"The Children Come" New Hymn Call Attention to Children Crisis on the Border

Hymn Note for "The Children Come"

This hymn is inspired by the crisis in Central America that has caused 

over 70,000 children to take the dangerous journey to the United States 

in recent months.  Hymn writer Carolyn Gillette has led mission trips to 

Honduras for the past sixteen years.  She wrote "A Storm Came to Honduras"

in response to Hurricane Mitch that was sung and used by many to support 

the relief work.  The brother of a child that Carolyn sponsored in Honduras was 

recently killed there.

The hymn's reference to "On one boy's belt, a number carved in leather" is from 

a news report ("Boy's Death Draws Attention Immigration Perils") of a body 

of a dead child found with his brother's phone number on his belt.  

"As angry crowds are shouting, "Go away!" comes from the news reports 

of Americans yelling at the detained children on buses in Murrieta, California.  

Jim Wallis of Sojourners reflects on this incident in his powerful online 

essay "The Moral Failure of Immigration Reform:  

Are We Really Afraid Of Children?"  Biblical references in the hymn are  

Matthew 25:31-46 and Matthew 19:14-16.

The Presbyterian Church (USA) and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services 

(LIRS) have developed a very helpful "Frequently Asked Questions: The Exodus 

of Children from Central America":

Who are these "unaccompanied immigrant children"? How do they end up 

in the United States alone? 

Unaccompanied immigrant children are minors under the age of 18 who cross 

the U.S. borders alone, without their parents or caregivers. They come to the 

United States from all corners of the world, but the most recent influx of children 

has primarily been from Central America - Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. 

They travel by foot over the border or as stowaways on freight trains. Sometimes 

they are victims of human trafficking, sometimes they must pay to get to safety, 

and sometimes they just travel alone. The number of children making this 

perilous journey has grown astronomically.

Why are they fleeing their home countries? 

There are several main push factors: faltering economies, large youth population, 

and rising crime and gang activity. There are also pull factors: the desire 

for family reunification and changing operations of smuggling networks.

They are usually in their early teens, but can be as young as three. They are both 

boys and girls.

Read more at http://www.presbyterianmission.org/site_media/media/uploads/pda/pdfs/f

aq_unaccompanied_children.pdf

Please share this new hymn with pastors and church musicians who might want to use it in this Sunday worship (maybe read or sung by a soloist as part of the prayers of the people) or soon as well as others to encourage Christians to respond to this crisis.  Permission is given for its free use in local churches.  Email us at bcgillette@comcast.net if you would like a copy of it formatted in MS Word as a half sheet insert with the hymn note on the other side.  We also hope to find someone (you or a friend?) to format it with the music.  FINLANDIA is in the public domain and best known for being used in Be Still, My Soul" and "This Is My Song, O God of All the Nations" (Audio recording and MIDI) so let us know if you want this new hymn formatted with the music.

The Children Come

FINLANDIA 11.10.11.10.11.10  

The children come, not sure where they are going;

Some little ones have seen their siblings die.

They've traveled north-a tide that keeps on growing,

A stream of life beneath the desert sky.

Their welcome here?  Detention, overflowing.

O Lord of love, now hear your children's cry!

The children come in search of something better;

They've traveled here with nothing in their hands.

On one boy's belt, a number carved in leather

Leads to a phone, a brother here, a plan.

They come alone-or sometimes band together;

They bring a plea that we will understand.

O Christ our Lord, you welcomed in the stranger;

You blessed the children, telling them to stay.

Be in the desert, with the tired and injured;

Be at the border where they are afraid.

Be on each bus where children sense the danger,

As angry crowds are shouting, "Go away!"

God, let each one know justice, peace and welcome-

And may your gift of mercy start with me.

For unto such as these belongs your kingdom,

And in each child, it is your face we see.

May we, your church, respond in truth and action,

And with you, Lord, say, "Let them come to me."

Biblical references:  Matthew 25:31-46; 19:14-16

Tune:  Jean Sibelius, 1899.

Text:   Copyright © 2014 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette.  All rights reserved

New Hymns:  www.carolynshymns.com  Email:  bcgillette@comcast.net

Permission is given for free use of this hymn for local church use by those supporting efforts to help these children and immigration reform now.

Free on the Inside

(From World Communion of Reformed Churches Newsletter)

Members of Cornerstone Christian Reformed Church don't sound any different than most other Christians: "The redemptive power of Jesus is without limit. As long as you're still breathing, Jesus can still work a miracle." "We want this church to help us to grow, to be better people, to be people of God."

