Soft tom, tom or base drum beats every 3 seconds. Pictures begin on the screen.
Slide 1
FACT: (Reader 1) 1 child is dying every 3 seconds due to the effects of poverty.
  The drum beating every 3 seconds in the background signifies the unnecessary death of a child.
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VERSE: (Reader 2)Hear the word of the Lord:- “Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” Matthew 25:40
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PRAYER: (Reader 3 from within congregation) Let us pray as  the disciples of Jesus, pray for the aid and development agencies, that the delivery of food aid and development assistance will free the hungry and lift them from extreme poverty.
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Slide 2

FACT: (Reader 1) 1.2 billion people around the world live on less than the equivalent of $1.00 per day.
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BIBLE VERSE: (Reader 2) Hear the word of the Lord “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him” Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:15-17
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PRAYER: (Reader 4 from within the congregation) Let us pray as the followers of Jesus, pray for justice for the world’s poorest nations and for the leaders of the world’s richest countries, that the aid they have promised developing nations will be delivered, and that the crippling debts still owed by these same countries will be forgiven.
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Slide 3
FACT: (Reader 1) Over 10 million children under 5 die from preventable illnesses: Diarrhea , Pneumonia, Malaria, intestinal worms, HIV/AIDS
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VERSE: (Reader 2) Hear the word of the Lord “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people” Matthew 4:23
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PRAYER: (Reader 3) Let us pray as the disciples of Jesus, pray for the resources to provide the simple remedies to these killers of children. We pray for the supply and distribution of vaccinations, Mosquito nets, medicines and clean water.
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Slide 4
FACT:  (Reader 1) 246 million children between 5 and 17 years old are working instead of attending school. That’s one out of every six children around the world.
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VERSE: (Reader 2 ) Hear the word of the Lord “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow” Isaiah 1:17
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PRAYER: (Reader 4) Let us pray as the disciples of Jesus, pray that the parents in developing countries will not be forced to choose between sending their children to work to enable the family to survive, and sending them to school. We pray also for leaders of poorer nations that they will not have to choose between servicing debts to richer countries and educating their children. We call on your mercy and beg you to lead us, so that we can act to create a world where children can attend school, learn about your world and contribute to the building of their communities.
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Slide 5
FACT: (Reader 1) 1 child is orphaned every 14 seconds due to AIDS
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VERSE: (Reader 2)) Hear the word of the Lord “As you go, preach this message: “The kingdom of heaven is near.” Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” Matthew 25:36
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PRAYER: (Reader 3) Let us pray as the followers of Jesus, who laid his hands on the lepers, pray for the courage to love and to heal and to educate others in the fight against AIDS. We pray that those nations with the resources to provide anti-retroviral drugs will distribute them to those who have such need.
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Slide 6
FACT: (Reader 1) ½ million women each year die in pregnancy and child birth. 80% of these deaths are easily preventable.
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VERSE: (Reader 2) Hear the word of the Lord “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless, maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 82: 3 -4.
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PRAYER: (Reader 4) Let us pray as the followers of Jesus, pray for the training of more qualified midwives and birthing attendants. We rise up and call for the provision of the 33 cents worth of drugs necessary to easily prevent a woman’s death from loss of blood after giving birth.
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Slide 7
FACT: ( Reader 1) The average distance traveled each day in Africa to get water is 3.6 miles. Some children spend 6 hours each day fetching water.
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VERSE: (Reader 2) Hear the word of the Lord “The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of waters, and the parched ground into springs….” Isaiah 41: 17 – 18
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PRAYER: (Reader 3) Let us pray as the followers of Jesus, ask to be your instruments, to be guided in ways in which we can help to provide basic needs such as clean water and hygienic sanitation around the globe.
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drumming fades and stops

