Pray with Greece on Sunday, January 13, 2019

Pray with Greece on Sunday, January 13, 2019

greece_kearstin_bailey_2019_01.jpegLectionary Selection: Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Prayers for Greece:  

Loving God, Creator of the heavens and earth, we come before you today with hearts filled with hope for the New Year – one more just and loving than the last. Despite the chaos in our lives and our world, we know you are with us as we work to embody your radical love.

Things are constantly evolving in our world: people seeking refuge continue to flee their homelands, neighbors are reaching out to help however they can, political systems continue to fail those in the most need, and brave individuals relentlessly speak out against injustice. In the midst of all this, the Evangelical Church in Greece seeks to be a advocate for those who are pushed to the margins of society, working together with entire communities to build a stronger world.

Today we hold the Evangelical Church in Greece in our hearts as they work to be faithful witnesses to the Gospel of Jesus Christ everyday, for all God’s people. This is not always easy work, but You call us to be daily examples of Your radical love in the world.

As we go forth in the world today, may we continue to hold our global Christian family in our hearts and minds. Help us, O God, to turn this sense of connection and inspiration into practical action in our local communities.

Amen.

greece_kearstin_bailey_2019_02.jpegMission Stewardship Moment from Greece:

In today’s reading from Luke, we read that the people are filled with expectation – they want a Messiah, they want a Savior – but they don’t know who it is. They think they understand who God has chosen, but are quickly rebuked by John when he tells them that one more powerful is coming. From this story, we can learn that God calls people to a specific purpose. Yes, John was devout, but he was no Messiah. In the same way, each of us is called to a unique purpose. Part of the work of the Evangelical Church in Greece is to help refugees in Katerini, Greece, through Perichoresis NGO, to find their own purpose and path. For some, this means finding fulfilling employment, for others it is supporting their children in their education and rebuilding their family dynamics, while for yet other families it means leaving Greece to build a life elsewhere. Perichoresis NGO’s integration program works with families on an individual level to assess their needs and goals, and then staff makes a plan to help families attain them. I am honored to work with a church and an organization that wants to get to the heart of the human beings they serve.

Prayer and Mission Moment by Kearstin Bailey

Mission Partners in Greece:

More information on Greece: https://www.globalministries.org/greece

Global Ministries Mission Co-worker in Greece:
Kearstin Bailey serves with the Perichoresis of the Evangelical Church of Greece. Her appointment is made possible by your gifts to Disciples Mission Fund, Our Church’s Wider Mission, WOC, OGHS, and your special gifts.