Lenten Daily Devotion
Tuesday, MARCH 23, 2021
MATTHEW 17:1-8
This story takes us to a mountaintop with Jesus and his disciples, where he is
transfigured before them, his face shining like the sun and his clothes dazzling white
as a cloud overshadows them. Most startling of all, however, is the very voice of God,
which we rarely hear in the Gospel stories. That voice was heard at Jesus’ baptism, and
commands our attention as it is now heard for the second time in Matthew’s narrative,
declaring: “This is my Son, my beloved with whom I am well pleased; listen to him!”
Practice: Prayerfully read this story and enter into the scene in your
imagination, noting what it evokes in you. Listen as the divine voice
identifies Jesus and urges you to “Listen to him!” When you think of
listening to Jesus, what do you recall hearing and learning from him —
from both his words and the life that he lived?
Journal: Note briefly in your journal what you remember of the essential
teachings of Jesus.
Wednesday, |
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The Heart of Mission
March 23, 2021
Congratulations! First Presbyterian Church Champaign was awarded this certificate recently. We have been an Earth Care Congregation since 2012! We are one of 276 other PC(USA) congregations that meet the requirements for this designation.
Those of you who sponsor a student at Presbyterian Education Board in Pakistan directly with PEB have probably received a thank you from your student by now. It is that time of year. Many of us sponsor students through our giving to First Presbyterian Church. In fact, we sponsor
thirteen students! They sent their thank you notes last week. I will post them on the Mission Kiosk board in Westminster Hall. I have been thinking with some of you coming back to limited in-person gatherings, it is time to update Westminster Hall! Their drawings are wonderful and their grateful words even better.
This is the end of our OGHS action Lenten calendar. Easter is almost here!
Peace,
Rev. Dr. Rachel Matthews, Mission Coordinator
Mission Closet – First Presbyterian has a mission closet. You can bring old batteries to be recycled but they must be taped at both ends with scotch tape! You can bring old medicine bottles that will be recycled for veterinary medicines. You can bring your mission hygiene items for SAFE House, Courage Connection or Canteen Run to the mission closet as well. PW collects items for Empty Tomb Layettes. Different volunteers take them to various mission agencies when the collections get full. Thank you all! If you would like to drop anything off and don’t feel comfortable coming in, let Rachel know and she can make arrangements to pick it up or she might even come get it from your house Uber style! Call the church office.
CU at Home – From a recent newsletter Rick Williams, Ministry Development Assistant, said,
We have the good fortune here to witness an abundance of God’s grace poured out for the most vulnerable of His children. Donations of snacks and meals come in almost daily, and in the past week we received donations of personal hygiene items, blankets, and sleeping mats. Local Scout Eli Hess also made his final delivery of cold-weather gear for our friends (see photos of all these blessings and more on our Facebook page)!
Looking to the future, volunteer extraordinaire Warren Charter has been working hard to help improve our use of space in the Phoenix Center, getting rid of clutter and preparing for the addition of a new computer center for our friends to use to look for work and complete online applications for jobs, housing, and other social services! Progress has also been made on water-damage restoration work in C-U at Austin’s Place, allowing the hopeful return of the women’s shelter here to our building in the near future!
THANK YOU for partnering with us so that we, like St. Patrick, can make sure God’s people never feel abandoned. To learn more about what we do, or to donate, visit our website. Follow us on Facebook for daily updates!
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Below is the continuation of our Lenten practice from the PC(USA) One Great Hour of Sharing material. The full map and activities can be found at pcusa.org/oghsmap. You might want to have a small coin bank (Fish bank, First Pres bank) to collect small coins as you do these activities. If you cannot give coins, think about acts of service you can do for others.
Wednesday, March 24, God’s love is shown in so many ways. Find three things you can do today or tomorrow to share God’s love.
Thursday, March 25, Give a gift for every year you have been in school and find 3 books you can donate so another person can read and learn.
Friday, March 26, Learning new languages can help form relationships. Learn about the indigenous peoples who inhabited the land where you are now. Learn the name they gave that place or region.
Saturday, March 27, During a pandemic, access to the things we need to protect ourselves and our families is challenging. Make a gift for each of your favorite items used to protect your health.
Sunday, March 28, Palm Sunday! Make arrangements to bring your fish bank to the church office before Easter. If you can’t make it until after Easter, that is just fine too!
Opportunity International: Note this really interesting opportunity!
PASSPORT TO OPPORTUNITY: COLOMBIA, A Virtual Insight Trip,
Sunday, April 25 | 2:00-3:00PM CT | Virtual,
Journey with us back to where it all began 50 years ago! In this exciting one-hour experience, you will travel through the streets of Colombia, sit with clients in their homes, visit a bustling business, and witness transformation in action. Invite the whole family to this unique chance to travel overseas right from your own living room!
Please RSVP by April 20
Questions? Please contact Erin Doherty at 312.487.5030 or events@opportunity.org.
Frontera de Cristo on their Coffee, Conversation and Compassion –
Let us keep all our mission partners in our prayers, those who are waiting to go back to their place of ministry and those who are able to work where they are. Listen for God’s call to you in their ministry.
Our PC(USA) Mission CoWorkers:
Mark Adams and Miriam Maidonado Escobar (Mexico)
Farsijanna Adeney-Risakotta (Indonesia)
Jeff and Christi Boyd (Central Africa)
Bob and Kristi Rice (South Sudan)
Our regional and global mission partners:
Kemmerer Village (and Camp Carew)
Lifeline Pilots
Marion Medical Mission
Mission Aviation Fellowship
Opportunity International
Friends of Presbyterian Education Board in Pakistan Presbyterian Cuba Partnership
Special Offerings of the PC(USA)
Theological Education Fund
Young Adult Volunteers
Here in Champaign – Urbana:
CU at Home
CANAAN S.A.F.E. HOUSE
CANTEEN RUN
COURAGE CONNECTION
DREAAM
eMPTY TOMB, INC
FAITH IN ACTION
JESUS IS THE WAY PRISON MINISTRY
THE REFUGEE CENTER
RESTORATION URBAN MINISTRY
SALT & LIGHT
Here at First Presbyterian Church
FPCC Amateur Preachers
FPCC Environmental Committee working with Faith in Place
FPCC Presbyterian Women
FPCC ESL
FPCC Children, Youth and Families
FPCC Mission Possible/Go and Serve
FPCC Mission Team, World Mission and Community Mission Deacons
302 W. Church Street
Champaign, IL 61820
217-356-7238
info@firstpres.church
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