Baptist Women's World Day of Prayer Resource Sheet
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Baptist Women’s World Day of Prayer Resource Sheet The Baptist Women’s World Day of Prayer takes place on the first Monday in November – this year on 5 November. In this file are Resources to accompany the suggested Order of Service. More are available on the Day of Prayer website: www.bwawd.org With thanks to the Revd Barbara Carpenter for producing the suggested Order of Service and Resources. 1 “When we rise up, He shines through UNITY and JUSTICE” SONGS weave into one a welcome for the Son, leave excess and want beneath the manger. Sing to God with joy and gladness hymns and psalms of gratitude; Cloth for the cradle … with the voice of praise discover that to worship God is good. Claimant and queen, wage earners in between, trader and travelling preacher, God unites the scattered people, weave into one a welcome for the Son, gathers those who wandered far, whose word brings new life to every creature. heals the hurt and broken spirits, tending every wound and scar. Cloth for the cradle … Such is God’s great power and wisdom Wrinkled or fair, carefree or full of care, none can calculate or tell; searchers of all the ages, God is keen to ground the wicked weave into one a welcome for the Son, and with humble folk to dwell. the Saviour of shepherds and of sages, God, with clouds, the sky has curtained Cloth for the cradle … thus ensuring rain will fall; earth, responding, grows to order John L. Bell & Graham Maule food for creatures great and small. Copyright © WGRG, The Iona Community, 21 Carlton Court, Glasgow, G5 9JP, God’s discernment never favours Scotland. [email protected]; www.wgrg.co.uk strength or speed to lift or move; Reproduced by permission. God invites us to show reverence, trusting in his steadfast love. Tune: Wae’s for me Prince Charlie (traditional Scots melody) Paraphrase of Psalm 147:1 - 11 Available in Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New (2000) John L. Bell & Graham Maule and Copyright © WGRG, The Iona Community, 21 Carlton https://hymnary.org/text/darkness_and_light_and_all Court, Glasgow, G5 9JP, _thats_known Scotland. [email protected]; www.wgrg.co.uk Reproduced by permission. There is a line of women extending back to Eve Cloth for the cradle, cradle for the child, whose role in shaping history the child for our every joy and sorrow: God only could conceive; find him a shawl that’s woven by us all and though through endless ages to welcome the Lord of each tomorrow. their witness was repressed, God valued and encouraged them Darkness and light and all that’s known by sight, through whom the world was blessed. silence and echo fading, So sing a song of Sarah - weave into one a welcome for the Son, to laughter she gave birth; set earth its own maker serenading. and sing a song of Tamar who stood for women’s worth; Cloth for the cradle … and sing a song of Hannah who bargained with her Lord; Hungry and poor, the sick and the unsure, and sing a song of Mary wealthy whose needs are stranger, who bore and bred God’s Word. 2 There is a line of women This is a world of injustice. Millions and millions of who took on powerful men, lives are destroyed through injustice and disunity. The defying laws and scruples media screams out every day of violence and gender to let life live again; based discrimination that does not respect nor and though, despite their triumph, protect the victims which in many cases are the their stories stayed untold, women and children regardless of their age or socio- God kept their number growing, economic status, whether poor or rich, stable or in creative, strong and bold. conflict. So sing a song of Shiphrah with Push close at hand; Horrific physical, emotional, and psychological trauma engaged to kill male children, is caused by exploitation, intimidation, terror, they foiled the king’s command; harassment, degradation, physical injuries, disability, and sing a song of Rahab and death. Many are left unidentified. Often the legal who sheltered spies and lied; system which is designed to protect individuals and and sing a song of Esther uphold justice, fails. preventing genocide. Governments struggle to discover the ways in which There is a line of women they can solve the problems of injustice which is who stood by Jesus’ side, caused by so many factors. The world sees justice as who housed him while he ministered the administration of law that determines what is and held him when he died; right based on the principles of equity and and though they claimed he’d risen, correctness, and rewards accordingly. their news was deemed suspect till Jesus stood among them, Moses reminds us that “The Lord is a mighty rock, and his womanly elect. He never does wrong. God can always be trusted to So sing a song of Anna bring justice.” Deut. 32:4 (CEV) who saw Christ’s infant face; and sing a song of Martha We serve a JUST God! The God who is always fair. He who gave him food and space; always makes the right decision. Only He can bring and sing of all the Marys JUSTICE and UNITY to any individual, family, who heed his requests, community or nation. We change but this merciful and now, at heaven’s banquet, God does not change. are Jesus’ fondest guests. As Christians, we witness around us injustice and chaos. What is our response? We cannot just turn a John L. Bell & Graham Maule blind eye to it. Yes, we have world organisations and Copyright © WGRG, The Iona Community, 21 Carlton governments which are introducing awareness and Court, Glasgow, G5 9JP, projects to reduce the incidence of violence and Scotland. [email protected]; www.wgrg.co.uk abuse to women and children and all forms of Reproduced by permission. injustice. As believers, we have a vital role to play. Together we must ARISE and SHINE. We must “be fair Tune: The Seven Joys of Mary to the poor and orphans, defend the helpless and https://hymnary.org/tune/the_seven_joys_of_mary everyone in need. Rescue the weak and homeless from the powerful hands of heartless people.” Psalm 82:3-4. We cannot do this in our own strength and GREETINGS wisdom, we need the help of our great God “whose ways are justice”. A message from Amelia Gavidi, President of the Baptist Women’s Union of the South West Pacific God has to be the source of our Faith. Through Faith we should look beyond our limitations. God has the The sun rises on the Pacific and then moves around power to break the hindrances of the world and He is the world. Another day, a new day begins but the always on our side when we work with Him. “For the world around us is still crying out, “Justice! Justice! Lord loves justice and He won’t ever desert His Where is Justice? Will it come?” faithful people. He always protects them.” Psalm 37:28. 3 Let us ARISE and SHINE in JUSTICE and UNITY, with STORIES courage and faith moving forward, believing in the God of justice our Rock and Chief Commander, who is God Delights In Unity on our side. May we remember every victim of abuse At all times we must maintain unity to receive and violence around the world during the Baptist God’s goodness and blessing. “How good and Women’s World Day of Prayer. Visit victims, talk with pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity. them, stand up for them and It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down pray with them. on Aaron’s beard, down on his robes. It is as if the dew Go forth! of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Let your light shine! Lord bestows his blessing, even life for evermore.” Psalm 133 To God be the glory and may the Lord bless you all. My husband Pastor Reuben Semi was diagnosed with heart disease three years ago. We were in and out of REFLECTION/SERMON/TALK/BIBLE the hospital. In between that time he had a massive STUDY heart attack and two mild heart attacks. God delivered him through much prayer. Our children, our Notes on Numbers 27 from Amelia Gavidi immediate family members and the church family here in Port Moresby and around the country stood in I’m reminded of the story of the five daughters of prayer. Zelophehad, from the clan of Manasseh, son of Joseph. Numbers 27: 1–11. They faced injustice when During that time we received a lot of encouragement, their father died in the desert before they crossed the financial support and Bible verses. It really gave the Jordan river, even before reaching Canaan the family the strength we needed. Promised land. A census of men took place preparing for the division of the land in Canaan, the Promised On April 2nd, 2017, a team of four surgeons arrived land. The five daughters were not entitled to a share from India. Dr Anil, the team leader called to see me because they were female. and our eldest son. He told us very seriously, “Your father is much worse than the last time I came and THREE VITAL LESSONS that I want to share from these saw him. He will not manage to live 6 months. I have courageous young women. As Christians we can learn to do the surgery on him now.” from them and apply as we share in bringing justice to those around us and to the world.