Traveler's Prayer for the Holidays

Here is an old prayer from Judaism that we offer up for you all on your journeys this season.



"May it be Your will, Lord, My God and God of my ancestors, to lead me, to direct my steps, and to support me in peace. Lead me in life, tranquil and serene, until I arrive at where I am going. Deliver me from every enemy, ambush and hurt that I might encounter on the way and from all afflictions that visit and trouble the world. Bless the work of my hands. Let me receive divine grace and those loving acts of kindness and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all those I encounter. Listen to the voice of my appeal, for you are a God who responds to prayerful supplication. Praised are you, Lord, who responds to prayer."

Weekly Bible Verse: Luke 1:68-79

Luke 1: 68“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. 69He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David, 70as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 71that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. 72Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant, 73the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us 74that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, 75in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins. 78By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, 79to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

The Big Story, Part 2. More Explanation and Invitation

Here's a little amplification on God's big story. You are personally invited to Jesus' radical revolution of love. You can help spread the word and bring the greatest love to the world. Take a look.

The Big Story, Part 1: You Are Invited!

Here's a great big story told small for you ... and an invitation. We hope you like it. God bless.

Weekly Bible Verse: Psalm 98: O Sing to the Lord ...

Psalm 98: 1 O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.


2The Lord has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.

3He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

4Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises.

5Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody.

6With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.

7Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it.

8Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy

9at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

Weekly Bible Verse: Isaiah 65:17-25 New Heavens and New Earth, Rejoice!

Isaiah 65: ¹⁷For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. ¹⁸But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight. ¹⁹I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress. ²⁰No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime; for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. ²¹They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. ²²They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. ²³They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord— and their descendants as well. ²⁴Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. ²⁵The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent—its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord.

Advent Celebrations Starting Soon!

Advent will be starting sooner than you think – be prepared and mark your calendars.  On Sunday, November 28, we will start the Advent season with our annual Hanging of the Greens Service in the evening.  It will give us the opportunity to center ourselves, move from the Thanksgiving celebration, and prepare us to receive the greatest gift of our lives.  The next event will be Sunday, Dec. 19, when we have our annual Christmas Concert Event that night.  Then prepare for Christmas Eve Service on Dec. 24 at 7 P.M.  Highlight the dates, and look for more information.

Thanksgiving Service

The annual Thanksgiving Service of the Lionville-Exton Ministerium will be held Sunday, November 21, 2010 at 7 P.M. at the Fairview Presbyterian Church in Glenmoore.  All are invited to join in this warm, community service to celebrate and give thanks.  Mark your calendars and plan to attend this service of thanksgiving.

Cubans Need Living Water

“Cubans drink more rum than water.”


Yes, Cubans need to drink more water, but EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, they need to drink “Living Water!”

Last March I had the opportunity to travel to Cuba - one week to Santiago, the center of Sue’s ministry and one week in Havana. There we participated in the “Living Water Conference” where more than 700 pastors and leaders were trained and encouraged to share “Jesus, the Living Water” with all their fellows.
At a second event, held March 23-26, about 530 delegates from all over Cuba attended the BWA’s Living Water conference at Calvary Baptist Church in Havana. Another 1000 people joined the delegates for an evening rally during the meetings. I had the privilege of sharing “The Living Water!” with them.
The Living Water conference in Havana was meaningful, exciting, historic, joyous, liberating, exuberant, and educational, and participants testified to its importance for their lives. We were all challenged to continue our efforts to share God’s great love in Jesus Christ and to do so “having the mind in you that was also in Christ Jesus …”

One of the most powerful impacts this Living Water conference may have on the strengthening of the churches in Cuba, along with the emphases on leadership and evangelism, was the coming together of the four Baptist communities in Cuba: the Eastern and Western Conventions and the Freewill and Fraternidad Baptists. Only those present can understand the deep feelings this evoked, for relationships have traditionally been strained between some of these bodies, and it has been a struggle to achieve reconciliation.

In testimony to the new relationship, at this Living Water conference, true Christian fellowship was experienced even to the extent of the Presidents of the four conventions washing each others’ feet towards the end of the meeting. This was celebrated as a part of a moving foot-washing ceremony where other leaders washed the feet of selected delegates, including an elderly pastor who had been through the fires of persecution in earlier days, a child, a woman soon to bear a child, a local pastor, and a woman delegate from the smallest Baptist group in Cuba. This was consistent with the servant leadership emphases in the conference and a re-enactment of Jesus washing the accumulated dust off His disciples’ feet.

Jesus is the water that brings life to the soul. By drinking the living water one can live and never thirst again. Yes, Jesus is that

Living Water! Just as the physical body needs water to continue living so does the spirit. Without Him the soul will eventually die. The soul is thirsty and we try to quench that thirst with many things that satisfy for awhile, but eventually we get thirsty again. The only thing that can truly quench the thirst of the spirit is the living water, Jesus Christ.
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. John 7:38 (KJV)

Please remember that as you continue to support Sue’s ministry, you continue to partner with International Ministries and Sue’s efforts to sharing Living Water to Cubans until we can see “Cuba for Christ!”

Carlos Peralta

Letter from missionary Sue Hegarty

Dear Friends,

 

This letter goes out around All Saints Day (November 1), celebrated more in Europe than the U.S. I’d like to use this term in the biblical sense of I Corinthians 1:2 (God’s people) to celebrate you, those who follow my ministry.

 

Currently I am in the United States with Katy on an extended time of speaking in churches, catching up with old friends and making new ones. It has been my privilege to share at an American Baptist Women’s Conference in Maine, and six churches thus far.

 

I have been touched by how God has moved new people to commit to financially support my ministry during the Extra Lift Campaign which ended September 27th! Since I am blessed with a stable base of supporters who continue their giving, that means that I am making progress toward my support goal. I feel deeply moved and encouraged by this support.

 

I also treasure the deepening relationships and how so many are committed to praying for me. Just yesterday I met a couple for the first time, although I have known of them for years as longtime friends of my parents. One of the nicest things they said to me was:

 

“Did you know that we pray for you every day?” This is humbling, yet lifts my spirits.

 

During this time of being in the States, you can keep us in your prayers:

 

• For Katy’s adjustment as she goes to school here in English. 
• For Sue as she travels and speaks in churches. 
• For Sue as she puts together some informational Power Point programs to be made available to the churches. 
• For Ramon as he carries on in Cuba (his parents are with him)

 

I thank the Lord for faithful saints like you. May God richly bless you.

Sue Hegarty