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France
In 1730, a 15-year-old Huguenot girl from Bouchet-de-Pransles was taken from her home to the Tower of Constance in the town of AiquesMortes, not far from the Mediterranean Sea. The tower, which also served as a lighthouse, had been converted to a women’s prison. The girl’s name was Marie Durand, and her crime was to have a brother who was a Protestant pastor.
The upper room of the tower where the women were kept was very cold in the winter and very hot in the summer. Considered heretics, these women were tortured by the authorities. Not all were Christian, but Marie’s faith served as an inspiration for all who were held there. For thirty-eight years she served as spiritual leader to the prisoners in the tower. She nursed the sick, wrote letters for those who could not write, and persuaded the authorities to allow them to have a psalter from which she would read aloud every evening. The women were released from the prison on December 26, 1767.
Switzerland
The World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC), a fellowship of more than 75 million Reformed Christians and 349 churches in 110 countries, has its headquarters in Geneva. Its members are Congregational, Presbyterian, Reformed, and United churches with roots in the Reformation.
Partners/Ministries (France)
Reformed Church of France: Rev. Marcel Manoël, president, Pasteur Bertrand de Casenove, general secretary, Rev. Didier Crouzet, secretary for international and ecumenical relations Reformed Church in Alsace-Lorraine: Rev. Geoffroy Goetz, president of the synodal council Protestant Federation of France: Rev. Dr. Jean-Arnold de Clermont, president, Christian Seytre, general secretary
Action Chretienne en Orient
Evangelical Community for Apostolic Action: Rev. Alain Rey, general secretary
Church of the Augsburg Confession: Prof. Jean-Francois Collange, president
CIMADE: Laurent Giovannoni, general secretary
Partners/Ministries (Switzerland)
World Council of Churches: Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, general secretary
World Alliance of Reformed Churches: Rev. Dr. Clifton Kirkpatrick, president
Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches: Rev. Thomas Wipf, president
John Knox International Reformed Center
Ecumenical Institute of Bossey
PC(USA) General Assembly Staff
Rev. Grace Kim, GAMC
Rev. Sun Bai Kim, GAMC
O God, thank you that your faithfulness knows no end. Embolden us through witness of Marie Durand to seize each opportunity each day to honor you. We ask that you would guide and bless the member churches of the WARC and those who serve them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Morning: Ps. 104, 149 Ps. 138, 98
1 Sam. 4:1b–11
Acts 4:32–5:11; Luke 21:20–28
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