January 23, 2025 – Weekly News
Reflections on Amos 8:4-12
Jeanne Barnes
Too often you wake up early to the sound of the local newscaster telling you of global, national and local events of the previous day. You catch up on the earthquakes, the floods, and the loss of life around you. You even watch the bottom ticker tape for a report on stocks you’ve invested in. The radio is blaring; your mind is racing. You buzz the drive-thru for coffee and hurry on with your day. Your life is loud.
This was pretty much the same for the people of Amos’s time. They couldn’t wait to get rich off the labor of the poor, to go on with their luxuriant lifestyle, to complete their ancient to-do list. The prophet shouted in the marketplace, but no one answered. Their lives were loud and pleasurable. His voice was vague and annoying.
We read about the Israelites and convince ourselves that we don’t exploit the poor. We give generously to all the causes that flood our mailboxes. But Amos’s words still echo in our ears. What are we doing about income equality, universal health care, affordable housing, accessible childcare, racial fairness? Our answers are mere whispers in the noise of the world around us. We teeter between advocating for social justice and feeling overwhelmed and helpless. We know we should act, should do the hard work, but not just yet. Our comfortable life beckons us. We’ll get to God’s work when we have more time. We’ll be the queen of filling the food banks, the king of organizing low-income housing. We’ll answer Amos’s call. Soon.
And that’s not all we’ll do. We won’t tune God out anymore. We’ll spend time with the Lord, turn to him and hear his voice. His words will resonate in all our thoughts and actions. We’ll read. We’ll meditate. We’ll listen. We’ll be a God-centered woman, a Spirit-filled man. Someday.
But time may be running out. Just as the people of Amos’s time, we may have to act now to avoid the famine in our lives. Just as God proclaimed a famine on hearing his word to the people of Amos’s time, the famine may be upon us. The season of our life is filled with loudness. We forget how to hear the still, small voice within us. We are spiritually hungry, but unable to find nourishment.
Like the people of Amos’s time, we need to take a breather from our loud lives and listen for God’s voice. We must do more than mail a check now and then. We are obligated to work for social justice. We are required to feed the hungry, and to feed our souls. We must commit to answering God’s call. Now.
Respond
Turn off the TV, close the iPad, and open yourself to God’s word. Ask for directions on the path to equality for all and the strength to walk it. Pray for a spirit-inspired lesson plan of social justice. Then listen.
Rest
O God of abundance and all good gifts, help us to listen to your words. Give us the courage to act for equality. And bless us with the overflowing goodness of your voice. Amen
Hear this, you that trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land, saying, “When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain; and the sabbath, so that we may offer wheat for sale? We will make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances, buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and selling the sweepings of the wheat.”
Amos 8
NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
A Message from Jerina Gacheri Kirema from Nyeri, Kenya
“Happy new year to Graceview presbyterian church, I hope this message find you in great health and high spirit. Am writing to express my sincere gratitude for the payment of my school fees received. Your kindness as played an essential role in my education by ensuring effective and smooth learning with a lot of concentration. I truly appreciate your dedication and support.
This is my last term (trimester) and I will be sitting for my final qualifying exam on march 2025. Once again, thank you so much for your generosity. Your support
means a lot, and I look forward to our continued relationship. May Almighty God
bless you all.”
World Day of Prayer 2025
Graceview is the host church for this year’s WDP which will take place on Saturday March 8th at 10:00.
The subject this year is the Cook Islands in the south Pacific and the program was written by Christian women who live there. The program title is “I made you wonderful”, based on Psalm 139.
We hope we can count on your support. Please mark the date and invite your friends.
Maureen Screen
Annual Report
Work on the 2024 Annual Report has begun. The report will be similar to the previous three reports – that is it will be a narrative and pictorial, professionally printed booklet. It should be available in March 2025 in time for our Annual Meeting.
In order to make sure it tells a complete story about Graceview in 2024, we ask that all
committee chairpersons or group leaders (or someone designated by them) prepare a brief summary, in point form, of highlights of what your committee/group did in 2024 – these are the things you would like to see included in the Annual Report. If you have some pictures, you could include that would be great. Also, if you have some quotes that people have said about what you have been doing, please include them.
If you are not involved in committees or groups but have an idea about what should be included in the Annual Report, please let us know.
All reports and submissions should be sent to Bob Twynam at btwynam@gmail.com no later than Friday January 24, 2025