"O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon His Name and make known His deeds among the people!" (Ps 105:1)

May the LORD cause His face to shine upon our City and Valley!

Please be aware of several of the following opportunities for prayer, support, or community involvement, and pass this information along to others who may be interested as well (you may also access this update on the web at http://www.MissionHuntsville.org/updates.htm).

Community and Special Events City-Wide Community Worship Service - The Storehouse (9/8) Fireproof, Never Leave Your Partner Behind - National Release (9/26) Pastors and Ministry Leaders Greater Huntsville Interdenominational Ministerial Fellowship (GHIMF) - Little Indian Creek PBC (9/13) Greater Huntsville Pastors Prayer Summit (GHPPS) - Small Group Meetings Marketplace and Business Community Marketplace Leadership Luncheon (MLL) - Thursdays Weekly Prayer and Intercession 40 Days Facedown - Area Churches Uniting in Prayer for the Nation (9/24+) Spring Healing Rooms (Training) - Area Churches Joining in Prayer and Ministry (9/25-26) International Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem (DPPJ) Compassion, Mission, and the Nations Several Updates Related to Gustav:     Helping Gustav Evacuees/Families Return Home - Manna House     Pearlington, MS Christian Community Assistance - ADOC Prison Release Program Christian Advocates for Israel (CAFI) - Special Event: Israel at 60 (9/22) Special Proclamation National Days of Prayer and Remembrance

"GOD be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause Your face to shine upon us ... that Thy way may be known upon earth, and Thy salvation among all the people!" (Ps 67:1-2)

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Debbie Preece, and the Madison County Coalition for Healthy Marriages (MCCHM) hosted a special screening for Area Pastors and Leaders in August for FIREPROOF, a new movie by the creators of "Facing the Giants" focused on God's heart for MARRIAGE.

FIREPROOF is an action-packed love story from the creators of Facing the Giants that is scheduled to open September 26 in theaters across the country. FIREPROOF Action Squads allow churches, businesses, groups, and individuals to support FIREPROOF and impact marriages in their communities on Opening Weekend ... and beyond. See much more at www.FireproofTheMovie.com

		Buy Tickets If your favorite musician or Broadway play were coming to town, you'd buy tickets in advance. By purchasing tickets for opening weekend of FIREPROOF (September 26-28), you're helping ensure the movie will be in theaters for an extended run. Click Here To Buy Tickets
		Action Squads Learn how you can lead the charge to fill an entire theater or to bring FIREPROOF to your town. Action Squad Show Times and Towns help extend the impact of the movie. Click Here
		Free Downloads Be sure to download the theatrical trailer, widgets, banners, and other great electronic tools that you can use on your website, emails, blog, and social network connections to help get the word about the film. Click Here
		FireproofMyMarriage.com Partnering churches and marriage and family ministries provide this site with tried-and-true tools to help strengthen and grow marriages. Visit FireproofMyMarriage.com

Marketplace Leadership Luncheon (Greater Huntsville)

The Area-Wide Marketplace Leadership Luncheon (MLL) is a unique time of encouragement and specific focus, including consideration of greater purpose and unique opportunity in the workplace. It is hosted by businessmen and women for businessmen and women. Please consider joining us for this special time!

Area-Wide Marketplace Leadership Luncheon

Time:	11:30am-12:30pm (MLL private buffet will open at 11:15am)
Date:	Thursdays - weekly
Location:	Carrabba's Italian Grill 2801 S. Memorial Parkway, Huntsville, AL 35801, (256) 288-1333 Map and Directions - Located in the Parkway Place Mall parking deck.

Please RSVP here due to limited seating if you have not already confirmed your attendance in some way!

This is a special luncheon occurring every Thursday as a gift to the Marketplace and Business community (no cost other than your lunch).

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Marketplace Leadership Luncheon
www.MLL-HSV.org

Our nation is at a another crossroads in American History. There is a national effort - Facedown 40 - to mobilize the Body of Christ to enter into a unified commitment to Fast and Pray for 40 days, prior to the Presidential election.

In the Huntsville/Madison County area, the CHURCH is joining together in a corporate effort to cover these 40 days, Sept. 24-Nov. 2, 24/7, with prayer for our Nation.

This mission cannot be accomplished with a handful of participants. We need you and your congregation to commit to this CRITICAL SEASON OF PRAYER for our Nation. Please contact us about which one or more of the 40 designated days your church could pray. A calendar posted here will list the dates and the churches/prayer groups covering our nation on that day. All the Christian community is invited to participate. Any church that does not feel they can adequately cover 24 hours may want to link with 2 or 3 others to more efficiently cover their “watch”. Material to guide your time of prayer is available.

