Prior Editions
November 9, 2005
Missions
Minute - The Work Continues ...
Almost
two months after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita ravaged the Gulf coast, the
needs of people in the area continue to mount. As the holiday season
approaches, the spiritual and emotional well-being of many is especially
at risk. I want to call on all of you - as followers of Jesus - to
be the Hope.
Churches in the area know first-hand the dramatic impact of acts of
kindness and affirmation. Two hundred migrant farm workers south of
Miami were among the first affected by Katrina because the flooding left
them without work. When the family at Cutler Ridge United Methodist
Church learned about their situation, they collected 400 pounds of food
and took it to their makeshift labor camp. Churches in South Georgia
have adopted families and started a ministry called "Fresh
Start." They are providing daily living essentials, helping
people find jobs and adopting families in need. Churches in
Mississippi fed and housed evacuees, set up medical clinics, and acted as
distribution centers for law enforcement officers from other states.
Although property, lives, and futures seem destroyed, there is hope.
And the people of God (that's us) represent that hope! The
cross signifies the worst kind of defeat at the same time that it
represents the best hope of humanity. In the midst of tragic loss,
children of Jesus Christ come bearing that cross and sharing hope.
We're a long way away from Louisiana and Mississippi, but there is still a
lot we can do. First,
Pray.
Pray for those trying to put their lives back together. Pray for
those who have lost family and loved ones. Pray for those who have
decided not to return and are starting over somewhere else. Pray for
aid workers and public health officials who are taxed to their limit
trying to meet overwhelming needs.
Give. This is a time of year when we seem more motivated to
give than at other times. I hope you won't forget the Katrina/Rita
relief efforts when you give. When you give through the church,
every penny of every dollar you give goes directly to the relief effort
and doesn't go to administrative costs. The United Methodist
Committee On Relief is working with local agencies
and area churches through the gifts of people all across the nation.
So far (as of October 3rd) donations to UMCOR have surpassed $11 million!
Praise God.
Serve. Soon there will be Volunteers in Mission opportunities
in the region to rebuild churches and homes. If you can, designate
some of your time, vacation, and energy to serving others in this way.
Keep looking in the Chronicle and the church website (http://www.familyofchrist.net)
for more information.
Jesus knew what it meant to be a "stranger in a strange land."
With his parents, he fled to Egypt to escape Herod's wrath (Matthew
2:13-15). It was only after a number of years there that the family
was able to return to Nazareth. Some of Jesus' concern for the
outsider, the forgotten, the uprooted, and the shattered was undoubtedly
formed during those years.
Like our Lord, may we have a soft heart for those who are suffering during
this time and may we respond with the mercy of our God. We know that
there is always hope because there is always God.
Godspeed,
Pastor John
*Many of the statistics and stories contained in this week's Mid-Week
Musings are from the Interpreter (Nov-Dec 2005).
Mid-Week
Musings
An
Occasional bulletin from Christ United Methodist Church