Christmas gift to those in need

I sat on the rooftop where the Sisters in Calcutta were living with orphans they had found wandering the streets. Today there is a three storey orphanage and girls' shelter where the children receive shelter and care, going out to school each day. However, in the beginning, the reality was that the cheerful Sisters both lived and taught on an open air rooftop with two rooms, one for the Sisters and the other for the girls they were looking after. We had a wonderful day, the street children who had come visiting from another shelter and the orphans chasing each other around. It was near the end of the year, and the Sisters and I were chatting. The Sisters wondered whether any of the items I had sent to each child the previous year as a present for Christmas had even survived, as they never saw them. 'Watch,' I said. I asked one of the Sisters to translate, and she asked the girls whether they still had the gifts Didi (my name among the children, meaning 'Elder Sister' ) had sent them.

The girls scattered, and disappeared for a while. Eventually every child came back, hair clips with diamante insets from Ireland proudly gleaming in their hair, their little purses I had found in a store in their hands, their school books and reading books I had sent carefully carried. Their special summer shoes were on their feet, in some cases almost as new as the day I sent them. The girls had hidden their treasures away in little cardboard boxes they had rescued and adorned with tinsel and crepe paper. They told the Sister they kept these gifts safely hidden, and then when there was a special occasion, they also could bring out their treasures, so they would be dressed the same as the children who had parents and families. 'Our elder sister in Ireland sent these, specially for us.'

The Sisters were laughing and delighted. I told them, 'Each child never forgets a special gift. They will always treasure it.' I took the glow of happiness on both the childrens' faces and that of the Sisters with me through every Christmas since. Christmas is a family time, when we rejoice to be part of the celebration of family. This Christmas in the spirit of Lumiere, please consider sending a box of gifts either to an orphan, street child, or disadvantaged person who are our brothers and sisters in the wider human family. Many adults do not have the basic necessities to offer a good meal to their children on Christmas - a basket of food is a great gift. Many elderly sit in areas without even the proper necessities for personal care or clothing - I have worked with elderly and indigent lying sleeping on the streets, with no one to care for them. If each of us who has been blessed with our daily needs and perhaps a little extra, shares with one other person  - well, it will indeed be a blessed Christmastime.

We send off Christmas boxes every year to our orphans and street children.
We at Lumiere have found that gift boxes for children including the following are most helpful;
Casual slip on shoes in material suitable for the child's climate, age and size
Clothing and underwear suited to the child's personal age, size and climate
School writing books
Pencils (unsharpened)
Colour pencils
Colouring in books
Reading books in a language suitable for the child's culture
Soft cuddly toy (lovely for a lonely child to cuddle), or gift suitable for the child/teenager
Preferably not plastic toy guns or weapons of war such as knife etc. which may have a negative memory for the child
Bar of soap
Deodorant roll on for teenager (depending on age)
Face cloth
Toothbrush
Card for the child with a personal message inside
If you are giving a box, toothpaste is a welcome addition, also items such as shower gel, powder and other hygiene items.
If you are posting a box, liquids are not sent by post. Rather send a donation to the head of an orphanage/children's shelter or care shelter for the indigent or elderly for needs in this respect

Other gifts in a box sent to the Head of an orphanage/children's shelter can include; paper for writing exams on, pens, rulers, pencils, rubbers, staplers, staples, plastic bands, cross stitch kits, embroidery yarns, knitting needles, wool, material for sewing, sewing needles, cottons for sewing, scissors, underwear, school books, hair care items, hair clips, hair bands, hair combs, slip on sandals all sizes, cuddly toys for children, clothing of all sizes suitable for the climate in which the orphanage/children's shelter is.

For care of the indigent, shower gel and hygiene items are excellent for those attempting to get jobs, and needing a shower and fresh clothing. Also, it is possible to liaise with a reputable group and to donate the payment for a shower and meal for an unemployed person living on the streets and looking for work. Donate a suit or smart clothing and shoes for men and women who are trying to climb out of the poverty trap, looking for work. Or give the person the donation for a few days at a reputable hostel while they are readying themselves trying to get work. Assist with donation or liaison with a reputable Internet cafe to get the unemployed person's CV typed and printed in order to facilitate the jobseeker at their interview.

We have assisted many people who had found they felt unkempt after being reduced by unfortunate circumstances to living on the streets. We have had the joy of seeing people who had been unemployed, glowing with pride in their new job, and able to be a family unit once more - able to afford to care for their children again.

Elderly who are in need can be assisted with bedding, liaison with a care shelter for a place to stay, food, hygiene items, clothing, and assistance with transfer to a hospital or clinic for medical care e.g. if they have leg ulcers, or any of the other ills that advancing age, infirmity and homelessness can cause. A good idea in this regard is to offer some time as a volunteer helper in a reputable charity which assists the elderly and indigent in this regard. Many people thoroughly enjoy spending Christmas in a Shelter for the Homeless, assisting with donation of food towards - and serving of - a delicious Christmas meal and much fun in a community spirit.

May the spirit of Lumiere - bringing light into others' lives - be yours at Christmastime; and may blessing be with you and your loved ones at this lovely family time.

Module 3 - Jesus - The Early Years

GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH SEMINARY

MODULE 3 --- JESUS THE BABY

THE EARLY YEARS

 

Good Shepherd Church came into being in 2009. This was in response to the many requests received by Rev. Catherine to fill a need for the training of priests to bring the Good News as preached by Jesus Christ to people in areas with no priests or funding to train priests. GSC offers a free online self-study course for the priesthood. This is Module 3 of the course. For further details, click into Google and visit www.lumierecharity.com

 

Objectives; by the end of this Module you should;
-Know about the early years of Jesus Christ
-Understand how God worked in the life of Jesus, Joseph and Mary to bring     
about His Plan for the redemption of our fallen humanity
-Appreciate the role of Angels in keeping Jesus safe in His early years

Contents
The Story of Jesus – The Gospels
1.    The Angel visits Mary
2.    Mary visits Elizabeth
3.    Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem
4.    Four great truths from the Birth of Jesus
5.    Visitors to the Stable
6.    Jesus in Egypt

THE STORY OF JESUS – THE GOSPELS
There are four Gospels which are found in the New Testament Bible. Other ancient Gospel Sources are the Gospel of Mary Magdalene and the Gospel of St.Thomas.

1.  THE ANGEL VISITS MARY
Mary was the daughter of a devout family living in Nazareth, Israel, during the reign of King Herod. This village girl was engaged to be married to a local carpenter, Joseph. Joseph was a man of local standing, being a craftsman with skills, and from a distinguished family tracing their lineage back to King David.

