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A Commissioning Service: 2002 Global Exchange
Participants |
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By Barbara Gepford, chair of the Global
Exchange committee |
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Leader: |
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Every three years, a group of Presbyterian Women travel to
another part of the world to listen to the pain and the joy
that their sisters' experience and to share their faith stories
and ministries with each other. We congratulate each of you
on your selection as a member of the 2002 Global Exchange trip
to Africa.
Do you recognize that your opportunity to travel on this 2002
Global Exchange will continue the exciting legacy and awesome
responsibilities you have inherited from those Presbyterian
Women that have previously traveled to Australia, Eastern Europe,
Southeast Asia and the Middle East? |
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Answer: |
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I do. |
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Leader: |
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As a Presbyterian Woman do you
commit yourself to the purpose of Presbyterian Women? |
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Answer: |
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I do. |
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(Read together)
Forgiven and freed by God in Jesus Christ
And empowered by the Holy Spirit
We commit ourselves;
To nurture our faith through prayer and Bible study,
To support the mission of the church worldwide,
To work for justice and peace,
and
To build and inclusive, caring community of women
That strengthens the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and witnesses
to the promise of God's Kingdom.
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Leader: |
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As a Presbyterian Woman do you
promise to interpret our purpose with your prayers and participation
as you undertake this journey, together with our African sisters,
to heal the wounds of our history? |
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Answer: |
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I do. |
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Leader: |
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Do you promise to seek every opportunity
to alert yourself to the circumstances which can lead to learning
the truth of the situations, both current and historical, that
can enable us to be reconciled to each other and to God? |
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Answer: |
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I do. |
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Leader: |
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In order to be sympathetic, to
feel empathy, to be supportive, to feel respectful, to develop
as sense of community with women of Africa we have to begin to
listen to their stories. Do you agree to use your listening skills
so that you can honestly identify with the lives of women unlike
yourself? |
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Answer: |
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I do. |
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Let us read together the Biblical scripture that provides the
inspiration for our trip.
"The reason that I speak to them (the disciples)
in parables is that 'seeing they do not perceive, and hearing
they do not listen, nor do they understand.' With them indeed
is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says: 'You will indeed
listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but
never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and
their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes;
so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with
their ears, and understand with their heart and turn — and
I would heal them.' But blessed are your eyes, for they see,
and your ears, for they hear."
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Matthew 13: 13-16 |
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Leader: |
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Approximately 291 million individuals in Sub-Saharan Africa
— nearly half of the total population — live in extreme poverty,
on less than a 1.00 a day.
As you travel will you promise to remember that the people
of Africa do dream and hope even in the face of poverty, struggle,
anger, and fear? |
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Answer: |
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I will. |
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Leader: |
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The people of Africa are facing
an HIV/AIDS pandemic in which more than seventeen million Africans
have already died from AIDS and another African dies every 13
seconds. An estimated 860,000 schoolchildren in sub-Saharan Africa
lost their parents and teachers to AIDS in 1999. As you travel
will you remember these persons with love and concern? |
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Answer: |
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I will. |
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Leader: |
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Estimates suggest that 1 billion
in additional American foreign aid for poverty-focused development
assistance would amount to less than a penny a day per person
in the United States. As a participant in the 2002 Global Exchange
to Africa will you promise to learn more about the church groups,
labor unions, agricultural associations, women's groups, private
businesses and other groups that are emerging throughout the continent? |
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Answer: |
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I will. |
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Leader: |
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After you return to the United
States do you reaffirm your agreement to do two-years of post-trip
interpretation of you experience? |
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Answer: |
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I do. |
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Let us pray* together:
Eternal God, source of our being,
and goal of our longing,
we praise you and give you thanks
because you have created us, women and men,
together in your image
to cherish your world and seek your face.
Holy God,
we lift to you all nations and races
who come within the sweep of your love.
When we have sinned by promoting or ignoring injustice,
you have redeemed us through Christ's death and resurrection.
We celebrate the blessing we know in Christ;
we embrace the call to see your vision of justice in the world.
We give you thanks that Christ is peace amidst pain,
strength amidst evil,
hope amidst despair,
faith amidst fear,
and compassion amidst suffering.
Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ,
In the unity of the Holy Spirit,
All glory and honor are yours, eternal God,
now and forever. Amen
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Recommended song to sing in closing:
Will You Come and Follow Me
(1987 Wild Goose Resource Group. The Iona Community)
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*Thank you to Reverend Beth Appel
who agreed to share with us this prayer which is a portion of
the prayer she offered during the Communion Service at the February
2002 CCT meeting. |
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