On that day the Lord their God will rescue his people, just as a shepherd rescues his sheep. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. - Zechariah 9:16
Last week, the Department of the Interior announced next steps on the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative, launched in June 2021 by Secretary Deb Haaland as the first-ever comprehensive effort by the federal government to recognize the troubled legacy of past federal Indian boarding school policies with the goal of addressing their intergenerational impact and shedding light on past and present trauma in Indigenous communities. The Department released the second and final volume of the investigative report called for as part of the Initiative, led by Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland. The second volume builds on the initial volume published in May 2022 to significantly expand on the number and details of institutions to include attendee deaths, the number of burial sites, participation of religious institutions and organizations, and federal dollars spent to operate these locations. It also includes policy recommendations for consideration by Congress and the Executive Branch to continue to chart a path to healing and redress for Indigenous communities.
Lord God, we pray that when we tell the truth about our past, we might then follow it up with bold action to shape our future. Let our words and declarations about equal protection under the law continue to guide our pursuit of justice.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country on Monday after hundreds of people were killed in a crackdown on demonstrations that began as protests against job quotas and swelled into a movement demanding her ouster. Jubilant crowds stormed unopposed into the opulent grounds of the presidential residence, carrying out looted furniture and TVs. One man balanced a red velvet, gilt-edged chair on his head. Another held an armful of vases. Elsewhere in Dhaka, protesters climbed atop a statue of Hasina's father, state founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and began chiseling away at the head with an ax. The flight into exile ended a 15-year second stint in power for Hasina, who has ruled for 20 of the last 30 years as leader of the political movement inherited from her father, assassinated with most of his family in a 1975 coup. Hasina had left the country for her own safety at the insistence of her family, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy told the BBC World Service.
For the peacemakers, we pray. And for functioning, people-centered governance, Lord, we ask for our neighbors in Bangladesh. Whatever the future holds, Lord God, we pray that peace and justice might reign in the land.
An Israeli airstrike on a school functioning as a shelter in Gaza City killed at least 30 people and injured dozens more on Sunday, according to the Palestinian emergency response agency in Gaza and Palestinian news outlets. It was the third attack on a school in the last four days. Most of the victims were women and children, said Mahmoud Basal, a spokesman for the Palestinian Civil Defense. He said that an F-16 fighter jet hit a school called Hassan Salame, where at least 14 people were still buried under the rubble. Shrapnel and debris also hit a neighboring school known as Nasser, he said. The death toll was initially 25, but rose to 30. It was unclear if any of those killed were militants.
Israel remains on high alert for a major retaliation promised by its adversaries after senior Hamas and Hezbollah officials were killed last week, with U.S. officials suggesting that the attack could be imminent. The Biden administration informed U.S. lawmakers that Iran’s retaliatory strikes may happen as early as Monday or Tuesday, people familiar with the matter told The Washington Post, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive security matter. Information about the U.S. assessment follows a Sunday call between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven, in which Blinken discussed “the urgent need for de-escalation in the Middle East,” said the State Department.
We pray for all suffering from war and conflict, Lord. We ask that you transform the hearts and minds of all those who perpetuate violence against their neighbor. In your mercy, grant wisdom to leaders in advancing efforts toward world peace; may they not be compromised by self-interest and indifference.
The province of British Columbia issued an emergency alert Monday morning after water began spilling over the landslide blocking the Chilcotin River. Gerald Pinchbeck with the Cariboo Regional District Emergency Operations Centre told CBC News that water began moving over the dam around 9 a.m. PT. The province's emergency alert, sent at 10:35 a.m. PT, urged residents anywhere along the banks of the Chilcotin River from Hanceville to the Fraser River, and anywhere along the banks of the Fraser River from the Chilcotin River to the Gang Ranch bridge around 25 kilometers downstream, to evacuate immediately. Officials are expecting a pulse of water to carry fallen trees, organic matter and debris down the Chilcotin and Fraser rivers. Water levels along the Chilcotin River are expected to rise far above the spring melt, while water levels along the Fraser River are expected to be below spring levels. "The going concern are debris flows, which aren't included in the [river flow] modeling," Pinchbeck said. "We don't know what those impacts will be, but our concern is for the safety of people and infrastructure in the area."
Lord God, we pray for calming of waters along the Chilcotin River. For the families, communities, and infrastructure affected by the evacuation orders and any damage yet to come, we pray for their safety, and for a province and nation to support them when this is over.
It’s been one year since we became Thrive! In the past twelve months, we have been able to equip and encourage congregations in a more unified and holistic way, providing churches with a single point of contact for accessing support. This short video gives a clear picture of how your church’s Ministry Shares make it possible for us to come alongside churches in all of their various needs. Watch Video »
Thrive welcomes you to a gathering created specifically for women married to CRC pastors, being held in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Oct. 28-30. Be refreshed and have fun as you meet with others who share similar experiences. Reflect on your unique role and your relationship with God. Rest in God’s presence, be encouraged, and remember that God is with you.
Find more details and register here!
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