Restoration & Renewal | St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church

Restoration and Renewal Ministry

Mission, Value and Vision Statements

MISSION STATEMENT:
Engaging the four principles in Isaiah 1:17, “Learn to do good; Seek justice; Rescue from oppression and; Fight for the rights of the vulnerable,” in order to bring justice and restoration.

VISION STATEMENT:
Learn to do good through education programs for faith-based and other communities;
Seek justice and truth through advocacy, ally-ship and restoration programs for victims;
Rescue from oppression by shedding light on strongholds of oppression, unjust systems, and rescuing victims;
Fight for the rights of vulnerable persons through advocacy and restoration of victims.

VALUE STATEMENT:
From the Church Fathers to Today Applying Isaiah 1:17 "Learn to do good; seek justice; correct oppression; and fight for rights of vulnerable."

About

The Restoration and Renewal Ministry often works in unity and collaboration with other ministries to educate, advocate, support, and fundraise toward shared concerns. These shared concern include problems we are witnessing today of oppression, exploitation and injustice, as well as restoration and renewal solutions through love, unity, prayer, praise and worship, fellowship and communion, repentance and growth. This ministry has addressed such problems and with solutions regarding: child trafficking, persecution of Christians, oppression of children in schools in the occupied territories in Cyprus, and other themes relating to oppression, exploitation, injustice, and lawlessness. It is an education ministry that has included research, writing and social media posts which follow Christ-centered approaches such as hosting prayer groups, bible studies, conferences, and educational writings, as well as attending conferences and other educational programs. It is also in keeping with scriptures that tell us to pay attention to what is happening in the world and to fight for our nuclear family, church family and His kingdom family.

This ministry seeks to work in love and unity, to promote restoration in relationships, for people who have been oppressed and through writings and word choices that bring people together and do not cause unhealthy fractures. With the goal of shedding light, restoration and renewal to counter some of the polarizing impacts and divisions caused by confusing word choices, insufficient communication and by offering restoration and renewal options.

If you are interested in education methodologies such as research, writing, conferences, prayer groups or studying justice issues as well as restoration and renewal goals contact: Kynthia Furgis at 310 780 0580.

Spiritual Weapons Against Spiritual Warfare

From the story of Job, we see that spiritual warfare is masterminded by Satan in the heavenly places but perpetrated by boots on the ground, by people on earth. Satan guided and tempted one group of Sabeans and three groups of Chaldeans to mastermind a total onslaught of physical, psycological and financial injury upon Job. Therefore, it is a spiritual and physical battle. We are called to fight against the spiritual battles of evil with spiritual weapons, while also fighting the powers and rulers of the dark world, who are people on earth. The Greek word for rulers of the dark world is "cosmocrats." It means "cosmos" world people and "crates" of governmental rulers like the word bureaucrats.

Spiritual weapons include prayer, praise and worship, confession and repentance, obedience to God and the leading of the Holy Spirit as well as obedience to commandments for love, unity, fellowship and communion. Prayer for the demolishing of evil strongholds, for tearing down operations in trafficking people and drugs, and breaking the cycles of bondage caused by addiction, homelessness, and breaking exploitation of vulnerabilities such as poverty, disability, minority status and race.

LAWLESSNESS MEANS INJUSTICE

In Greek, the term for Righteousness Means both Righteousness and Justice

In the Holy Scriptures We See that Righteousness is the Opposite of Injustice

In the Holy Scriptures we see that the term in Greek for righteousness is dikaousene and it has two meanings, "righteousness" and "justice." The root word for dikaousene is diki and it is the same root used for the Greek words, dikastis (judge), dikasterio (court), dikigoros (lawyer), adikiomenos (unjustly accused), and diki (trial). Similarly, though the inference is not as clear in English, the root for righteousness is rights and this refers to liberties, civil and other human rights.

Additionally, the term for lawlessness in Greek is a-nomia, and is often juxtaposed against the word for righteousness (dikaousene). Regarding Jesus it says, "You have loved righteousness and justice, but hated lawlessness," indicating they are opposites. Similarly, it says in 2 Corinthians 6:14, "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what do righteousness and justice have in common with lawlessness." it goes on to say that they are opposites, "like darkness and light" which is like night and day which are opposites. If righteousness is opposite of lawlessness and injustice, then lawlessness is also injustice from these and other verses.

To summarize we are all called to:

Learn to do good through education programs for faith-based and other communities;
Seek justice and truth through advocacy, ally-ship and restoration programs for victims;
Rescue from oppression by shedding light on strongholds of oppression, unjust systems, and rescuing victims;
Fight for the rights of vulnerable persons through advocacy and restoration of victims.

Upcoming Event

On Saturday, September 20th at St. Katherine Church at 2:30 a High Tea event, will raise funds for organizations that are involved in comprehensively supporting young women who have been trafficked.