Martin Luther King Day has been celebrated on the 21^st of January for several years now. I remember the day in the 1960’s when I watched on television as huge crowds participated in the March on Washington, and across America we all heard Martin Luther King give his powerful “I Have a Dream” speech.

Even then, I knew that America could be thankful that God anointed Martin Luther King Jr. to become the leader of the most prominent Civil Rights movement in our country. He led with prayer and hope and love for mankind. Other groups of both races, were advocating violence and hate. With God’s help, prayer, love, and hope won, and America is a better place today.

Yes, America still isn’t perfect; we’ve been striving to become a better country ever since the Declaration of Independence was hashed out by some radical Colonists who wanted us to be free from Great Britain. No, even today not everyone has perfectly equal rights with every other American—but it is still one of our country’s ideals.

In our world money, class, education, gender, and yes, race affect and are affected by all kinds of factors when it comes to “justice for all.” In that list, though, taking full advantage of a basic education, and using it to take advantage of the opportunities it opens up is the best thing we can encourage our children to do, and it can provide a much more level playing field for everyone.

Meanwhile, back in Atwood, the schedule for Women’s Bible Study has been changed to the fi rst Tuesday of each month. The meeting time is still 9:30 A.M., the same as before. We hope you will plan to join us in February.

The special music selection, led by James Hammonds and Ted Deaton and accompanied by the congregation, was a fast tempo version of “Are You Washed in the Blood?” I don’t know about us out in the congregation, but James and Ted did a great job. They may have to change the name of their band to Flaming Guitars and Ukuleles.

Rev. Brown’s sermon was titled “On the Move” and was based on Matthew 9:35-38. Jesus had begun his ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing, and on this day He and his disciples were standing in a place where they could look down on the Valley of Galilee. It was a place of great beauty, and as He gazed at the people there Jesus was moved with deep compassion for them.

It was a teaching moment for the disciples, and Jesus spoke to them, saying that the harvest was plentiful but the laborers were few. He then told them to pray that the Lord would send laborers to it.

Multitudes of people were coming to Jesus for healing and to listen to His words. He saw the multitude, but He also saw the needs of each individual in the multitudes. Jesus still sees our needs, our failings, our victories, who we are, what we are, and what we need. He still has unfailing love and compassion for us.

Like a shepherd, He still feels deeply moved to care for us and rescue us. Do we feel that same empathy when we see people in need? In need, most of all, for salvation? There is much need and few to go out to meet it.

The church is responsible, most of all, to pray. We have the privilege of prayer when there is trouble and need, but we can and should pray for ourselves and others before we have trouble and are in need.