Quote of the Month

You and I, we are the Church, no? We have to share with our
 people. Suffering today is because people are hoarding, not
giving, not sharing. Jesus made it very clear. Whatever you do
 to the least of my brethren, you do it to me.
Give a glass of water, you give it to me. Receive a little child,
you receive me.

--Mother Teresa

 Today's Verse

Matthew 28:18-20
[Jesus said,] "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to very end of the age."

DEVOTIONS

Thoughts on today's verse

Last words. The last words of a parent to a child leaving for college.
The last words of a loved one at the bedside of someone dying. The last
 words of a friend before moving to a distant place. These last words are chosen with care because they leave a lasting impact. Jesus' last words
are our marching orders. "Go make disciples of all peoples! To do this,"
he emphasized, "you must go where they are, baptize them, and then teach
them to do what I taught you to do." Not hard to understand, so what are
we doing about obeying those last commands?

Prayer:

Father, from whom all peoples derive their hope, use your Spirit to rouse
within me a passion to share your grace with all peoples. Nudge me out
of my safety zone and call me into your empowering and sacrificial grace
so that I help others come to know you. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.'

Heartlight Daily Verse by Phil Ware

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"The One whose throne is in heaven sits laughing. . . ." (Psalms 2:4)

TESTIMONIES

Article Life Page. Courier.Aug 4^th, 2004

                                             Houses of Mercy

            One man said, “Grace is getting what we do not deserve, justice
is getting what we do deserve, but mercy is not getting what we do deserve!” 
undeserving as we were? I am so grateful for the mercy of God that
has been extended to me, from God and from people who cared.

            I can remember, during a difficult transitional time for my family,
 how I almost tripped over a bag of groceries as I walked out my front door.
It wasn’t the food, but the act of kindness extended towards us, that
gripped my heart and filled it with thanks for people who obeyed the
impulse of the Holy Spirit. That food never tasted so good.

            The Church of Kelowna (not the institution, but the people,
 you and I, if we are true Christians) has been mandated by God to do
three things in community: we have been commissioned to “act justly,
 love mercy, and walk humbly with your God” (Mic 6:8).

            These questions have been posed: “Has the Church pursued money,
reputation, and comfort at the expense of justice, mercy, and humility?
Has it by its silence, neglect, and abandonment of the culture strengthened
the oppressors in our society? Has the poor, the needy, the afflicted, and
the dying taken a secondary role as a priority in the Church? Has the
pursuit of theological escapism, cultural retreatism, and feel good religion
within the Church helped to contribute to the demise of our culture?
Have we violated and rendered useless the ‘Micah Mandate?’”
(Rusty Lee Thomas, Elijah Ministries).

            Last year the Church of Kelowna instituted a transformational
answer to these questions by initiating a program called Houses of Mercy.
The City needed the help of the Church, and there needed to be a grassroots
movement as close to the needs on the street as possible. Everyone needed
a good neighbour, and in light of last year’s threat of fire, we needed to
see “people helping people” become a lifestyle, not just an event, within
our City.

            The Houses of Mercy movement began last October through
40 homes on 40 streets, identifiable by a House of Mercy flag. The
purpose was three-fold: to become advocates to help people connect with
available community and charitable services when facing a need; to
provide practical acts of assistance through ALMS (Acts of Love and Mercy Servants);
and, to create a new attitude of respect for people and community.

            I believe every house needs to be a house of mercy that cares for
the needs of others. Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall
receive mercy” (Matt 5:7). Every life faces a moment of great need for mercy.

            I encourage you to volunteer with some of these wonderful mercy
ministries activated in the City - eg. Neighbourlink, Churchserve,
Neighborhood watch, Food bank, Back to School Bash (Victory Life Fellowship), etc.
If you want to know more about the Houses of Mercy program,
go to our web site - www.housesofmercy.com or call us at
762-9559 ext 19 (attention Linda Enkurs) or  front desk (0).

            The key to community transformation is involvement. Make a
decision to get involved in making our community safe and healthy by
giving some of your time to organizations who sow acts of mercy and
kindness into people’s lives. We want to thank Mayor Gray and the
business community for their tremendous support.

UPDATES

Our prayers fill heaven and earth for the people that have
been devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

Dear Lord, I pray that you be the strength for the victims of Katrina. I pray that
you give them the peace they need now even as their eyes see their hopes and
reams destroyed. I pray you will let Faith, Hope and Love shine through this
difficult time for them, and I pray you may be a refuge for those that are left
with nothing. Lord, we know that you have the world in your hands, let your name
be held on high and let your mighty power be seen by all and know in our hearts
that you are God. That is my prayer to you my dear Lord. Amen.

Margarita Windsong (internet contribution)

His Eye is On the Sparrow
by Debbie Porter

How could it be Almighty God
would care for such as us?
For in His eyes we surely seem
like nothing more than dust.


Yet care He does, and so much more
than we could understand,
for the God of all creation
gave His best to rescue man.


~ Debbie Porter ~ 

Soaring with the eagles

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

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