Saturday, June 5
The Presbytery of Southeastern Illinois
Women pray, learn, and worship with new hope and purpose at a Great Banquet in Decatur.
The Gospel of Luke presents the parable of the Great Banquet. Jesus tells of a master who prepared a great banquet and invited many guests, saying, “Come, for everything is now ready.” After many excuses from his invited guests for not attending, the master became angry and ordered his servant: “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full” (14:15–24, NIV).
After his instructions were followed and there was still room, additional invitations were extended. Then the banquet was presented to the guests who came at the master’s invitation to feast and fellowship at a banquet given by God.
This parable provides the picture of the Great Banquet. The Great Banquet Movement makes disciples, prepares leaders, and facilitates church growth. Like its counterparts, Cursillo, Emmaus, and Tres Dias, this movement embraces Christianity as a way of life. In the Presbytery of Southeastern Illinois the Great Banquet is an orderly, structured weekend designed to strengthen and renew the faith of Christians. Through a combined effort of laity and clergy, the Great Banquet focuses on the renewal of the church.
Altogether twenty-five Banquet Communities encompass nine states. Woodland Presbyterian Chapel in Decatur is the home office for the Great Banquet Movement. The Rev. Jack Pitzer is pastor of Woodland Chapel, a vital and growing congregation.
The Presbytery of Southeastern Illinois is home to 97 churches, 10,719 members, and Presbyterian-related Millikin University in Decatur.
Let us join in prayer for:
Presbytery Staff
Rev. Jeff Hutcheson, transitional executive presbyter
Rev. Cynthia Bean, stated clerk
Elder Paul Saegesser, treasurer
Rev. David MacDonna, executive presbyter emeritus
Elder Marie McNabb, stated clerk emeritus
Brenda Harvey, administrative assistant
Marsha Mower, secretary
PC(USA) Agencies' Staff
Danny Hutchins, GAMC
Steven Hutter, BOP
Prayer
By the wind of your Holy Spirit, O God, transform the embers of hope waiting in our hearts into full-bodied flames of courage. Make us disciples who make disciples, good news people, always learning, to make room for those you put in the paths of purpose you lay out for us. Amen.
Daily Lectionary
Ps. 122, 149 and Ps. 100, 63
Eccl. 5:8–20
Gal. 3:23—4:11; Matt. 15:1–20
