Sharing God’s Love, Welcome, and Justice
On Our Corner, in Our City, And in the World
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Minute for Mission: “Sowing the Seeds of Peace” (Zechariah 8:12)
We’ve all witnessed it, haven’t we?
Flowers miraculously blooming across a ravaged landscape. Children holding hands and smiling in the face of war.
We’ve all seen it and wonder how it’s possible. Such scenarios seem unlikely when we’ve all but given up hope. And yet …
The prophet Zechariah casts a vision for peace. He shows forth a world where each person — old and young, all genders and races, people from north, south, east and west — lives without enmity, fear and destruction. In Zechariah’s vision, there is “a sowing of peace” where the world is restored, made whole and abides in peace. People in Zechariah’s prophecy bind themselves together in love for one another, imbued in them by God, where all people have dignity and worth.
The Presbyterian Confession of 1967 invites us, the Church, to be “emissaries of peace.” It also reminds us that “with an urgency born of this hope, the Church applies itself to present tasks and strives for a better world.”
Peacemaking is central to the gospel and the mission of the Church. Peace is possible, and it begins with us sowing the seeds of peace in every interaction and decision we make.
The Peace & Global Witness Offering is one way we can begin to bring peace. Through our generous support, our gifts will combine with churches across the PC(USA) to sow seeds of peace around the globe. Twenty-five percent of this offering will stay with our church to promote peace through our own ministries, and 25% is retained by our presbytery for peace and justice ministries in our region.
This World Communion Sunday, let us remember the Christ who we meet at the Table of Grace and affirm that in Christ all Christians are one, regardless of nationality, race or ethnicity.
Please give generously, for when we all do a little, it adds up to a lot.
God, you are the bringer of peace. We recommit ourselves to you as you bring peace to our world. May the works of our hands, the marching of our feet and the meditations of our hearts join with you as we sow the seeds of the peace only you can bring. In your name we pray. Amen.
You can make our Peace & Global Witness Offering three ways:
You can give through Old First’s contributions page: click here.
You can donate online at the Presbyterian Church (USA) website: click here.
You can text PCUSAPEACE to 41444 on your smartphone.
Worship In-Person and On-Line
In-Person: Old First invites you to join us in person at the church at 11:00 am every Sunday.
On-Line Worship at Old First: Old First Presbyterian Church livestreams worship services on both Sundays and holidays. You can view this week’s livestream by clicking here.
For the worship bulletin for this week, click here.
You can also view previous Old First worship services at any time. To visit Old First’s YouTube channel playlist for Sunday worship or previous worship services, click here. Don’t forget to bookmark the address in your browser for easy access.
