days.
Psalm 98:1(0) A psalm:
(1) Sing a new song to Adonai,
because he has done wonders.
His right hand, his holy arm
have won him victory.
2 Adonai has made known his victory;
revealed his vindication in full view of the nations,
3 remembered his grace and faithfulness
to the house of Isra’el.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the victory of our God.
4 Shout for joy to Adonai, all the earth!
Break forth, sing for joy, sing praises!
5 Sing praises to Adonai with the lyre,
with the lyre and melodious music!
6 With trumpets and the sound of the shofar,
shout for joy before the king, Adonai!
7 Let the sea roar, and everything in it;
the world, and those living in it.
8 Let the floods clap their hands;
let the mountains sing together for joy
9 before Adonai, for he has come to judge the earth;
he will judge the world rightly and the peoples fairly.
1 John 5:1 Everyone who believes that Yeshua is the Messiah has God as his father, and everyone who loves a father loves his offspring too. 2 Here is how we know that we love God’s children: when we love God, we also do what he commands. 3 For loving God means obeying his commands. Moreover, his commands are not burdensome, 4 because everything which has God as its Father overcomes the world. And this is what victoriously overcomes the world: our trust. 5 Who does overcome the world if not the person who believes that Yeshua is the Son of God?
6 He is the one who came by means of water and blood, Yeshua the Messiah — not with water only, but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth.
John 15:9 “Just as my Father has loved me, I too have loved you; so stay in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will stay in my love — just as I have kept my Father’s commands and stay in his love. 11 I have said this to you so that my joy may be in you, and your joy be complete.
12 “This is my command: that you keep on loving each other just as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than a person who lays down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends, if you do what I command you. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a slave doesn’t know what his master is about; but I have called you friends, because everything I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, I chose you; and I have commissioned you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last; so that whatever you ask from the Father in my name he may give you. 17 This is what I command you: keep loving each other!(Complete Jewish Bible).

Acts 10:44-48
Verse 44
[44] While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
The Holy Ghost fell on all that were hearing the word — Thus were they consecrated to God, as the first fruits of the Gentiles. And thus did God give a clear and satisfactory evidence, that he had accepted them as well as the Jews.
Verse 45
[45] And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The believers of the circumcision — The believing Jews.
Verse 47
[47] Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Ghost? — He does not say they have the baptism of the Spirit; therefore they do not need baptism with water. But just the contrary: if they have received the Spirit, then baptize them with water. How easily is this question decided, if we will take the word of God for our rule! Either men have received the Holy Ghost or not. If they have not, Repent, saith God, and be baptized, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. If they have, if they are already baptized with the Holy Ghost, then who can forbid water?
Verse 48
[48] And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
In the name of the Lord — Which implies the Father who anointed him, and the Spirit with which he was anointed to his office. But as the Gentiles had before believed in God the Father, and could not but now believe in the Holy Ghost, under whose powerful influence they were at this very time, there was the less need of taking notice, that they were baptized into the belief and profession of the sacred Three: though doubtless the apostle administered the ordinances in that very form which Christ himself had prescribed.
Psalm 98
Verse 2
[2] The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.
Salvation — The redemption of the world by the Messiah: which was hitherto reserved was a secret among the Jews, yea was not throughly known by the most of the Jews themselves.
Righteousness — His faithfulness in accomplishing this great promise.
1 John 5:1-6
Verse 1
[1] Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
The scope and sum of this whole paragraph appears from the conclusion of it, 1 John 5:13: "These things have I written to you who believe, that ye may know that ye who believe have eternal life." So faith is the first and last point with St. John also.
Every one who loveth — God that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him - Hath a natural affection to all his brethren.
Verse 2
[2] By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
Hereby we know — This is a plain proof.
That we love the children of God — As his children.
Verse 3
[3] For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
For this is the love of God — The only sure proof of it.
That we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous — To any that are born of God.
Verse 4
[4] For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
For whatsoever — This expression implies the most unlimited universality.
Is born of God overcometh the world — Conquers whatever it can lay in the way, either to allure or fright the children of God from keeping his commandments.
And this is the victory — The grand means of overcoming.
Even our faith — Seeing all things are possible to him that believeth.
Verse 5
[5] Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Who is he that overcometh the world — That is superior to all worldly care, desire, fear? Every believer, and none else. The seventh verse 1 John 5:7 (usually so reckoned) is a brief recapitulation of all which has been before advanced concerning the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. It is cited, in conjunction with the sixth and eighth, 1 John 5:6,8 by Tertullian, Cyprian, and an uninterrupted train of Fathers. And, indeed, what the sun is in the world, what the heart is in a man, what the needle is in the mariner's compass, this verse is in the epistle. By this the sixth, eighth, and ninth verses 1 John 5:6,8,9 are indissolubly connected; as will be evident, beyond all contradiction, when they are accurately considered.