God sent the Angel Gabriel as intermediary with His request to Mary in the village. The Angel informed her that God wished her to accept a special privilege, to conceive Himself in form of a human Son to Whom she should give the name of Jesus. He would be great, and His title would be ‘The Son of the Most High’. The Lord promised through Angel Gabriel that should Mary accept His request, Jesus would be given the throne of David, His ancestor. The Angel further prophesied upon the Word of God that Jesus will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His reign will never come to an end (Luke 1; 30 – 33). Mary queried how this could happen, as she as yet had no husband. The Angel answered that the Holy Spirit (of God) would come upon her, impregnating her. Gabriel further affirmed to her as a sign, that her cousin Elizabeth, well past the age of menopause and child bearing, had fallen pregnant as nothing is impossible to God. Mary agreed to God’s proposal, saying that she was His servant. Thus Mary learned she was to be the mother of the promised Messiah.

2.  MARY VISITS ELIZABETH
Mary decided after the Angel’s visit to go to visit Elizabeth in her small Judean home town. When she got there, the evidence of Elizabeth’s pregnancy was clear to see, and Elizabeth was delighted to see her. As Elizabeth caught sight of Mary, her unborn child kicked hard in her womb, and Elizabeth greeted Mary with words still read in the Gospels today;
‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the Child you will bear!
But why am I so favoured, that the Mother of the Lord should come to me?
As soon as the sound of your voice reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed is she who believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!’
(Luke 1; 42 – 45).

Mary replied to Elizabeth with words which are used as one of the great prayers in Christianity today;
‘My soul glorifies the Lord,
And my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
For He has been mindful
Of the humble state of His servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
For the Mighty has done great things for me –
Holy is His Name.
His mercy extends to those who fear Him,
From generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with His Arm;
He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
But has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
But has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
Remembering to be merciful
To Abraham and his descendants forever,
Even as He said to our fathers.’ (Luke 1; 46- 55).
This beautiful prayer is known as Mary’s song. And Mary is known to many as Blessed Mary.

Mary then stayed with Elizabeth three months, and returned home when her own pregnancy had begun showing. Explanations to her family and Joseph then followed, with Joseph, heartbroken, unable to credit her story. He was anxious not to shame Mary publicly and put her in danger of stoning, the penalty at that time for adultery. Thus, Joseph had decided to divorce her in secret. He, too, was then visited by an Angel while he was in a dream-like state. The Angel reassured him about the truth of Mary’s words, and encouraged him to marry Mary.  Once he awoke from his sleep, Joseph carried God’s instructions as brought to him by the Angel. He married Mary, she had God’s Son, and they gave Him the Name of Jesus.

3.JESUS' BIRTH IN BETHLEHEM 
Jesus was born in Bethlehem. The festival of Christmas celebrates this fact. It had been prophesied by one of the great prophets of the eighth century BC, Micah, that the Messiah - the Saviour - would come from David's city, Bethlehem.
'But you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah,,
for out of you will come a ruler
who will be the shepherd of my
people Israel.' (Micah 5;2)
Jesus' family tree shows that he was accepted as the son of David through Joseph, the husband of Jesus' mother Mary. Jesus’ birth was unusual in that it is accepted in the Gospels that neither Joseph nor another human male fathered Jesus. God Himself incarnated as Jesus into the womb of Mary, the young village girl from Nazareth in Israel, in unique mystery.  

Many stories surround Jesus’ birth. It is not sure how much is myth and how much is true. What is likely is that marvelous signs surrounded the birth of Jesus, and that the Father in Heaven took this opportunity to witness to rich and poor alike in Israel that a great King had indeed been born. He also witnessed to the sanctity of animal life by choosing humble animals to be the first witnesses to the incarnation of the Creator God as Son among all on earth.

Mary was caught short with her pregnancy on the road to Bethlehem, and Joseph was hard put to find suitable accommodation for her as her labour pangs while riding on the back of the donkey brought her closer to the delivery of Jesus. Mary was a young woman, far from home, in the agony of contractions being jogged on the back of a donkey. She had no hope of a comfortable bed and hot water to ease her discomfort, and no trained midwife or fellow woman to help her deliver her infant safely. The whole experience must have been unnerving to the young mother and her new husband.

Joseph, the provider and nurturer of his birthing wife, would have to see to the safety and comfort of Mary and the infant making its way into a hostile world. He was frantic, looking for accommodation in an area where there was simply no room. Eventually Mary was taken to an animals’ stable where she birthed Jesus in the witness of the animal kingdom. Thus the Heavenly Father paid tribute to these creatures of his Creation, who would do no harm to the Lord and Master of the Universe.  Shortly thereafter, angels appeared and witnessed to shepherds looking after their sheep on nearby hilltops, urging them to go to Bethlehem to see the Saviour Who is the Messiah, the Lord. They told the shepherds they would recognize the King because He would be wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. News indeed for the shepherds, as they listened to the angels singing in glorious harmonies. They made their way to see this King of the Universe Who was lying in a feeding trough of animals. More humble surroundings would be difficult to imagine.

4. FOUR GREAT TRUTHS FROM THE BIRTH OF JESUS
As priests, we need to be aware that there are four great truths to be learned from the Gospel of the Birth of Jesus. These are;

Firstly, that we are to be content with humble house, clothing and means of living. That is what Jesus did.  And His example is our template for existence as priest. As priest, we pray the ‘Our Father’ prayer of Jesus every day, asking for our daily bread to be given us. We live from hand to mouth – from God’s Hand to our mouth – asking for our daily need of food, shelter, work and sufficient health to do our priestly task as we go along. We need to be honest and mature people who know how to live fully in society, and to earn our keep in it. And then to work in our priestly ministry as Paul of Tarsus did, dependent on no-one for our income, and then ministering to others in the Name of Jesus Christ.

Secondly,  Jesus showed tenderness and humility before the animals of His creation, coming among them first of all the creatures on earth. The Commandment of His Father to Moses on Mount Sinai ‘Thou shalt not kill’, should start with these often helpless creatures. We do not need to kill animals and eat their young shortly after birth, such as lambs. Respect for the animal kingdom should show in the priest being gentle with animals, helping those in need and sickness, and never allowing torturing, maiming or murder of animals.

