Mission Moment 10.14.26

Connie Beemer
Chaplain at EverTrue Brooking Park | St. Louis, Missouri

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.”– Proverbs 22:6

The teen was brought into St. Louis Children’s Hospital, fighting and clawing at the staff, physically pushing against the care that she desperately needed. My chaplain friend was trying to provide prayer or something soothing to help the staff be able to get an IV in, but nothing was working. Suddenly, she remembered the children’s Sunday school song that she had learned and started singing “Jesus Loves Me” to the teen. Immediately, the teen stopped fighting, calmed and sang along with her. For the next two hours, we all took turns singing the song with her to calm her, until she was able to go to sleep.

I wasn’t surprised that the song “Jesus Loves Me” had such a powerful effect. It is one of the most requested spiritual songs in our hospital, and one that is etched onto the hearts of children and adults alike. Most remember it from their earliest days of being in church, or as the song sung over them by their mothers. During difficult moments where family is gathered for the last moments with their child, or for prayers before difficult procedures, the families sing “Jesus Loves Me” together with the chaplains. Its words touch hearts and minds, giving peace, like no other songs that are requested.

Now, as I work with seniors at the other end of the age spectrum in facilities as their chaplain, they also love to hear “Jesus Loves Me” in our services and remember the loving faith being passed on through the words by their own families so many years ago. Although “Jesus Loves Me” is not in our prayer books or liturgical traditions, the power of its simple prose remains within the lives of those professing Christ who seek His peace in their day.

Prayer
Jesus loves me, this I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak, but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
The Bible tells me so.

Giving the Jesus Way

United Christian Ministries is in need of spaghetti.

To donate items, please drop them off at UCM’s building at 191 Skyland Drive. 

Thank you!

First Explorers After-School Recap 10.14.26

It was a short but fun week here at First Explorers After School. Friday was the first day of their fall break, so there was no school that day. Our theme of the month is “Making Good Choices.” Each day we talk about what that means and have the kids give us exanples of what it means to make good choices. On Monday, the 4-H agent came and talked with us about native insects of WNC. On Tuesday, the kids played a spooky version of musical chairs as we played fun Halloween music and games that afternoon. On Wednesday, we had RAs, GAs, and Mission Friends. On Thursday, Generation Kids came and talked with us about making good choices and played games with us. Once again, it was a great week at First Explorers After School! 

Cuba Partnership Video

Both churches have supported each other for the last 12 years. Members of Keryma Bautista Iglesia created this video to share their appreciation for the recent food staples, tables and chairs, and personal care items that the Women’s Mission Circle provided. 

Mission Moment 10.7.26

Jeff Lee
Field Personnel in Skopje, Macedonia

Prayer
“O Lord of my life, give me not the spirit of sloth, idle curiosity, lust for power and idle talk. But grant unto me a spirit of integrity, humility, patience and love. Grant me the wisdom to see my own faults and not to judge my brother or sister.

Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy on me
A sinner
The Lord is my refuge.

O Lord,

I seek you in everything that I do. I pray that everything I do will glorify your name. I want to be known as a man after your heart. Shape me. I want to be called a son of thunder. Make me a voice for the voiceless. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Let me see you in the least of these. I want to be a caretaker of your people and your creation.

Amen.”

I wrote this prayer many years ago and it always surprises me when it comes back into my life. It is a bit of a ramble, but it is from the heart.

When I was in high school, I came across a few verses that really impacted me, and this prayer is based on those verses. Philippians 4:4-7: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

These verses have helped me through many difficult times in my life. The last line of my prayer has a special place in my heart. It comes from my grandfather. He would end every prayer “…and our lives to your service in everything we do.” Because of that, I add it to the end of my prayers also.

Giving the Jesus Way

United Christian Ministries is in need of spaghetti.

To donate items, please drop them off at UCM’s building at 191 Skyland Drive. 

Thank you!

