Pastor's Corner: Making our prayers come true

The Greater Havre Area Ministerial Association - GHAMA - is one of my favorite local expressions of Christian unity. It's a solid example of the body of Christ working together the way that Christ intended. We build each other up, help each other out, and expand the work of God's Kingdom. But GHAMA's monthly meetings can only go so far at expressing the full spectrum of Christian unity, because our meetings only encompass the local leaders of the churches. Full Christian unity means the people and the leaders, united in service and worship.

That's what makes the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity so significant: it's not just pastors and priests and professionals, it's everyone coming together to be the very thing that we pray for. When our churches from across the spectrum gather together at those 7 a.m. breakfasts, we are making the prayer for Christian unity come true. Yes, it's early, but the fellowship and unity are worth it!

This year, we'll kick off the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity with a Variety Show at 6 p.m. at the Havre Assembly of God. Then, every morning from Monday, Jan. 16, through Friday, Jan. 21, we will meet at 7 a.m. at the St. Jude's Parish Center for breakfast and a devotional. If you need to get to work before 8 a.m., don't worry, we'll let you go first in the breakfast line! We also ask that you make wise choices concerning the health and safety of yourself and the community. Thank you!

The theme for this year's week is from Matthew 2:2 and the Epiphany story: "We saw the star in the east, and we came to worship him." The Middle East Council of Churches chose this theme, and it's a good reminder that Christ-followers don't always look like us or sound like us. The Magi were certainly different ethnically and culturally from Holy Family, yet they were united in worship around the one true King. The light of Christ gathers all of us together, from the East and the West, from the North and the South, from the Catholics to the Protestants. God's love and care go far beyond the barriers we erect, and that's good news for all of us! We hope you can follow the star with us this upcoming week, and make that good news a little more tangible here in Havre.

At GHAMA's January meeting, in addition to finalizing plans for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we had a guest speaker present another opportunity for people from many denominations to worship and grow together. Dawn Colby from Ignited Love Ministries spoke to us about an upcoming retreat called Connected at the Feasting Table. This retreat is meant for women of all ages, all walks of life and all denominations. It will be held March 11-13, 2022, at Abba's Haven, 196 Bundy Road in Lavina, Montana. The weekend will be a chance for women to deepen their identity in the Lord, or, as Dawn writes: "a safe place to ask questions and seek answers surrounded by other women." If you are interested in attending, please reach out to any pastor in Havre, and we can direct you to Dawn and Ignited Love Ministries!

Finally, GHAMA gave thanks for all the ministries flourishing in Havre, from Feed My Sheep Soup Kitchen to the Salvation Army and beyond. It's hard to do ministry alone - we are grateful for the unity in the body of Christ that makes our hands stronger, our steps surer, and our voices louder. Amen!

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Pastor Megan Hoewisch

First Lutheran Church