Horizons magazine is published by Presbyterian Women (PW) the national women’s organization of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Issue link: http://horizons.epubxp.com/i/521232
May/June 2015 39 arranged there. Water was used in r itual cleansing. The Psalms fed the people with rich images of flowing w ater. The Red Sea and the Jordan River played key roles in the deliver- ance stories of the Hebrew people. From the New Testament, we learn about Living Water and the waters of baptism. John the Bap- tizer baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. Jesus' first miracle in the gospel of John was to turn water into wine. Jesus and the disciples spent time learning in boats and at the water's edge in Galilee. Jesus and the Samaritan woman engaged in a most interesting conversation, at a well. Just as humans cannot live with- out water, Christians cannot imag- ine living without the Word of God. Water and Word go hand in hand as we strive to live as faithful followers of Jesus. This Bible study turns to some of the water stories and images in the Bible to enable us to learn more about God and how God would have us live our lives. The study also draws our attention to water, its power, its potential and its effects on our lives and our cul- ture. We are invited to remember that water is precious and essential, and that clean water is unavailable to millions of people. Water and Word go together to quench the thirsts of our bodies and our souls. I could not write a Bible study on water images without addressing, in at least one lesson, the water issues we face in the United States and the world today. When I wrote Come to the Waters • 24 states were experiencing drought, and it was predicted that more than 6 more states would be added to the list in the not-so-distant future; • 1 billion people walked an average of 3.5 miles a day to get clean water; • 750 million people lacked access to safe or clean water (750 million is two and a half times the population of the Unites States); • In my state of Texas we used a technique called hydraulic frac- turing or "fracking" to extract natural gas from underground. There were fracking wells all around. One fracking well required 4 to 5 million gallons of water, and in just 24 Texas coun- ties there were over 1,600 wells. I do not share these facts to heap guilt upon us. Guilt only prevents a healthy response to the situation. My plea is for us to get ourselves informed about water issues and learn about large and small things we can do to improve this situation and make a positive impact. Information helps us be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem. About the Process As I prepared this Bible study, I was transported to the 1950s when my sister and I were little girls. We helped Mom clean the house as she prepared to host the evening circle meeting. We hoped that there might be some of the special dessert she made for the meeting left for us to enjoy. My mom was in that circle of women for over 40 years. The women in that circle raised their children and grandchildren together, nurtured each other when their children went through divorce, and when their spouses died. I tried to stay focused on these women as I wrote the lessons for Presbyterian women of today. In addition, I remembered the many women's groups I worked with in my parish ministry and the won- derful PW coordinating teams in our Synod of the Sun. I was privileged to work with so many talented and ded- icated Presbyterian women. As I wrote, I thought about the women who would be committing themselves to this Bible study— women who gather in friendship and love to learn. I envisioned cir- cles of women who would gather to read the scriptures and the lessons, then try to sort out the meaning of the various texts, asking, "What does God want me to do with the new things I am learning?" I saw cir- cles of women who have studied the Bible for many years and some who are just beginning their journey of faith. And I thought of the richness each of you will bring to this study when you share your life experi- ences and insights. You will be help- ing others to live out their faith as you all work through these sessions together. I would not have undertaken this writing project if I did not have two trusted friends to walk through this journey with me. The Rev. Dr. Eliz- abeth Johnson Pense (Betsy) and Pre s b y t e ri a n W o m e n o f Pi n e S t re e t Pre s b y t e ri a n C h u rc h ( l a t e r Pre s b y t e ri a n C h u rc h o f t h e Re d e e m e r) , T e x a rk a n a , T e x a s , c irc a 1 9 5 0 .