Happiness

2015 COVER

Psalm 32
Prayer: Holy God, we look to so many things for our happiness. We give into the images of peace and joy paraded before us on screens billboards. Yet, we know that nothing compares to the joy of your grace. In the distracted state of our lives we lose sight of your forgiveness. Open our hearts that we might celebrate the joy of the forgiveness that comes even before the words are on our lips. Amen
Question: What keeps you from the true joy of God’s forgiveness?

~ Joshua Brockway, Director for Spiritual Life and Discipleship

Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is offering these simple prayers and questions in connection to this year’s Lent Devotional written by Craig H. Smith, district executive for the Atlantic Northeast District of the Church of the Brethren and ordained minister. (Available from Brethren Press in print and E-Book formats). Join us as we look and listen for the coming of the Word through the reading of scripture, Craig’s reflections, times of prayer, and conversations on this blog.

Let Your Face Shine

2015 COVER

Daniel 9:15-25a

Prayer: God of the Kingdom to come, we too often look to the peace of our past rather than the hope of your reign. Instead of living into your continuing restoration of our world, we long for days gone by, trusting in relics rather than your provision for the day. Let your face shine, showing us the next steps of our journey of faith, trusting in your ever unfolding peace. Amen
Question: What signs of the past do you clench so tightly that you cannot receive what is yet to come?

~ Joshua Brockway, Director for Spiritual Life and Discipleship

Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is offering these simple prayers and questions in connection to this year’s Lent Devotional written by Craig H. Smith, district executive for the Atlantic Northeast District of the Church of the Brethren and ordained minister. (Available from Brethren Press in print and E-Book formats). Join us as we look and listen for the coming of the Word through the reading of scripture, Craig’s reflections, times of prayer, and conversations on this blog.

EYN Devotions February 22-28, 2015

DAILY LINK WITH GOD 2015EYN Devotions graphic
A Daily Devotional Guide from the
EYN (Church of the Brethren in Nigeria)

EYN leaders in Nigeria believe prayer is one of the most important ways to support the Nigerian people and the Church.  These daily devotions were written by EYN members and published by the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria. Reading them daily is a powerful way we can be in solidarity and connect with our brothers and sisters caught in this crisis.  EYN’s daily devotional for 2015 will be posted a week at a time on this blog, appearing mid-week for the following week. More information about the crisis can be found at www.nigeriacrisis.org.

Click on this link for the EYN Devotion Blog Feb 22-28, 2015

Stories from Nigeria: Disempowerment as an IDP

Disempowerment as an IDP – Asabe

ASABE

“She and her relatives spend the day moving her mat from one shady spot to another.” Photo Credit: Cliff Kindy

Being an internally displaced person (IDP) in Nigeria means that one is no longer able to live in one’s own home. Here in Nigeria one and a half million persons have become displaced because of the attacks and threats from Boko Haram. Being displaced means having to relocate to another place. It might entail moving to the home of friends or family who are quite welcoming. It might mean living in the bush where conditions might be minimal but a higher level of security is felt. Or it might mean settling into a camp where there are many other IDPs and some level of support from NGOs or government.

Recently I talked more deeply with an IDP who is living here at the Catholic Retreat Center in Yola. Through marriage she is connected with the bishop of this region and was invited to live here with her extended family when Boko Haram took over her village. She and her family are from EYN. Her father pastored at Lassa.

She has been here for five months. At home she would be busy with tasks that care for her family. Here she sits and waits for food to be given to her. She and her relatives spend the day moving her mat from one shady spot to another as the scorching sun moves across the day. She waits for clothes to be provided for her needs because she had to flee with just what she was wearing. She says she feels she has no power.

At home she has her own garden. If she needs food she goes “to pick the food, cashews, lemons, groundnuts,” to feed her family. If she needs clothes she has them in her house or can sell farm produce or animals for money to buy them. She has resources to purchase school supplies for her children.

Here she feels unable to help others – her family or neighbors. She is without the resources that are so available to her at home. This city is a strange place where she does not have access. At home she has connections but here she is rootless and powerless.

What does this feeling of powerlessness do over a long period? One begins to feel very small and helpless. A recognition of total dependency on others builds a new reality. Where one had been self-reliant and quite independent one becomes incapable of changing the dynamics that impact one’s life. For sure the larger problems appear beyond one’s influence. The problem of violence from Boko Haram seems untouchable. And even the smaller issues begin to appear like mountains.

Prayer? Her prayer that Boko Haram would be stopped before reaching her village was not answered. Her prayer that her needs would be met in a positive way seems to be answered only minimally. Her prayer that the threat of Boko Haram would be eradicated by the government so she could return home has seemingly not been heard. Despair starts to set into her life. Does God even care?

The monotony of life here at the Center is nothing like her life in the village. There she can constantly influence her future. Here she has few ways to change her future. Living door to door here with other IDPs who are similarly disempowered and dependent makes her feel small and worthless.

Later in the evening one of her neighbors exploded with anger for the entire neighborhood to listen in to the family squabble. Having no diversions of work or community activity allows tensions to build between people until they explode. Are there networks of healing in this place?