First Explorers After-School Recap 10.7.26

We had another fun-filled week at First Explorers After School! On Monday, we played a game where two teams competed to see which side could stack up all of their cups first. The trick was that each person on their team had to toss a balloon in the air and could only stack cups up until it hit the ground. On Tuesday, Ms. Courtney taught music with us. Each kid got to play on a fun percussion instrument upstairs. On Wednesday, we had RAs, GAs, and Mission Friends. On Thursday, we did a fun experiment to determine which liquid would dissolve candy corn the best. The four liquids we tested were vinegar, vegetable oil, soda, and rubbing alcohol. The results were surprising because only the soda and vinegar dissolved the candy corn! Finally on Friday, we had the kids paint fun designs on paper plates. Overall, it was another great week at First Explorers After School! 

Mission Moment 9.30.26

Sharondalyn Y. DuPree
CBF-Endorsed Chaplain and Founder of Chaplain Life
Salinas, California

My everyday prayers include the Lord’s Prayer, Psalm 23 and a prayer that rises from the words of a familiar hymn, “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah.” The hymn was written by William Williams of Pantycelyn, a Welsh Methodist preacher who lived in the 18th century. Although it was born far from the American South, this hymn has crossed oceans and cultures and has become a prayer that speaks to the human condition everywhere.

For me, it carries the sound of my grandfather’s powerful voice. Tall and slender, bald at the crown with mid-length silver hair along the sides, dressed in a suit and tie every Sunday, he carried a quiet authority. He was a man of few but wise and steady words; yet when he sang, his voice rose with a strength that felt as if it came straight from heaven. He was affectionately known as Mr. B. J., a deacon who served faithfully for more than 70 years in our small rural church in the deep South. I can still hear him standing at the deacons’ table, singing this hymn a cappella with a strength that rose from the depths of his soul. His voice filled the sanctuary with conviction, with my grandmother waving along in praise. People often called on him to sing because he carried a sound that moved hearts. I remember sitting beside him as a child. Sometimes he would create his own verses, songs that rose from the Spirit and flowed from a place only he and God really understood. Those soul stirring renditions shaped me and everyone who heard him.

The words of “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah” are not simply lyrics. They are a prayer. This prayer has been carried by many communities, including Black congregations across the African diaspora. People who knew hardship and uncertainty found in this hymn a steady plea for guidance, strength and provision. While it holds a special place in the Black Church, its message is not isolated to any one person. Every person who sings it may find meaning in its cry for direction andsustaining grace.

While I do not know everything this hymn meant to my grandfather, I still hear his voice singing the lines. Over time, I have crafted my own meaning. When I begin my day, I stand in awe of God who is powerful and mighty and yet willing to guide, hold or protect and carry me. I ask God to direct my thoughts and my steps with wisdom for the day. I ask for a favor that only God can bestow. I am humbled by the gift of divine guidance. The source of God’s Spirit for me yields hope and strength. The hymn speaks of a barren land in a world or situations that can feel barren at times. This hymn reminds me that the weak and even the exhausted can find strength and restoration through the mighty hand of God. The final portion reminds me that I can be resourceful because God provides what I need.

This prayer is not only for me. It is for those around me and for those I serve. It contains so many essential elements in just a few lines. For that, I rejoice. I am grateful that I can still hear the sound! May you hear the sound of what this hymn means for you.

Prayer
Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty.
Hold me with Thy powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more.

– William Williams of Pantycelyn, 1745

First Explorers After-School Recap 9.30.26

Here at First Explorers After School it was another exciting week! On Monday, we had a Lego challenge. We had each kid pick a Lego mini figure. Once they chose a character, they had to build a structure for them to live in using Lego pieces. On Tuesday, Ms. Courtney came and taught music with us. Each kid had a chance to play an instrument and learn music notes. On Wednesday, we had RAs, GAs, and Mission Friends. On Thursday, we played a fun game called “Alligator Swamp Crossing” where we had teams try to make it from one carpet to the other without touching the tile. We gave each team four pieces of cardboard and they had to work together to get everyone across. And finally on Friday, we continued working on our acrylic painting of a Pumpkin. Overall, it was another great week at First Explorers After School! 

Giving the Jesus Way

United Christian Ministries is in need of spaghetti.

To donate items, please drop them off at UCM’s building at 191 Skyland Drive. 

Thank you!