VT Faith Community's Online News - November 2009

Other Faith Common Articles

Faith Common is the email newsletter of the Vermont Ecumenical Council & Bible Society (VEC). PLEASE POST IT in your house of worship. To be added to this newsletter mailing list or to submit news, please send an email to the VEC office at info@vecbs.org.

PRAYER INTENTION
Dear Father of Jesus Christ, Jesus has said that anything we might ask in His name, you will grant it. So in Jesus’ name, give food to the millions of hungry throughout the world. Change the hearts and enlighten the minds of the people of nations that have food, so that they will do what is just, to act for the fundamental right of those who cry out for help.

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
The VEC’s Prayer and Worship Committee is sponsoring a worship service during the January Week of Prayer. It will be held on Sunday, January 24, 2010, 4 pm, at First United Methodist Church in Burlington. Bishop Susan Hassinger will be the homilist. All are welcome; please join us! (Note that the location has changed – it will be in Burlington, not Shelburne.)

ADVENT DAY of PRAYER: LIGHTING OUR PATHWAYS
Sr. Claire Boissy will offer this day of prayer on Saturday, December 12th, 9:30 – 3, Mount St. Mary, 100 Mansfield Avenue, Burlington. For more information, call Sr. Claire at the Institute for Spiritual Development: 802-862-2202.

LATIN AMERICAN CHRISTMAS SERVICE
Bethany United Church of Christ in Montpelier invites all to its annual Latin American service on Sat., Dec. 19th at 5 pm. It is conducted in both Spanish and English and is followed by a fiesta. To learn more, call 802-229-0415.

RIPPLE: YOUTH MINISTRY COOPERATIVE
Youth in the Greater Burlington area – in and around Chittenden County are invited to join this new initiative. Youth in 6th – 12th grades are welcome. The website explains the name “Ripple”: “We never quite know how one small action, inspired by love to bring about peace, might ripple out and change the world.” Ripple aims to create an ecumenical youth ministry program throughout the region, ministering to youth in various congregations by creating opportunities for engagement in a spiritual community of peers.

The Kick-Off Event, in the first week of January, will be at Ascension Lutheran Church in South Burlington. The group will begin planning for the 30-Hour Fast for the Hungry which will be held during the last weekend in March. To learn more, go to: http://ripplevt.ning.com and contact Rachel Stampul or call her at 881-3768.

CHIMES & PRAYERS for COPENHAGEN MEETINGS
As a call to action on global warming, the World Council of Churches is calling on houses of worship around the world to ring their bells or gongs, beat drums, or sound horns 350 times and hold prayer vigils on Dec. 13th during the U.N. climate change meetings in Copenhagen. The WCC invites all faiths to join a symbolic chain of chimes and prayers stretching around the world from the International Date Line beginning at 3 pm local time.

To sign up to receive daily prayer resources and pray for leaders at the Copenhagen meetings, go to: www.topica.com/f/v.html?800150078.800086540

Churches all over Vermont rang their bells during the International Day of Climate Action on Oct. 24, 2009.

To see photos of Vermont actions on that day, go to: www.vtipl.org/image/tid/8

REMEMBER THE POOR
VEC received a message from Arlene, a social justice committee chairperson from a Vermont parish. She recalled a workshop she attended called “Bridges Out of Poverty.” At the workshop, they learned about obstacles that keep people from moving from the lower to the middle class and two of them started with“t”: transportation and teeth. She reminded us to pray for the poor – for these and other needs. She also said, “let us always put ourselves in the shoes of the poor person in all of our interactions.”

FOR THANKSGIVING

Psalm 103, 1 – 5

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget all his
benefits –
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast
love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good as long
as you live
so that your youth is renewed
like the eagle’s.

Happy Thanksgiving!