Verse 6
[6] This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
This is he — St. John here shows the immovable foundation of that faith that Jesus is the Son of God; not only the testimony of man, but the firm, indubitable testimony of God.
Who came — Jesus is he of whom it was promised that he should come; and who accordingly, is come. And this the Spirit, and the water, and the blood testify.
Even Jesus — Who, coming by water and blood, is by this very thing demonstrated to be the Christ.
Not by the water only — Wherein he was baptized.
But by the water and the blood — Which he shed when he had finished the work his Father had given him to do. He not only undertook at his baptism "to fulfil all righteousness," but on the cross accomplished what he had undertaken; in token whereof, when all was finished, blood and water came out of his side. And it is the Spirit who likewise testifieth - Of Jesus Christ, namely, by Moses and all the prophets, by John the Baptist, by all the apostles, and in all the writings of the New Testament. And against his testimony there can be no exception, because the Spirit is truth - The very God of truth.
John 15:9-17
Verse 9
[9] As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
Abide ye in my love — Keep your place in my affection. See that ye do not forfeit that invaluable blessing. How needless a caution, if it were impossible for them not to abide therein?
Verse 10
[10] If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love — On these terms, and no other, ye shall remain the objects of my special affection.
Verse 11
[11] These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
That my joy might remain in you — The same joy which I feel in loving the Father, and keeping his commandments.
Verse 12
[12] This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Your joy will be full, if ye so love one another.
Verse 13
[13] Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Greater love — To his friends. He here speaks of them only.
Verse 14
[14] Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you — On this condition, not otherwise. A thunderbolt for Antinomianism! Who then dares assert that God's love does not at all depend on man's works?
Verse 15
[15] Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
All things — Which might be of service to you.
Verse 16
[16] Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Ye — My apostles, have not chosen me, but I have chosen you - As clearly appears from the sacred history: and appointed you, that ye may go and bear fruit - I have chosen and appointed you for this end, that ye may go and convert sinners: and that your fruit may remain - That the fruit of your labours may remain to the end of the world; yea, to eternity; that whatsoever ye shall ask - The consequence of your going and bearing fruit will be, that all your prayers will he heard.(John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes).
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"One million see the crucifixion video" by Stephen M. Miller in Olathe, Kansas, United States for Tuesday, 1 May 2018 - Bible blog of award-winning bestselling Christian author, Stephen M. Miller

"One million see the crucifixion video" by Stephen M. Miller in Olathe, Kansas, United States for Tuesday, 1 May 2018 - Bible blog of award-winning bestselling Christian author, Stephen M. Miller.
Stephen M. Miller
DEATH OF JESUS. One million have watched the video What Romans said about crucifixion. Many wondered why the video mixes Roman history with the Christian myth about Jesus. Painting by James Tissot.
WELL THAT WAS A SURPRISE. The Bible background video I produced on a shoestring with duct tape—“What Romans said about the crucifixion”—topped a million views over the weekend.
Sad to say, I can’t predict what Bible background videos (or books) people will like most.
I would never have bet on this video to claw its way to the top of my channel.
For one, the video topic sounds too cerebral.
For another, my agent couldn’t sell any publishers on the idea of me writing a book on this topic. They seemed to think the idea was too cerebral.
Sometimes publishers can’t predict what books will sell well either.
I know that a lot of people outside the faith saw the crucifixion video because thousands wrote their comments…mostly negative.
Short course, they say Christians are not using very much of their brains.
I try to respond to as many as I can. But there are approaching 7,000 comments last time I checked.
If you get some time, take a look at the video.
If you’ve already seen it, you might what to take a dip into the comments section. Lots of people have angry words for religion in general…not just Christianity.
When I dive into answering some of the comments, I have to work hard not to show anger for anger. I try to be…Christian. But sometimes I can’t resist poking fun back at them. I try to do it in a way that will make them chuckle a bit. Sometimes it works. Sometimes not.
Fav videos of the moment
I’ve recently showcased my favorite video of the moment.
Dear Hate
It’s the perfect video to watch before and after reading the comments about the crucifixion video.
I watch it for the message, and to hear my daughter sing. She used to sing around the house as a kid. Now that she’s grown and married, I have to digitize her songs. For me, at least, they’re like balm on a sorry soul.
Creation’s Artist
I’m afraid I delved into a little poetry here. That’s a first.
There wouldn’t be a video if it hadn’t been for me, coatless, stepping out on the back deck of my sister’s house during a snowfall to capture flakes on the camera.
