Prayer for Today, Thursday, February 24

O Lord Our Lord,

We yearn for simplicity even as we are inundated with noise and images and clutter. We yearn to be as children, standing in awe of the amazing world around us. We long for times of trust, truth and honesty. In the midst of our yearning, O God, help us to realize that we are often the problem. We have bought into a life of hectic busyness, of rapid fire images, of jingles and sound bites. Give us the strength and courage, O Lord, to live more simply. May we always seek the truth that is eternal, the truth that frees us from our mortal bonds. . .the truth that You are our God and we are Your people. . .the truth that proclaims Jesus as Lord. It is in His name we pray, AMEN.
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Please pray for the John Hutchings family. His funeral is today at 2:00 p.m.

Carolyn and I will be well on our way to Indianapolis when you read this email. Please pray for safe travels and for a productive meeting of the Administrative Committee and the General Board of the denomination. Below is the Disciples News Service post about the General Board Meeting:
GENERAL BOARD TO HOLD ITS 2011 MEETING IN INDIANAPOLIS STARTING THIS WEEKEND
General Board members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) are preparing to gather in Indianapolis for their 2011 meetings which will start on Saturday Feb. 26 and end on Tuesday, March 1. Among other business, the General Board will consider the Administrative Committee's recommendation to re-elect General Minister and President Sharon Watkins for another six-year term. If the board confirms her name, that recommendation will be forwarded to the General Assembly meeting in Nashville, Tenn., July 9-13 where a final decision will be made. Watkins would then serve from July 2011 to July 2017.
The board also will hear reports from General and Regional Ministries as well as review resolutions that will go before the General Assembly. To learn more about the work of this year's General Board go to: www.disciples.org/generalboard

The scripture reading for today is Matthew 12:46-50:
While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Grace and peace,

John McLemore