Thirdly, we should have great respect for women who put their lives on the line when they become pregnant and bring their child to birth. Many women have had their health compromised or lost their lives in childbirth. A woman who has gone through childbirth has shown courage and fortitude in bringing a new life into the world. This life which causes extreme pain to the woman upon birth, should be treated as sacred - not subjected to violence and caused death. God is the God of creation, life and innovation - hence His Words to all in the Ten Commandments, 'Thou shalt not kill.'

Fourthly,  the presence of angels in our lives is a regular occurrence. We need to have great respect and openness to the presence of special angels in our lives, who daily help us along our way. Angels are always ready to help us when we call on them in prayer. Angels are both God the Father and Jesus’ messengers to people. They carry messages from God and Jesus to us, and back to the Father and the Saviour. We should have great respect and trust in these heavenly messengers.

5.  VISITORS TO THE STABLE
Mary lay exhausted after her difficult and painful labour, while Joseph finished tidying up after the birth and mentally maturing fast as a man who for the first time had faced the reality of childbirth and having to act as midwife. The baby lay exhausted after the birth in closely tied cotton cloths keeping him warm after his initial cleaning. He was soothed by the loving murmurs of His mother’s voice, and the close nearness and protection of His foster father. A loved Child, indeed, finding the first lesson all children instinctively know – that love of adults for a newborn child are as important as food and shelter. Thus the miracle of conception, foetal growth and birth were blessed by The Lord of All in the incarnation of Jesus. All are sacred – and every human being is welcome and legitimate as a member of God’s wider human family destined one day for heavenly eternity.

As the three became used to each other, we are told by the witness of the four writers of the Gospels – disciples of Jesus named Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – that this new family had a number of visitors. The first visitors were the shepherds from the hills who had been sent by the angels. And to their joy, these hardbitten and weathered men of work and worry found that indeed, the new Messiah was present among us as the angels had told them.

Great magi from the East, whom Christian tradition name as Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, had been fascinated by a constellation that appeared at the time Jesus was born. These three magi, or wise men, are believed to have been independently wealthy and highly educated men who studied astronomy – the night skies. They believed they could read predictions of future events on earth in the stars, a study called astrology. In the year Jesus was born the planets Jupiter and Saturn met in the sign of the zodiac called Pisces, the Fish. The conjunction is a powerful and rare one. The magi believed Pisces to be the sign of the last days; Jupiter they regarded as the star of the world ruler; and Saturn was  the star of Palestine.

The three Magi therefore reckoned that when Jupiter met Saturn in the constellation of Pisces, the ruler of the last days would appear in Palestine. Certain that their astrological reckonings were correct,  these men of faith and learning travelled to Palestine to find the Great King, bringing gifts with them. The location of the birthplace of the prophesied Messiah Jesus was marked for the astrologers by the light of a star in the east, which stopped over the place where the child was. Balaam’s prophecy in Numbers 24;17 had foretold a star, “There shall come a star out of Jacob.”

The Magi worshipped the infant King, and left their gifts with the small family. These gifts would prove invaluable when Joseph, Mary and their infant Jesus had to flee as asylum seekers to Egypt shortly after Jesus’ birth. It is a possibility their sale put food on the table as the unemployed Joseph tramped around as a foreigner in a strange country, looking for accommodation and a place to work. The magi were visitors at the stable with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. In the meantime, Jesus had been circumcised in accordance with the Jewish religious law in the synagogue. The signs and wonders of the Almighty already started pointing to Jesus as a Male born for a great destiny in the service of God. In the synagogue an elderly man named Simeon, who was known to be an observer of the Law and devoutly reverenced God, had been assured by God’s Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had seen the Messiah. When he saw Jesus he took Him in his arms to embrace Him, and prayed the beautiful prayer which many Christians often pray, the Canticle of Simeon;
“Master, now dismiss your servant in peace,
according to Your Word.
For my eyes have seen Your Salvation,
Which you have prepared in the presence of all people,
A Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people, Israel.” (Luke 2; 29 – 32).

An elderly woman named Anna who was honoured as a prophetess lived in the synagogue, devoting her life to the service of God. She came up to Simeon and Jesus, and also gave thanks to God, speaking afterwards of Jesus to all those who were praying for the redemption of Israel.

The Magi feared Herod wanted to execute Jesus as a possible pretender to the throne he and his sons occupied. They therefore did not visit Herod’s palace on their return to their home country, but secretly Ieft Israel. An angel gave Joseph warning to Joseph that Herod was planning to kill Jesus, and advised him to take Mary and Jesus immediately to Egypt as refugees. Joseph readied his wife and child, and left for Egypt, where they lived until the death of Herod. It was in Egypt that Jesus spent some of his early years.

6.  JESUS IN EGYPT
As the great prophet Moses had fled out of Egypt, so the great Messiah Jesus fled in the arms of his parent and protectors to Egypt. Jesus lay, an unusual King, helpless and in the care of two poverty-inured Jewish peasants and on the back of a patiently plodding donkey. Trouble had been brewing ever since the annunciation of Jesus’ birth and the wondrous signs which surrounded the event. He had already been the target of an assassination plot by King Herod. Now Jesus travelled into the land where fabulously wealthy upper classes lived in luxury and sophistication, and labourers and migrants sweated out livelihoods in the sun for meagre income.

In seeking a new home in Egypt, Joseph, Mary and Jesus were following an old  practice where Israelites in ancient times sought refuge in that country.  Jacob and his sons had done the same during the famine, and now the Saviour and his parent and foster parent traced the same way into safety. According to ancient Christian tradition in Egypt, Joseph fled with Mary and Jesus before Herod’s soldiers on a journey which is marked by Christian churches built on the sites today. The family were forced to hide in caves to prevent detection, as they were hunted by the assasins. Ancient tradition tells us the family sought refuge en route in Egyptian seaports and towns. Among them were Mostorod (also known as Mostord), Matariya (also known as Matarya), and the northern delta area town Sakha. The family also visited thriving ports on the Nile. Also visited was Gabal el-Teir, where they hid in a cave as they fled upriver from pursuing soldiers. Then on to further towns on the Nile. It is believed the family lived in Deir Muharraq for six months.

Why did God tell Joseph the carpenter to take his family to Egypt? Possibly because, as well as being a land of plenty with good natural resources, Egypt has traditionally displayed a high level of cultural integration and religious tolerance. Joseph must have had to learn a new language, find some kind of work to support his family, and strengthen in his role of protector of the family due to the risk of all three of them being killed if discovered by Herod. Possibly they had to live and work under assumed names. Joseph was a fugitive, a man on the run, and his family vulnerable to political assassination.

