by Eron Henry | Feb 15, 2024 | Lent 2024
God is made known to us through the person of Jesus Christ, who is the complete and flawless reflection of God’s character and purpose. Jesus is more than a messenger or a teacher of God’s truth; He is the very embodiment of truth. Jesus is more than a model or an example of God’s love; He is the source and essence of love. Jesus is more than a witness or a sign of God’s power; He is the manifestation and demonstration of power. He is God in the flesh, God among us, God on our side.
This reveals that God is not remote or impersonal, but intimate and relational. God is not concealed or mute, but transparent and vocal. God is not apathetic or antagonistic, but merciful and benevolent. God is not static or dormant, but active and inventive. Though mysterious, God is not inaccessible, but is disclosed and approachable.
Therefore, we are called to believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, who sacrificed Himself for our sins and conquered death for our life. It urges us to obey Jesus as our Master and Teacher, who exemplified the way of God’s kingdom and instructed the truth of God’s word. It motivates us to adore Jesus as our Friend and Brother, who entered our humanity and empathized with our frailties. It enables us to serve Jesus as our King and Priest, who bestowed His Spirit and commissioned us to His mission.
Prayer
Gracious God, we thank You for revealing Yourself to us through Jesus Christ, Your Son and our Savior. We praise You for Your character and purpose, which are perfectly expressed in Him. We confess that He is the truth, the love, and the power that we need and desire. We acknowledge that He is God in the flesh, God among us, God on our side. We ask You to draw us closer to You through Jesus Christ, who is intimate and relational. We pray that You would speak to us through Jesus Christ, who is transparent and vocal. We beg You to have mercy on us through Jesus Christ, who is merciful and benevolent. We hope that You would work in us and through us by Jesus Christ, who is active and inventive. We seek You to make Yourself known to us and others by Jesus Christ, who is disclosed and approachable. We commit ourselves to believe in Jesus Christ, who sacrificed Himself for our sins and conquered death for our life. We promise to obey Jesus Christ, who exemplified the way of Your kingdom and instructed the truth of Your word. We aspire to adore Jesus Christ, who entered our humanity and empathized with our frailties. We endeavor to serve Jesus Christ, who bestowed His Spirit and commissioned us to His mission. In His name we pray, Amen.
by Eron Henry | Feb 14, 2024 | Lent 2024
Lent is a season of preparation, reflection, and repentance. It is a time to examine our hearts and lives, to confess our sins, and to receive God’s forgiveness and grace. Lent is also a time to remember the passion of Christ, the suffering He endured for our sake, and the love He demonstrated on the cross. Lent helps us to appreciate the meaning and significance of Easter, the glorious celebration of Christ’s resurrection and victory over death.
Lent can transform our understanding and experience of Easter, helping us to appreciate the depth of Christ’s sacrifice, the cost of His salvation, and the power of His love. Lent matters.
Lent invites us to enter into the story of Christ’s passion, to walk with Him along the way of the cross, to feel His pain and sorrow, and to marvel at His grace and mercy. Lent challenges us to confront our own sinfulness, our need for repentance, and our dependence on God’s grace. Lent also assures us of God’s forgiveness, God’s acceptance, and God’s love. Lent prepares us to celebrate Easter with a renewed sense of awe and gratitude, a deeper appreciation of Christ’s resurrection, and a stronger commitment to follow Him.
As we journey through Lent, let us pray that God would open our eyes, our ears, and our hearts to the message of Jesus’ passion. Let us ask God to help us get it, to really understand it, and to live it out in our daily lives. Let us thank God for God’s amazing love, wonderful grace, and glorious gift of eternal life.
Prayer
Gracious and loving God,
We thank You for this season of Lent, a time to prepare our hearts and minds for the celebration of Easter. We thank You for the opportunity to reflect on our lives, to repent of our sins, and to receive Your forgiveness and grace. We thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who died for us on the cross and rose again from the dead. We thank You for His passion, His suffering, His love, and His victory.
Lord, as we journey through Lent, we ask You to open our eyes, our ears, and our hearts to the message of Your passion. Help us to get it, to really understand it, and to live it out in our daily lives. Help us to follow You more faithfully, to love You more deeply, and to serve You more joyfully. Help us to appreciate the depth of Your sacrifice, the cost of Your salvation, and the power of Your love. Help us to be transformed by Your grace, to be renewed by Your Spirit, and to be ready for Your glorious return.
