Day Lilies in the graveyard
2023 Sun June 18
A Father’s Day Prayer
We give thanks for fathers.
We give thanks for those fathers who have striven to balance the demands of work, marriage, and children with an honest awareness of both joy and sacrifice. We give thanks for those fathers who, lacking a good model for a father, have worked to become good fathers.
We give thanks for those fathers who by their own account were not always there for their children, but who continue to offer those children, now grown, their love and support. We pray for those fathers who have been wounded by the neglect and hostility of their children.
We give thanks for those fathers who, despite divorce, have remained in their children’s lives. We give thanks for those fathers who have adopted children, and whose love and support has offered healing.
We give thanks for those fathers who, as stepfathers, freely choose the obligation of fatherhood and have earned their stepchildren’s love and respect. We give thanks for those fathers who have lost children to death, and who, in spite of their grief, continue to hold those children in their hearts.
We give thanks for those men who have no children, but cherish the next generation as if they were their own. We give thanks for those men who have ‘fathered’ us in their roles as mentors and guides.
We give thanks for those men who are about to become fathers; may they openly delight in their children. And we give thanks for those fathers who have died, but who live on in our memory and whose love continues to nurture us.
We give thanks for fathers.
Amen
Adapted from a prayer by Kirk Loadman-Copeland
Lectionary, Proper 6, 3rd Sunday after Pentecost, June 18, 2023
I.Theme – Living in a new way
"Calling of the Disciples" – Domenico Ghirlandaio (1481)
The lectionary readings are here or individually:
Old Testament – Exodus 19:2-8a
Psalm – Psalm 100
Epistle – Romans 5:1-8
Gospel – Matthew 9:35-10:8(9-23)
Today’s readings remind us of God’s saving work in our world and our participation and cooperation to accomplish God’s plan. In Exodus God recounts the saving deeds performed for the people and makes a covenant with them. Paul reminds us that our reconciliation to God in Jesus Christ will lead to our salvation. In the gospel, Jesus sends out the twelve disciples to carry his work and message throughout Israel.
Village Harvest Prep Work
This is an example of the work that goes on behind the scenes. This happens to be May, 2023. One group goes to the Health Harvest Food Bank in Montross on the Tuesday before the Wednesday, Village Harvest to obtain the food. A separate team is waiting at St. Peter’s on this other team to return. This second group unloads the boxes, opens them, sorts and creates boxes for each client receiving food.
Back to Jamaica in 2023
In 2021, St. Peter’s fundraising contributed $3,000 for the school project. Here is the presentation from that trip.
A mission trip was organized to setup the school distribution. The supplies were sent ahead of the distribution.
In 2023 we are refreshing the supplies as well as moving to supply additional items, like computers. This year only Andrea, Ken and Laura will be going to deliver the supplies.
Background
Victoria Primary School, formerly Victoria All-Age is located in North West St. Catherine about two (2) miles from the major town of Linstead in the farming community of Victoria. Victoria, along with the adjoining community of Banbury, where most of the children are from, has a populace of over 20,000.
Approximately 10 % of the adult population is dependent on farming for a living, some of the produce from this activity is sold at the Linstead Market and the remainder kept for domestic use. Another 30% depends on vending as their main means of livelihood, 40% is employed while the remaining 20% is unemployed.
The current parent population is very young with the average age being about 25 years. Most of them have attained secondary level of education but have not moved on to tertiary learning but instead have acquired a skill in order to become employable.
The school was originally a shift school, an elementary. It was built to house about 200 children. At the time of the 2021 mission trip school population it was 330
At the beginning of each school year, some parents often have financial challenges in purchasing items to send their children back to school. Some of these include the purchasing of school bags, writing books, pencils and uniforms etc. There are times when past students will assist in purchasing some of these items.