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Holy Water Used to Dedicate New Sancturary

Dedication Service of new sanctuary of Mzuzu UMC

On Sunday we commemorated the Baptism of Jesus on the second Sunday of Epiphany. Rev. John Culp preached on water and remembering your baptism. I celebrated the blessings of being in a new sanctuary while reminding the congregation to not forget their beginnings and humble roots. Together, John and I along with Pastor Copeland Nkhata, dedicated the new sanctuary and community center in Mzuzu, accompanied by jubilant singing and dancing in the Spirit, as if the members were full of new wine. 

John sprinkled water on congregants from Reagan's Well--named after his granddaughter who at 5 1/2 survived cancer diagnosis--with the words "remember your baptism."  

We used the same village well water to sprinkle on the doorposts on the new Hope Scholarship House which we dedicated after the worship service.   We've awarded 45 Hope Scholarships since 2007!

Hope Scholars in front of Hope House Dedication
Mzuzu Shalom Team met to plan next steps, including new chickens and a piglet project to raise funds to support orphan care in the shalom zone (1 kilometer circumference around the UMC church building.)  

We now have 6 emerging shalom zones in northern Malawi. 

12 Hope Scholarship Recipients in 2012 in "Hope Mobile"
more reflections when I can find some time to blog.  

I'm returning home tomorrow (and my lost luggage was found and picked up today). 

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