There’s a line in the lyrics about the snowflakes teasing with a kiss. I was standing under a roof overhang, trying to protect the camera lens from the moisture. But a few flakes swirled in and under the roof, tapping me on the cheek and forehead.
It felt like a kiss.
Who knows, maybe that’s one of the ways God shows his affection.
To check out videos I produced on a shoestring with duct tape, here’s the link to my channel.
Subscribe if you like. It’s free. And I produce the videos about the Bible and Christianity just once in a while. Most of the time, at the moment, I’m working on that paraphrase for the Casual English Bible. I’m almost done with the maps for Mark. When that’s done, I’ll post Mark online.
The post One million see the crucifixion video appeared first on Stephen M. Miller. 
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"We're hiring: communications specialist, operations manager, GA field organizer" The Reconciling Ministries Network in Chicago, Illinois, United States for Tuesday, 1 May 2018

"We're hiring: communications specialist, operations manager, GA field organizer"  The Reconciling Ministries Network in Chicago, Illinois, United States for Tuesday, 1 May 2018
Staff transition: Brett Roes
After years in the candidacy process, Reconciling Ministries Network's communications associate, Brett Roes, has been offered a full-time appointment as a Licensed Local Pastor. We are excited for Brett's new journey in The United Methodist Church, though we are sad to see their time with RMN come to a close sooner than we hoped.
About this transition, Brett says:
"My time at Reconciling Ministries Network has been most meaningful. Thanks to the RMN staff - and the Reconciling movement as a whole - I have grown professionally and as a faithful follower of Jesus and justice-seeker. I am thrilled to live even more fully into the calling God has placed on my life, but moving on from this role is bittersweet, as I have also loved being a part of the RMN team. I am grateful to each and every person in this movement whom I have been able to meet, either in person or online. Working alongside you has been such a joy."
Brett has been on staff since August 2017, and will remain available through the end of May.
Give a gift to RMN in Brett's honor
Join our team!
We are growing our team and are currently looking for individuals who not only have the right professional skill set, but also have a passion for creating a church where queer and trans people can thrive. Are you that person? Do you know that person? Apply today! Or, help us spread the word about the opportunity to work for change in The United Methodist Church!
Learn more about available positions and apply
We're hiring
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"Welcoming the Stranger" JustFaith Ministries in Louisville, Kentucky, United States "Latest issue of JustNews - Tuesday, May 1, 2018

"Welcoming the Stranger" JustFaith Ministries in Louisville, Kentucky, United States "Latest issue of JustNews - Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Learn Spanish!post from the blog, Catching Light, by Muriel Schmid
“And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 10:19)
This year’s Ecumenical Advocacy Days (EAD) were entitled “A World Uprooted: Responding to Migrants, Refugees and Displaced People.” For four days, representatives from different Christian denominations gathered in Washington D.C. to reflect on the experience of the migrants and how, as Christian, we are to respond to it. “Compassionately,” was the resounding cry from all of us!
God’s revelation in the Judeo-Christian tradition is deeply rooted in the reality of the migrants. The Bible is written around several experiences of exile, bondage, and displacement. Deuteronomy 10 reminds the Israelites now settled in their Promised Land that they, too, were displaced and enslaved; their relationship to others and to God stems from this foundational past. Similarly, Jesus’ family, according to Matthew, flees persecution for the land of Egypt and Jesus himself speaks of errancy without a place to rest: “foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20)
According to the UN Refugee Agency, approximately 65.6 million people are being forcibly displaced across the globe, the highest number ever recorded. Despite some fears, very few of them end up at our door; the African continent is the most affected by displacement, with Ethiopia and Uganda being the two top countries to host refugees. For instance, according to the Migration Policy Institute, “18,007 Syrian refugees were resettled in the United States between October 1, 2011 [the beginning of the war] and December 31, 2016” whereas “close to 4.9 million Syrians had been registered as refugees as of early January [2017]; the vast majority are in first-asylum countries such as Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq” and “nearly 900,000 Syrians have headed to Europe and filed asylum claims there since the war began.” To date, the U.S. has accepted only 11 Syrian refugees in 2018.
Participants in the EAD discussed the role of our Christian voice in the current context. We all spent the last day of our gathering on the Hill in D.C., presenting our ask to various representatives in Congress. The ask was conveyed as clearly as possible:
“We call on Congress to act with compassion and exercise fiscal responsibility by redirecting funding used for deportations, detention and border militarization, and invest instead in our communities and support for refugees while increasing poverty-focused and peacebuilding international assistance to address the root causes of forced migration.”