Herod died several years later, so Jesus had time to grow and assimilate Egyptian culture and language as his first experience of life. Being refugees in a foreign land gave Jesus an experience in his early years of being among the marginalised as his father had to battle for work. Joseph was far from the security of his own home, shop and  support system of his and Mary’s families, their familiar Nazarene community and synagogue. Also, Egypt had a very different religious system and language, which would have been among the first sights and sounds Jesus would have seen and heard after their settling into Egypt.

Jesus’ experience as the child of struggling refugees in Egypt affected Him. Instead of being a young prince, pampered and at the top of the social ladder, he was among immigrants who had no personal security. Jesus played with the children of the area, and began assimilating much of Egyptian culture. At home, his mother and father would teach him the Torah, and how to worship God. Outside in the town he would see the sculptures of the Egyptian deities. He was living in two worlds, and had to learn to make decisions. He was a Boy with a feeling of destiny, attracted with His inner spirit towards Yahweh,  the One God of Israel. Jesus was interacting with people who took for granted the religious system of Egypt with many deities. This whole experience imbued Jesus with a calm tolerance for other cultures. This tolerance and comfort with others often showed up, such as the time when He accepted the Samaritan woman at the well, puzzling Jewish people in his area as it was not culturally usual for people of Jewish extraction at that time to speak or interact with people from Samaria. Jesus’ early experiences had left their mark on His inner spirit, making Him tolerant, wise and kind.

Mary breastfed Jesus on their flight into Egypt. This tired her, as she and Joseph lacked sufficient nourishment on their journey. Mary was also struggling with post-birth hormonal imbalance, which was not helped by the flight and lack of amenities. Her youth and strength helped her, as did Joseph’s devoted care of herself and Jesus.

Once the family had settled in the safety of Egypt, Mary weaned Jesus. Joseph found work, and Mary did that time-honoured work of women who are immigrants – making a home from virtually nothing.  Mary was well aware that she was over-protective towards Jesus, fearing to allow Him freedom as He learned to walk and talk, and wished to play with other children. Her experiences with the pursuit of the soldiers had left her fiercely protective of her son’s life. Eventually she learned to relax, and allow her son to have interaction with others. Social ease became a hallmark of Jesus’ style, and He certainly had much experience of interacting with many groups in Egypt which was a multicultural society. Joseph came home tired, mentally and physically weary from the heavy toil that marks the work of labourers in countries foreign to them. Mary and Joseph were indeed a comfort to each other, as they struggled in this unfamiliar and at times, harsh environment.

Joseph and Mary did not tell their communities in which they lived that Jesus was a Child of Promise. They were deeply aware of the need to keep Jesus safe, and did nothing to compromise that safety. Joseph and Mary often communicated and helped each other how to raise Jesus. As new parents, they had to learn to parent in the time-honoured way – learning parenting skills from experience. In the meantime, Jesus revelled in the sun and dust of Egypt, enjoying the company of his playmates and thriving as he grew. Jesus’ education now began.  His parents taught Jesus the Torah, gave Him time and guidance to develop His own prayer life, and began teaching Him to read and write. They also began teaching Him good manners, respect for men, women, children, infants, animals and the environment. They taught good hygiene, and in later years Jesus would rebuke Simon for not offering him the courtesy to allow Him as guest to wash His Feet of the dust he had brought into Simon’s home from walking the sandy Israeli roads (Luke 7; 44).

Joseph and Mary also taught Him how to be a decent human being – by means of their own loving, caring and hardworking examples.  Jesus was exceptionally integrated in His ministry in social relationships, able to easily show affection to women, men and children. The origins of His healthy social abilities began in Egypt from His parents. Jesus also learned how to get along with his brothers and sisters – James, Judah, Joses, Simon, Salome and others. His family were both His support and His close circle of friends – though they were to run into stormy waters years later in Israel when they became convinced He was out of His mind. Things got so bad that Jesus wouldn’t answer the door to mother and brothers, claiming that His disciples were now His family
(Matthew 12; 46 – 50).

In Egypt, Jesus experienced multicultures in a sophisticated environment. He was wide eyed in wonder as He and His parents walked past Egyptian palaces and temples which were architectural and decorative marvels. Egypt was in a time of great development in art, and sculpture, carved panels, and intricate burial grounds. All of these were of great interest to Jesus. He enjoyed seeing the bustling people of Egypt going about their work. There were amulet workshops, warehouses, linen-makers, gold workers, doctors and surgeons who were much respected by all in Egypt for their healing work. The natural beauties of Egypt were reflected in many wall paintings; birds on the wing, papyrus thickets, people

well dressed and in wigs dancing and singing, enjoying life. And there was a rich belief in the Afterlife, expressed in solemn rituals and ceremonials at funerals.

All of these experiences opened the young child’s eyes to the fact that although people in different countries have different manners and ways of expressing themselves, they all have the same experiences; birth, life, love and death. And Jesus had begun to experience within Himself the dawning of  Divine understanding of His Messianic destiny. That indeed, there is life after death, and a rich and eternal life with God. And somehow His destiny was linked to some witness to that fact. How, as yet, He did not know. But the stirrings of His destiny had begun to awaken in His unconscious as surely as the young plant grows from the seed.

Jesus eventually left Egypt with his parents after Joseph was directed by the Angel of the Lord to return to Israel. It was a wrench, as He left His friends, His childhood home and all He knew to go to a country He knew nothing of – Israel, so familiar to His parents and totally unknown to Him at this stage. Already Jesus was learning to be uprooted from time to time, never to depend on the security of putting down material and emotional roots. He left Egypt and all He had known there as a small child, never to return.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Copyright 2011 by Rev. Catherine Whittle D.D. All rights reserved.

An unusual family

The mission priest Tom* came to ask a favour. A young man had died, and he had no family. There was no money for a coffin, and no pallbearers. Would I help him to bury this young man? Of course I agreed, and we all dug into our pockets and purchased a simple pine coffin for the burial. As I attended the funeral service, it struck me just how sad this all was; there were three people at the funeral Mass; the kindly German priest, the caring South African undertaker Gerard* who had waived the fees for the burial, and myself. Afterwards we travelled far, far out to a sandy area near a shanty town. A hole had been hewn in the hard baked ground, and Tom, Gerard and myself acted as pall bearers to the pitifully light coffin which attested to how hard the final illness had been. We placed the coffin in the ground, and the priest prayed the last prayers. As I looked around at the other graves in the extreme heat, I remember thinking to myself, 'So this is what hell looks like'. The place was desolate, no grass or trees or tombstones, just mounds of baked earth over pitiful graves attesting to those who had no family. This just wasn't right. Everyone needs a family.

