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World Refugee Sunday

World refugee Sunday


A pastor working with refugee communities in Uganda, and a friend of Micah, has submitted the below reflection in recognition of World Refugee Day - June 20th.

Join and pray for the World Refugee Sunday (June 14th or 21st)

Is the Church mindful for the refugees and the forcibly displaced as God is?

Psalms 107:4-7  (NLT): “Some wandered in the wilderness, lost and homeless. Hungry and thirsty, they nearly died. “Lord, help!”  they cried in their  trouble, and he rescued them from their distresses. He led them straight to safety, to a city they could live”.

The refugees cry from every corner of the world. It is no longer an African issue. It is a concern for the whole world. It is and should be the concern of the Church from the Middle East as it is in Europe where the Mediterranean Sea has been called the “mass grave” for the migrants fleeing for safety. The church is to pray and act. It has no reason to be silent, silenced or absent even in the refugee camps. This is a key determinant time when our voices put together can be heard from the pulpits. The World Refugee Sunday (June 14th or 21st) our golden opportunity to share our love in action.

The Church is God's chosen instrument to bring hope to the hurting world and to deliver justice to the poor, the oppressed, the isolated and the marginalized. The Church is UNIQUE in what it is as an institution as well as unique in its mission and reason of being. It is the Body of Christ, the manifestation of His full divine nature in us. He made us not only the messengers of His love and grace but also the carrier of its fullness.

May the church preach and give hospitality to the refugees and strangers. Equally loved, and equally favoured to be partakers of God’s goodness and opportunities with all the saints as others.

There is no church without fellowship and communion with the afflicted and disadvantaged. The church is for everybody, it is inclusive and integrative. This is a call to the Body of Christ to join the World Refugee Sunday and make our voice heard. He promised he will hear and heal our lands. That is our reason to be. This is a call upon the Body of Christ to take its rightful position and never take it lightly: It is a mandate.

World Refugee Highway Resources for Refugee Sunday

Into the Depths

Into the Depths

This reflection was submitted by Micah member Urban Neighbours of Hope (UNOH).

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He sat before me in his wheelchair, patiently waiting. The bathroom smelt of strong disinfectant. The light was bright, almost blinding. The only sound was the monotonous hum of his hospital bed. Our surrounds were inhospitable and sterile. But what we had just undertaken certainly wasn't; as his carer, I had just been assisting him with the unsavoury task of cleaning out his bowels. It isn't a pleasant task; for me or for him.  Yet, this man, whom the world has been unthinkably unkind to, endures it with grace, dignity and humour. 

This is certainly not what I had envisioned as I looked forward into 2015 at the end of last year, after having completed my Sub-merge year and deciding to continue as a novice with UNOH. Indeed, I had grand plans and elaborate ideas for my novitiate - I now realise I may have been suffering from a rare condition known as excessive pride and self importance! However, despite a few misguided delusions of grandeur, my decision to stay with UNOH was primarily a response to an invitation to go deeper; to go deeper in God, in community and in myself. Deeper into what exactly, I was not sure. But I was promised that in the depths, I would find growth and healing; something I longed for.

In Ezekiel 47:1-12, we hear of the Son of man being led through water that is ankle-deep, then knee-deep, then waist-deep, and then finally to water that “was deep enough to swim in – a river that no one could cross” (v5). We later read that it is in this deep section of the river that the water heals and brings life to everything it touches (v7-12). Jesus desires to lead us to deep water, to the water that gives life. But in deep water, we must run the risk of not being in control, of allowing ourselves to be carried.

The tasks required in the provision of personal care, although at times mundane and repetitious, often leave me feeling ill-equipped and completely out of my depth. I have come to find great comfort in the words of Jesus, “You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule” (Matthew 5:3, the Message). On this particular night, as I began the next task of washing him, despite my fear and discomfort, I experienced a softness of heart I hadn't experienced for a long time. I was overwhelmed with compassion and struck by the thought “This is Jesus who sits before me.”

God is funny that way; we often encounter Him when we least expect to. I often don't understand this upside down kingdom that I am a part of. But I do know that God is with us, Emmanuel, that He enters the mundane and even the sordid, and makes it beautiful. I am being challenged that “Growth is the illusion of moving forward. As though one is growing into a better human. In reality, growth is not the movement forward but a movement backward. It is not becoming a better human, it is becoming the human you were always meant to be” (Joel McKerrow, Beyond Rhetoric, 2012). I realise that as I tend to this man, I am refinding my own humanity and that in the process I am being healed. I am rediscovering who I was made to be in Christ. Together, as we go deeper, we are being carried and new life is birthed.

