In Isaiah 58, the prophet exclaims, “Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in” . As the people of Israel returned from the cloud of exile and struggled to rebuild their lives, Isaiah questioned their efforts: Are you not called “to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them?” (Isaiah 58:7).
Then in Matthew 25, we hear Jesus calling to us, “For I was hungry and you gave me food … I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing. … As you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me”.
Isaiah and Jesus are making an important theological point: faithfulness to God causes us to find solutions that will mend broken things— broken lives, broken spirits, broken hearts, broken relationships—things that happen to all of us throughout our lives.
When we give to the One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) offering on Easter Day, we are combining our efforts with those across the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to repair peoples’ lives — people who are hurting, broken, oppressed, lost or on the margins of society. The exact people about whom Isaiah and Jesus are speaking. The people we are called to connect with every day, but especially in the light of the Good News of the resurrection.
I invite you to visit the OGHS website (pcusa.org/oghs) to find all sorts of information on how your gift helps people all over the world and offer prayers for those who will receive monetary support through this offering. Small changes which, when added together here and around the globe, make huge differences in the lives of our siblings in need.
It also happens that this year is the 75th anniversary of One Great Hour of Sharing—this is the perfect opportunity for our congregation to recommit to our participation in this important opportunity to do our part to participate in God’s ongoing repair of the world God so loves. There will be a special offering on Easter Sunday and Gracie Fish Banks will be available for each family to donate to support our Youth Ministry.
That brings me to my challenge. I challenge each of you to increase your gift to the One Great Hour of Sharing offering to benefit Presbyterian ministries to combat hunger, provide assistance after disaster strikes, and to work with sustainable community development. It is my hunch that you will see how giving opens your heart to God’s work in your own life. I hope that you’ll join us this Easter Season as we collect this offering and tangibly witness to the repairing love of God in Jesus Christ through One Great Hour of Sharing.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Julie
The season of Lent is one of my favorite times of year. Even though it is traditionally thought of as a time of restraint and discipline, I look forward to the time we spend together as a congregation during our 40 day journey to Easter. We use this season as a time of reflection; to grow in faith and improve ourselves for God. Lent is a shift in perspective, from the awareness of who Jesus is during Epiphany to the reality of his sacrifice on the cross. The ashes at the beginning of Lent illuminate our human brokenness and our need for salvation through Jesus. Through study, prayer, various activities, and mission projects we are able to take time out of our busy schedules for God.
Each year our Lenten discipline has reflected our needs as a community of faith. Through study, prayer, and various activities and mission projects we have come together as a family. I am reminded of an African Proverb, “If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far, go together”. Each one of these experiences have allowed us to share time with each other and strengthen our bonds as a church family.
This year I thought long and hard about how we would best use this time of preparation. Is there something special that our congregation needs right now? After much thought, I realized how Lent could be a perfect time to reflect on what we have learned from Project Regeneration and use that to pave a way forward as a church. I stumbled upon the study “Jesus Revealed: the I Am Statements of Jesus” and thought, what better way to be led through challenge than through Jesus’ own words. Hopefully this time of study and fellowship will help us to see our future path more clearly and do so with faith and confidence in what lies ahead. To quote Arthur Ashe ‘Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.”
I invite you to enjoy the journey. Know that this experience is a rare gift. Not only does it allow our hearts to be ready for the good news of Easter, but it also gives us a rare opportunity to consider what it means to be Easter people. I leave you now with this simple prayer to bless these next steps together.
Prayer for Travellers
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hands.
Sunday, March 24 at 3 pm. The program will feature the adult choir along with guest singers who will be accompanied by a chamber ensemble and piano. A reception will be held at the conclusion of the program. All are welcome.