November 14, 2004
Phil Schafran - “The Good Samaritan in Africa”
TOPIC
Phil Schafran (MCC-BC) used the parable of the Good Samaritan as a springboard for speaking about how MCC's project Faith Alive seeks to help people distressed by HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. Following the example of the Good Samaritan, we too should learn to focus on one life at a time, realizing that although the world's problems are overwhelming, one individual can make a world of difference even when working on a small scale. The lawyer questioning Jesus (Luke 10:25) expected to receive a very narrow definition of neighbor, but instead Jesus expanded it greatly, asking the lawyer to learn to see someone of a different race or ethnicity as his neighbor. Phil told of Ezekiel (Nigeria) who discovered he had HIV/AIDS and went off by himself to die after realizing he had infected his wife and two children, each of whom died. Instead, he was followed by a Samaritan among Nigerians and helped back to health by caring Christians, and he now helps others in distress. Being a neighbor is proof that God is among us. If we love, and want to love Christ, we help the neighbor. [JEK]
SERVICE DETAILS
Passage: Lk 10:25-37
Communion: No
Ecumenical or Event:
Potluck Lunch: No
Congregational Meeting: No
WORSHIP TEAM
Speaker: Phil Schafran
Worship Leader: Kevin Hiebert
Song Leader: Eric Hannan
Pianist: Jeff Schulz
Usher: Rovin Karuna
Zoom Coordinator:
Children's Feature Leader:
HOSPITALITY
Bring Flowers:
Coffee Helper:
Sound Helper:
SUNDAY SCHOOL TEAM
Child Care Volunteer: Kathryn Schmidt