Daily Lectionary Readings for July 01, 2025

Daily Lectionary Readings (Two-Year Cycle)

Daily Lectionary Readings for July 01, 2025 By Daily Lectionary Readings, Tuesday, July 1, 2025 12:00 AM Morning Psalm 54 1   Save me, O God, by your name,           and vindicate me by your might. 2   Hear my prayer, O God;           give ear to the words of my mouth. 3   For the insolent have risen against me,           the ruthless seek my life;           they do not set God before them.                              Selah 4   But surely, God is my helper;           the Lord is the upholder of my life. 5   He will repay my enemies for their evil.           In your faithfulness, put an end to them. 6   With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you;           I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good. 7   For he has delivered me from every trouble,           and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies. Morning Psalm 146 1   Praise the LORD!      Praise the LORD, O my soul! 2   I will praise the LORD as long as I live;           I will sing praises to my God all my life long. 3   Do not put your trust in princes,           in mortals, in whom there is no help. 4   When their breath departs, they return to the earth;           on that very day their plans perish. 5   Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,           whose hope is in the LORD their God, 6   who made heaven and earth,           the sea, and all that is in them;      who keeps faith forever; 7        who executes justice for the oppressed;           who gives food to the hungry.      The LORD sets the prisoners free; 8        the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.      The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;           the LORD loves the righteous. 9   The LORD watches over the strangers;           he upholds the orphan and the widow,           but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. 10  The LORD will reign forever,           your God, O Zion, for all generations.      Praise the LORD! First Reading 1 Samuel 11:1-15 1About a month later, Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.” 2But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make a treaty with you, namely that I gouge out everyone’s right eye, and thus put disgrace upon all Israel.” 3The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days’ respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.” 4When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, they reported the matter in the hearing of the people; and all the people wept aloud. 5Now Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen; and Saul said, “What is the matter with the people, that they are weeping?” So they told him the message from the inhabitants of Jabesh. 6And the spirit of God came upon Saul in power when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled. 7He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!” Then the dread of the LORD fell upon the people, and they came out as one. 8When he mustered them at Bezek, those from Israel were three hundred thousand, and those from Judah seventy thousand. 9They said to the messengers who had come, “Thus shall you say to the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have deliverance.’” When the messengers came and told the inhabitants of Jabesh, they rejoiced. 10So the inhabitants of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will give ourselves up to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.” 11The next day Saul put the people in three companies. At the morning watch they came into the camp and cut down the Ammonites until the heat of the day; and those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together. 12The people said to Samuel, “Who is it that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Give them to us so that we may put them to death.” 13But Saul said, “No one shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has brought deliverance to Israel.” 14Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingship.” 15So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they sacrificed offerings of well-being before the LORD, and there Saul and all the Israelites rejoiced greatly. Second Reading Acts 8:1b-13 8:1bThat day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. 2Devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. 3But Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison. 4Now those who were scattered went from place to place, proclaiming the word. 5Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. 6The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, 7for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed; and many others who were paralyzed or lame were cured. 8So there was great joy in that city. 9Now a certain man named Simon had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he was someone great. 10All of them, from the least to the greatest, listened to him eagerly, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” 11And they listened eagerly to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 12But when they believed Philip, who was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13Even Simon himself believed. After being baptized, he stayed constantly with Philip and was amazed when he saw the signs and great miracles that took place. Gospel Reading Luke 22:63-71 63Now the men who were holding Jesus began to mock him and beat him; 64they also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” 65They kept heaping many other insults on him. 66When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, gathered together, and they brought him to their council. 67They said, “If you are the Messiah, tell us.” He replied, “If I tell you, you will not believe; 68and if I question you, you will not answer. 69But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” 70All of them asked, “Are you, then, the Son of God?” He said to them, “You say that I am.” 71Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips!” Evening Psalm 28 1   To you, O LORD, I call;           my rock, do not refuse to hear me,      for if you are silent to me,           I shall be like those who go down to the Pit. 2   Hear the voice of my supplication,           as I cry to you for help,      as I lift up my hands           toward your most holy sanctuary. 3   Do not drag me away with the wicked,           with those who are workers of evil,      who speak peace with their neighbors,           while mischief is in their hearts. 4   Repay them according to their work,           and according to the evil of their deeds;      repay them according to the work of their hands;           render them their due reward. 5   Because they do not regard the works of the LORD,           or the work of his hands,      he will break them down and build them up no more. 6   Blessed be the LORD,           for he has heard the sound of my pleadings. 7   The LORD is my strength and my shield;           in him my heart trusts;      so I am helped, and my heart exults,           and with my song I give thanks to him. 8   The LORD is the strength of his people;           he is the saving refuge of his anointed. 9   O save your people, and bless your heritage;           be their shepherd, and carry them forever. Evening Psalm 99 1   The LORD is king; let the peoples tremble!           He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! 2   The LORD is great in Zion;           he is exalted over all the peoples. 3   Let them praise your great and awesome name.           Holy is he! 4   Mighty King, lover of justice,           you have established equity;      you have executed justice           and righteousness in Jacob. 5   Extol the LORD our God;           worship at his footstool.           Holy is he! 6   Moses and Aaron were among his priests,           Samuel also was among those who called on his name.           They cried to the LORD, and he answered them. 7   He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud;           they kept his decrees,           and the statutes that he gave them. 8   O LORD our God, you answered them;           you were a forgiving God to them,           but an avenger of their wrongdoings. 9   Extol the LORD our God,           and worship at his holy mountain;           for the LORD our God is holy. Read more »