During one of our preparatory plenaries, Dr. Elizabeth Ferris made some important points:
  • Facts and myth busting do not work, only personal encounters are transformative and will help U.S. citizens to hear the plight of migrants;
  • Refugees are not victims, but survivors, heroes! We need to change the narrative in order to truly and fully welcome them;
  • The U.S. has a global voice and more than ever, the world needs to hear alternative voices coming from the U.S.;
  • People of faith need to call politicians to higher moral standards.
At some point in her speech, Dr. Ferris told us the story of her aging mother being upset, after a trip to Home Depot, to not have found anyone who spoke English to help her. To which Dr. Ferris responded: “Mom, it’s never too late to learn another language! What don’t you learn Spanish?” She didn’t tell us if her encouragement was successful with her mother; regardless, I love this story, it turns the complaint on its head and must have certainly invited a pause! How can we find words that force us and our interlocuters to pause and reflect?
…But it takes years of forgetting
for a stranger
to breathe the saltwater
or glance at a pile of stones
& say
I arrived through this portal
This is now my home… (~Adrian Castro)
We are all responsible for finding ways to question prejudice and change the narrative. As Christians, we are responsible for responding to the call of welcoming and honoring the stranger. JustFaith Ministries’ 8-week program, Exploring Migration, is one way among many that can help your community to pause and find words.
Read the rest of the blog post here.
“The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution which has to start with each one of us.”(Dorothy Day)
JustFaith Ministries has fully revised JustFaith Catholic and updated its material to include Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’. Compassion for one another, compassion for the world and the whole creation are now at the heart of JustFaith Catholic. Gather a group in your parish and commit to this 24-week spiritual journey, exploring your faith and how to transform the world around you.
For more information, visit our page and register for our new JustFaith.
shared by our partners at Bread for the World
Act Now to Help Renew the Global Food Security Act.
In 2016, Bread for the World members lobbied Congress to pass the Global Food Security Act (GFSA)—the U.S. government’s whole-of-government program to reduce global hunger and malnutrition. Through agricultural innovation and a focus on nutrition, we have seen a 19% drop in poverty and a 26% reduction in child stunting in target countries.
The work must continue. Call (800-826-3688) or email your members of Congress and urge them to co-sponsor the Global Food Security Reauthorization Act. To learn more about Bread for the World’s response to GFSA and how you can help click here.
Help the Maryknoll Sisters provide relief to those with HIV/AIDS in Guatemalashared by our partners at Maryknoll
Maryknoll Sister, Sr. Delia Marie (Dee) Smith, M.M., has been on mission in Guatemala for 25 years, she co-founded Proyecto Vida (Project Life) which provides support for people who are HIV+ and a hospice for those with AIDS. The project offers help to those with nowhere else to turn—those whose lives can be extended by decades through medical and drug treatment, and those in need of peace and dignity as they face the end of this life.
To learn more about Sister Dee’s mission work and how you can help, click here.
Upcoming JFM Graduate Immersions with Maryknoll
EL SALVADOR, November 30 – December 9, 2018
Deadline for signups: July 30, 2018
See flyer for more details.
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JustFaith Ministries is a nonprofit organization that forms, informs, and transforms people of faith by offering programs and resources that sustain them in their compassionate commitment to build a more just and peaceful world.
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JustFaith Ministries
PO Box 221348
Louisville, Kentucky 40252, United States
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"Strong and Courageous" for Tuesday, 1 May 2018 - goTandem

"Strong and Courageous" for Tuesday, 1 May 2018 - goTandem
"Strong and Courageous"
"This is my command--be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)
How much of this verse is subject to choice?
How is God's command to be strong and courageous helpful?
"Not Always Smooth Sailing"
Read
"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
Reflect
The journey of life is not always smooth sailing. You have had and will have times of great blessing and times of significant challenge. As you reflect on the questions below remember that God never wastes your time.
Respond
Make a list of influencers in your life--family, friends, neighbors, coaches, teachers, employers. What did you learn from your experience with these individuals?
As you reflect on your influencers and experiences, you may have recalled some difficult memories. It is easy to piece together how God used the highlights, but how can He use the hard times?
What are some of the hardest times you've experienced in your life? What are some of the best times?
How have your life
experiences shaped you into the person you are today?
Take some time to really think about these things today.
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"Preachers Conference 2018 Registration Open" Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, United States for Tuesday, 1 May 2018

"Preachers Conference 2018 Registration Open" Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, United States for Tuesday, 1 May 2018
Questions?
Contact Rev. Dana Preusch (dpreusch@nts.edu) or (816)268-5408.
(800)831-3011
(816)268-5400
Address postal inquiries to:
Nazarene Theological Seminary
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