I have to admit that when I open my email in the morning to read the latest news I hold my breath for some new horror...This morning’s story from Faithful America, an advocacy group of “Progressive Christians” (that’s what they call themselves) had two stories that caught my eye.
First, there is the awful story of ICE detaining two Assemblies of God pastors on valid R-1 visas, who minister in the small border town of Edinbug, Texas, threatening to separate them from their children if they did not sign voluntary departure papers and return. They were on their way to a Billy Graham Evangelistic retreat when arrested with their twin 7- year old children, U.S. citizens. They are in the que for their residency status.
The second story is about ICE gents spying on Christian pastors who have criticized U.S. immigration policy. We’re asked to sign a petition to keep ICE from spying in our sanctuaries. However, I think ICE should come to our sanctuaries. Maybe when they hear the Gospel, they’ll get the point. If Paul could preach to the heathen in Athens, we Christians could certainly preach the Gospel to the heathen running our government.
Prayer for the Day
Called to do your work of the Gospel, O God,
We know there are times we hesitate from fear;
Having the witness of your saints in our hearts, O Lord,
We gird our loins in the strength that dome from you.
Let us not shirk or turn back from your command to serve all,
But let us continue our struggle for justice and peace.
In the name of the One who is always with us,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
We don’t hide the fact that we care about our neighbors. We don’t hide the fact that we’re not afraid.
Rev. Jen Crow, First Universalist Church of Minneapolis
I think it’s very cruel that somebody that had no status for deportation be pressured to sign a volunteer deportation based on the separation of their children, adding that the pastor couple had told her of the threats to separate them from their children and to put the children in foster care
Sarai Martinez Luna, Senior Pastor, Communidad Cristiana Emmanuel
Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. The God who made the world and everything in it does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is God served by human hands as though God needed anything, since God gives to all mortals life and breath and all things.
Acts 17: 22, 24-25.