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WCC NEWS: WCC shares insights on rise of Christian far-right extremism

During an ecumenical conference on 30 June in Seoul, South Korea, Peter Prove, director of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, shared a keynote speech on “The Rise of Christian Far-Right Extremism and the Response of the Global Ecumenical Community.” Photo: NCCK 01 July 2025 During the conference, which drew 50 theologians and ecumenical movement leaders from North America, Europe, and Asia, Prove said that the rise of Christian far-right extremism is of profound importance to South Korea, and indeed to the wider world. “The WCC stands for the God-given human dignity of every human being, and for human rights as the legal expression and protection of the diverse aspects of human dignity,” said Prove. “The extremes of both the right and the left threaten those values.” However, in this historical moment, it is rightwing extremism that has momentum, Prove noted.  “Crimes of the worst kind are being committed against individuals and whole communities with little or no accountability,” he said. “Arms races have resumed, and militarization is increasing.” The taboo against the use of nuclear weapons is being weakened, Prove continued. “Economic injustice and inequality are spiralling to extreme and unprecedented levels,” he said. “New technologies are disrupting not only economies but also social and political systems.” Cooperation among the nations and peoples of the world has never been more urgently and critically necessary, Prove noted.  “Explicit or implicit rejection of democratic principles, such as free and fair elections, individual rights, and the rule of law is typical,” he said. “A belief in the superiority of one culture or race over others may be expressed.” Moreover, rightwing extremist groups frequently promote conspiracy theories, he added.  “At their most extreme, they actively promote fascist totalitarianism,” Prove said. “And yet, elements within the churches and Christian communities have become leading proponents and drivers of some of these movements.” The goal of the conference was to politically analyze the global phenomenon of far-right politics by sharing the situation in North America, Europe, and Asia. Speakers and participants theologically analyzed the far-right phenomenon and its connection with Christianity.  The conference also developed a communique that includes ecumenical actions to counter the Christian far-right movement. “As Christians, we are particularly concerned about the alliance between far-right political forces and Christian nationalism,” reads the communique. “In the midst of a world marked by conflict, the theological task of awakening the Gospel of love and reconciliation and the challenge of building a church as a community of love welcoming everyone are before us.” The communique urges more genuine democracy. “We urge governments of all nations to develop democracy that fully accepts the political will of the sovereign people and to devote themselves to establishing socio-economic alternatives that can overcome inequality,” reads the communique. “We urge international society, including the United Nations, to pay close attention to the reality of human rights violations occurring on a global scale and to consolidate their efforts to build a world where everyone is guaranteed dignified human rights.”   Read the communique See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

On the Road to Jerusalem: A Study of Luke (Forgiveness and Faith - Luke 17:1-19)

Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community: On the Road to Jerusalem: A Study of Luke (Forgive...: At Sligo Presbyterian Church, we're using  the Gospel of Luke to discuss the journey made by Jesus Christ to the city of Jerusalem, from...

Bible Readings for July 1, 2025

 

Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are 2 Kings 18:13–19:37; Acts 21:1-16; Psalm 149:1-9; and Proverbs 18:8. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.

