The River

A group of people are standing at a river bank and suddenly hear the cries of a baby.

Shocked, they see an infant floating–drowning–in the water. One person immediately dives in to rescue the child. But as this is going on, yet another baby comes floating down the river, and then another! People continue to jump in to save the babies and then see that one person has started to run away from the group still on shore.

Accusingly they shout, “Where are you going?”

The response: “I’m going upstream to stop whoever’s throwing babies into the river!”

Where are you in this story? Standing on the riverbank? Jumping in to save the drowning babies? Or running upstream to stop the person throwing the babies into the river?

We are all in one place or another and we can all make a difference when we work together!

Free Ministry Resources

Check out the resources found on my website: Barefootpreachr.org

Here you will find links to free devotionals, surveys, handouts, financial guides, leadership resources, church job descriptions, church policy tools and much, much more.

Please check back again shortly, more will be added in the next 24 hours.

Do you know of a resource that you think would help others in ministry? Be sure to tell me!

And let me know what you would like to see here – audio? videos? children’s? teen sources?

Just remember – it’s all available for free!

Justice Events - Updates

The Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition/Atlanta is hosting its quarterly Pot Luck & Forum, Monday, February 7, at Atlanta Friends Meeting House. The Potluck begins at 6:30 p.m. Please bring a dish to share! Discussion at 7:30 with Q & A. A panel of well-informed speakers who know the issues: State Senator Nan Orrock, House Minority Leader, Rep. Stacey Abrams, Linda Lowe, consumer health care advocate, Adelina Nicholls, Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights. R.s.v.p. to Kevin Moran, Organizer at GPJC-SC@yahoogroups.com. Atlanta Friends Meeting House is located at 701 West Howard Avenue, Decatur.

American Friends Service Committee Fourth Annual King Peace Program with music reading and more. Rev. Dr. Bernard Lafayette, Jr. will be the keynote speaker addressing “MLK Jr., and the Friends,” Tuesday, February 8, 6-9 p.m., The King Center/Freedom Hall, 449 Auburn Avenue, NE, Atlanta 30312. For directions and parking info see [Directions] For additional information 404-819-7863 or alovelace@afsc.org. This event is presented in partnership with The King Center, Amnesty International USA- Southern Region, Metro Atlanta DSA Performing Artists for Nuclear Disarmament, Open Door Community, Atlanta Friends Meeting, Atlanta Grandmothers For Peace, Atlanta International Action Center, Nuclear Watch South, WonderRoot, Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition/Atlanta, Human Rights Atlanta, Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless, and the Friends School of Atlanta.

Dr. Joseph E. Lowery returns to the pulpit of Cascade United Methodist Church on Sunday, February 13. The former Cascade Senior Pastor (1986 -1992) and Civil Rights legend will deliver the sermon for the 11 a.m. worship service. Reverend Lowery will also introduce his first book, Singing the Lord’s Song in a Strange Land. (This book is available as a free Kindle ebook) For more information please visit www.cascadeumc.org

Prison Fellowship Conference

On March 28-31, 2010, Prison Fellowship will host the Georgia Out4Life
Prisoner Reentry Conference at the Embassy Suites Atlanta Airport
Hotel. The conference will be conducted in partnership with the
Georgia Department of Corrections and the State Board of Pardons and
Parole. Leaders and volunteers will convene to address practical
barriers to reintegration, cultivate collaborative relationships, and
begin to develop fitting strategies to reduce recidivism and restore
prisoners to their families and communities.

A combination of plenary talks and concentrated workshops will delve
into such topics as employment for ex-offenders, addiction and
recovery, public safety, family issues, special needs of women
prisoners, and the importance of establishing networks to meet these
and many other needs. Your participation is highly valued.

Some of the featured speakers include Mark Earley (Prison Fellowship
President), Brian Owens (Commissioner, DOC), Garland Hunt (Parole
Board Member), Jay Cory (Atlanta Union Mission), Chaplain Susan Bishop
(Metro State Prison), and Vicki Lopez Lukis (Co-Chair, Florida
Secretary of DOC Reentry Advisory Council).

The Out4Life Conference is for pastors, volunteers, community leaders,
government officials, ministry organizations, employers and anyone
interested in helping inmates successfully transition into our
communities. Participants will be encouraged to extend services to
offenders and help build community reentry coalitions across the
state.