So I stepped forward, and out of the blue found myself singing at the top of my voice, 'The Lord is my Shepherd'. Both Tom and Gerard looked startled, and then joined in. By the end of the song, I brought forward the little bouquet of flowers I had purchased, and placed it reverently on the pine coffin before Tom and Gerard lowered the coffin by hand. 'You brought flowers?'  Tom asked. 'Yes,' I replied. 'We need to celebrate his life'. And then Tom and Gerard started to fill in the grave by hand. There were no grave diggers for the poor unfortunate who had been destined for a pauper's burial.  I stepped forward, and took a shovel and joined in. The men looked startled, as in the culture I was brought up in it is not a woman's work to shovel earth at a burial. But then they smiled, and we performed this last task of respect.

 After we completed, I asked that we stand around and say a few words in honour of the departed. 'But we never knew him,' said Tom. 'God did,' I replied. So the priest stood thoughtfully, and then prayed. 'Here we stand before you, Lord. We did not meet this gentleman in his life, and do not know anything about him. But we do know one thing; as a child of your human family, he was known to you. So we commend him to you. And thank you for being a kind and benevolent God. At the last, you ensured he had family from your wider human family there to bury him;  Gerard, Catherine and myself.  Bless this man in your eternal Home.' And the priest went off to his car, shaking his head and muttering, 'Songs and flowers, can you believe it...' As he climbed into the car, and I climbed into the funeral van for a lift home from Gerard, I am sure I heard his last words floating on the air as he slammed the door, 'How wonderful...'

Many people especially in poorer areas do not have money for a burial, or are unknown with no family to take care of the last dignities. In the spirit of Lumiere, please consider organising a donation among your friends if a fellow friend has a passing in the family, and they are not wealthy. Or consider funding a funeral for someone who has no money, and no one to care for them in a shanty town or squatter camp. A donation to a worthy priest who is known for assisting the poor in this regard would be helpful. Each of us is a son or daughter in the human family of God; let us offer dignity to those who, due to the circumstances of their lives, have no-one else to think of them as they cross over to join God in eternity.

*Names have been changed

Module 2 - Jesus the Person

GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH SEMINARY MODULE 2 --- JESUS THE PERSON JESUS OF NAZARETH Good Shepherd Church came into being in 2009. This was in response to the many requests received by Rev. Catherine to fill a need for the training of priests to bring the Good News as preached by Jesus Christ to people in areas with no priests or funding to train priests. GSC offers a free online self-study course for the priesthood. This is Module 2 of the course. For further details, click into Google and visit www.lumierecharity.com Objectives By the end of this module you should; 1 know Who Jesus Christ is 2 be able to tell others of Jesus’ qualities and personal life 3 understand what the Scriptures say about Jesus 4 have learned how to develop your relationship with Jesus in your prayer,   daily life and priestly ministry   Contents Introduction; Jesus of Nazareth is one of the best-known people in the world. Jesus of Nazareth 1.1 Who Jesus Christ really is 1.2 Jesus the Person 1.3 The Role of Jesus on earth 1.4 Jesus is presently working in our Communities INTRODUCTION  Jesus of Nazareth is one of the best-known people in the world. Millions revere His name, are inspired by his ethics to imitation, and follow His teachings. Who is Jesus Christ really?  JESUS OF NAZARETH 1.1 WHO JESUS CHRIST REALLY IS Jesus of Nazareth, otherwise known as Jesus Christ, is the Son of God. God is the Supreme Being and Creator Who created the planet earth, humanity, all that lives and breathes and is in our planet, the galaxies, the heavens and all they contain. On earth Jesus was a Jewish carpenter from a poor province in Israel. Jesus, this man from Nazareth, lived from approximately 6 BC to 30 AD. Jesus is the founder of Christianity, and the central figure in the message and worship of the Christian Church. We know much about Him from sources both ancient and recent. The great ancient source is the New Testament, particularly the Four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. There are other ancient sources such as the Gospel of Mary Magdalene. Jesus of Nazareth is one of the most famous men in human history. People have followed Him, prayed to Him and dedicated their whole lives to Him. He has inspired faith in many. Jesus was born to a humble woman of Nazareth who was named Mary. His foster father was Joseph. His parents were of the lineage of King David. His real father was God, Who overshadowed His mother Mary and planted the seed into the ovum of Mary, impregnating her with His Son Jesus. The coming of Jesus had been foretold by the Prophets for centuries in the Jewish Scriptures, and His incarnation as a human on earth was prophesied to be for the purpose of redemption. Redemption means the saving of the human race from the ills and misfortunes which plague us on the planet, and the opening of the way for the spiritual element of the human – the soul or spirit – to go to heaven, a place of deep happiness and fulfillment in the presence of God our Creator, after death. This, in essence, means that Jesus the Redeemer or Messiah, came to earth in order to share our life and burdens, to bring us hope and redemption, and to open the way for us to a life of immortality in bliss and happiness. No small task this. Jesus Christ was born to a mighty purpose and a great destiny. We are immeasurably honoured to be called as priests to serve His great purpose of continuing to minister and bring hope and assistance in painful circumstances to our fellow humanity in the Name of Jesus Christ as He continues to labour to enable the redemption of the human race in every succeeding century. In practical terms, Jesus was the illegitimate child of a poor mother. Yet this is the child whom the whole of God’s court reveres: ‘Peace on earth’ as the angels sang at his birth (Luke 2;1). God’s court comprises the angels and beings of the followers of God in heaven. This child of a poor mother became the centre of the world. Here began the peace that is to embrace the whole earth. In this course, we will explain that Jesus’ innocent life ended in His execution. As Christians, we have the belief and many of us who have experienced Jesus’ personal work and Being influencing our practical daily lives know, that the story of Jesus’ life did not end with His death. Jesus rose from the dead;  that is, He returned to life again in a new and dynamic fashion, with His risen Body now immortal, -  it will never die again. And Jesus promises us the same great destiny. But there are things we need to do to fulfill this great destiny. We need to work on our spiritual self to become the great individual God blueprinted for each of us at our creation. And that needs assistance along the way. That is where we priests come in. We are enablers of other people to work on their spiritual lives, remain faithful to the commandments of God and precepts of Jesus Christ, and prepare for the destiny which awaits faithful and loving people in eternity after human death.

