The Public Health Christian Fellowship at JHSPH

Dear Public Health Christian Fellowship, In the last Psalm of Asaph, he cries out:  O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God.  (Ps 83:1). Dear ones, in the midst of personal busy-ness (so common at this time of year, balancing interpersonal expectations with school/work deliverables) and in a broken world, our hearts cry out for God to make himself known. Will you take hope today that he has heard the prayers of his people, and that he has sent his very son Jesus - our Emmanuel, our God with us? Praying that God grows your faith and your longing for him, and gives you strength enough for what he has given you to do today and bright hope for tomorrow.  Here's a song to rest and meditate on.  (Today's note is adapted from  The Common Rule, Advent Edition ) This week's events in the SPH: Wednesday 12noon,   Room W2033.  Room open for people to fellowship and pray; no structured meeting. There will be dessert :) T...

Dear Public Health Christian Fellowship, Isaiah writes,  The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness, a light has dawned.  Dear ones, we will never understand how good the light is until we admit that darkness is real and that we live in it. That Jesus has come to redeem us is not such good news until we see what bad news it is to be without him. In the midst of exams, papers, projects, and events, we pray for that you have space enough to cultivate a heart that longs for the light and life that Jesus brings.  Here's a song to rest and meditate on.  (Today's note comes from  The Common Rule, Advent Edition ) This week's events in the SPH: Wednesday 12noon,   Room W2033.  Room open for people to meet and pray; no structured meeting. Thursday 12noon John Bible study, Room W9514 . See point 3 below. Saturday 6pm, Potluck dinner and movie at Teresa's house.  Please see more details, RSVP, ...

[Oops forgot to cross-post this last week] Dear Public Health Christian Fellowship, How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”   (Is 52:7) This week's events in the SPH: Tuesday 12noon.  Christian SPH Faculty lunch meeting. Contact  Teresa  for details. Wednesday 12noon,   Room W2033.  Guest speaker Rev. Mary Chang will share on "Advent of Light in the Midst of Cold, and Darkest Night to see Hope" - pizza and snacks provided. Please join us! (More details in email sent 20 min ago.) Thursday 12noon John Bible study, Room W9514 . See point 3 below. New PHCF whatsapp group : we've heard some interest in a whatsapp group for easier communication/support/sharing/ prayer during the week outside of our meetings / beyond emails. Please email  jhsph.phcf@gmail.com  with your name and phone number if y...

Dear Public Health Christian Fellowship, Paul writes,  But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.  In the Scriptures we see many exhortations to stand firm in the Lord, to walk in step with the Spirit, to fear not, to trust, to run the race. But, dear ones, do you see how all these actions are our response to the transforming work of Christ in us, who has claimed us as his people and is making us more like him each day? Praying this morning that you hold tight to Jesus and that you remember that you are his beloved and that he has given you people around the world who you can call your brothers and sisters. (And praying for those of you taking the biostats exam this morning, and...

Dear Public Health Christian Fellowship, Sorry this email is coming so late tonight! Just wanted to  share a song  and a verse to meditate on this week -- may we be like Simon Peter, who when asked if he "want[ed] to go away as well", replied to Jesus: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (Jn 6:68). Dear ones, praying that this week you seek first his kingdom and hold tight to Jesus as the only way, truth, and life, in the midst of pressures from school and work. This week's events in the SPH: Wednesday 12:15pm,   Room W2033.  A time of testimony sharing and prayer. Thursday 12noon John Bible study, Room W9514 . See point 3 below. Saturday 6pm Thanksgiving celebration, 3501 N Charles St.  Join us for an outreach event on Nov 17, 6-9pm, at the University Baptist Church (across the street from Homewood campus). The program includes worship, dinner, Thanksgiving story, and dessert.  Register here.  (Whether or not ...

[Sorry I forgot to post this last Tues 11/6...] Dear Public Health Christian Fellowship, Paul wrote to the Romans,  Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous  (5:18-19). What a gift is this union we have with Christ - that though through our humanity we all have tasted the bitterness of sin and death, we are counted righteous by Jesus' obedience unto the cross. Dear ones, will you look away from yourselves and towards Jesus as savior again today? (If today you feel the tension of neighborly love, political engagement through voting, and the Kingdom that is already-but-not-yet,  read about the common rule here : it's a refreshing way to rebuild habits and remember values.) This week's events in the SPH: Wednesday 12:15pm,   Room W2033 : The...

Dear Public Health Christian Fellowship, In one of his great I AM statements, Jesus preached to the people,  "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."  (John 8:12) Brothers and sisters in the School of Public Health, will you trust in the Lord to be the light that leads to life, following Jesus with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength? Will you trust him to set your feet on the solid rock, leading you in a path that may seem twisty turny in the midst of it but when you look back you can say that truly he has made your paths straight (Prov 3:6)? This week's events in the SPH: Wednesday 12:15pm,   Room W2033 : join us for our first meeting of second term! PHCF's dear faculty adviser Anbrasi Edward (Department of International Health - Health Systems) will share about the leading of the Holy Spirit, and we will have time for Q&A and sharing and...

Dear Public Health Christian Fellowship, Just wanted to share Paul's mid-letter prayer for the church in Ephesus this morning, as many of us wrestle through finals or projects or papers or deadlines of various sorts -  For this reason, I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through all ...