Pray for Afghanistan

I wish I could go into more detail right now, but there is a great need to pray for those helping to rebuild this country.

World AIDS Day 2007

Tomorrow, Dec. 1, is World AIDS Day. World AIDS Day is observed every year on December 1st. The World Health Organization established World AIDS Day in 1988. World AIDS Day provides governments, national AIDS programs, faith organizations, community organizations, and individuals with an opportunity to raise awareness and focus attention on the global AIDS epidemic.

Here are some facts about AIDS internationally:

People living with HIV:

• 33.2 million people living with HIV worldwide
• 30.8 million adults
• 15.4 million women
• 2.5 million children under 15

New HIV cases in 2007:

• 2.5 million total new cases
• 2.1 million adults
• 420,000 children under 15

HIV-related deaths in 2007:

• 2.1 million total deaths
• 1.7 million adult deaths
• 330,000 deaths among children under 15

All figures from UNAIDS AIDS Epidemic Update 2007.

World Vision has a site devoted to the AIDS Experience in Africa. This is a fascinating journey.

World Vision is doing some tremendous work with AIDS. World Vision has been combating global AIDSfor nearly two decades. The organization started its first AIDS programs among orphaned children in Uganda, HIV-infected children in Romania and young women caught in the sex trade in Thailand.

Today, World Vision has AIDS programs in more than 60 nations. World Vision is working to reduce the impact of HIV and AIDS through innovative and compassionate care, prevention efforts and effective advocacy so that gains in agricultural development, education, health care and other areas are not lost by the ravages of AIDS.

Set aside some time to spend praying for this horrific disease that has impacted over 25 million people worldwide in the past 25 years.

Phos Hilaron

Phos Hilaron (Φῶς Ἱλαρόν) is an ancient Christian hymn originally written in New Testament Greek. The hymn is known in English as ‘Hail Gladdening Light’ or ‘O Respledent Light’. It is the earliest known Christian hymn recorded outside of the Bible that is still being used today.

John Keble Version as on the album “Hymns Ancient & Modern”

Hail, gladdening Light, of His pure glory poured
Who is th’immortal Father, heavenly, blest,
Holiest of Holies–Jesus Christ our Lord!

Now we are come to the sun’s hour of rest;
The lights of evening round us shine;
We hymn the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit divine!

Worthiest art thou at all times to be sung
With undefiled tongue,
Son of our God, giver of life, alone:
Therefore in all the world thy glories, Lord, thy own. Amen.

And the lyrics “Joyous Light” from the Hymns CD

Hail Gladdening Light, sun so bright
Jesus Christ, end of night, alleluia
Hail Gladdening Light, Eternal Bright
In evening time, ’round us shine, alleluia, alleluia

Hail Gladdening Light, such joyous Light
O Brilliant Star, forever shine, alleluia, alleluia

Chorus:
We hymn the Father, we hymn the Son
We hymn the Spirit, wholly Divine
No one more worthy of songs to be sung
To the Giver of Life, all glory is Thine

A Prayer request for Dan Kimball

Dan is the author of 5 books including Emerging Churches, Emerging Worship, and They Like Jesus but not the Church. Dan is also a classmate of mine in my D.Min. program. He was also my roomie the is past summer for our cohort in Oregon.

We got a notice that Dan’s dad had some very traumatic injuries and reports last week that he was in his final days. This afternoon, his dad died. Here’s an update from his blog:

Update - Sunday, October 21: My dad died this morning. He was at rest and my mom kept repeating the promise of 2 Corinthians 5:8 while we stood there beside him, about how Dad is now in the presence of Jesus - (as complex and mysterious as some of the afterlife sequencing is). But he is now gone. It is Sunday. Resurrection Day. It is extremely sunny in New Jersey right now as I sit in my backyard and type this. Very surreal. Jesus. Jesus.

I can’t tell you how I appreciate Dan and his words in our class. He is one of the deepest thinkers I have met. He is wonderfully conservative in theology. He is funny and creative. And he is one of the few that can pull off the Pompadour haircut.

If you can take a moment and life Dan and his family up in prayer, that would be great.

Friday Confession

This morning, while working through The Daily Office, I came to the time of confession. It was such a beautiful confession that I thought I would share it with you:

Most holy and merciful Father:
We confess to you and to one another,
and to the whole communion of saints
in heaven and on earth,
that we have sinned by our own fault
in thought, word, and deed;
by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.

Have mercy on us, Lord.

We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us. We have not been true to the mind of Christ. We have grieved your Holy Spirit.

Have mercy on us, Lord.

We confess to you, Lord, all our past unfaithfulness: the pride, hypocrisy, and impatience of our lives,

We confess to you, Lord.

Our self-indulgent appetites and ways, and our exploitation of other people,

We confess to you, Lord.

Our anger at our own frustration, and our envy of those more fortunate than ourselves,

We confess to you, Lord.

Our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts, and our dishonesty in daily life and work,

We confess to you, Lord.

Our negligence in prayer and worship, and our failure to commend the faith that is in us,

We confess to you, Lord.

Accept our repentance, Lord, for the wrongs we have done: for our blindness to human need and suffering, and our indifference to injustice and cruelty,

Accept our repentance, Lord.

For all false judgments, for uncharitable thoughts toward our neighbors, and for our prejudice and contempt toward those who differ from us,

Accept our repentance, Lord.

For our waste and pollution of your creation, and our lack of concern for those who come after us,

Accept our repentance, Lord.

Restore us, good Lord, and let your anger depart from us;

Favorably hear us, for your mercy is great.

Accomplish in us the work of your salvation,

That we may show forth your glory in the world.

By the cross and passion of your Son our Lord,

Bring us with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

May this be our prayer each day…

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