By Ashlee Planck - UNOH

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Lord, we pray:

- Open our hearts to your teaching and your wisdom. Let us not rely on our own understanding, but reveal to us your character.

- Help us to understand your Kingdom, which challenges the ways of this world. Help us to live out Kingdom values as we seek to be salt and light.

- We are thankful that in our weakness, you demonstrate your strength, and that you use the foolish things of the world to shame the wise (1 Cor 1:27). May we offer our lives humbly to your service.

Lima Prayer Journey

GCL

In twelve weeks’ time we will all start our travel to Lima, Peru for our 6th Triennial Global Consultation. Please join with us in intercession for this important time together:

Week One (15th to 21st June): Remember who God is and his promises

Lord, you are our God. You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords. There is no one like you in heaven or on earth. You have declared and demonstrated your love and faithfulness since time began. You have revealed your character throughout history. You have revealed yourself fully in Jesus.

You are a God of justice and righteousness. A God of compassion and mercy. A God who cares for all with passion and jealousy. Thank you for all your promises to us.

Week Two (22nd to 28th June): Dedication and Presence

Lord, we lift up our Global Consultation to you. We commit our programme and objectives to you and seek your guidance. Our heart longs to hear from you through each session, each discussion and every moment. Without you we know this will simply be an event on a calendar. So, we lay our plans before you, our hopes and dreams and ask your presence to be with us throughout the preparation and during the whole week together. We pray for the courage to listen, to learn and to live out all that you reveal to us.

Week Three (29th June to 5th July): Closing the Gaps

Lord, thank you for all your provision of the years. Thank you for each member whose passion for Integral Mission and Micah has envisioned this Global Consultation. We thank you for the amazing gaps already closed:
• That all participants can get a visa on arrival
• That SkyTeam (KLM partners) have given all participants up to a 15% discount on their flights
• That we have raised half the finances we need for the Consultation
• That we have an amazing and gifted number of speakers committed to serve us throughout the week.

Lord, we lift to you the remaining gaps:
• For the remaining fund we need to raise for the Consultation
• For each member who longs to be a part of this, Lord please help them to raise the funds to get to Peru.

Thank you Lord in advance for each investment made. May it produce fruit beyond our imaginations.

Week Four (6th to 12th July): Worship

Thank your Lord for the dedication of our Worship Team:
• Luis Alfredo Diaz
• Tracy Howe-Wispelwey
• Dave Bankhead
• Guido Baltes

Lord as they write new songs and develop the times of reflection and worship together, may you inspire them.

Lord, protect them as they work. Lord, for all the practical and logistical preparation that needs to be done, we pray for the resources needed to bring it all together. We dedicate this vision of ours to you and ask that you will be the potter who makes it into a beautiful expression of your character.

Weeks Five to Eight will be in our July Prayer Focus. If you have a word, a Scripture, a picture or anything you want to share with us as we build up to Lima, please share it at: prayer@micahnetwork.org

Praying for the Nations

Nations


Nepal Earthquake Response: the long road to recovery lies ahead and we need to persistently hold all those affected and all who are responding to this crisis in our prayer. Please remember Thir KC, our Micah Nepal Coordinator as he and his family respond to those in need through the DRCC (Disaster Relief Christian Community) coalition. Thir KC is also affected by the earthquake and is working and living in temporary shelter.

Egypt: new suicide attacks at popular tourist site. Let us pray for insight and wisdom for all who are in authority in Egypt that they may know how to deal with the increasing violence.

South Korea: MERS outbreak. So far over 3,000 people have been quarantined as an attempt to stop further infections. Let us pray for a united and effective response to this outbreak and for all who have been infected.

Mediterranean Migrants: the increasing number of migrants attempting to access Europe in unsafe and overcrowded boats is concerning. The traffickers are exploiting people and profiteering off their desperation to start new lives in Europe. Many migrants are losing their lives. We need to understand this situation and know how to respond. Please pray for this crisis and for a solution that saves lives and brings a sustainable future for all.

Ukraine: Conflict and violence continue to ravage parts of the Ukraine as diplomatic tensions increased in advance of the recent G7 meetings. The international community has not been able to find an agreable long-term solution to the situation and in the meantime, civilians are experience sever hardship and living in fear. Lord, we pray for a peaceful solution to this crisis, and we ask that you would bring comfort to the church in Ukraine in this difficult time.