Tuesday, November 23
Peace River Presbytery
Florida
The children enjoy “Kids Night Out” at the New Life NCD Ministry Center in Naples. Photo by Eddie Gray.
The Rev. Miguel Estrada, pastor of the Misión Peniel farmworker ministry in Immokalee, contacted the Rev. Ed Gray, organizing pastor at the New Life New Church Development (NCD) in Naples, with an urgent need. Southwest Florida had been hit with a sudden freeze, forcing many migrant workers and their families to struggle with the cold in unheated, substandard housing. By nightfall they needed about two hundred blankets. Through partnerships that New Life had developed with its outreach ministry, several hundred blankets were delivered to the struggling community within hours. It was a demonstration of the witness of Peace River Presbytery, its 38 churches and 2 NCDs: 18,933 Presbyterians sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout Southwest Florida. Members of the congregations provide compassion and care at Cedarkirk Conference Center, Beth-El Farmworker Ministry in Wimauma, and Misión Peniel.
With two distinctive approaches to new church development, Peace River Presbytery proclaims the gospel in a varied cultural context. Peace NCD is a thriving fellowship in the Bradenton area that follows a traditional model involving transplants from existing congregations and land acquisition. New Life NCD in Naples targets a diverse population of families with no church background. Children from six countries who speak four languages worship and learn together weekly. The fellowship has evolved from worship at an elementary school, to a pizza parlor, to a Ministry Center in a shopping plaza across from the high school. A morning coffee café, plus weekly activities for children and youth, are New Life staples at the Ministry Center.
Let us join in prayer for:
Presbytery Staff
The Rev. Graham Hart, general presbyter
The Rev. Craig Countiss, stated clerk
James Barnett, treasurer
Alesia Sharpe, office manager
William Setchel, financial secretary
Joan Mock, administrative assistant
Lori Doyal, administrative assistant
Rev. Elizabeth Deibert, NCD organizing pastor
Rev. Edward Gray, NCD organizing pastor
PC(USA) Agencies' Staff
Carla Sutton, FDN
Margo Szabunia, OGA
Sharon Tamas, GAMC
Prayer
Precious Lord, may our hearts continue to be filled with an abundance of blessing. Let the streams of living water overflow, and let the message of grace and peace spread deep and wide. Amen.
Daily Lectionary
Ps. 12, 146 and Ps. 36, 7
Zech. 11:4–17
1 Cor. 3:10–23; Luke 18:31–43