But Cornerstone is not like most other churches. It's located inside the South Dakota State Penitentiary (United States), a high-medium security facility that holds people imprisoned for murder, armed robbery, sex crimes and other serious offences. Eight years ago Steve and Diane Moerman began a church inside the penitentiary with a congregation of inmates who were excited to continue or begin a relationship with God.

"We are here long-term to help these guys grow in their faith, to take them beyond the milk of the gospel to the meat," said Steve. The Moermans' efforts are working. Not only did the local classis of the Christian Reformed Church in North America recognize Cornerstone as an independent church last fall, more importantly the inmates have embraced the church, stepping into leadership positions and growing it within the walls of the prison. "We're doing it in the belly of the beast. We're in an environment that does not encourage this lifestyle. But we do it anyway," said one member. Others emphasize the impact the church has had in their lives:

"Being in here with Christ working with me and working through me with the Holy Spirit and the church literally saved my life." Free on the Inside "Without a hope of eternal life, this is all you get. You look forward to church because it lifts you up and it gets you out of the loneliness of the cell." "The Lord takes away the guilt and the shame and just sets you free, I guess, free on the inside." "I've become freer now inside than I ever was on the outside."

Moerman said becoming a recognized church means the congregation has come of age. "It means that the outside church has entrusted the church behind the walls to stand on its own and handle its own affairs. It helps the men to see their place in the kingdom and gives a true sense of purpose, a true sense of ownership," he said.

"For those who often have little or no status in the world, this means a lot." "It's a family inside the walls," agreed an inmate. "It's a structure. Being a part of Cornerstone for me, has kept me humble because I have things to look forward to. If they see me acting up, they'll catch me on it and put me back to where I need to be."

"We want the people on the outside to continue to pray and love us and cherish us for what we are, trying to help others to grow and to be the person that God wants us to be."

Watch a video with interviews of the inmate members of Cornerstone: HERE 

(Kyle Hoogendoorn and interviews conducted by students from Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, contributed to this article.)

Gay Marriage, Hobby Lobby and the Sovereign God

I'm fascinated by the way we, Christians, react to political and religious decisions that challenge our theological concepts, ideologies and convictions. Just two weeks ago the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) voted to change the definition of marriage (that between a man and a women). This week the US Supreme Court decided in favor of the owners of Hobby Lobby and other businesses who understand that paying for contraceptives for their employes violates their religious freedom.

These are not trivial matters. Many of us have strong and deep seeded convictions about family, marriage, health and religious freedom. In both of the situations mentioned above, the decisions made caused pain and anger. Most of us don't hesitate to express our feelings, frustration or our anger, often without stoping to consider how our words and frustrations contribute and promote discord and division in the Church.

These words from Eugene Peterson, are very enlightening: 

"Taking into account the rebellious passions . . . and slothful wills of millions of people, along with the good intentions, misguided helpfulness and ill-timed ventures of other millions-not to speak of the disciplined love . . . and sacrificial service of still other millions-our Sovereign presides over and works with all of this material, personal and political. With it and out of it he shapes existence." (From: "God's Message for Each Day: Wisdom from the Word of God" by Eugene H. Peterson.)

This line in particular called my attention: "our Sovereign presides over and works with all of this material, personal and political. With it and out of it he shapes existence."

Our Sovereign is in the process of re-creating our human existence and interactions. Jesus clearly talked about the principles that should guide our life in community. I know those principles and I'm sure you also know them.

I wonder if what is really important when struggling with these important issues, is not necessarily (or only) the actual issues, but how we exemplify and experience God's holiness and our love towards each other. Theological and sociological conviction are important, but even more important is God's call to summit our lives to the Holy Spirit who yearns and is determined to restore the fullness of God's image in all of us.

Rev. Carlos L Malave

Germany Selected for WCRC Next General Council

The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) is returning to the birthplace of the 16th-century Reformation to demonstrate that this happening now belongs to Christians around the world. At its meeting in May the WCRC executive committee decided to hold the 26th general council in Erfurt, Germany, in 2017. The WCRC meets in general council every seven years.

This marks the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's posting of his 95 theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. Wittenberg, along with other historic Reformation sites, will play an important part in the general council, although most business meetings will take place in Erfurt.

"Holding the council here reminds us that Germany is only one small province in the huge worldwide map of Christian churches," said Peter Bukowski, president of the Reformed Alliance, one of the four German member churches that will host the meeting. "It is so important to widen the perspective of this jubilee." One goal of the 26th general council is to invite other Christian traditions to join the anniversary in Germany and then take the celebration around the world.

Read full article at WCRC Newsletter: HERE