At this point we had a singer/songwriter sing his composition, “Compassion”
Drumming begins quietly
Slide 8 CEP slide
Reader 1 reads invitation to join CEP
We invite you to join Christians Ending Poverty. To join your voice with ours as we respond to the suffering around the world caused by poverty. CEP is a group of Christians attending different churches in the area who work together to respond to the web of suffering endured by 1.2 billion people across the globe. We connect so that the sound of our individual voices swell to become a united Christian call for change and hope for those whose voices are rarely heard. We educate and raise awareness of the issues relating to global poverty so that our voices can be effective and informed. We practice discipleship together as we grow in our understanding of what God requires of us in response to the terrible suffering we have highlighted today. Please consider filling out the card found on the clipboard under the seats and take one for family and friends attending other churches.

Slide 9 What you can Do slide
Reader 2 introduces “what you can do” slide.¼br /> Reader 2:¼br /> As you can tell from the drum beat signifying a death due to extreme poverty every 3 seconds, the issue of global poverty is a critical one. To help us understand the reality of this calamity I would like your assistance. Would everyone please raise one hand? Now please raise your other hand. While we have been presenting this information to you around 300 people have died needlessly. That is approximately the number of hands that are raised right now. In other words, extreme poverty just wiped out double our entire congregation.
(You will need to adjust this depending on the size of your congregation)
Drumming stops

Reader 2 continues:
You can put you hands down now. But as you do so please think about those who have died. They were someone’s child or grandchild, a mother, a father, a grandparent; they were a school teacher, a farmer, or a nurse perhaps, they were someone’s neighbor, and according to the Bible they were all our neighbor too. They are real people, created in God’s image.

Taking a look at the lives of the 1.2 billion suffering from extreme poverty can be deeply depressing. Ending extreme poverty can seem like an insurmountable challenge. But there’s some good news here! Some very good news! The problems of extreme poverty are solvable! Experts around the world now agree that extreme poverty can be eliminated. God’s word has called us to act on behalf of the poor and God has given us the opportunity and now the means to tackle poverty! In fact, we are the first generation in history with the means to end poverty. I call that good news! It isn’t easy, but God asks us step out in faith and attempt it.

When we make a personal commitment to act to end extreme poverty we move from guilt and depression about the terrible suffering into the joy of hope. Our own hope for God’s will being done on earth as it is in heaven and the hope for those who are suffering.

Christians around the world joining together under the power of the Holy Spirit can make a difference in the lives of the 1.2 billion suffering around the world.

Our first step on this journey might be small. Perhaps we begin by joining CEP or wearing a white wrist band. As we move beyond that we need to learn for ourselves that ending poverty is possible. We need to pray every day for these issues and for those that dedicate their lives to end poverty.
We need to tell our Congressmen that ending poverty is an important issue for us.
We need to give of ourselves and our financial resources.

pause

(To those providing an opportunity to write letters you can follow on with an introduction for that activity)You can respond to God’s call to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God today, right after this service. Hear about today’s Offering of Letters.

Offering:  Mark Steenstra introduces the Peter fish Offering which is received while we stand and sing:

Congregation sings: He’s got the whole world in his hands

Close in prayer:-

You asked for my hands
that you might use them for your purpose,
I gave them for a moment then withdrew them
for the work was hard.

You asked for my mouth
to speak out against injustice.
I gave you a whisper that I might not be accused.

You asked for my eyes
to see the pain of poverty.
I closed them for I did not want to see.

You asked for my life
that you might work through me.
I gave a small part that I might not get too involved.

Lord forgive my efforts to serve you
only when it is convenient for me to do so,
only in those places where it is safe to do so,
and only with those who make it easy to do so.
Forgive me,
renew me,
And send me out.

(A prayer from South Africa)

Finish with an upbeat hymn (the congregation needs to be lifted up)

Another hymn suggestion is “Here I am Lord” You can use this instead of the song “Compassion”

This litany took about 15 minutes including the song “Compassion”

What do you think of our litany? Comment or add ideas below. If you wish to learn what slides we used please contact us at info@christiansendingpoverty.org