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2 Kings 18:13-19:37 (Contemporary English Version)

King Sennacherib of Assyria Invades Judah

(2 Chronicles 32.1-19; Isaiah 36.1-22)

 ¹³In the fourteenth year of Hezekiah's rule in Judah, King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded the country and captured every walled city, ^[a] except Jerusalem. ¹⁴Hezekiah sent this message to Sennacherib, who was in the town of Lachish: "I know I am guilty of rebellion. But I will pay you whatever you want, if you stop your attack." Sennacherib told Hezekiah to pay about eleven tons of silver and almost a ton of gold. ¹⁵So Hezekiah collected all the silver from the LORD's temple and the royal treasury. ¹⁶He even stripped the gold that he had used to cover the doors and doorposts ^[b] in the temple. He gave it all to Sennacherib. ¹⁷The king of Assyria ordered his three highest military officers to leave Lachish and take a large army to Jerusalem. When they arrived, the officers stood on the road near the cloth makers' shops along the canal from the upper pool. ¹⁸They called out to Hezekiah, and three of his highest officials came out to meet them. One of them was Hilkiah's son Eliakim, who was the prime minister. The other two were Shebna, assistant to the prime minister, and Joah son of Asaph, keeper of the government records.     ¹⁹One of the Assyrian commanders told them:
   I have a message for Hezekiah from the great king of Assyria. Ask Hezekiah why he feels so sure of himself. ²⁰Does he think he can plan and win a war with nothing but words? Who is going to help him, now that he has turned against the king of Assyria? ²¹Is he depending on Egypt and its king? That's the same as leaning on a broken stick, and it will go right through his hand.
    ²²Is Hezekiah now depending on the LORD your God? Didn't Hezekiah tear down all except one of the LORD's altars and places of worship? ^[c] Didn't he tell the people of Jerusalem and Judah to worship at that one place? ²³The king of Assyria wants to make a bet with you people. He will give you two thousand horses, if you have enough troops to ride them. ²⁴How could you even defeat our lowest ranking officer, when you have to depend on Egypt for chariots and cavalry? ²⁵Don't forget that it was the LORD who sent me here with orders to destroy your nation!
    ²⁶Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said, "Sir, we don't want the people listening from the city wall to understand what you are saying. So please speak to us in Aramaic instead of Hebrew."
    ²⁷The Assyrian army commander answered, "My king sent me to speak to everyone, not just to you leaders. These people will soon have to eat their own body waste and drink their own urine! And so will the three of you."
    ²⁸Then, in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, he shouted in Hebrew:
   Listen to what the great king of Assyria says! ²⁹Don't be fooled by Hezekiah. He can't save you. ³⁰Don't trust him when he tells you that the LORD will protect you from the king of Assyria. ³¹Stop listening to Hezekiah! Pay attention to my king. Surrender to him. He will let you keep your own vineyards, fig trees, and cisterns ³²for a while. Then he will come and take you away to a country just like yours, where you can plant vineyards, raise your own grain, and have plenty of olive oil and honey. Believe me, you won't starve there.
   Hezekiah claims the LORD will save you. But don't be fooled by him. ³³Were any other gods able to defend their land against the king of Assyria? ³⁴What happened to the gods of Hamath and Arpad? What about the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Were the gods of Samaria able to protect their land against the Assyrian forces? ³⁵None of these gods kept their people safe from the king of Assyria. Do you think the LORD your God can do any better?
    ^36-37Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah had been warned by King Hezekiah not to answer the Assyrian commander. So they tore their clothes in sorrow and reported to Hezekiah everything the commander had said.
    

2 Kings 19

Hezekiah Asks Isaiah the Prophet for Advice

(Isaiah 37.1-13)

 ¹As soon as Hezekiah heard the news, he tore off his clothes in sorrow and put on sackcloth. Then he went into the temple of the LORD. ²He told Prime Minister Eliakim, Assistant Prime Minister Shebna, and the senior priests to dress in sackcloth and tell the prophet Isaiah:     ³These are difficult and disgraceful times. Our nation is like a woman too weak to give birth, when it's time for her baby to be born. ⁴Please pray for those of us who are left alive. The king of Assyria sent his army commander to insult the living God. Perhaps the LORD heard what he said and will do something, if you will pray.
    ⁵When these leaders went to Isaiah, ⁶he told them that the LORD had this message for Hezekiah:
   I am the LORD. Don't worry about the insulting things that have been said about me by these messengers from the king of Assyria. ⁷I will upset him with rumors about what's happening in his own country. He will go back, and there I will make him die a violent death.
    ⁸Meanwhile, the commander of the Assyrian forces heard that his king had left the town of Lachish and was now attacking Libnah. So he went there.
    ⁹About this same time the king of Assyria learned that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia ^[d] was on his way to attack him. Then the king of Assyria sent some messengers with this note for Hezekiah: ¹⁰Don't trust your God or be fooled by his promise to defend Jerusalem against me. ¹¹You have heard how we Assyrian kings have completely wiped out other nations. What makes you feel so safe? ¹²The Assyrian kings before me destroyed the towns of Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and everyone from Eden who lived in Telassar. What good did their gods do them? ¹³The kings of Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah have all disappeared.     