To register your Church as a participant AND to select your day(s) to provide prayer coverage, please contact Sammie Laster – H 830-2590, Cell – 683-3712 or e-mail at ljlaster@arilion.com .

We praise Our Lord for the commitment of intercessors and prayer warriors in our city. Thank you for your prayerful consideration!

Huntsville “Facedown 40” Steering Committee
Valley Fellowship – Pastor Carol Simon, Sammie Laster & Dene Finley
Union Chapel Missionary Baptist Church – Nettie Pruitt & Gloria Smith
Grace Lutheran Church – Anne Cox
First Presbyterian Church – Judy Howard
Faith Chapel – Sadie Presley
The Rock Family Worship Center – Rita Sutton & Shirley Schwarze
The Dwelling Place – Pastor Patrick Penn

Greater Huntsville Facedown40

The international Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem (DPPJ) occurs annually the first Sunday of each October. This is a unique international effort to fulfill the biblical mandate to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. If you have interest in being involved with DPPJ, or being a point of contact in your congregation, or to help organize at the local or state level, or just to get additional information, you may find details online or at the links included below.

See also:
www.DayToPray.org

What is the Day to Pray?

The International Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem, instituted with the endorsement of hundreds of Christian leaders from around the world, representing tens of millions of Christians, will be held annually on the first Sunday of every October, until the coming of Messiah. Our call is for sustained, fervent, informed global intercession for the plans and purposes of God for Jerusalem and all her people. This global grassroots prayer initiative coincides with the season of Yom Kippur , and for the first time in Church history, makes an effort at linking the Christian liturgical calendar with the Biblical, Jewish calendar.

Our goal, by God's grace, is that by October 2008 we will have:
• 100 participating nations
• 100 million believers participating
• 100,000 churches committed to pray
• over 1400 minutes of additional prayer via global teleconferencing

UNDERSTANDING...that we are children of Abraham by faith, the "wild olive branch" grafted in to the root of God's covenant (Romans 11:17-26), and, RECOGNIZING....that God has kept his word to Abraham and His descendants and settled them in their homeland again, according to the word of the prophets (Amos 9:14-15),(Ezekiel 36: esp. v.24), and, RECOGNIZING...that we have a biblical mandate according to Psalm 122, and many other Scriptures to seek the good and prosperity of Jerusalem, until the Lord makes her a praise in all the earth, and AFFIRMING...that God's love and intended blessing is for all nations and peoples, and that we have goodwill and love for all mankind, including all inhabitants of the Holy Land, and desire the peace of this entire region; WE THE UNDERSIGNED call upon all men and women of prayer to yearly set aside the First Sunday in October, near the season of Yom Kippur, as the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem. Sign the Prayer Resolution along with millions of Christians around the world

Helping Gustav Evacuees/Families Return Home - Manna House
50 STRANDED FAMILIES AWAIT GAS CARDS TO RETURN HOME

Huntsville/Madison County has responded in their normal supportive and caring way to the request for monetary support in times of disaster. From their gracious giving 72 families received gas cards to return home. As the weekend begins, we now have 50 families that are basically stranded unless we receive further donations.

Gas Cards - self-evacuees are getting ready to return home and need the funds to get them back. Please drop off Cash/Check or Gas Cards directly at Manna House since we have a waiting list of families awaiting to return home this weekend. Distribution of Gas Cards is at Manna house, 2110 South Memorial Parkway (next to The Rock Family Worship Center) 12-6pm daily.

Contact: Fran Fluhler at 256.653.7883 or Sheila McFerran 256-653-1104

Regards,
Sheila

Sheila King McFerran
President/CEO, HandsOn Greater Huntsville

Pearlington, MS • www.pearlingtonms.com

The August 29th trip to Pearlington was postponed due to Gustav.

Please click HERE to read about the adjusted plans and how you can help.

If you are not affiliated with the BRICK Layers and would like information on how to find housing and job assignments in Pearlington, please contact Bob Putnam at the Pearlington Recovery Center at pearlingtonvolunteercenter@gmail.com. Full information and a registration form may be downloaded at the PRC blog, located at: http://www.prcvolunteers.blogspot.com

Please see the following opportunity for churches to network and assist prisoners in community re-entry. Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) has asked Asbury United Methodist Church, Madison to coordinate a network of churches that would help men as they are released from Limestone.

I believe Christian presence and involvement in our community, as “salt and light”, may provide us opportunities to demonstrate “the testimony of Jesus” in circles where it normally would not be seen.

For this reason, I’m excited to know that our state recognizes that churches do excellent ministry to people in times of need. The state is seeking how it might partner with “communities of faith” to better serve the people of our State.