Continue to pray for Asabe and all the IDP’s in Nigeria.   “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

Teach Me

2015 COVER

 

Psalm 25:1-10

Prayer: Merciful God, we admit that all to often our ways are not your ways. In the midst of fear, anxiety, and loss we take matters into our own hands. We fail to trust what we know from scripture and the great cloud of witnesses. As we prepare for the redemption of your Son, call us back to your truth and remind us of the faith that has nurtured us beyond our merit. Amen
Question: What makes you anxious?

~ Joshua Brockway, Director for Spiritual Life and Discipleship

Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is offering these simple prayers and questions in connection to this year’s Lent Devotional written by Craig H. Smith, district executive for the Atlantic Northeast District of the Church of the Brethren and ordained minister. (Available from Brethren Press in print and E-Book formats). Join us as we look and listen for the coming of the Word through the reading of scripture, Craig’s reflections, times of prayer, and conversations on this blog.

Sound the Alarm

2015 COVER

Joel2:1-2, 12-17

Prayer: O God, in the busyness of our days we lose our attention. In this season of waiting preparation call our minds and hearts back to your presence. As we let go of what seems like only a little part of our daily lives, teach us your ways that we might keep our attention on you. Amen
Practice: Set an alarm on your computer, smart phone, or watch that will call you to prayer each day in this season.

~ Joshua Brockway, Director for Spiritual Life and Discipleship

Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is offering these simple prayers and questions in connection to this year’s Lent Devotional written by Craig H. Smith, district executive of Atlantic Northeast District of the Church of the Brethren and ordained minister. (Available from Brethren Press in print and E-Book formats). Join us as we look and listen for the coming of the Word through the reading of scripture, Sandy’s reflections, times of prayer, and conversations on this blog.

New Frontiers for Farming Solidarity

“Community organization is the key to agricultural success.”

Those words came from Melicio Cantoral Gonzalez, a Honduran farmer who works with the Food Resource Bank’s Nueva Frontera program. During a recent presentation, Melicio and his colleague, Delmis Licona-Godoy, who works in another part of the program, spoke on how their communities’ involvement with the Food Resource Bank, an initiative supported by the Global Food Crisis Fund, has empowered them to make changes to the overall structure of how food security is perceived and what they can do about it.

Despite being an agriculturally centered country, there are 1.5 million people in Honduras who struggle with some form of food insecurity, meaning that they don’t always know where their next meal will come from. Much of this comes from the predominant practice of monoculture in which farmers grow one or two major crops to be sold at market; if something goes wrong during the season, then the farmers experience extreme loss. Melicio spoke about how, during the last season, he and his neighbors lost most of their corn, beans, and coffee due to extreme droughts in the first part of the season followed by constant rain; without the crops to feed their families or to sell, Melicio watched as his neighbors struggled. Through Nueva Frontera, he had begun to diversify his crop selection and was able to sustain his family, and even some of his neighbors, with the harvest of the unaffected crops. While he was still hurt to see many of his crops fail and did not experience as abundant of a harvest, Melicio recognized that he was still far better off than many other farmers in his community.

In addition to learning new growing techniques to aid in establishing food security in Honduras, community engagement around these issues is also flourishing. Delmis Licona-Godoy, a regional program coordinator for Nueva Frontera, spoke about the tools the group is using to encourage conversations between individuals and the local government.  By building relationships with government officials, the advocates for change have been able to work within the system to improve standards of living and farming practices while decreasing negative environmental impacts. Delmis also said that they are working with women and youth in order to give them a voice in their communities through which they can speak about issues such as creation care and women’s rights.

Seeing these two empowered individuals speak was encouraging. Too frequently, food aid programs are not holistic in such that all aspects of the social systems which affect food insecurity are considered. Food aid is given, but the culture of farming or the governmental structure is not affected in such a way as to help the communities stand independently; instead the communities who receive food aid are often pushed into an endless cycle that destroys economies and ecosystems as they fight to keep up. By engaging all parts of society, these cycles are broken, and communities are able to provide for themselves.

Positive and impactful change doesn’t happen overnight. This sort of change requires individuals who are willing to ask questions and to challenge systems which are already in place. Once these questions are asked, a space for revolution is created. By working as a community, these Hondurans have been able to begin to establish a sustainable agricultural system which will benefit many.

We must ask how we can stand in solidarity with those who are working to change such structures while also trying to bring about change in our own communities. One way that we can advocate for such change is to challenge the preconceived notions of the food systems in which we participate; it is easy to overlook the growing practices of what we eat and how it affects the environment and those who work to produce it. Through activities as simple as establishing community gardens, we can create space for a dialogue which will challenge these systems and bring about change and justice for those involved.

For information on how your congregation and community can begin this dialogue by establishing a garden, please visit www.brethren.org/goingtothegarden. Applications for grant funding are currently being accepted.

