‘Water All Around the World’ engages learners of all ages with global mission and the importance of clean water
April 16, 2024
Living Waters for the World’s APCE conference team, left to right, were Donna Houston, Kendall Cox, Joanie Lukins (lead developer), Kathy Vaughan and Steve Young. (Contributed photo)
When the Association of Partners in Christian Education (APCE) gathered for its annual conference at the Union Station Hotel in St. Louis in late January, conference co-chair Mich Phillips had one key partner in mind — Living Waters for the World (LWW), the global ministry of the PC(USA)’s Synod of Living Waters.
“Our conference theme this year was ‘Come All Who Are Thirsty’ and I knew right then and there that Living Waters for the World was the perfect fit,” Phillips said. “Their entire focus is educating folks about the need for clean water everywhere around the world and their commitment to serving and following in the footsteps of Christ. What else could we be thirsty for? … Living (Clean) water and sharing the good news and love of Jesus. It was a partnership made in heaven.”
In addition to serving as a key sponsor of the event, Living Waters for the World chose the event to officially roll out its new, expanded full-church edition of its “Water All Around the World” curriculum.
LWW, who trains mission teams to partner with international communities to install and operate purification systems and lead health education, began to provide child-focused VBS curricula to churches many years ago, with more than 600 PC(USA) churches having used the material. “We wanted to take the lessons we are learning in the mission field and bring them to churches, regardless of whether or not they were fielding a water team with us,” says LWW’s Education Director Kendall Cox. “What was missing was the full-church piece. It was time to expand the curriculum to include all members of the church, regardless of age, and engage the full church on the importance of global mission, the value of clean water, and how they can be a part.”
For the new edition, LWW augmented its development team with APCE-recommended educators, including Kris Adler, Jon Brown and Lib Caldwell. Jenny Thagard, a Christian educator who has field-tested all LWW curricula, has lent her support of the new edition, providing the testimonial video above.
“Education is what it’s all about, and Christian education in particular is about being outward facing,” said Steve Young, LWW’s executive director. “And when that happens, miracles happen. It’s a hallmark of thriving congregations. LWW mission teams have formed over 1,100 clean water partnerships in 28 nations.”
For more information about “Water All Around the World,” go here.
Living Waters for the World, Special to Presbyterian News Service
Daily Readings
Today’s Focus: Living Waters for the World at APCE
Let us join in prayer for:
PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Penny Franklin, Executive Relations Coordinator, Presbyterian Foundation
Brian Frick, Interim Executive Director, Stony Point Center, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Let us pray
Through the power of your Holy Spirit, loving God, may the ministries we offer in the name of our Christ lead to the transformation of our world, our churches and ourselves. Amen.