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Becoming like Children...
I tell you it would not surprise me if my soul were younger tomorrow than it is today!
Meister Eckhart, 14th century mystic
Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus
I have always envied my youngest brother Donald for his spontaneity. The world may be a deadly serious place, but he does not allow that to dictate how he lives his life. Indeed, quite the opposite! Donald has always understood the importance of laughter and wonder, remaining always open to the new. He has not lost touch with the inner child. Like fourteenth century mystic, Meister Eckhart, it would not surprise me to find that Donald's soul has indeed grown younger with each year.
You can see the difference between the two of us -- the eldest and the youngest -- in our childhood portraits. Donald is ready to burst out of the canvas. His eyes twinkle with mischief. His lips frame a ready laugh. By contrast, my eight year-old self is captured in deep reflection set against a backdrop of dark green which further emphasizes a mood of introspection. As one friend mused, "You sure must have been thinking about a lot of things!"
It is through Donald that I have learned the art of playing. Enlivened by his merry spirit, I have come to take the world with much less seriousness. When I am with Donald, I am set free to live in the moment. The ordinary becomes special. Through Donald, I come to understand that when I receive the child within myself, I am opened more fully to receiving Christ within my life.
How alienated we can become from the wonder of life. Coming to know the child within us frees us to encounter the holy in the ordinary. It opens us to life in the Spirit. No wonder Jesus told us that we must become as children if we are the enter the kingdom of heaven.
Who is it in your life that draws the child out in you?
With Blessing,
Deborah Rundlett
General Presbyter
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Holy Habit: Delight Yourself
Below is an Interspersed Prayer, using Psalm 37:4 with a blessing from century Reformer, Isaac of Stella. Allow this prayer to take root in your heart!
Delight yourself in the Lord,
May the Son of God who is already formed in you,
grow in you...
and God will give you the desires of your heart.
so that for you, he will become immeasurable, and that in you, he will become laughter, exultation and the fullness of
joy, which no one can take away.
As you experience laughter, exultation and the fullness of joy, may you be attentive to opportunities to play and nurture the child within.
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Where are the 2014 Updated forms?
2014 is quickly approaching, and your Mission Staff has been busily preparing the updated terms of call forms for 2014. This information will be available on the website very soon! We are confirming information with the Board of Pensions to ensure the 2014 forms are accurate before releasing them.
The 2014 Minimum Terms of Call can be found on the MVP Website under "Forms" and "Ministry."
The 2014 Per Capita information has been updated, both on the website and in the sidebar here in the MVP Mission Update. For your convenience, here it is as well:
Per Capita 2014
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GA
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7.02
| | Synod | 3.25 | | Presbytery | 18.36 | |
Total
| 28.63 |
If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact Candice at the Mission Center by calling 330-339-5515 or emailing at Candice@MVPJourney.org. |
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From Carly Jones, Wooster Westminster
Dear Presbytery/Church friends -
We are looking at developing an emergency preparedness plan for our congregation. We were advised by the security team at The College of Wooster to look at other churches to see if they were willing to share their plans to help get us started. If any area churches have information you are willing to share, please contact me at cjones@wooster.edu or Dries Coetzee at acoetzee@wooster.edu.
With thanks,
Carly Jones
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From Rick Hastings, Barlow Presbyterian
Seeking Hymnals
Barlow Presbyterian is looking for 50-75 copies of "The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration." If your congregation has any to spare, please email Pastor Rick Hastings or call 740-336-0111. Thanks and blessings!
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From Nancy Montgomery
Seeking a Director of Camp Wakonda
Camp Wakonda is a small, primarily summer camp in Carroll County that is seeking a full-time Director to work and live at the camp. To view more about the camp, a complete job description and to whom to submit a resume, visit the camp website: www.Wakondacamp.com.
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We are happy to post news and requests from your church in this section of the MVP Update. Just email Candice or call 330-339-5515 to relay your news. Please also let us know the "expiration date" on the news item so that we can keep this section current.
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Order your 2014 Mission Yearbook today!
Due to popular demand, the Mission Center will be coordinating a bulk order for 2014 Mission Yearbooks and 2013-2015 Books of Order. To order, contact Candice at Candice@MVPJourney.org by November 15, 2013.
The cost of the 2014 Mission Yearbook is $15 each.
The Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, the denomination's award-winning mission devotional, features stories from around the corner and around the globe. Thousands of Presbyterians use it every day to learn about other ministries, to be encouraged by the witness of others, and to connect with and pray for them as they serve.
Also: The Book of Order is available as a free PDF download from the PCUSA Store. You can find it here.
There are a limited number of 2013-2014 Presbyterian Planning Calendars still available for $9 each. Please contact Candice if you are interested.
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Prayer Requests/Updates
If you or someone you know has a prayer request,
please send them to Candice at
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