The Public Health Christian Fellowship at JHSPH

Dear PHCF, What an Easter - such joy as we celebrated a beautiful Resurrection Sunday here in Baltimore, and yet such sorrow for our brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the bombing. Lord, we pray that you "teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom" (Ps 90:12). Help us to lean on your grace and strength and provision anew this week, in the midst of end-of-the-year busy-ness. Join us for PHCF Bible study lunch meeting tomorrow in SPH Room W2033 - John chapter 20. Teresa will lead (and probably will have snacks). *Note: we are planning an interministry worship night with the Christian Fellowships at the SOM, SON, and Homewood... If you can help out (with music, slides, food, logistics, etc.), please email  jhsph.phcf@gmail.com ! If you have prayers, reflections, songs, or announcements you'd like to share with the rest of PHCF (or individual questions/comments for the PHCF leaders), please email  jhsph.phcf@gmail.com ! ...

Dear PHCF, It is Holy Week - a special time to rest on Jesus. We remember his path to the cross, his suffering and death, the silence and confusion of Saturday, and the wonder of resurrection - new life! Praying that his week, you can "be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Eph 4:32). (Cool resource -  a timeline of Holy Week ) This week for PHCF, we would like to invite you to the Humanitarian Health Interfaith panel discussion - Wed 12noon in Sheldon Hall (Room W1214). Please pray for Dr. Anbrasi Edward, our faculty advisor and one of the panelists, for wisdom and grace in sharing and dialoguing. Several churches are doing Maundy Thursday and/or Good Friday Services, and there is a Baltimore-wide Sunrise service at the Inner Harbor on Easter Sunday (6am, McKeldin Square at the Pratt/Light intersection), and of course many Easter Sunday celebration services. Please contact  us  if you would like t...

Dear PHCF, The Lord promises to the nation of Israel in Ezekiel 36, "It is not for your sake that I will act, O house of Israel, but for My holy name... I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances." Dear ones, in the midst of all your very important to-do's at the end of the year, will you make space for the Spirit to do its work within you? Praying that your hearts may be softened to receive Jesus' grace in a fresh way this week.  Here's a song for meditation . PHCF events this week:   Wednesday April 10, at 12:15pm in Room W2033, Allyse will lead us in a study of John 19. (There will be cookies!) PHCF whatsapp group:  we've created a whatsapp group for easier communication/support/sharing/ prayer during the week outside of our meetings. Please email  jh...

Dear PHCF, Isaiah writes --  All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever  (Is 40:6-8). Sometimes you may feel caught up in the cycle of too much work, too few (healthy) boundaries, competing obligations, desires to please people, a "chasing after the wind"... Dear ones, praying that you take to heart the words of comfort given to Jesus from the Father via the Holy Spirit when he was baptised -- "This is my Son, whom I love; in him I am well pleased" (Mt 3:17) -- even before Jesus started his ministry, before marvelous miracles or passionate preaching. And God loves you too, with an everlasting and steadfast love. Believe and trust anew today.  PHCF events this week:   Wednesday April 3, at 12:15pm in Room...

Dear PHCF, Welcome back from Spring Break! Hope you are feeling much refreshed, with the (somewhat) more spring-like weather and some much-needed rest. Paul the apostle writes to the church in Ephesus:  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do  (Eph 2:8-10). Praying that as you go about your day, you take heart that your salvation is by grace through faith - and that all the (wonderful, exciting, inspiring, everyday, hard) work you do comes from an overflow of God's spirit in you. PHCF events this week:   Wednesday March 27, at 12:15pm in Room W2033, Teresa/Allyse will lead us in a study of The Prayer of Christ (John 17) Thursday March 28, at 12 noon in Room W2030, there will be a lunch talk on leisure and humanity hosted by our Catholic fri...

Dear PHCF, Psalm 116:1-2 says:  I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.  For those of you in the throes of final exams/papers (or project, grant, or paper submissions or revisions), praying that you rely on God's strength this week and not your own and that you sense the grace and peace of Jesus with you wherever you go. PHCF events this week:  Wed Mar 13, we will not have our usual lunch meeting; however, Room W2033 is reserved for us, so please feel free to use it for a spontaneous lunch gathering or prayer spot. PHCF whatsapp group:  we've created a whatsapp group for easier communication/support/sharing/ prayer during the week outside of our meetings. Please email  jhsph.phcf@gmail.com   with your name and phone number if you're interested in joining. (You'll need to have Whatsapp downloaded onto your phone too.) If you have prayers, reflections...

Dear PHCF, It's Shrove Tuesday - and tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, as we remember afresh Jesus' path to the cross - his death to pay the price for sin. But we can rejoice because that is not the end of the story: we rejoice in his resurrection, and in the hope of the glory of God ( song here ). Dear ones, praying that you can take some time this week to remember that nothing we do lasts forever and to mourn that loss - and yet also look forward to eternity:  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  (Rom 8:20-21).  PHCF events this week:  Wed Mar 6, 12noon, Room W2033 - Allyse will be leading us in a study of the Book of John (chapters 16-17). (There will be a chocolatey dessert!) PHCF whatsapp group:  we've created a whatsapp group fo...

Dear PHCF, Sorry for the late email this week! A Scripture to rest on, from Isaiah 43:1-3 -  But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.  Dear ones, will you trust in the grace and the power of our Lord afresh this week, the mighty one who came to seek and to save the lost? Will you surrender your own ambitions and ask the Holy Spirit to shape your dreams and hopes to look like Jesus? PHCF events this week:  Wed Feb 27, 12:15pm, Room W2033 - Travis will be leading us again in a study of the Book of John (The Hope of Christ: John 15 and possibly 16). PHCF whatsapp group:  we've created ...

Dear PHCF, just a quick note: the interfaith panel for humanitarian health event has gotten postponed to April 10, due to the snow day today! More time to pray for the event :)

Dear PHCF, It is midterm season for many students, and it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by to-do lists and piles of study materials. Praying that you take comfort in the words of King David in Psalm 139:  O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.  Jesus is with you (and he is for you), no matter what - today, will you trust him, and let him lead you  in the way everlasting ?  PHCF events this week:  Wed Feb 13, 12noon, Sheldon Hall - Interfaith discussion panel hosted by the Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health. (assuming that the JHSPH is open tomorrow... there's snow/sleet in the forecas...