For more information, please visit the website at www.out4life.com

Justice and Mercy Impact Ministries … and another update

Men Stopping Violence

Men Stopping Violence is seeking faith based institutions that would like to participate in the Because We Have Daughters (BWHD) program. This fun and educational program will be conducted in partnership with researchers from GSU to study the effectiveness of BWHD as a violence prevention program promoting safety for girls and women. If funded, small stipends will be available for the site, as well as to participants. If interested, please contact http://www.menstoppingviolence.org/index.php

A proposal being submitted requires letters of interest no later than January 19, 2010

Justice and Mercy Impact Ministries … another update

Atlanta Fulton Family Connection Child Abuse and Neglect Council

Atlanta Fulton Family Connection Child Abuse and Neglect Council invites all who work with these issues in nonprofits, ministries, or agencies and other concerned citizens to the January meeting. 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.; Wednesday Jan. 20, 2010; Fulton County Juvenile Court; 395 Pryor Street Room 1132; Atlanta, GA 30312. Please R.s.v.p. by sending me a comment so I can forward your information.

Justice and Mercy Impact Ministries updates

Informational Gathering on Child Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking

January 21 | Avondale Patillo UMC, Decatur

North Georgia Conference
Advocacy Team is hosting a time of discussion, discernment and
decisions for action with metro-area United Methodist churches,
conference leaders, other interested persons and the Interfaith
Children’s Movement. Please join us on Thursday, January 21, 2010 at
10:00 a.m. at Avondale-Pattillo UMC, 3260 Covington Highway, Decatur,
30032. If you plan to attend please R.S.V.P. by commenting here and I will send you additional information.

For more information about ICM check out their website at
www.interfaithchildrenmovement.org

Justice, Mercy & Opportunities!

Wonder how you can live out your faith? Explore these many opportunities!

Faith Communities Responding to Domestic Violence
November 17 | Doubletree Hotel (2061 N Druid Hills Rd, Atlanta)
Religious leaders are frequently the primary contact for support and aid following physical abuse by an intimate partner. On Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. participants in this one-day dialogue with nationally recognized speakers, will build on their own insight and experience as they explore the dynamics of domestic violence, effective responses to victims and abusers, and local resources available to faith communities. Registration is free. Continental breakfast and lunch are provided. Please RSVP by Tuesday, November 10 via email to taylort@gcadv.org or call 404-209-0280 for more information.

Here is another one:

Prison Ministry, Thresholds will provide a two-day training to certify volunteer mentors on consecutive Saturdays, November 14 and 21, 2009, from 8:30-3:00 each day, at Marist School. Thresholds is a structured program using mentors working one-on-one in training prisoners prior to their release in the art of thoughtful decision making. For more information and to apply, contact Jim Powers, Volunteer Coordinator, jfpowers@bellsouth.net or 404-312-2067

You can also check this out:

Visit RaiseMeUp.org to learn more about this national campaign. On the Georgia pages learn how to get involved to help children in our state. You don't have to raise a child to raise them up. You just have to raise your hand and say you'll help.

He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? ~ Micah 6:8

Justice and Mercy Impact Ministry Expo

Quick update on prison ministry expo:

Learn About Justice and Mercy Ministries at Expo This Sunday
10/13/2009

Have you ever felt a burden on your heart to minister to the prisoners in our penal systems? Would you know how to begin if you wanted to explore that call? Would you be able to find some holy task that matches your ability, interest, and situation? The answers are yes to all of these questions IF you attend the Justice and Mercy Impact Ministry Expo this Sunday evening, October 18, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. St Andrew UMC in Marietta will host this expo in the fellowship hall.

Here you can review various ministries that serve victims of crime, help inmates reenter society, visit detention facilities for worship services, sponsor children for summer camp or mentor a child, pray for the victims, the families and offer care and restoration of victims, offenders, criminal justice officials, and more. There will be many ministries present to highlight their ministries.

Come find out more about a particular ministry that interests you or come and see what ministry areas are available. Ministry representatives will be on hand to provide information and answer questions.

JUSTICE and MERCY IMPACT Ministry Expo

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
James 2: 17
Explore ways you can “Rethink Church” – by putting our faith in Jesus Christ into action as we serve and minister to one another and to those outside of our local church. On Sunday evening,
October 18, 2009, from 6:00PM to 8:00PM, various ministries that serve victims of crime, help inmates reenter society, visit detention facilities for worship services, sponsor children for summer camp or mentor a child, pray for the victims, the families and offer care and restoration of victims, offenders, criminal justice officials, and the community as a whole will gather to highlight their programs. St Andrew UMC in Marietta will host this expo in the fellowship hall.

Come find out more about a particular ministry that interests you or come and see what ministry areas are available. Ministry representatives will be on hand to provide information and answer questions. If you volunteer with a particular ministry or would like your ministry to participate, email barefootpreachr@gmail.com and complete an Expo Registration Form.

We (you and I) are the hands and feet of Jesus Christ and God has a place of service for each one of us through these programs. See you October 18th!

