| The
Bible speaks about poverty: John 12:44-50
– 44 Then Jesus cried aloud:
"Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And
whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come as light into the
world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness. 47 I
do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the
world, but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not
receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as
judge, 49 for I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me
has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak. 50 And
I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the
Father has told me."
Poverty datebook for today:
Reservations may be made for "The Gap Between Rich and
Poor: Dives and Lazarus Today," an April 9 event to be sponsored by the North Carolina Council of Churches,
919-828-6501. Site: Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, 200 Regan Street,
Greensboro, NC.
Anti-Poverty Network of New Jersey meets at 1 p.m.
Contact Connie or Adona at 732-572-9100.
Good works that 'work':
Whatever their economic status back home,
most refugees lose everything when they flee and have to start over from zero in their new
homeland. The Church
World Service Immigration and Refugee Program and its affiliates help
refugees become self-sufficient. For example, the CWS/IRP Miami Office has initiated
a micro-enterprise development program for resettled refugees and Cuban/Haitian entrants,
which offers business training, finance and credit information, business networking and
follow-up support to the eligible entrepeneurs. |
Poverty
by the numbers: 
In 1989, there were 66 billionaires in the United States and 31.5 million people in
poverty, United for a Fair
Economy reports. In 1999 there were 268
billionaires and 32.3 million people in poverty. (Call to Renewal)
Preaching about poverty:
"The Dishonest Manager." Pastor Jane
Shepherd, Linn Grove United Methodist Church, Prole, Iowa. |
