For Such A Time as This – March 24, 2021 – Joy Derck

To the Good Folk of the Palmyra Church of the Brethren,
 
Joys and Concerns
If you have a joy or concern you would like us to share and pray about, please call, text, or email it to me.  If you would like it included in our Sunday Worship sharing and prayer time, please share it with Pastor Bill that week by Thursday evening. 
 
See this Saturday’s “Weekly Up” email for any new prayer concerns.
 
Invitation to Ministry
I encourage you all to write letters to Jose’ Aponte.  The news that he will remain confined until his sentence is finished in May of 2022 has been difficult for him.  There is an option for parole in September 2021, but parole will be limited to placement in a residential treatment/recovery program until May of 2022.  Be aware that Jose’ may not be able to respond, as paper, envelopes and stamps must be purchased by Jose’ from the prison commissary. 
 
Jose’ E. Aponte
Lebanon County Correctional Facility
730 East Walnut Street
Lebanon, PA  17042
 
Inmate Mail may be returned because of the following Institutional Restrictions:

Personal Letters containing more than 10 pages OR 10 pictures.
Picture Larger than 4x6
Pornography/ Nudity/ Unsuitable for Facility
Pictures or Drawings containing Alcohol or Drug Paraphernalia
Pictures accepted while serving a LCCF Disciplinary Sentence
Polaroid Photographs of any nature.
Pages containing Crayon Markings, Paint, Colored Pencils, Etc.
(NO colors at all, must be Black or Blue Pen Ink Only)
Colored Envelopes/Pages
Letters written on anything other than ordinary Stationary Paper
Homemade Cards, Magazine/Newspaper/Coloring Books Pages or Clippings
Cards Larger than 8 ½ x 11
Mechanical moving parts, Pop-Up, 3D parts, Music players, or Plastic Panels
Violation of Publisher's Rule for Books & Magazines
(Must be sent directly from Publisher or approved book Store. Only new books/magazines/periodicals permitted. No internet copies.)
Foreign Substances on pages (Water Marks, Stains, White out, Scents, Etc.)
Internet Material
Pages-with items Affixed to them by Glue, Tape, Adhesive, Lamination, Stickers, Stamps, Etc.
(This includes glitter)
Gang related Signs, Symbols, Codes, Writings, or Pictures
Mail giving appearance of being altered or tampered from original form.
Any item that is Available through Commissary cannot be mailed in (Envelopes, Stamps,
colored pencils, etc.)
Cash or Personal Check (Sent to Business Office to be returned)
3rd Party Mail

 
Thank You:
To all who call others to check in on them and to share our emails and devotions.
 
Today’s Devotion:
Continuing our Lenten theme on the prayers of Jesus, Joy Derck offers these reflections and ideas for deepening our relationship with God.
 
Shalom,
Dennis
 
Scripture - John 17:20-23
My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one; I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
 
Thoughts
In Sunday's sermon, Pastor Dennis shared with us his heart for our family at PCOB: "Lord, keep us together - that, most of all." His pastoral prayer for us echoes the loving prayer of Jesus for his disciples, those in the present and those in the future who would also believe. "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." 
 
How can we be the answer to these prayers? How can we stay together when the world wants to rip us apart?
 
I believe that the answer is in Jesus' prayer in John 17. First, we need to remember that while we are in the world, we are not of the world. Verse 16 states: "They are not of the world, even as I am not of it." We are a part of a different kingdom - the kingdom of God, and our ultimate allegiance is to our Heavenly King. 
 
Secondly, we need to realize how much we are loved. In verse 23, Jesus says that God loves us even as God loves Jesus. God's love for us shines throughout the Bible. One of my favorite verses is Romans 8:39: "Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
 
Finally, we need to yield to the power of the Spirit who is within us to enable us to love others and experience unity. Jesus ends his prayer with these words: "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."
 
In closing, I invite you to form a visual of unity with your hands as we pray. You can intertwine your fingers like you do with the little rhyme, "Here is the Church," or just clasp your hands together as a symbol of becoming one.
 
Prayer
Loving Lord, we want to be a part of your love song that goes on and on. As we look forward to coming back together again, prepare our hearts with your love. Help us to keep our eyes on Jesus and to love as he taught us to love. Make us one. We know this is possible because your Spirit lives in us. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.