1.2 JESUS THE PERSON
Jesus is an extraordinary man. The story of Jesus that has been told for over
2 000 years and still counting has always been a mixture of fact and faith. In the gospels of the Bible (which provide most of the evidence for the life of Jesus), eyewitness accounts by various people give testimony to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Jesus had the courage of a royal lion during His earthly lifetime, daring to face satan and the demonic legions down and suffer the agonizing death on the cross as the innocent atonement for humanity’s sin and to open the closed gateway to heaven to us all.  Jesus’ personality is a mixture of strength and tenderness. Jesus had the abrupt masculinity necessary to deal with difficult personalities such as the man who had insulted Him by neglecting the rules of hospitality towards Him as a guest (Luke 7:44-48)

Jesus showed self-discipline and the ability to exercise self-control as He meditated and reflected on how He would conduct His ministry as the Son of God (Matthew 4:1-11). Jesus is sociable and loves company, enjoying community gatherings and events (2:1-11). He loves children, and was protective of them during His earthly lifetime (Mark 10; 13-16). Jesus was a great storyteller during his earthly life, and had an eye for the beautiful detail in daily life, such as a woman kneading bread and the man sowing seed. Jesus had the gift of translating His observations with stories of moral power that still sway us today into making choices that reflect the better side of our human nature. These stories are the Parables and sayings of Jesus in the four Gospels of the New Testament, which can be found in the Holy Bible of Christianity.

1.3  THE ROLE OF JESUS ON EARTH
Jesus is the Son of God Who was born to be our leader into heaven. Heaven is a state of happiness with God after our lifetime on earth ends. The Bible explains to us in the Old Testament that there was a rift, a break in the relationship between God and humanity caused by humans. This led to humanity drifting far from God.

Nothing could heal this rift, and then messages started to come from God through the prophets that a Messiah, a Saviour, would come to heal the break in relationship. This message came to the Jewish people and to Jewish prophets in ancient times. They worshipped the one true God, Yahweh. He is the God Who created the universe and all in it, including ourselves. We are told that we are the crown of His universe, a wonderful creation of body and spirit of extremely complex inner body systems with the ability to live, breathe, move, have children, express emotions, feel love for others and worship and love for God. A wonderful gift indeed.

The problem was that the body and soul have been plagued by illnesses and effects of imbalance which the Bible attributes to humanity not following the original course planned out by God. This story has been beautifully told in the form of two humans named Adam and Eve, who betrayed their relationship of trust and love with God by turning away to become involved in a dark force of evil, named as satan. God banished them from His presence and the relationship as it had been was broken.

The story of Genesis is not to be understood as an historical story, rather as an explanation that in some way indeed there has been miscommunication between the God of Love and Life, and humanity who often sanction acts of hatred, vengeance, death.

God then sent Jesus to heal the rift and open the way again to full relationship with Himself, and to open the way once again for the original plan for God and humanity to be together in loving relationship and proximity in eternity. This Jesus accomplished through much suffering and acceptance of His divinely appointed role to be mediator between God the Father and humanity - we who had moved into a path far from the loving ways of God.

1.4  JESUS IS PRESENTLY WORKING IN OUR COMMUNITIES

Jesus is presently working in our communities. We who are Christians in many cases have personal experience of Jesus working in our lives as a living Presence, with personal interest in us. We are commissioned by God to spread the good news, the joyful news that we have been ransomed by Jesus' loving sacrifices within His own earthly life and now have entrance into an eternity of happiness if we choose. Jesus has called us to be ambassadors to the fact that after His painful death in reparation for our brokenness and to open the way to reconciliation with God once again, He received life into His body in the Resurrection. He lives forever now, no longer plagued by the daily problems the human body and spirit faces, as we will if we receive His message and accept our gift to be with God forever. This entails that we change our lifestyles to a model bases on Jesus' life - to be good, caring and to follow the commandments. We need thus to honour God, our parents, and to have a day of worship in which we set aside our problems and think of our heavenly destiny. Often we do this by prayer and by attending community worship in church. We are not to break other people's marriages by adultery, and we are not to steal, lie or be jealous of others. We are not to manipulate others for the means of gaining their benefits. We, as priests of Jesus, are called to help people to know of, and accept, their wonderful destiny to be with God forever.

Often people have broken areas in their lives which need to be addressed in order for them to grow as Christians. As priests, we are called to do exactly that. We thus need to know more about Jesus in order to be His faithful ambassadors.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Copyright 2011 by Rev. Catherine Whittle D.D. All rights reserved.

Saving the twin

It was another day in the seaport squatter camp, and I was walking across a road carrying my bag of medicines. I was avoiding the dips in the road when a little boy clad only in a T-shirt came up to me. He had been waiting for me, and took me by the hand. I followed where he led me through numerous shacks. I had to crouch down to enter the little corrugated iron and plastic bag shack. Inside I saw the most heartrending sight. A young mother was lying near death, with a frail infant in her arms. Her two neighbours were helping her, and said to the little boy, 'Good. You brought the Angel with the Medicines'. The little boy pointed to his mother, and the baby. He then started explaining to me in his language of which I only had a smattering of words. The neighbours translated.

His mother had given birth to twins two weeks previously. His father was unemployed, and had gone seeking work elsewhere. His mother was worried about her husband's safety. After the birth his mother had haemmorhaged, and this tiny tot had tended to her as best he could. The one twin had died shortly after birth, and he had helped to bury his tiny brother beside the shack. A little brick had been carefully laid on the spot by himself, so that he and his family would know exactly where his little brother was. I thought my heart would break when I heard his story. Then the little boy pointed to his malnourished sister and told me that she was dying. He could see, because she looked the same way his brother had looked just before he died. The little boy told me that he knew God helped me to heal anyone I met; and asked me to save his sister's life and help his mother get better. I carried out emergency treatment, and the devoted neighbours helped to nurse her.

When I returned after three weeks ongoing visits, his mother had recovered and the little girl infant was thriving on infant formula as the mother had lost her milk due to her illness and severe malnutrition. The little boy looked at me with his eyes shining for a long time; he touched my hand gently then with both of his, a reverent touch; then he turned away and walked back into the shack. There are many ways of saying 'thank you'; the glowing look in the little boy's eyes told me all that was in his heart. The neighbours came over to reassure me they were taking care of the young mother and her two children; they had also sent a messenger to look for the husband, and were confident they would make contact with him.

