wfn.org | Commissioners' Resolution Goes Right to the Heart

[PCUSA NEWS <pcusa.news@ecunet.org>]

GA99056 
23-June-1999 
 
        Commissioners'  Resolution Goes Right to the Heart 
 
 
FORT WORTH- Elder Wilma Luther from Wood River Church (Central Nebraska 
Presbytery) choked up when she asked for the microphone at the close of her 
committee's business Tuesday.  She had served on the Peacemaking and 
International Relations Committee whose final action was to vote on 
Commissioners'  Resolution 21, On Acknowledging the Heritage of the 
Christian Faith. 
     The resolution states "We offer a word of compassionate thanks to our 
parents and grandparents, our friends and neighbors---all the men and women 
in military service who presented themselves as 'living sacrifices' to 
preserve our freedom on those occasions in this century when such freedoms 
were in jeopardy. We thank our chaplains who faithfully ministed to 
'congregations' that daily laid down their lives for those whom they loved 
with 'their last full measure of devotion.'   
     "We speak our living words while we may yet look into their living 
eyes with our hearts of thanks.  We pray that in the century yet to come 
God will grant us leadership, vision, courage, and wisdom to work for the 
day when war shall be no more, and all nations shall be reconciled in 
Christ.  We commit ourselves to lead lives worthy of Christ's sacrifice for 
us, and worthy of the love of those who also sacrificed themselves that we 
might lead all people to a Kingdom of Peace." 
     The resolution received a large majority of the committee's votes, 
after which Luther rose to thank them.  "My heart is so full right now. 
This action truly makes my week.  I work at a Veterans' Home in Grand 
Island, Nebraska.  I can't wait to fax this back to them tonight. 
     "All 395 of those veterans have given some part of their body," she 
continued,  "a limb, some  vital piece of tissue, a sense, even a  mind, 
that we might have freedom. Every day I hear them say 'we're forgotten --- 
nobody remembers.'   When I get back they'll  know Presbyterians haven't 
forgotten." 
   Luther, a degreed occupational therapist,  is activities director and 
Alzheimers' coordinator at the Veterans' Home.  "This will mean so much," 
she said, "and we just have to let them know."  
 
Midge Mack   

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  This note sent by Office of News Services, 
  Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
  to the World Faith News list <wfn-news@wfn.org>.
  For additional information about this news story,
  call 502-569-5493 or send e-mail to PCUSA.News@pcusa.org

  On the web:  http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/

  If you have a question about this mailing list, 
  send queries to wfn@wfn.org