No More Ms. Nice

I’ve often wondered if Peter was really asking, “If someone sins against me, seriously, how many times must I forgive? Maybe Peter was thinking –“Okay, other rabbis have taught that three times is enough to forgive, but Jesus, well, he’s always pushing us to do more, to be more, maybe seven times will please him.” Maybe Peter thought this would be showing extreme forgiveness. I mean, after all, how many times could you forgive a person, the same person, for a sin against you, perhaps the same sin? And how great a sin must we forgive? I think that Peter wanted to put a legal limit on forgiveness. He wanted a number where he could finally say, "That’s it! I’ve had it! I’ve done everything I was supposed to do - No more Mr. Nice Guy for me!"

Haven’t we all felt that way at some point? We all carry old baggage where we keep our hurts hidden away. We all have grudges that we lug around, sacks full of hurt and piles of pain that we just can't let go of. We all have that burden which prevents us from fulfilling our God given destiny.

For many years I carried the burden of an unforgiving spirit after the murder of my brother. Those years were filled with pain, hate, rage and fear. God took all of that hurt and pain and gave it meaning. He helped me overcome my unforgiving spirit through prayer and His faithfulness until ten years later when I was able to forgive one of the young men imprisoned for my brother’s murder. God gave meaning to my ordeal by allowing me to bring His message of love to others who are crime victims and those who have been incarcerated for their acts of violence. Now, each day I try to remember the forgiveness I have been given as I think of forgiving others.

“Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.” ~ Matthew 18:21-22 (NRSV)

A matter of human dignity

http://www.umc-gbcs.org/atf/cf/%7B689fea4c-8849-4c05-a89e-c9bc7ffff64c%7D/FAITH%20LEADERS%20STATEMENT%20ON%20HEALTH.PDF

A MATTER OF HEALTH...A MATTER OF WHOLENESS

"Today health care reform has become an urgent priority, with many Americans
fearful about the health care they now hold and more than 45 million lacking
coverage altogether. Rising unemployment, underemployment and a decline in
employment benefits have deprived many more of health care. The health of our
neighbors and the wholeness of the nation now require that all segments of our
society join in finding a solution to this national challenge.

"...Learn to do good, seek justice; rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan,
plead for the widow." Isaiah 1:17
"...Love your neighbor as you love yourself." Matthew 22:39
"...Ye who believe! Stand up firmly for Allah, witness to justice...be just,
that is next to piety." Qur'an 5:8

Our diverse communities of faith -Jewish, Christian and Muslim- are each shaped and
guided by our respective sacred texts which compel us to speak out on behalf of the
most vulnerable members of our society. Today that means making comprehensive
and compassionate health care reform an urgent priority so that all of our neighbors,
especially the people living in poverty, children, and the aged, can be assured of the fullness of life that is central to the holy vision of a beloved and peaceable
community.

No longer can we afford to squander the hopes and dreams of the American people
through a much-too-costly system that contributes to economic despair. Families
and individuals must be able to rely on affordable care in times of illness or accident and preventative care to safeguard health and well-being. Those who are ill need the assurance that coverage will not be canceled by illness or employment
circumstance. They should also be afforded the dignity of selecting their own
caregivers.

Today we pray, each in our own custom, for discernment, boldness, clarity and
leadership in each segment of our society so that we may find the resolve to achieve
health reform worthy of this land. As we together pursue this vision our direction is
certain-it is toward the common good. The prospect of high-quality, affordable
health care for everyone is a measure of our wholeness as a nation.

We pray that our best minds and kindest hearts might be joined in this effort so that
all men, women and children will have the health care they need to live the lives for
which they were created. We stand ready to give our support and energies to its
achievement."

Justice, Mercy and Ministry

Found this while surfing the web tonight, I had actually almost forgotten about it!

General Board of Discipleship Publishes Prison Ministry Tool Box

GBOD’s Discipleship Resources imprint has published a new prison ministry tool box to help congregations address the alarming increase in the U. S. prison population.

The “Congregational Tool Box for Prison Ministry” was created in response to a 2004 General Conference action related to providing restorative justice materials for United Methodist churches.

“The tool box encourages people to look at the whole criminal justice system, while providing practical, hands-on suggestions for ministry in the reality of our current prison system,” says Betsey Heavner, the publication’s author and compiler.

The “Congregational Tool Box for Prison Ministry” ($8.00) is available for download at http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/description.asp?item_id=456465.

“By engaging in and expanding our work in prison ministry, we are reclaiming that part of our Methodist heritage inspired by John Wesley’s passion for those in prison,” says GBOD top executive Karen Greenwaldt.

Churches that are serious about beginning restorative justice ministries or in re-tooling prison ministries will find helpful ways to care for those incarcerated and their families,
provide for children, visit in prisons and bring justice and reconciliation in their communities.

The publication, which updates the “Prison Ministry Guide” published in 1996, targets Christian communities and individuals who recognize God’s call to be involved in ministries of justice and mercy.

