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Water, our shared symbol, is a most fitting place for people of all faiths to unite and lead.
Check out what some faiths groups in your state are doing about safe water. The U.S. spends just one one-hundredth of a percent of the federal budget on global WASH! Let’s remind Members of Congress that every health and development plan, policy and legislation, must include WASH. Fun and fruitful ways to engage congregations: Healing Waters International The Water Project Living Water International Rotary World Vision Water is Life (Catholic Relief Services) Find out what's going on in your denomination:
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Photo: H2O for Life
No more rusty pumps! Let’s make sure our charity work, works. Many houses of worship enthusiastically commit to installing “the village water pump”, but 50% of these one-off projects fail. A pump and posing for the photo-op isn’t good enough. We’ve got to dramatically ramp up and provide far wider support to what works, not to what makes us feel good. Before you donate: Ask how the organization makes sure its water projects are sustainable.
Photo: Amsha Africa Foundation 
Photo: Food for the Hungry
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Photo: H2O for Life
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Engage Your Youth:
H20 for Life and Faiths for Safe Water co-created an easy-to-use, faith-based curriculum that will enhance religious school study and youth group activity. H2O for Life also offers partnerships with schools around the world: H2O for Life has worked with more than 400,000 North American youth who've raised almost $3 million for specific WASH in school projects. Each project is 100% matched, bringing the total to $6 million these kids have dedicated to WASH in schools around the world. More than 200,000 students have received life-changing and life-saving access to water, sanitation and hygiene in their schools. American students choose the school they wish to partner with from a long list with WASH needs...So a Spanish-speaking church might want to fund a project in Latin America; a Baptist church may want to fund a Baptist school in Africa; a church may have a particular connection to Rwanda, and so on... H2O for Life has lots of FREE materials, including
H2O for Life in the media: Reader’s Digest Today Show Good Morning America Students “rapping” for water |
Learn About the Role of Water in Religion:
Water in Religion provides a fascinating overview of the vast role water plays across the world's religions.
Water in Religion provides a fascinating overview of the vast role water plays across the world's religions.
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Sacred Water: Sustaining Life: A wonderful look at water and faith created for the Festival of Faiths, Louisville, KY.
Water and Faith Georgetown University's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs comprehensive report entitled Water and Faith: Rights, Pragmatic Demands, and an Ethical Lens Faith for International Assistance (FIA) seeks to strengthen U.S. public support and funding for global health and develop assistance through the voice and lens of faith. Learn the myths and facts of foreign aid. Why is the Bible and Water Important to Christians? |
Photo: Haik Kocharian
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Photo: Haik Kocharian
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Share Inspiring Music: Rondi Charleston: Land of Galilee more about Rondi at: www.rondicharleston.com Anna Huckabee Tull: Sweet Water more about Anna at: www.customcraftedsongs.com |
Photo: Haik Kocharian
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Offer a "Sermon for World Water"
Every year since our inception, Faiths for Safe Water has published "Sermon for World Water" on March 22, World Water Day . Our hope is that congregations around the U.S. will annually offer its words and message from pulpit to pew, during services, on websites, in newsletters and bulletins or via social media:
Part 1: Blessed by Water
Part 2: 7 Ways to Make World Water Day Your First Step to a Better World
Share This Story:
Two neighbors, both wealthy landowners, began to make improvements on their land. But each began to dig up parts of the other’s parcel with their workers trespassing on each others' land.
One day they confronted each other asking who had given them permission to dig up the other’s land. "Your land?" each neighbor asked with evident surprise. ""You are mistaken, my friend," said the other neighbor, "this land is mine." "You are the one mistaken. It's mine," replied the other.
As the landowners were about to come to blows, an overseer stepped forward and declared that such a legal dispute could be resolved only by a rabbi, A leading rabbi agreed to travel to see the land in question.
After each man presented his case, the Rabbi suddenly put his ear to the ground. The two glanced uneasily at each, other afraid to show disrespect to the distinguished rabbi, but unable to comprehend what he was doing.
Suddenly the Rabbi stood up and spoke: "I have given the two of you the opportunity to state your claims to this piece of land, but then I listened to what the ground has to say for itself.