As I turned to leave the shack, I saw what the little boy had been doing - a poignant handful of wildflowers carefully picked from the veld near the squatter camp in a well washed jam jar sat on the little twin's grave. As I drove back home, the African sun was setting. I wept at the heartbreak that so many must go through. Since that time, a hospital is now thriving in the place where a fellow charity worker and myself started a clinic under a tree from the red Charity minivan. From small seeds, larger things may grow when blessed by the Almighty. I remember my fellow charity worker and her dedicated love and service of the poor, and will be sending her a copy of this article to remind her of days gone by. In the spirit of Lumiere, would you consider helping someone in your area or another area where there is a need. Many mothers struggle to get basic ante-natal care, necessities for their babies and themselves, fresh water, food for their family. If you know of such a mother, or a father unable to give the necessities to his family due to unemployment, would you consider giving them a helping hand? Each life is so precious - it is indeed a tragic thing for a life to be lost almost before it has even begun. I often think of that little boy - now he would be a grown man. He taught me the lesson that we do not always have to say everything with words...

Introduction to Seminary Training Course

WELCOME TO GOOD SHEPHERD 
CHURCH SEMINARY TRAINING

Good Shepherd Church came into being in 2009. This was in response to the many requests received by Rev. Catherine to fill a need for the training of priests to bring the Good News as preached by Jesus Christ to people in areas with no priests or funding to train priests. GSC offers a free online self-study course for the priesthood. This is the Introduction to the course. For further information see http://lumierecharity.tripod.com/good-shepherd-church.html

Seminary Training

First, a few words on how to do the seminary training.

It is entirely up to you how long you spend on each module. You can spend all your free time on it, or spread the time you wish to study over several months. I suggest you take time to read a module thoughtfully (preferably at least twice). Each module is self-contained. However, we do encourage you to seek out further reading which will benefit you in your ministry. 

Outcomes for the GSC Seminary Training in Theology

By the end of the seminary training , you should;

•  Have developed confidence as you practise your priestly ministry 
• Have experienced growth in your relationship with God/Jesus Christ 
• Be able to tell others about the Christian faith with understanding and belief in God/Jesus Christ 
• Know more about your priestly ministry, the Sacred Rites, the Bible and its meaning 
• Offer healing and care to people in your church and in the community with integrity 
• Have developed knowledge and skills which will enable you to contribute towards growth in your church and community

Module 1 - Becoming a Priest 
This module gives you the steps to becoming a priest. It works through the initial stages of experiencing the call from Jesus to follow Him in a special way, through the practical steps of how to follow this call. It will help you understand your call from Jesus Christ to be a priest. The module will also help you to train yourself after ordination for effective, skilled and confident priestly ministry. It underlines the importance of integrity and prayer in the priest's life. It explains the Seminary, a school of learning for priests to learn to be effective ministers for Christ.
 Outcomes; By the end of the Module, you should

• Know the steps to become a priest 
• Be aware of the need to pray for guidance to become a priest 
• Understand what a seminary is 
• Understand how Jesus teaches us as disciples 
• Be able to draw up a programme for yourself planning how best to equip yourself with the skills you need to be an effective priest in ministry 
• Have an understanding of priestly ministry
• This Module is found at http://lumierecharity.blogspot.com/2011/10/module-1-becoming-priest.html
  

Module 2 – Jesus the Person – Jesus of Nazareth
This Module will give you an understanding of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The module discusses the role of Jesus Christ, and how He is working presently in our communities as the Resurrected Son of God.
Outcomes;  At the completion of the module you should;

• Know Who Jesus Christ is 
• Be able to tell others of Jesus’ qualities and personal life
• Understand what the Scriptures say about Jesus 
• Have learned how to develop your relationship with Jesus
• This Module is found athttp://lumierecharity.blogspot.com/2011/11/module-2-jesus-person.html
  

Module 3 - Jesus the Baby - The Early Years
Module 3 discusses the Infancy of Jesus from the visit of the Angel Gabriel to His mother Mary, through His Birth and the subsequent events in Bethlehem, to His parents’ flight into Egypt with Him in order to secure His safety.
Outcomes;  At the completion of the module, you should;

• Know about the early years of Jesus Christ 
• Understand how God worked in the life of Jesus, Joseph and Mary to bring about His Plan for the redemption of our fallen humanity 
• Appreciate the role of Angels in keeping Jesus safe in His early years
• This Module is found at  
• http://lumierecharity.blogspot.com/2011/11/module-3-jesus-baby-early-years.html

Module 4 – The Sacred Rites – The Service of Baptism
This module explains Jesus Christ's baptism at the hands of John the Baptist in the River Jordan. The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus to anoint Him for His mission of saving the world. The Voice of God affirmed that Jesus is His Son Whom He loved, and Whom He was sending to earth to be the Messiah and King, the Saviour Who was to offer Himself as a sacrifice on the Cross. Jesus chose to be baptised to lead the way for all of us, to follow with this great sign of commitment to a path of growth and development as a child of God.
Outcomes; By the end of this module, you should

• Be aware of the meaning of the baptism of Jesus 
• Understand your personal baptism is a sign of your commitment to Jesus  
• Know what the Sacred Rite of Baptism is 
• Be able to gather the People of God for the Service of Baptism
• This Module is found at
  http://lumierecharity.blogspot.com/2011/12/module-4-service-of-baptism.html

Module 5 – Prayer for the Priest

We follow Jesus of Nazareth Who spent much time in prayer. His deep prayer led to strong and decisive action and service of others. This module will help you to understand Jesus of Nazareth as a Man of prayer, and why He has called us to be people of prayer. The module explains what prayer is, and why we pray. It shows how prayer is a sign of Jesus’ humility, and will help you to develop prayer in your life. You will be shown how to find resources of Prayer, and how to make your personal choices from prayer to best benefit you in your personal ministry as Good Shepherd priest. The module explains how prayer transforms our lives by helping us to model our lives on Jesus.