Hezekiah Prays

(Isaiah 37.14-20)

 ¹⁴After Hezekiah had read the note from the king of Assyria, he took it to the temple and spread it out for the LORD to see. ¹⁵He prayed:    LORD God of Israel, your throne is above the winged creatures. ^[e] You created the heavens and the earth, and you alone rule the kingdoms of this world. ¹⁶But just look how Sennacherib has insulted you, the living God. ¹⁷It is true, our LORD, that Assyrian kings have turned nations into deserts. ¹⁸They destroyed the idols of wood and stone that the people of those nations had made and worshiped. ¹⁹But you are our LORD and our God! We ask you to keep us safe from the Assyrian king. Then everyone in every kingdom on earth will know that you are the only God.     

The LORD's Answer to Hezekiah

(Isaiah 37.21-35)

 ²⁰Isaiah went to Hezekiah and told him that the LORD God of Israel had said:    Hezekiah, I heard your prayer about King Sennacherib of Assyria. ²¹Now this is what I say to that king:
   The people of Jerusalem
   hate and make fun of you;
   they laugh
   behind your back.
    ²²Sennacherib, you cursed,
   shouted, and sneered at me,
   the holy God of Israel.
    ²³You let your officials
   insult me, the Lord.
   And here is what you
   have said about yourself,
   "I led my chariots
   to the highest heights
   of Lebanon's mountains.
   I went deep into its forest,
   cutting down the best cedar
   and cypress trees.
    ²⁴I dried up every stream
   in the land of Egypt,
   and I drank water
   from wells I had dug."
    ²⁵Sennacherib, now listen
   to me, the Lord.
   I planned all this long ago.
   And you don't even realize
   that I alone am the one
   who decided that you
   would do these things.
   I let you make ruins
   of fortified cities.
    ²⁶Their people became weak,
   terribly confused.
   They were like wild flowers
   or tender young grass
   growing on a flat roof,
   scorched before it matures. ^[f] ²⁷I know all about you,
   even how fiercely angry
   you are with me.
    ²⁸I have seen your pride
   and the tremendous hatred
   you have for me.
   Now I will put a hook
   in your nose,
   a bit in your mouth, ^[g] then I will send you back
   to where you came from.
    ²⁹Hezekiah, I will tell you what's going to happen. This year you will eat crops that grow on their own, and the next year you will eat whatever springs up where those crops grew. But the third year you will plant grain and vineyards, and you will eat what you harvest. ³⁰Those who survive in Judah will be like a vine that puts down deep roots and bears fruit. ³¹I, the LORD All-Powerful, will see to it that some who live in Jerusalem will survive.
    ³²I promise that the king of Assyria won't get into Jerusalem, or shoot an arrow into the city, or even surround it and prepare to attack. ³³As surely as I am the LORD, he will return by the way he came and will never enter Jerusalem. ³⁴I will protect it for myself and for my servant David.     

The Death of King Sennacherib

(Isaiah 37.36-38)

 ³⁵That same night the LORD sent an angel to the camp of the Assyrians, and he killed one hundred eighty-five thousand of them. And so the next morning, the camp was full of dead bodies. ³⁶After this King Sennacherib went back to Assyria and lived in the city of Nineveh. ³⁷One day he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, when his sons, Adrammelech and Sharezer, killed him with their swords. They escaped to the land of Ararat, and his son Esarhaddon became king. ^[h] 

Footnotes:

1. 2 Kings 18:13 King Sennacherib. . . walled city: Sennacherib ruled Assyria 705-681 B.C., and this event probably took place in 701 B.C.
2. 2 Kings 18:16 doorposts: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
3. 2 Kings 18:22 worship: Hezekiah actually had torn down the places where idols were worshiped, and he had told the people to worship the LORD at the one place of worship in Jerusalem. But the Assyrian leader was confused and thought these were also places where the LORD was supposed to be worshiped.
4. 2 Kings 19:9 Ethiopia: The Hebrew text has "Cush," which was a region south of Egypt that included parts of the present countries of Ethiopia and Sudan.
5. 2 Kings 19:15 winged creatures: Two winged creatures made of gold were on the top of the sacred chest and were symbols of the LORD's throne on earth (see Exodus 25.18; 2 Samuel 6.2).
6. 2 Kings 19:26 tender young grass. . . matures: Many of the houses had roofs made of packed earth. Grass would sometimes grow out of the roof, but would die quickly because of the sun and hot winds.
7. 2 Kings 19:28 I will put. . . your mouth: This is how the Assyrians treated their prisoners, and now the LORD will treat Sennacherib the same way.
8. 2 Kings 19:37 Esarhaddon became king: Ruled Assyria 681-669 B.C.

