“Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink”

This is a famous line from “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” penned by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The mariner was stranded at sea with no fresh water. Sunday, March 22 is World Water Day.

The 2026 World Water Day campaign – called ‘Where water flows, equality grows’ – focuses on safe water and sanitation as human rights and critical enablers of gender equality. The 2026 campaign is led by a task force of UNICEF and UN Women. There are 2.1 billion people still living without access to safe water close to home.

“The global water crisis affects everyone – but not equally. Where people lack the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, inequalities flourish, with women and girls bearing the brunt. We must invest in women’s leadership to make water a force for a healthier, more prosperous, gender-equal future that will benefit us all.” https://www.unwater.org

On March 22 there will be brochures in the church bulletins from Living Waters for the World. Living Waters for the World is a 501c3 that began as a ministry of the PCUSA, specifically the Presbytery of Transylvania/Eastern KY. They train, equip and support volunteers in forming global, clean-water mission partnerships. These partnerships empower international communities to install and sustain water purification systems and health education programs that transform lives. In 2025, the Mission & Outreach committee donated funds for a water purification system. To find out more and to give: https://www.livingwatersfortheworld.org/

Ash Wednesday begins with a public act of confession and contrition, acknowledging that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We begin our journey to Easter with the sign of ashes, a biblical symbol of mourning and penitence that speaks to the frailty and uncertainty of human life. Ashes symbolize the dust and broken debris of our lives as well as the reality that eventually each of us will die. As a community of faith, we acknowledge our need for repentance and for the mercy and forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Once again, we pledge ourselves to live in the light of God’s Word in Jesus Christ, the eternal Word that remains forever.

During the season of Lent, we prepare to celebrate our redemption through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In preparation, we are invited to turn around, to change directions, to repent. Unless we are willing to die to our old selves, we cannot be raised to new life in Christ. Lent is less about giving up chocolate. Rather, we take on a commitment of changing directions from self-serving toward the self-giving way of the cross. Let us observe a holy Lent through self-examination, repentance, and a renewed commitment to be disciples who follow in the way of Jesus the Christ.

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on February 18th. Lent is the season before Easter where we try to “journey” with Jesus. His life, ministry, and death are remembered during this season. This is also a time to look at our own lives and draw closer to God. Some may do this through prayer. Some may do this through meditation. Some may do this through outreach, or something else entirely different. This Lenten season, your Christian Education Committee is bringing to you, “Lent in a Bag”. 

“Lent in a Bag” equips you and your family with exactly what you need to celebrate this Lenten season by giving you symbols of the season in a convenient bag to carry home and help you have prayer and conversation with your family at home. In addition to different items or symbols to represent the season, your family’s bag will include an instruction page with directions on how to use each symbol or item appropriately. These bags will be packed and ready for distribution after church on Sunday, February 22nd. We hope you enjoy this special time with your family and your church family.

     Some First Prez members may recall that in 2016 Trisha Tull had the opportunity to travel to Kisumu, Kenya, to work with the Africa Inland Church on earth care projects they were planning. This group of poor but committed Christians wanted to plant trees to help reforest sub-Saharan Africa. They also had a century-old dispensary (clinic) in need of extensive restoration. When Trisha returned and led a Sunday school class about them, members of First Prez raised the funds to found a tree nursery in Kisumu. They also helped her apply for a thank offering grant from the Presbyterian Women, rebuilding Nyakach Dispensary from floor to roof, so that it became a regional health center.

     From that beginning, the AIC’s environmental and health ministries (now called God’s Green Resourceful Earth) have blossomed, not only planting more than 10,000 trees every year, but growing into a demonstration farm, two other crop fields, a women’s microfinance program, and a new initiative called Growing Gardens, Feeding Minds, which seeks to feed healthy lunches every school day to every child in their 210 schools, beginning a year ago with a single school.

     On February 8, 15, and 22, to commemorate this partnership, Trisha will offer updates, pictures, and stories introducing what Bishop Tom Ochuka and his colleagues are now doing and where they hope to go from here. We’ll also learn about the capacities and needs in the area and enjoy some of the wild animals for which eastern Africa is rightly famous.

     Capping this class, on February 22 Trisha and other members of GGRE’s US team will offer a “lunch and learn” after worship, where all can enjoy the menu being served to Renja Primary School’s 650 children and learn about the people helping these students grow into healthy, prosperous, well-educated citizens. There will be a freewill offering for this authentic vegetarian and gluten-free meal, and we will answer questions about what Americans can do as partners to this life-saving work.