Asbury United Methodist in Madison, has been organizing spiritual enrichment retreats, called “Kairos Weekend” at Limestone Correctional Facility (LCF). As a result, the Alabama Department of Corrections and LCF Chaplain Baggett have asked Asbury to form a committee, to find communities of faith who would assist prisoners in community re-entry.

This assistance and mentoring of prisoners when they have been released would follow their completion of a new Pre-release Education program of job skills training and voluntary character and religious training. ADOC is hopeful that these new programs may reduce recidivism (re-incarceration of former prisoners).

The attached letter from John Ryberg at Asbury UMC briefly explains the need for Christian community involvement.

In Christ’s name,
Philip T. List Jr

Asbury United Methodist Church • 980 Hughes Road • Madison, AL 35758 Phone (256)837-0365 • Fax (256)837-2802 • www.asburyumc.ws Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Thank you for your interest in the Pre-release program at Limestone Correctional Facility. Hebrews 13:3 states, “Remember those who are in prison as if you were in prison with them. Remember those who are suffering as if you were suffering with them.” Asbury UMC has been invited to coordinate the network of churches that will help men as they are released from Limestone. As a participant your church can help in many ways, but specifically we are requesting the following: First and foremost, receive the man into your congregation and support him through prayer and fellowship. Develop a list of resources in your community such as food pantry, medical assistance, transportation, clothing, education, etc… anything a newly release man might need to establish himself in the community. When they are released they may have nothing. Create a profile on the Alabama state sponsored network at www.alabamacprnetwork.com This is a social networking site for coordinating the communities and agencies who are participating in the pre-release program. Volunteer to serve on the community network team. There are many positions available. It will take a lot of work to connect every man with a church upon his release. Thanks again for your interest in the pre-release program. If you are interested in learning more, please contact: John Ryberg at Asbury United Methodist Church. Phone: 256-837-0365 ext. 232 or via email at john.ryberg@asburyumc.ws God Bless You. John Ryberg Associate Pastor/Community network team leader Asbury UMC

Printable Letter (PDF)

with featured speaker

Bret Stephens, Foreign Correspondent
The Wall Street Journal
(former editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post)

Monday, September 22, 2008
7:30pm-9:00pm

Bevill Conference Center - University of Alabama Huntsville
550 Sparkman Drive
Room 280 (map)

Host Committee:
Christian Advocates for Israel (CAFI) - Community Coalition Leadership
Pastor Jim Bevis - Director, CSR Ministries
Mr. John Buhler - Director, Mission Huntsville
Pastor David Nelson - The Rock Family Worship Center
Pastor Patrick Penn - The Dwelling Place Church
Pastor Carol Simon - Valley Fellowship Church
Pastor Robert Somerville - Covenant of Peace Church

Reservations are required:
Kindly respond to Arlene Bridges Samuels, by Thursday, September 18 at 770-541-7610 or via email at asamuels@aipac.org

Bret Stephens is the Foreign Affairs Columnist and member of the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board. He took over as the regular writer of "Global View", a column appearing every Tuesday. Stephens previously worked as an editorial writer for the Wall Street Journal Europe, in Brussels. Between 2002 and 2004 he was editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post, a position that he assumed at the age of 28. In 2003 he was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, where he is also a media fellow. Raised in Mexico City , Stephens is a graduate of University of Chicago and London School of Economics.

PRESIDENT BUSH'S PATRIOT DAY PROCLAMATION

National Days of Prayer and Remembrance, 2008
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

During National Days of Prayer and Remembrance, we pay special tribute to the thousands of innocent victims who died on September 11, 2001. Our Nation honors the brave citizens, service members, police officers, and firefighters who heroically responded in the face of terror.

On these important days, we reflect on the terrible events of September 11, 2001, and lift the victims and their families in our prayers.

Our Nation will never forget the individuals who lost their lives in New York, Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon. America remains inspired by the countless acts of kindness and sacrifice we saw that day -- fearless rescuers who rushed toward danger, a beloved priest who died helping others, two office workers who carried a disabled person 68 floors to safety.

We also pray for the safety and success of the members of our Armed Forces now serving freedom's cause. We seek God's grace on their families, and commit to Heaven's care those brave men and women He has called home. We ask the Almighty to watch over America and pray for His providence and continued blessings on our country. May He always guide the United States of America. As we defend our country against its enemies, we pray for help in protecting the gift of freedom from those who seek to destroy it, and we ask the Almighty to strengthen all those securing liberty on distant shores.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Friday, September 5, through Sunday, September 7, 2008, as National Days of Prayer and Remembrance. I ask that the people of the United States and their places of worship mark these National Days of Prayer and Remembrance with memorial services, the ringing of bells, and evening candlelight remembrance vigils. I also invite all people across the world to share in these Days of Prayer and Remembrance.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

GEORGE W. BUSH