United Congregational Church of Southern Africa 37th Assembly Bible Studies
Theme: Christ is Calling Us: Participating in Suffering and Struggle
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” Psalm 119:105
Whenever the people of God gather at Assembly and other occasions, they always find inspiration from the Word of God. It is therefore an important responsibility to prepare and lead people in the study and reflection on the Word of God.
The following four Bible Studies have been prepared to help the Assembly to reflect more deeply on the theme of the UCCSA, “Christ is Calling Us: Participating in Suffering and Struggle”. In the first Bible Study, Rev Maria Guirrengane, looks at the issues pertaining to environmental justice and challenges us to reflect more deeply on our stewardship of the earth as a justice matter that is fundamental for human existence. The second Bible Study, which was prepared by Rev Sindiso Jele, we shall look at the Calling of Youth. This calling shall be taken as a case in point for the general calling of the people of God. In the third Bible Study, Rev Felicia Ramaribana grapples with the challenge of Poverty that women have been saddled with throughout generations and various socio-economic and cultural contexts. And the fourth Bible Study, prepared by Rev Kevin Davy, takes us to the issues of labour and workers’ rights in our Southern Africa context. These issues are a daily occurrence and cause of much pain in our countries.
The approach of the Bible Studies is to co-relate “text” with the experience of suffering that human beings and creation live with and which is as a result of lack of justice. As our theme states that our calling as a church is participation in the suffering and in taking up actions that will eradicate injustice which is the root cause of suffering. Each Bible Study session will therefore have time for small group discussions to explore the issues at greater depth by looking at the local and global expressions of the subject under each study.
We pray for the Spirit of God to enlighten our reflections and inspire us to actions that will result in justice flowing like an everlasting stream in Africa.