Outcomes; At the completion of this module, you should be able to;

• Begin a strong personal prayer life 
• Understand that Jesus Christ was a Man of great personal prayer 
• Draw up a personal programme of prayer for yourself as priest 
• Be empowered to lead others in prayer
• This Module is found at
  http://lumierecharity.blogspot.com/2011/12/module-5-prayer-for-priest.html

Module 6 – The Sacred Rites – Breaking of Bread Service
This module will enable you to understand the Sacred Rite which is the Service of the Breaking of Bread. This rite is also called Eucharist; the Eucharist; Divine Liturgy; the Mass; Lord’s Supper; Holy Communion. As priests we encourage people to remember Jesus by leading them in the Sacred Christian rite of the Breaking of Bread. Jesus makes Himself present bodily in the act in which a group of people share food and drink together in His memory. We break bread as Jesus did at the final supper with His disciples, and remember His words, ‘Take, eat, this is My Body’. (Matthew 26;26).
Outcomes; By the end of this module, you should

• Know that Jesus Christ instituted the Eucharist, and what the importance of the Eucharist is
• Have knowledge of the practical points for the priest to remember when celebrating the Breaking of Bread Service
• Be empowered to conduct a Breaking of Bread Service
• This Module is found at  
• http://lumierecharity.blogspot.com/2011/12/module-6-breaking-of-bread-service.html 

Module 7  – Jesus the Boy (1)  – Learning about Life
This module deals with the boyhood of Jesus, both in Nazareth, and in Jerusalem.
Outcomes;  By the end of the module, you should

• Have an understanding of Jesus’ boyhood years 
• Be able to read the Gospels to gain a deeper insight into Jesus’ boyhood as described by the Gospels  
• Have an appreciation of how early childhood experiences help to shape us as people, and how they helped to shape Jesus’ emotional life
• This Module is found at http://lumierecharity.blogspot.com/2012/01/module-7-jesus-boy-learning-about-life.html

Module 8   – The Sacred Rites – Celebration of Marriage Service
This module explains about the sacred rite of marriage, where two people celebrate their love by declaring before their community their intention to spend their time together. They commit to a lifetime together of learning the lessons of love, devotion and sharing. They further call on Almighty God to witness their promises to each other, and to become a force of love in their marriage. The module will explain how the priest officiates at the Marriage ceremony, and where to find resources as priest to conduct the marriage ceremony.
Outcomes; By the end of this module, you should 

• Know what the marriage service and ceremony entails 
• Be able to conduct a marriage ceremony as priest 
• Be able to give a sermon at the marriage ceremony, explaining how the love of God in Jesus Christ will be a guiding light to the new couple as they learn the lessons of love - how to love, share, support and forgive in relationship
• This Module is found at  http://lumierecharity.blogspot.com/2012/02/module-8-celebration-of-marriage.html 

Module 9  – Jesus the Boy (2) - Growing in Wisdom and Stature
This module explains about the continuing boyhood of Jesus as He grew in wisdom and stature.
Outcomes; By the end of this module, you should

• Know more about Jesus Christ
• Deepen your relationship with Jesus as you reflect on His developing understanding of God's Mission for Him as Messianic Son of God
• This Module is found at
  http://lumierecharity.blogspot.com/2012/04/module-7-jesus-boy-2.html

Module 10 - Jesus' Missing Years
This module discusses Jesus’ teenage years, His life as a young man and various theories of Jesus’ whereabouts during His so-called ‘Missing Years’.
Outcomes; By the end of the module, you should;

• Be aware of how Jesus developed, both as Son of God, and as human
•  Realise how dedicated Jesus was to His ministry to humanity 
• Know that as we all have to grow and develop physically, mentally, emotionally,     spiritually and socially, so too did Jesus 
• Know that Jesus had to spend time and explore how to carry out His Messianic ministry according to the Father's Will
• This Module is found at http://lumierecharity.blogspot.ie/2012/05/module-10-jesus-missing-years.html

Module 11 - The Four Gospels Part 1
This module discusses the Four Gospels. The word 'gospel' means good news. Four people gave accounts of the good news of the life of Jesus Christ on this earth, and the hope He offers us as the Son of God of eternal life in Heaven. Learn more about their accounts in Part 1 of The Four Gospels.
Outcomes; By the end of the module, you should;

• Know what the gospels means
• Know who the four evangelists (gospel writers) are in the New Testament
• Know there are links between the gospels in the New Testament and the prophecies in the Old Testament
• Be able to discuss the Four Gospels with knowledge and faith

This Module is found at 
http://lumierecharity.blogspot.ie/2012/12/good-shepherd-church-seminary-module-11.html

Module 12 - The Four Gospels Part 2
This module completes the discussion on the Four Gospels. Learn more about how The Way (the message of the Early Church) spread like wildfire, until Early Christianity was established by AD 250.
Outcomes; By the end of the module, you should;

• Know what The Way means
• Know about Jesus' message of peace
• Know about the early spread of Christianity

The Module is found at
http://lumierecharity.blogspot.ie/2013/03/good-shepherd-church-seminary-module-12.html 

Module 13 - Your Prayer Life
As Christian priests, we need to develop our personal talent for prayer – the development of relationship with God. This module assists you in learning how to develop your prayer life, and what resources are available for this.
Outcomes; At the end of the module, you should be able to

• Make use of resources to develop your prayer life 
• Know where to find the resources you need, such as the Bible
• This Module is found at  http://lumierecharity.blogspot.ie/2013/05/gppd-shepherd-church-seminary-module-12.html 

Module 14 - Jesus the Man; Baptism Part 1
This module discusses the Baptism of Jesus. Jesus came from Galilee to be baptised by John the Baptist. The Baptism was a pivotal point in Christian History, during which God spoke and validated His Love and Approval of His Son.
Outcomes; By the end of this Module you should

• Know what Baptism means
• Be able to preach about the Baptism of Jesus at the hands of John the Baptist
• Know that God Himself witnessed by speech and sign that Jesus is His Son
• Know who John the Baptism was

This Module is found at 
http://lumierecharity.blogspot.ie/2013/10/good-shepherd-church-seminary-jesus-man_31.html

Module 15 - Following Christ
This module discusses the following of Jesus Christ. Our life's greatest decision is our choice as to where we want to live our eternal life after human death. God has a personal plan for each one of us. Find out more by studying this Module.
Outcomes; By the end of the Module you should

• Be able to reflect on the Call to Follow Jesus
• Know that our life's decisions make an impact on our eternal future 
• Know what criteria Jesus used when choosing His disciples
• Know that, as the disciples were called in Jesus' time, we too are called to follow Him
• Be able to complete the Reflection Assignment for your own personal spiritual growth

This Module is found at 
http://lumierecharity.blogspot.ie/2013/11/good-shepherd-church-seminary-module-15.html


IF YOU WISH TO BE ORDAINED FOR FREE AND FOR LIFE, VISIT

http://lumierecharity.blogspot.com/2012/04/do-you-wish-to-access-free-ordination_18.html

In Process of Updating, 28th August 2014

COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Copyright 2011 by Rev. Catherine Whittle D.D. All rights reserved
For free use for any worthy purpose