"Be quick to listen and slow to speak," James counsels us. We're not very good at that, are we? How often do we take time to listen for the sounds of God? Do we hang on God's every word like the lover in the Song of Songs?
Enjoy!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Morning Worship, 8/23/09
Everybody's talking about health care--politicians, citizens, health insurance companies, doctors, nurses. Everybody--except churches. Is health care not a religious issue? Was it not churches who began hospitals in the name of Jesus, the Great Physician?
After worship, we had a great "talk back" session where everyone shared their perspective on the state of health care in America. Feel free to do the same on this blog or wherever you live!
*9/22/09 UPDATE* Thanks to Gin Blake, who just alerted us of a problem with the media player. It played a random, previous worship service rather than the 8/23 service on health care. We've fixed the problem now. Thanks for your patience!
After worship, we had a great "talk back" session where everyone shared their perspective on the state of health care in America. Feel free to do the same on this blog or wherever you live!
*9/22/09 UPDATE* Thanks to Gin Blake, who just alerted us of a problem with the media player. It played a random, previous worship service rather than the 8/23 service on health care. We've fixed the problem now. Thanks for your patience!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Morning Worship, 8/16/09
Monday, August 10, 2009
Morning Worship, 8/9/09
Thursday, August 6, 2009
The Happy Kids Project
A New Initiative from the Mission Team
The Mission Team at Ronceverte Presbyterian Church is in the process of planning a children’s outreach initiative called, The Happy Kids Project. There are two goals:
· to be a resource for obtaining school-related needs for children and youth of low- income parents, boosting their self-confidence and self-worth in school
· to also be a resource for supporting after-school activities and community involvement, planting resiliency factors in the lives of children and youth where few, or none, exist.
Happy Kids referrals will come directly from: local schools and local children’s agencies.
By forming an alliance among ecumenical and civic groups in Greenbrier County, we hope to build a network of support for The Happy Kids Project. Each community will have sponsor groups, or “home bases,” that will be asked to provide very specific school-related needs -- gym shoes, band/choir fees, field trip fees, graduation apparel, and other items that families could not, otherwise, afford. When a need is encountered for an anonymous child in their community, a home base will be notified. It would be their responsibility to develop a donor list, or “team members” within their church or organization, who could be contacted on a rotational basis to provide one need at a time. If anyone is unable to provide an item when they are called, the next person will be called, and so on. Folks can help when they are in a position to help, but they have the option to pass (no questions asked) whenever they cannot. No names will ever be shared.
This program will make a significant difference in the school life of each child it serves. And by working as multiple teams within each community, we will be able to help many children and youth in Greenbrier County. Ronceverte Presbyterian will serve as one of several home bases for Ronceverte Elementary School. If you are willing to be placed on a list of folks to be called on a rotational basis throughout the school year, please let the church office know. The more folks on the list, the fewer times each will be called. This will be an easy program to say yes to in terms of commitment, yet it will provide a valuable resource for our county schools, teachers, and students. Thanks in advance for considering this. Please call or email us today!
The Mission Team at Ronceverte Presbyterian Church is in the process of planning a children’s outreach initiative called, The Happy Kids Project. There are two goals:
· to be a resource for obtaining school-related needs for children and youth of low- income parents, boosting their self-confidence and self-worth in school
· to also be a resource for supporting after-school activities and community involvement, planting resiliency factors in the lives of children and youth where few, or none, exist.
Happy Kids referrals will come directly from: local schools and local children’s agencies.
By forming an alliance among ecumenical and civic groups in Greenbrier County, we hope to build a network of support for The Happy Kids Project. Each community will have sponsor groups, or “home bases,” that will be asked to provide very specific school-related needs -- gym shoes, band/choir fees, field trip fees, graduation apparel, and other items that families could not, otherwise, afford. When a need is encountered for an anonymous child in their community, a home base will be notified. It would be their responsibility to develop a donor list, or “team members” within their church or organization, who could be contacted on a rotational basis to provide one need at a time. If anyone is unable to provide an item when they are called, the next person will be called, and so on. Folks can help when they are in a position to help, but they have the option to pass (no questions asked) whenever they cannot. No names will ever be shared.
This program will make a significant difference in the school life of each child it serves. And by working as multiple teams within each community, we will be able to help many children and youth in Greenbrier County. Ronceverte Presbyterian will serve as one of several home bases for Ronceverte Elementary School. If you are willing to be placed on a list of folks to be called on a rotational basis throughout the school year, please let the church office know. The more folks on the list, the fewer times each will be called. This will be an easy program to say yes to in terms of commitment, yet it will provide a valuable resource for our county schools, teachers, and students. Thanks in advance for considering this. Please call or email us today!
Darfur Update
A Report from the Mission Team
While the world watches . . .
In last month’s newsletter the RPC mission team provided an update on the conflict in Darfur. If you didn’t get a chance to read it, please see the post in our archives; unfortunately, nothing has changed for the better. The janjaweed continues to attack and oppress the people of Darfur as their own government watches and thwarts humanitarian aid efforts. Darfuris are still starving, being forced to live on land that is uninhabitable. They are sick, but there is little to no health care available. Orphaned children, who we would consider to be babies, have taken on adult responsibilities. The daily goal is survival. And the government’s goal--to isolate the remaining Darfuri people until they perish--is slowly succeeding.
“Senators Kerry and Lugar are holding a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Thursday, July 30, to question Special Envoy General Scott Gration . . . Long-term peace in Darfur hinges on the international community uniting behind a tough and comprehensive plan for changing the Sudanese government's behavior.”
-- http://www.savedarfur.org/
Ask and you shall receive . . .
It is a terribly complicated and politically-charged situation that has left us asking what we might do for our neighbors in Sudan. Recently our President called on world leaders and citizens to “make education the new currency.” That challenge, coupled with a drive to do something for the innocent people of Sudan, led to the answer --working with the Southern Sudan Project.
Aweil is a community in Southern Sudan that has been greatly affected by the tragedies of civil war for two decades. Although it is one of the more densely populated areas, there is only one primary school in Aweil. The mission of the Southern Sudan Project is to build a secondary school, so children will have the opportunity to continue their studies and graduate from high school.
Some day, those children may be the new leaders of Sudan! Although a great wall has been built around Darfur (figuratively speaking), we can effect positive change from the outside. “Help us help them. Together, we can build a school, a town, a nation.”
-- http://www.southernsudanproject.org/
Who is your neighbor?
“The tragedy of the situation in Darfur has been largely ignored and dismissed by the world community as a whole and the church in specific. Yet the words of Jesus direct us to love our neighbor, using the standard of the Good Samaritan to define our neighbor. This directive should shape the response of the Christian community.”
-- posted by shoppedude, You Tube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Whnr6Du6YE
How can we help our neighbors in Sudan?
The Ronceverte Presbyterian Mission Team--in partnership with the Southern Sudan Project and with organizational assistance from the SAVEDARFUR Coalition--is planning a community event. The goals are simple: to raise awareness about the conflict in Sudan and to give folks specific opportunities to effect change from right here in Greenbrier County. We will keep you posted as plans progress.
“We will for Aweil!”
Monday, August 3, 2009
Morning Worship, 8/2/09
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