|
MISSIONS
& OUTREACH |
||
| IN
THIS SECTION:
Special Offerings Letter from Foster Child
(New!) Our Wider World (New!)
|
Another story from Global Ministries: Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's glory might be revealed in him,' - John 9:3 Nomvula Shale is HIV positive, but that doesn't stop her from speaking out! Nomvula travels from church to church in South Africa, defying taboos and the stigma of disease in order to provide words of comfort and assurance to those who are drowning in silence. Yesterday she was at Highway Hospice; tomorrow she will be at King Edward Hospital. Today, she counseled two in the parking lot who were too scared to seek help. What for many would be the harbinger of hopelessness is for Nomvula the key that enables her to communicate and be trusted by all who come to her. Why is she HIV positive? She says: "The Scriptures tell us ‘So the glory of God might be revealed!'" Nomvula communicates her message to the church, to the government, to the schools, and to the people. She hosts a talk radio show and writes weekly in the newspaper. She leads the HIV and AIDS Desk of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA), which enables local churches to strengthen their own outreach to their communities. With the aid of Global Ministries, Nomvula and the HIV and AIDS Desk work together to fight the goliath of the AIDS pandemic in Africa, through such things as grants to purchase life saving medications, funds for a home-based care project, a new house at the Cebelihle Children's Home and new accommodation for the Siyabathanda ("We are loving them") ministry in Noodsberg. The silence about HIV/AIDS needs to be broken - Nomvula shatters it. In a world in need of hope and direction, Nomvula lives her life the way that God wills the church to be. www.globalministries.org has a revamped website and lots of new features!
We have had a wonderful response (as usual) to our request for
supplies
A
letter from our foster child in Guatemala There is also a nice drawing from Karin Elizabeth on the bulletin board. November 7, 2007 Dear Sponsor, I wish that you and your family are doing fine with God blessings in your daily activities. This is the mother of your sponsored child Karen's to tell you that we are fine although the weather is very cold and windy now. We just celebrated here in town All Saint's Day, we have some traditions for this day for instance we go to the cemetery to visit the graves of the relatives who have died to put flowers on them, meanwhile children enjoy flying kites because it is windy which is good to fly kites, is also a custom to ear boiled corn and guisquiles and eat them at the cemetery close to the graves. I am sorry to tell you that unfortunately Karin failed First grade this year, I hope you do not feel sad for this. I wish you could continue helping her on her education and thank you for all your help this year, we pray the Lord that she approves her grade next year. We send many hugs to you. Julia, mother Note:
there are scholarships available for this course fee ($35) We hear
Women in the Bible: Genesis to Deuteronomy
April 8, 15, 22, 29; May 6, 13 (six Tuesdays); 10:00-noon
Ken
Phifer
Auditorium, Dancey House, 801 W. Middle, Chelsea MI (on the Chelsea Retirement Communities campus) The Bible is one of the central texts of western civilization. Most of the key figures in these writings are men, but women also played vital though often overlooked roles. We will examine these roles and how women are regarded in the first five books of the Bible. There will be presentations on how female and male scholars and religious leaders and traditions view and have viewed the women of the Bible. The course is taught through lectures, discussion, and the reading of the texts. The Revised Standard Version is a good translation, but different translations help us understand the original language. The best book of commentary is The Women's Bible Commentary, edited by Carol A. Newsome and Sharon Ringe (paperback). ALSO: Coming up on April 11, a writing workshop for seniors
called Reconstructing Life Stories. This National News: for articles in full please visit www.ucc.org The UCC is promoting and encouraging more dialog between religion and science: The Rev. Ron Cole-Turner, professor of theology and ethics at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and a member of the UCC's science and technology network, says, "It is really extraordinary that we have this church that has gone on record as positioning itself to engage science. We believe we can, indeed, be contemporary Christians — listening to science and learning theological visions, discovering new theological truths." Olivia Masih White, a geneticist, biologist and UCC lay leader, says she hopes the pastoral letter will help bridge the chasm that too often characterizes two oft-competing realms. "I am a better Christian because I am a scientist," insists White, who says science enables Christians to be better followers of Jesus because it advances the cure of diseases and the alleviation of suffering. |
|
"We're
walking the same path, we're taking part in the same process (of
transformation) and EE has built the bridge that has connected us. Many
co-operatives in Chiapas have a dream to meet their consumers, but EE
has enabled us to realize that dream."