"The ground finds it amusing that the two of you are having such a heated argument over who it belongs to, because it told me that you both belong to it."
Every year since our inception, Faiths for Safe Water has published "Sermon for World Water" on March 22, World Water Day . Our hope is that congregations around the U.S. will annually offer its words and message from pulpit to pew, during services, on websites, in newsletters and bulletins or via social media:
Part 1: Blessed by Water
Part 2: 7 Ways to Make World Water Day Your First Step to a Better World
Share This Story:
Two neighbors, both wealthy landowners, began to make improvements on their land. But each began to dig up parts of the other’s parcel with their workers trespassing on each others' land.
One day they confronted each other asking who had given them permission to dig up the other’s land. "Your land?" each neighbor asked with evident surprise. ""You are mistaken, my friend," said the other neighbor, "this land is mine." "You are the one mistaken. It's mine," replied the other.
As the landowners were about to come to blows, an overseer stepped forward and declared that such a legal dispute could be resolved only by a rabbi, A leading rabbi agreed to travel to see the land in question.
After each man presented his case, the Rabbi suddenly put his ear to the ground. The two glanced uneasily at each, other afraid to show disrespect to the distinguished rabbi, but unable to comprehend what he was doing.
Suddenly the Rabbi stood up and spoke: "I have given the two of you the opportunity to state your claims to this piece of land, but then I listened to what the ground has to say for itself.
"The ground finds it amusing that the two of you are having such a heated argument over who it belongs to, because it told me that you both belong to it."
The Bible Mentions Water 722 Times; Here Are Some Quotes You May Know:
I was thirsty and you gave me drink. . . .As you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me. [Matthew 25:35,40]
After this Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the scripture), ‘I thirst.’ [John 19:28]
If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked that person who would then have given you living water. [John 4:10]
And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because that little one is a disciple, truly, I say to you, the giver shall not go unrewarded. [Matthew 10:42]
And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before your eyes to yield its water; so you shall bring water out of the rock for them; so you shall give drink to the congregation and their cattle. [Numbers 20: 7-8]
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, ‘Out of that one’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’ [John 7:37-38]
We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up. [2 Samuel 14:14]
You visit the earth and water it,
you greatly enrich it;
the river of God is full of water;
you provide the people with grain,
for so you have prepared it. [Psalm 65:9]
“Like cold water to a thirsty soul,so is good news from a far country.”
[Proverbs 25:25]
Those who walk righteously and speak uprightly,
who despise the gain of oppression,
who wave away a bribe instead of accepting it,
who stop their ears from hearing of bloodshed
and shut their eyes from looking on evil,
they will live on the heights;
their refuge will be the fortresses of rocks;
their food will be supplied, their water assured. [Isaiah 33:15-16]
For my people have committed two evils:they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water. [Jeremiah 2:13]
But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. [Amos 5:24]
I was thirsty and you gave me drink. . . .As you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me. [Matthew 25:35,40]
After this Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the scripture), ‘I thirst.’ [John 19:28]
If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked that person who would then have given you living water. [John 4:10]
And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because that little one is a disciple, truly, I say to you, the giver shall not go unrewarded. [Matthew 10:42]
And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before your eyes to yield its water; so you shall bring water out of the rock for them; so you shall give drink to the congregation and their cattle. [Numbers 20: 7-8]
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, ‘Out of that one’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’ [John 7:37-38]
We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up. [2 Samuel 14:14]
You visit the earth and water it,
you greatly enrich it;
the river of God is full of water;
you provide the people with grain,
for so you have prepared it. [Psalm 65:9]
“Like cold water to a thirsty soul,so is good news from a far country.”
[Proverbs 25:25]
Those who walk righteously and speak uprightly,
who despise the gain of oppression,
who wave away a bribe instead of accepting it,
who stop their ears from hearing of bloodshed
and shut their eyes from looking on evil,
they will live on the heights;
their refuge will be the fortresses of rocks;
their food will be supplied, their water assured. [Isaiah 33:15-16]
For my people have committed two evils:they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water. [Jeremiah 2:13]
But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. [Amos 5:24]