“The ‘1996 Prison Ministry Guide’ was out of date. Yet we were getting requests for the guide on a weekly basis,” says Heavner.

The “Congregational Toolbox for Prison Ministry” overviews criminal justice issues and presents some possible ways for churches to engage in prison ministry.

Justice Department statistics indicate that one in every 136 U. S. residents was behind bars in the summer of 2005.

Though more prisons are being built, they cannot keep up with the dramatic increase in the number of persons being incarcerated.

“Congregational Tool Box for Prison Ministry” content was compiled by Betsey Heavner and edited by George Donigian. Content reviewers and contributors included prison chaplains and restorative justice practitioners Pat Dunbar, Harmon Wray, Tom Porter, Cynthia Peters, Rich Stoglin, Mark Hicks, Ann Edgefield and Holly Hickson.

The 26-page resource includes the following chapters:

.Introduction to the Problem of a Growing Prison Population
.Raising Congregational Awareness for Ministering with Those in Prison
.Getting Started with Prison Ministry
.Seven Ways to Engage in Criminal Justice Work and Prison Ministry.

The General Board of Discipleship’s mission is to support annual conference and local church leaders for their task of equipping world-changing disciples. An agency of The United Methodist Church, The General Board of Discipleship (www.gbod.org) is located at 1908 Grand Ave. in Nashville, TN. For more information, call the Media Relations Office toll free at (877) 899-2780, Ext. 7017.

It seems strange to see an article such as this with my name mentioned and credit given to me for something that was just a part of what I do in life. I remember the effort but didn't think anything of it because it seemed to be such a small thing. This effort was done on my part during the time of Matthew's illness and then his death and just over ten years after Mark's death. I was in the midst of grief and wasn't even aware of what the results would be, but I remember thinking that maybe if I opened myself up just a little, God would be glorified in some small way. That God use the circumstances for His glory was the prayer on my heart in the moment I first heard the news of Mark's murder.

Isn't that the prayer that should always be on our hearts? That God be glorified in all that we say and do? And then sometimes, in spite of our own human frailty something bigger than we could have thought possible happens. Bad things happen to each of us in life. Cars break down, jobs are lost, loved ones die, and the everyday worries remain on our minds. But when we just do what it is we are designed to do without thought of ourselves, bigger things happen. Maybe that's what God means for us to do when we are told to "pray continually" and "give thanks in all circumstances".

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Who I am in Christ

Some time ago I read an article giving credit to Garrison Keillor of Lake Wobegon fame for insights on what it means to be Methodist. Many of his observations are true for our church and many of his observations are true for our own personality's!

Here are a few for your enjoyment:
*Methodists believe in prayer, but would practically die if asked to
pray out loud.

*Methodists like to sing, except when confronted with a new hymn or a
hymn with more than four stanzas.

*Methodists believe their pastors will visit them in the hospital, even
if they don't notify them that they are there.

*Methodists usually follow the official liturgy and will feel it is
their way of suffering for their sins.

*Methodists believe in miracles and even expect miracles, especially
during their stewardship visitation programs or when passing the plate.

There are several more and I found myself laughing out loud when I first read them. I also found myself wondering how others see me in light of my claim that I am a Christian, a disciple of Jesus Christ.

*Do others see me embarrassed or ashamed to speak to my friend, to Jesus?

*Do they see me as closed-minded to a new way of exploring God's grace in the world?

*Do people look at me and see someone so absorbed in her own life experiences that I can not see another's pain or suffering?

*Is my service to God an witness of joy in resurrection or is it a chore that must be completed for a reward?

*Finally, can I see the miracles that surround me and am I willing to be the miracle someone else may need?

These are questions we can each ask ourselves without worrying whether we are Methodist or Baptist, Pentecostal or Presbyterian, or another denomination. These are questions to ask of ourselves as Christians, followers of Jesus Christ. Above all else, I pray that others may see Jesus when they look at me and that they may recognize the love that pours from His hands.

"‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." - John 15:12-13

Justice, Mercy and Calling

Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness,
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,
a light to the nations,
to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
I am the Lord, that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to idols.
See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
I tell you of them.
- Isaiah 42:5-9

I had lunch today with a woman who I hope to count among the people I will call “friend”. As we talked about her thoughts for the future and my reflections on the past I was awed again by the hand of God on my life.

Years ago I dreamed of being in the criminal justice profession – just not the way I am doing it! Today God is using me for ministry to the incarcerated, their families and the victims of crime. The work that I am doing now seems so inadequate yet I can see God's mighty works being done through my feeble attempts. Through these years God has truly held my hand and guided me through the trials and joys of life! How can I do anything less than offer him my simple attempts and my open heart?