Thursday, February 23
The Presbytery of Donegal
Pennsylvania
The Presbytery of Donegal, with its 57 churches and 19,335 members, has a long commitment to mission where local needs as well as those abroad have increasingly been supported. In the last two years, Presbyterian Women and the Peace, Justice, and Care of Creation Department have organized a Mission Fair featuring speakers and tabletop displays. People have learned that the seeds of mission take root in all kinds of soil.
At the presbytery's Mission Fair, ideas for local and global service were shared.
At the Mission Fair, the one body of Christ was witnessed in the partnership between the Presbytery of Donegal's churches and South Africa. The Lancaster Immigration and Refugee Program brought the suffering of those far away near to us. The Mission Fair offered folks a pathway to stillness in one church's Peace Garden, and others learned ways to build bridges within communities through programs such as the Spanish Health Ministry.
Perhaps what was most exciting was discovering that it isn't only the big, wealthy churches that can do astonishing things in and for the Lord, but that food banks, community meals, and youth ministries are being brought to life by struggling congregations. The Mission Fair has in part been an incubator of ideas, with people sharing stories of giving that work. The hope is that people leave the fair with a growing belief that there is no limit in place or size to the ways we can serve the Lord through each other.
Let us join in prayer for:
Elder Leah Johnson, corresponding member, GAMC
Presbytery Staff
Rev. Dr. Erin Cox-Holmes, executive presbyter
Rev. Dr. William J. Netting, stated clerk
Susan Harner, business administrator and treasurer
Nan Best, associate for healthy congregations
Amy Wade, Camp Donegal administrator
Frederick Schmidt, hunger action enabler
Barbara Warren, restoring creation enabler
Betty Duncan, resource center director
Rev. Jim Caldwell, global mission advocate
Christine Wells, administrative assistant
PC(USA) Agencies' Staff
Elder Tim Clark, FDN
Dorothy Clark, BOP
Let us pray
Merciful God, you know no borders. And you call us to love and serve our neighbors, all our neighbors, wherever we may find them. Help us to see the need that is there before us in our churches, our homes, our communities. And help us to see the need of those whom we may never meet, but who are, with us, your children. This we ask in the name of the serving Lord. Amen.
Daily Lectionary
Morning Psalms 27; 147:12-20
First Reading Habakuk 3:1-10 (11-15) 16-18
Second Reading Philippians 3:12-21
Gospel John 17:1-8
Evening Psalms 126; 102