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Humility

Until we seek humility in Christ above our chief joy and welcome it at any price, there is very little hope of a religion that will conquer the world.

Andrew Murray

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Director of Advocacy

I am pleased to announce that Katartismos Global has a new Director of Advocacy.

Please join me in welcoming Faith McDonnell to KGI Global. 

Katartismos Global exists to equip the Church for mission and ministry. 

An important aspect of equipping the Church is equipping our persecuted brothers and sisters, providing for their most basic material needs and for their needs as they minister to their communities. Another vital aspect of equipping is equipping those in the Body of Christ who are blessed with freedom of religion to fulfill their mandated mission from the Lord to be the advocates and intercessors that their persecuted brothers and sisters need. This will be Faith’s focus at KGI Global.    

You may know Faith from her 27 years at the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD) in Washington, DC. As the International Religious Liberty Program Director at IRD, she has been a powerful advocate for persecuted Christians around the world. Or you may have listened to my ADLW podcast on which Faith was a guest. I am thrilled that she has accepted our invitation to bring her decades of experience to KGI Global. 

Read more about Faith’s efforts for our persecuted brothers and sisters and for wider human rights issues in her bio sketch and her blog posts on the KGI Global website. Please join me in praying for the Lord to bless our new KGI Global Advocacy program. 

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Absalom Jones

COLLECT OF THE DAY
Absalom Jones, First African American Priest, 1818
Almighty and everlasting God, you kindled the flame of your love in the heart of your servant Absalom Jones to manifest your compassion and mercy to the poor and the persecuted: Grant to us, your humble servants, a like faith and power of love, that we who give thanks for his righteous zeal may profit by his example; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Christmas@Coloriver

HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING

Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King:
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with the angelic hosts proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Refrain:
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King”

Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of the Virgin’s womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail the incarnate Deity,
pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.

[Refrain]

3 Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that man no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.

THE FIRST NOEL THE ANGEL DID SAY

1. The first Noel the angel did say
was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
in fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
on a cold winter’s night that was so deep.

Refrain:
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
born is the King of Israel.

2 They looked up and saw a star
shining in the east, beyond them far;
and to the earth it gave great light,
and so it continued both day and night.

Refrain:
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
born is the King of Israel.

3 And by the light of that same star
three Wise Men came from country far;
to seek for a king was their intent,
and to follow the star wherever it went. [Refrain]

JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME!

1 Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive its king;
let ev’ry heart prepare him room,
and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.

2 Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

3 No more let sin and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground.
He comes to make his blessings flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.

4 He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders of his love.

AWAY IN A MANGER, NO CRIB FOR A BED,

1. Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

2. The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.
I love thee, Lord Jesus! look down from the sky,
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

3. Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven to live with thee there.

O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM

1 O little town of Bethlehem,
how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
the everlasting light;
the hopes and fears of all the years
are met in thee tonight.

2. O morning stars, together

Proclaim the holy birth!
And praises sing to God the King,

And peace to men on earth.
For Christ is born of Mary

And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep the Angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.

3. How silently, how silently,

The wondrous gift is given;
So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of His Heaven.
No ear may hear His coming,

But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still,

The dear Christ enters in.

4. O holy Child of Bethlehem,

Descend to us, we pray!
Cast out our sin and enter in,
Be born in us to-day.
We hear the Christmas angels,

The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel!

SILENT NIGHT

1. Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright.
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace

2. Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia,
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born

O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL

1 O come, all ye faithful,
joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold him,
born the king of angels.

Refrain:
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.

2 Sing, choirs of angels,
sing in exultation,
sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above:
“Glory to God,
glory in the highest!”

Refrain:

3 Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
born this happy morning,
Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n;
Word of the Father,
now in flesh appearing.

Refrain:
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin
We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year

Now, bring us some figgy pudding
Now, bring us some figgy pudding
Now, bring us some figgy pudding
And a cup of good cheer

We won’t go until we get some,

We won’t go until we get some,

We won’t go until we get some,

So bring it right here.

So, bring us some figgy pudding
So, bring us some figgy pudding
So, bring us some figgy pudding
And bring it right here.

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin
We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year


We wish you a merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
and a happy new year!

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Mother @ 80

On June 23, 2020 my mother will turn 80. I am unable to be with her for this occasion. May I introduce her to you?