Illinois Great Rivers Conference 2025 Journal-Yearbook
in our communities, seek reconciliation and justice, and help people in need. We’ve got to get out into the fray of things so that, through us, God can pour out God’s grace upon the world. • P—Peace-seeking-- Then we’ve got to seek peace. I don’t mean peace as the accommodation of evil. I don’t mean peace as the quiet acquiescence to wrong. I mean peace that is built in justice and reconciliation—the peace that comes when justice finally rolls down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. The peace that comes when we love our neighbor as an extension of our love for God. The peace that Christ sought when he suffered on the cross and yet forgave. • E—Everlasting Grace-- And to do these things friends, we’ve got to depend on the everlasting grace of God—the grace that promises a hope that will not disappoint. Hope that is the healing work of the Church. Hope that is the out-reaching work of the Holy Spirit. Hope that is the Peace-seeking work of Christ Hope that comes from the everlasting rivers of God’s grace poured into us and into the world through us. That is my acronym and prayer. May it be so. catalyst for making disciples (Editor’s note: The following is a transcript of the Laity Address delivered by IGRC Conference Lay Leader Lorene King at the 2025 Annual Conference) Someone has said, “Water plays an important role in the lives of ordinary people as well as the lives of Christians. They’re both equally life-giv- ing and potentially dangerous.” God knew humans needed water and so when he created Adam on the sixth day, his body was made from the dust of the ground, but it also contained water. And we know that the human body is, on average, 60 percent water, and the highest usage is by the lungs, the heart and the kidneys and the brain. But regardless of the water content, all parts of the body need water to work properly. It’s a critical element that accomplishes many essential elements in the human body and it’s one of God’s sus- taining creations. We can go approximately two to three weeks without starving to death, but only two to four days without food. And water is, usually, we know for enjoyable activities like skiing, swimming, fishing, sailing, cruises, but we know we also can face grave dan- gers from the water due to torrential rainfalls, tornadoes, hurricanes, thunderstorms, boating accidents, etc. In the Bible, the role of water varies as well. Rivers have a special place in the Bible, Laity Address Lorene King, Conference Lay Leader May baptism be your
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