Worship resources for Feb. 5, 2023

February 5, 2023 Fifth Sunday after Epiphany Matthew 5:13-20 It was my turn to make dinner, and I had opted for a new recipe — angel hair pasta coated in a sauce combining roasted garlic, butter, pasta water and a bag of spinach. It smelled heavenly. It tasted like dehydrated ocean water. I had oversalted the pasta water, effectively ruining the dish. Laughing, my husband and I both refilled our water glasses several times as we suffered through our bowls. No doubt that meal will enter our family lore as an evening when nothing went right (Did I mention I also set half a box of pasta on fire?), but it stands out in my mind as a reminder of the power of salt. When used correctly, salt can call out flavors and bring food alive. Just think of a warm brown butter chocolate chip cookie sprinkled with flakey sea salt. Is there anything better? Salt can also act as a preservative. It can clean and heal wounds. According to M. Eugene Boring’s Matthew Commentary in The New Interpreter’s Bible, salt also represented sacrifice (Leviticus 2:13; Ezekiel 42:24), covenant fidelity (Ezra 4:14; Numbers 18:19), and eating together as a way of creating a binding relationship to Matthew’s readers. This evocative, multi-layer metaphor for discipleship opens Sunday’s Gospel passage. It is the role that Jesus, through the pen of Matthew, says is ours. By nature of being a follower of Jesus, we bring out the best in others — the goodness God has already created. We cleanse. We preserve. We bind. Our purpose is derived from and through our relationship with the world around us. ... You can find the rest of the commentary on our website. Thank you to guest writer Rose Schrott Taylor.  Order of worship for Feb. 5, 2023. These liturgies are free to use. Resources for Lent 2023 by Presbyterian Outlook Which wisdom do we seek — Uniform Standard Lessons for Feb. 5, 2023, by Richard Boyce With and for one another — Weekly Christian ed lesson for Feb. 5, 2023, by Joelle Brummit-Yale Want the worship resources for January 29, 2023? You can find them here. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... What to expect from APCE’s 2023 annual event Hybrid workshops, Spanish interpretation, pilgrimages and more. Here’s what you need to know. — Rose Schrott Taylor Re-enchanting doctrine: Listening to God’s Word Can doctrine be redeemed from the label of boring? Austin Seminary professor Cynthia Rigby thinks so. “Unforced Rhythms of Grace” invites rest, accompaniment and lament at APCE’s annual event “God has been weaving the thread.” — Rose Schrott Taylor Unification Commission begins organizing their work to unite OGA and PMA Commissioners discuss how to organize their work and what resources they might need, such as agency descriptions, organizational charts and basic budgets. — Lucinda Isaacs After Roe, 50th March for Life a turning point for national, state abortion protests Since last summer’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, much of the focus of the abortion fight has moved to statehouses. — RNS Practicing a weighty gratitude To Eric Nolin, there is a difference between an airy, disappearing gratitude and a weighty gratitude that sits with you. In a season of cynicism, Nolin seeks God by exploring the latter. — Eric Nolin Podcast review: “FUQ” A podcast exploring all the "Frequently Unasked Questions" of faith. Three self-identified minoritized women in ministry share their opinions on faith, life and formation. — Shani McIlwain When Narcissism Comes to Church John Shustitzky reviews Chuck DeGroat's latest book.  Rev. Katherine B. Harrington joins St. Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church Sheldon Sorge retiring from ‘best call of my life’ in Pittsburgh After more than 20 years of service to the church, Rev. John M. Semmes has announced his retirement, effective February 2023. Make your own post for free! Click here.

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The Voice of the Martyrs - Pray for Christians facing Islamic extremists in Africa.

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Prayer Changes People

Pastor Pascal was leading a prayer meeting at his church on Aug. 5, 2022, when Islamists attacked. That night, 35 Christians had gathered to pray inside the church on the eastern side of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As the Islamists set the building ablaze, Pascal heard the attackers yelling, “When this is done, there will no longer be a church in this area!” Church members ran out the door to escape the fire, but their church building was destroyed. In Burkina Faso, militants killed Miriam’s husband, Pastor Emmanuel, in February 2020. He had lived and served as a church elder in the village of Sebba Faso for years, actively proclaiming the gospel in the region surrounding his village and along the country’s borders with Niger and Mali. The militants, in addition to killing her husband, stole everything of value, including the family’s car. Miriam and her children were left with deep grief and trauma. Attacks on Christians are common in parts of Africa, but we can stand with them in their time of need. Learn how you can pray more specifically for persecuted Christians in Africa at the link below. WAYS TO PRAY

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The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, January 15, 2023

Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community: The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service ...: When it comes to spiritual growth, have you ever felt “height challenged”? If you’ve ever felt somewhat short in the spirituality department...

