Guest Post by Rev. Sommer Bower
The following letter is republished from the First Presbyterian Church of Americus, GA:
The Samaritan woman asked, “Why do you, a Jewish man, ask for something to drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (Jews and Samaritans didn’t associate with each other.) Jesus responded, “If you recognized God’s gift and who is saying to you, ‘Give me some water to drink,’ you would be asking him and he would give you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you don’t have a bucket and the well is deep. Where would you get this living water”
—John 4:9-11
Water. Everything that has a heartbeat needs it to live. But not just any water, good water. Living water that moves, is clean and free of disease. Water that nourishes, sustains and frees the path for growth. We take for granted the clean water that flows from our sinks at home. We take for granted that our clean drinking water nourishes our bodies. We are blessed. And this Christmas our congregation decided to be a blessing to others.
Our church mission project for Christmas 2015 helped to point our congregation towards sharing the gift of clean water halfway around the world. The mission committee of First Presbyterian brought the recommendation to session to make a “Garden Well” the Christmas focus through the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Giving Catalog. A well provides clean water for drinking, bathing, and irrigation to an entire community. It changes the lives of countless people by giving them a reliable and convenient source of water. Church members were invited to donate whatever they felt called to give towards the gift of a garden well. And we did it! WE RAISED OVER $1,250 TO PURCHASE A GARDEN WELL! (insert shouts of “hurray” “AMEN” “Praise God” and more!)
Image: A. Boss, FRB
The mission committee had tears in their eyes when they counted the donations and realized enough had been raised to buy an entire garden well. The new well will help thousands in an area in Ghana where one in five persons have no access to clean water.
Praise God. Praise God for deep wells of living water which bring life. Praise God for giving hearts to give to those in need. Praise God for communities of faith who are blessed so they might be a blessing. Hurray. Amen. Praise God.
Pastor Sommer
All who are thirsty should come to me! All who believe in me should drink! As the scriptures said concerning me, “Rivers of living water will flow out from within him.”
—John 7:37-39 CEB