God, we praise You for Your amazing love, Your wonderful grace, and Your glorious gift of eternal life. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
by Eron Henry | Mar 28, 2023 | Blog
Lott Carey is appealing to its partners and supporters to join in prayer for those who have suffered severe loss caused by a series of tornadoes in late March that affected parts of the American South, with the state of Mississippi hit particularly hard.
The tornadoes were a part of a larger system that affected the South and Southeast of the US, putting more than 30 million people at risk of severe storms.
The tornadoes and storms killed at least 26 people across Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee, with the confirmed death toll in Mississippi being 21.
Federal aid has been made available to the hardest-hit areas, and recovery efforts are anticipated to take years. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sent a team to help with immediate needs and plan for long-term recovery.
According to Lott Carey Executive Secretary-Treasurer Rev. Emmett Dunn, “We are committed to pray for those who have been affected by this disaster. Their lives have been upended and we pray God’s mercy for them.”
Rev. Dunn also called for added support to victims of the storms and tornadoes. “We appeal for your generous support. Every little bit helps, and we appreciate any contribution you can make.”
Donations can be made via the Lott Carey website at lottcarey.org/donate, or sent by mail to Lott Carey at 8201 Corporate Drive, Suite 1245, Landover, MD 20785.
“We understand that times are tough, and your support means a lot to us,” Rev. Dunn stated. “We would like to thank you in advance for your generosity and for helping us make a difference in the lives of those affected by this tragedy, as we share the love of Christ with those in need.”
by Eron Henry | Nov 3, 2022 | Blog, News, News
November 3, 2022
A Mission Immersion Pilgrimage to Africa is underway from November 2-11.
Dubbed a “Walk in the footsteps of Rev. Lott Carey in the Motherland,” it commemorates and celebrates the 200th anniversary of Rev. Carey’s mission to the continent.
The delegation of 31 persons includes Lott Carey President Dr. Gina Stewart, former president, Rev. Gregory Jackson, Women In Service Everywhere President Dr. Angelita Clifton, other Lott Carey leaders, and several pastors.
They will make stops in Ghana and Liberia.
The Rev. Lott Carey led a group of formerly enslaved African Americans to West Africa, arriving in what is now Liberia in 1822. He played a key role in the founding of that nation, Africa’s first republic.
In Liberia, pilgrims will explore Providence Island where Rev. Carey landed in early 1822. They will worship at Providence Baptist Church in Monrovia, the second oldest Baptist church in Africa, which was founded by Rev. Carey; visit and interact with students at the two campuses of the Lott Carey Mission Schools; and visit and worship with students at the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary, among other activities.
Ghana is the ancestral home of many persons of African descent in the Americas and holds important historical landmarks of interest to persons of the African diaspora.
While in Ghana, pilgrims will visit Independence Square, the W.E. B. Dubois Center, and the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum.
A highlight will be the trip to the Assin Manso Slave River and the slave castles in Cape Coast and Elmina. Assin Manso and the slave castles are infamous for their roles in the trade of enslaved Africans before their arduous and traumatic journey to North America, South America, and the Caribbean.
“We expect that this journey into the past will bring home to us the love and sacrifice of those who walked this journey before us,” said Lott Carey Executive Secretary-Treasurer Rev. Emmett Dunn.
“As we take this journey, we draw strength for the work to which God has called us as we build a better world through Christian mission,” declared Rev. Dunn, who was born in Liberia and was baptized at the historic Providence Baptist Church.
by Eron Henry | Oct 31, 2022 | Blog, News, News
October 27, 2022
Lott Carey Executive Secretary-Treasurer Rev. Emmett Dunn was elected president of the North American Baptist Fellowship (NABF) during its annual meeting in Falls Church, Virginia, on October 24.
Dunn succeeds Rev. Dr. Samuel Tolbert, president of the National Baptist Convention of America.
The NABF represents 22 Baptist conventions, unions, and mission societies in Canada and the United States. It comprises almost 20 million members in 55,000 congregations.
NABF mission emphases include creation care, disaster relief, and scholars’ collaboration.
The 2022 annual meeting focused on hope. Participants explored issues of church revitalization, creation care and mental health.
The gathering provided opportunities for fellowship, inspiring conversation, and networking.
Rev. Dunn will serve a three-year term.
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