Sunday's Message: Spiritual Growth for the Height Challenged - Study

Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community: Sunday's Message: Spiritual Growth for the Height ...: When it comes to spiritual growth, have you ever felt “height challenged”? If you’ve ever felt somewhat short in the spirituality department...

Prayers for Our Community, Our Nation and Our World

We can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Between Monday, January 23 and Sunday, January 29, we'll lay before God the needs listed below.

• Monday, January 23, 2023 - That our community, state and national leaders would be presented with the Gospel and a loving Christian witness.
• Tuesday, January 24, 2023 - That we listen to those who have experiences different from our own.
• Wednesday, January 25, 2023 - That our judges and Supreme Court justices would adjudicate with godly wisdom.
• Thursday, January 26, 2023 - That teachers and administrators would be open to God's Word and God's will.
• Friday, January 27, 2023 - That those in the entertainment industry recognize any negative influences within their media creations.
• Saturday, January 28, 2023 - That those in the media and government would report facts accurately and without any bias.
• Sunday, January 29, 2023 - That the people of Ukraine be protected.

WCC NEWS: Opening the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, “we cannot do this work alone”

Aa the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity opened on 18 January, the World Council of Churches staff and partners gathered in a spirit of unity to “Do good; seek justice,” the theme of this year’s special week. Dr Cynthia Bailey Manns, director of Adult Education, Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church, Minnesota, USA, offered a reflection during the prayer on 18 January. Photo: Grégoire de Fombelle/WCC 19 January 2023 During the prayer, those gathered in person and online confessed “sins of injustice and divisiveness” and embraced unity together.  “Together we come before you, a holy family, united in the beautiful diversity of your creation: some of us are Indigenous peoples, some of us are descendants of the enslaved, some of us are descendants of the enslavers, some of us are migrants, some of us are refugees, but all of us are part of the one Body of Christ,” they prayed.  Dr Cynthia Bailey Manns, director of Adult Education, Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church, Minnesota, USA, offered a reflection. Manns was a member of the drafting committee for this year’s Week of Prayer foe Christian Unity materials.  She reflected that contributing to the healing of God’s world requires us to be grounded in God’s love. “We cannot do this work alone, so we engage in this sacred work with trusted spiritual companions and communities, and with God’s unending guidance and presence,” she said. “As Christians, we are forever connected in our responsibility to love and care for others, as we are loved and cared for by God.” She also said that we are one big family—God’s family. “When it seems the world around us is collapsing, it can be difficult to behave in a way that confirms our interconnectedness,” she said. “Our inhumanity towards one another manifests in our blatant denial of each other’s human dignity and freedom.” A Week of Prayer for Christian Unity service was held the same day in New York City at the Interchurch Center Chapel. In a message, Rev. Dr David Latimore, director of the Betsey Stockton Center for Black Church Studies at Princeton Theological Seminary, reflected on the idea of “holy impatience” is a characteristic of people who are seeking justice.  “Delay and difficulty can sometimes rob us of our hope and birth within us a sprit of complacency and acceptance,” he said. “But holy impatience has been a unifying factor for generations of men and women of good intention and good faith.” Holy impatience is the demand that is lifted up from our communities against injustice and oppression, he continued. “We don’t have to wait—there’s work we can do,” he said. “God, let us leave this day different than we found it.” About the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity  From 18-25 January, churches will draw together across the globe to “Do good; seek justice (Isaiah 1:17).” Christians from Minnesota developed the the resources with input from an international group representing the Roman Catholic Church’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the World Council of Churches Faith and Order Commission. The resources include an ecumenical opening prayer service, biblical reflections and prayers for eight days, and other elements of worship.  Each year ecumenical partners in a different region are asked to prepare the materials. With roots going back over 100 years, the dedicated octave of prayers has been jointly commissioned and prepared since 1966, after the Second Vatican Council, by the Roman Catholic Church and the WCC. The materials for 2023 are already available in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Arabic. Photo gallery: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - Morning Prayer 18 January 2023 Learn more about Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Daily resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2023 See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland

Blessed are the Peacemakers: Poem from Seed Thoughts

Seed Thought for This Week  Sent weekly to over 100,000 Christian families.   Blessed are the peacemakers for the shall be called the children of God (Mathew 5:9)    Peace Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred, let me sow love.  Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith.  Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  Where there is sadness, joy.   O Divine Master: Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console. to be understood, as to understand; To be loved, as to love with all my soul. For it is in giving that we receive. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned. It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.  St. Francis of Assisi c. 1200 AD   Sponsored by: Christian Counselor Directory