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Acts 21:1-16 (Contemporary English Version)

Acts 21

Paul Goes to Jerusalem

 ¹After saying good-by, we sailed straight to Cos. The next day we reached Rhodes and from there sailed on to Patara. ²We found a ship going to Phoenicia, so we got on board and sailed off.     ³We came within sight of Cyprus and then sailed south of it on to the port of Tyre in Syria, where the ship was going to unload its cargo. ⁴We looked up the Lord's followers and stayed with them for a week. The Holy Spirit had told them to warn Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. ⁵But when the week was over, we started on our way again. All the men, together with their wives and children, walked with us from the town to the seashore. We knelt on the beach and prayed. ⁶Then after saying good-by to each other, we got into the ship, and they went back home.
    ⁷We sailed from Tyre to Ptolemais, where we greeted the followers and stayed with them for a day. ⁸The next day we went to Caesarea and stayed with Philip, the preacher. He was one of the seven men who helped the apostles, ⁹and he had four unmarried ^[a] daughters who prophesied. ¹⁰We had been in Caesarea for several days, when the prophet Agabus came to us from Judea. ¹¹He took Paul's belt, and with it he tied up his own hands and feet. Then he told us, "The Holy Spirit says that some of the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will tie up the man who owns this belt. They will also hand him over to the Gentiles." ¹²After Agabus said this, we and the followers living there begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
    ¹³But Paul answered, "Why are you crying and breaking my heart? I am not only willing to be put in jail for the Lord Jesus. I am even willing to die for him in Jerusalem!"
    ¹⁴Since we could not get Paul to change his mind, we gave up and prayed, "Lord, please make us willing to do what you want."
    ¹⁵Then we got ready to go to Jerusalem. ¹⁶Some of the followers from Caesarea went with us and took us to stay in the home of Mnason. He was from Cyprus and had been a follower from the beginning.
    

Footnotes:

1. Acts 21:9 unmarried: Or "virgin."

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Psalm 149:1-9 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 149

A New Song of Praise

 ¹Shout praises to the LORD!    Sing him a new song of praise
   when his loyal people meet.
    ²People of Israel, rejoice
   because of your Creator.
   People of Zion, celebrate
   because of your King.
    ³Praise his name by dancing
   and playing music on harps
   and tambourines.
    ⁴The LORD is pleased
   with his people,
   and he gives victory
   to those who are humble.
    ⁵All of you faithful people,
   praise our glorious Lord!
   Celebrate and worship.
    ⁶Praise God with songs
   on your lips
   and a sword in your hand.
    ⁷Take revenge and punish
   the nations.
    ⁸Put chains of iron
   on their kings and rulers.
    ⁹Punish them as they deserve;
   this is the privilege
   of God's faithful people.
   Shout praises to the LORD!

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Proverbs 18:8 (Contemporary English Version)

⁸There's nothing so delicious
   as the taste of gossip!
   It melts in your mouth.

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Thought for the Day

 

“I realize how kind God has been to me, and so I tell each of you not to think you are better than you really are. Use good sense and measure yourself by the amount of faith that God has given you.” (Romans 12:3 - Contemporary English Version) Humility is a neglected virtue. Our society has been taken in by arrogant people. But we must resist the temptation to boast and brag about ourselves. Instead, we should demonstrate common sense and measure ourselves by how well we've used the faith we've been given.

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Quote for the Day

Canadian and American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer, Dan Aykroyd wrote, "You do not need a therapist if you own a motorcycle, any kind of motorcycle!"

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A Joke for Today

A preacher was completing a temperance sermon: with great expression he said, "If I had all the beer in the world, I'd take it and throw it into the river."

With even greater emphasis he said, "And if I had all the wine in the world, I'd take it and throw it into the river."

And then finally, he said, "And if I had all the whiskey in the world, I'd take it and throw it into the river." He sat down.

The song leader then stood very cautiously and announced with a smile, "For our closing song, let us sing Hymn # 365: "Shall We Gather at the River."

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A Prayer Request

As Christians, we can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Below is the need that we're laying before God today.

That people stop expressing their frustration through violence.