Peace,
Katie Furrow

EYN Devotions February 15-21, 2015

DAILY LINK WITH GOD 2015EYN Devotions graphic
A Daily Devotional Guide from the
EYN (Church of the Brethren in Nigeria)

EYN leaders in Nigeria believe prayer is one of the most important ways to support the Nigerian people and the Church.  These daily devotions were written by EYN members and published by the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria. Reading them daily is a powerful way we can be in solidarity and connect with our brothers and sisters caught in this crisis.  EYN’s daily devotional for 2015 will be posted a week at a time on this blog, appearing mid-week for the following week. More information about the crisis can be found at www.nigeriacrisis.org.

Click on this link for the EYN Devotion Blog Feb 15-21, 2015

Giving is a privilege

One Great Hour of Sharing Photo by Craig Thompson

One Great Hour of Sharing
Photo by Craig Thompson

An adaptation of an offertory meditation written by Amy Gopp for the 2015 One Great Hour of Sharing

“They voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints” (2 Corinthians 8:3-4).

During what the Apostle Paul calls a “severe ordeal of affliction,” the early churches of Macedonia somehow managed to “overflow in a wealth of generosity” for their sisters and brothers in need. Their own extreme poverty combined with their abundant joy resulted in this overflow, and as Paul testifies, they not only gave according to their means, they gave beyond their means. Yes, beyond their means! Even more remarkable, they actually begged to share in the “ministry to the saints.” Giving is a privilege.

Have you ever imagined what it would be like not to be able to give?

But God provides all we need, enabling us to be in a constant posture of giving. All that is ours is God’s, so everyone has a gift to give. God does not leave anyone out.

God has created a world where there is more than enough; the sheer joy of that blessing is sharing it! Giving back to God is a matter of faith—it is the natural reaction to our saying “yes!” to following Christ. Once you know the invincible love of God and the Good News of the Gospel, you can’t help but share it. In the sharing of your resources, you are living out your confession of faith as followers of Jesus the Christ.

For well over six decades, we have been putting our faith into action and making a difference, alongside literally millions of other Christians throughout North America, through One Great Hour of Sharing. This offering helps empower people across the nation and around the world.

Praise be to God!

Giving itself is a gift. A privilege. An opportunity to respond to God’s outpouring of love for you.

Giving through One Great Hour of Sharing not only changes the lives of individuals and communities in need, it changes the world.

Join our ministry of saints as we receive our offering. Let’s overflow in a wealth of generosity and feel our own hearts, minds, and lives change just as we help to improve and transform the lives of others. Amen.

One Great Hour of Sharing is a special opportunity for you and your congregation to support the life-changing ministries of the Church of the Brethren. Find worship resources for this year’s offering at www.brethren.org/oghs or give now at www.brethren.org/giveoghs .

(Read this issue of eBrethren)

Stories from Nigeria: Rev. L

By Cliff Kindy, Brethren Disaster Ministries volunteer reporting from Nigeria
Names abbreviated for security purposes.

Rev. L explains he is the district secretary for Attagara District of EYN and is from Attagara Village. On June 3, 2014, Boko Haram raided Attagara. Sixty-eight people died in the attack and sixty-five of them were from EYN. The raiders burned seven churches including the only EYN congregation. Unfortunately the other eleven churches in his district fell to the flames of Boko Haram as well as most of the EYN churches in the three neighboring districts.

Rev. L fled across the border to Cameroon while his wife and children fled to Michika. When Michika came under attack in early September the family reunited in Cameroon. Their new home was a refugee camp run by the United Nations. There were thirty thousand neighbors in their new home. The well that supplied the camp ran dry, the nearby river is without water now during the dry season and the nearest village is far enough away that those going for water may choose to stay overnight.

The UN sometimes only brings enough food for seven thousand people so the community has been good and shared what is available. The camp is far enough from the border that Boko Haram raids into Cameroon have not reached the camp but security officials from Cameroon recently rounded up nine people from the camp they accused of being Boko Haram.

People want to return to Nigeria but there continues to be very high risk in their home communities. Boko Haram dumped dead bodies in the wells of Attagara. All the homes are burned there. Even if Boko Haram leaves will they plant explosives as they depart and what about the family members who joined Boko Haram and choose to live in Attagara? But how long will Cameroon continue to host these visitors in the UN camp? Is there a safe place to go in Nigeria?

Most of the EYN refugees are farmers and would be willing to stay in Cameroon. Rev. L plans to visit the government to see if there is a large plot of land where the refugees could settle and farm. He also wants to see about some smaller plots to build five EYN churches. He has decided to stay in Cameroon and work with the church.

You see there are fifteen thousand EYN members in the camp. Since the camp is divided into five wards or sections each ward has an EYN congregation that numbers about three thousand people. There are three ordained EYN pastors and twenty-three evangelists very engaged in the life of these congregations. There have been fifty-three baptisms and two hundred thirty-five births among the EYN members. Their neighbors in the camp are about nine thousand Catholics, four thousand Muslims and one or two thousand Christians from other denominations. Are you interested in helping to plant new EYN churches in Cameroon?