This week's author is the Rev. Da Vita D. McCallister, Associate Conference Minister for Leadership and Vitality.
Relevant Text
Revive
To return to consciousness or life : become active or flourishing again
Revival
An act or instance of reviving : the state of being revived
Reflection:
The 2nd Annual Conference Wide Revival will be this week on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. We are not having workshops. There are no breakout sessions and no small group discussions. We will not have an opportunity to vote on resolutions or even to engage in any local service or mission projects. What we are doing is coming together to WORSHIP.
Most of us worship every week in our local settings. We preach, sing, collect the offering, usher, offer the children's message, and/or participate in the service. In many ways the ritual of worship is both a source of strength and a routine that can lose meaning. Worship is relational and all relationships require RENEWAL from time to time. Revival is an opportunity to pay particular attention to our relationship with God through Worship.
In the midst of all that is happening in our world; gun violence spiraling out of control; a contentious and mean-spirited election cycle; devastation in Haiti from a natural disaster and devastation in Syria from a human-made disaster; a flood that has ravaged parts of our country; mourning and anger in Communities of Color; frustration from civil servants; and a rise in racism, homophobia, Islamophobia, and xenophobia in public discourse; we need to renew our relationship with the Divine more than ever. When I am in distress I lean on my primary relationship with my partner. When my children are in distress they lean on their parents. When the Church is in distress we lean on God.
Perhaps this is a moment to Lean on God and REVIVAL is a great way to do it. Revival reminds us that we are NOT alone in the struggle. Revival reminds us that we are NOT without help. Revival reminds us that we are in Relationship with the Divine.
Prayer:
Holy One, REVIVE our Hearts, so that our love for You and our love for our neighbor burns like a candle rekindled. REVIVE our Strength, so that we may stand and face the difficult challenges ahead. REVIVE our Faith, so we can believe that NOTHING is impossible with You. Holy One, REVIVE US Again. AMEN
Special Prayer Requests:
New Requests
Please remember:
Those residents of the southeastern states affected by flooding and the destruction caused by Hurricane Matthew on July 7-8; and
the friends and family of Rev. Paul Bomely, former pastor at Oxford UCC, who died on August 5.
Continuing Requests
Please remember:
The people of Haiti as they try to recover from the destruction of Hurricane Matthew, which struck on October 4;
the family and friends of Rev. Newell Curtis Jr., Pastor Emeritus at Center Congregational Church in Manchester, who died on October 1;
those effected by a fire that destroyed the First Congregational Church of Berkeley, CA on October 1;
those injured when a bomb exploded in New York City on July 17, injuring nearly 30;
the family and friends of Rachel Ciba Markowitz, , daughter of Rev. Michael Ciba and Diane Ciba, who died on Sept 16;
the family and friends of Rev. Aubrey Murphy, Associate Pastor Emeritus of First Congregational Church of Bristol, and member of East Granby Congregational Church, who died on August 30;
those grieving or suffering in Turkey after a suicide bomber attacked a wedding killing more than 50 guests on August 20;
those effected by wildfires in western regions of our nation;
those grieving or suffering after a flash flood in Maryland killed two and destroyed dozens of buildings and vehicles on Aug. 30;
Rev. M. John Arens, Pastor of the New Preston Congregational Church, who had surgery on June 28;
Rev. Da Vita McCallister, Associate Conference Minister for Leadership and Vitality, and her family as they face a loss and difficult illness in the family;
The Rev. Sara Smith, pastor of United Congregational Church of Bridgeport, and her sister Ellen, who is recovering from a stroke;
Rev. Kelly Hough Rogers, Associate Pastor of the Norfield Congregational Church in Weston, whose parents were involved in a tragic car accident. Kelly?s father, Wallace, has died and her mother, Janet, is hospitalized;
Michael White, former Operations Manager at Silver Lake Conference Center, who was diagnosed with colon cancer;
Juliane Silver, the daughter of the Rev. Jim Silver of Middletown, who is in dire need of a liver transplant. We pray that a donor will come forward giving the gift of life and a portion of their liver to Juliane;
the Rev. Dr. Don Westerberg, Pastoral Counselor in New Milford, who recently received a lung transplant and is recovering;
Ewan, grandson of the Rev. Price van der Swaagh, an ordained minister in this conference, as he is treated for leukemia;
Chacy Eveland, husband of the Rev. Marcia Eveland, pastor of the First Congregational Church UCC of Ansonia, who has been moved to a full-time facility for care of dementia;
the Rev. Mary Nelson, South Central Regional Minister of the Connecticut Conference, whose brother is recovering from surgery;
Alisia Selders, daughter of Bishop John Selders, pastor of Amistad UCC in Hartford, in a new round of treatment for cancer;
the thousands of migrants worldwide who flee from violence and persecution in search of safety;
our ecumenical partners in the Kyung-Ki Presbytery in South Korea;
the Conference's partners working for peace in Colombia amidst violence;
the leaders of this nation, that they may meet the challenges of the day with insight, wisdom, and compassion;
this nation, that it may continue its difficult work to end the practices of racism;
those suffering due to the ongoing financial woes of the nation, be they struggling to meet an unaffordable mortgage, seeking employment, or working to find just resolutions; and
those serving or living in war or conflict zones around the world, or where terrorists have struck.
To be added to the prayer list, please send an email to Drew Page at: drewp@ctucc.org.
Please Remember These
Connecticut Conference Churches
In Your Prayers
Simsbury
First Church of Christ, UCC
George M. Harris - SP
Kevin L. Weikel - AP
Cindy Cole - CE
Mark Mercier ? MM
Somers
Somers Congregational Church UCC
Barry Cass - P
Ingrid Goodenow ? CE
Somersville
Congregational Church of Somersville UCC
Graham Van Keuren ? P
South Glastonbury
Congregational Church in South Glastonbury UCC
Richard C. Allen - SP
Tracy Bausum ? CE
South Windsor
First Congregational Church of South Windsor, UCC
Nina Schmid ? DP
To read previous editions of the Spirit Calendar, visit:
http://www.ctucc.org/spiritcalendar/
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The Spirit Calendar: October 10, 2016 by Rev. Da Vita D. McCallister, Associate Conference Minister for Leadership and Vitality
Day D. McCallister
As the Associate Conference Minister for Leadership Development and Congregational Vitality, the Rev. Da Vita McCallister works to develop and implement a strategy and plan to carry out these priorities in the Conference, in partnership with her ...