Newsletters

Scripture For The Month

Romans 15:1

Romans 15:1 "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification."

JOKE OF THE MONTH

We Don't Need You Anymore ne day a group of scientists got together and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one scientist to go and tell Him that they were done with Him. The scientist walked up to God and said, "God, we've decided that we no longer need you. We're to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don't you just go on and get lost." God listened very patiently and kindly to the man. After the scientist was done talking, God said, "Very well, how about this? Let's say we have a man-making contest." To which the scientist replied, "Okay, great!" But God added, "Now, we're going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam." The scientist said, "Sure, no problem" and bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt. God looked at him and said, "No, no, no. You go get your own dirt!"

Pope's Comments on Mental Illness

by Pope John Paul II

NAMI Article Peace

April 8, 2005 Pope John Paul II on Mental Illness As the world bids him farewell this week, NAMI remembers these remarks of Pope John Paul II from 1997 "[The Church] reminds the political community of its duty to recognize and celebrate the divine image of man with actions that support and serve all those who find themselves in a condition of severe mental illness. This is a task which science and faith, medicine and pastoral care, professional skill and a sense of common brotherhood must help to carry out through an investment of adequate human, scientific and socio-economic resources...

"Whoever suffers from mental illness 'always' bears God's image and likeness in himself, as does every human being. In addition, he 'always' has the inalienable right not only to be considered as an image of God and therefore as a person, but also to be treated as such. "It is everyone's duty to make an active response; our actions must show that mental illness does not create insurmountable distances, nor prevent relations of true Christian charity with those who are its victims. Indeed it should inspire a particularly attentive attitude..." -- Pope John Paul II, International Conference for Health Care Workers, on Illnesses of the Human Mind, November 30, 1997

Pope John Paul II on Mental Illness

Prayer

"Almighty and everlasting God: Creator of the heavens and the earth; Sovereign Ruler of all that was, and is, and is to be. We adore you, for you are altogether Holy, and perfect in every way. In all of creation, there is none like you. Your Majesty we marvel at the brilliance of Your Glory. From the rising of the sun, to the going down of the same, you are worthy, and greatly to be praised. We know that our only access to you is through Jesus the Christ, our Lord and Master, our Savior and Redeemer. He is our Hope, our Peace, and our Joy. He is our Intercessor. It is in his name that we pray. We also recognize, that this is your inspired-prayer. We confess that in our selfishness, we have created all types of disturbances. We have done much harm, by not speaking in love. We confess that we have not always prayed to you in earnest. We have been high minded and puffed up with pride.

We confess that we have depended upon our own strength, intelligence, and abilities. We considered ourselves better than the least of these our brethren. We confess that we have acted in our own authority. We failed to submit to your appointed leaders. We confess, that we have made ourselves prisoners to our own imaginations. We have esteemed ourselves higher than You."

"Father, forgive us. Forgive us all, for everything that we have done, that is an abomination to Your Holiness. We will purpose to turn away, and make our ways and our doings good. Thank you for every living soul that you have preordained to cross our paths. By the power of your Holy Spirit, and our love for you may they all come to know you personally? Thank you for watching over us. Thank you for preserving, and protecting the lives of our wayward children. Thank you for bringing order into the disorder that so often besets us. Nevertheless, we thank you for the thorns, and life’s bitter pools.

They remind us that you are God, we are your children, and that all things work together for good because nothing is impossible for you God. Heavenly Father, we pray healing and deliverance for the sick, and shut-in. We pray health, strength, and protection for our pastor, and his wife. Make him and his family to prosper. Sanctify and maintain deacons and elders. Bless missionaries, preachers, teachers, and disciples of Jesus Christ everywhere. Because Jesus is the foundation of our lives, we know that we have the strength, comfort and guidance of your Spirit within us. Still Father, we realize that often we lean upon our own understanding and as a result, we still fall short of the mark. So we come to you today, Father, in Jesus’ precious name, asking you: the author and finisher of our faith, to complete your work in us.

Help us to multiply, and never divide. Father, cause this local body of believers, to become a multitude of spiritual giants. Open our spiritual eyes, that we might recognize our evil ways. Cause us to think with clarity, so that we don’t give the evil one any occasion to enter in. Father, don’t let us become slaves to our own desires. Help us to grow in our understanding of your love and power, so that our lives will bring glory and honor to you. So right now dear God, while the heavenly hosts cry out, “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty the earth is filled with your glory. we stand in agreement that “Your will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.” Let the redeemed of the Lord say Amen."