As part of UMBC's partnership with Lakeland Elementary/Middle School, we'd like to keep our community informed of service opportunities there. If you are looking for an ongoing, meaningful volunteer experience, consider being a Reading Partner either at Lakeland or at any Baltimore Public School.

Lakeland describes the position, listed on www.volunteermatch.org, as such:

Reading Partners needs volunteers like you to provide students in under-resourced elementary schools in your community with the proven, individualized reading support they need to read at grade level by fourth grade.

Reading is the foundation for all future learning.The ability to read transforms lives and can empower children to reach their full potential. Research shows that when students can read at grade level by fourth grade, they have a greater opportunity to succeed in school and in life.

With your help, we can equip students with the foundational skills they need to read at grade level. Each week, you will meet one-on-one with your student every week to help them develop strong literacy skills and discover a passion for reading. We'll provide a structured curriculum, in-person training, and ongoing support to help your student thrive. Rigorous research has proven that Reading Partners significantly increases reading proficiency.

No teaching experience required and anyone over the age of 14 can volunteer. Flexible Monday to Thursday volunteer times between 9am and 5pm.

Visit our website at www.readingpartners.org/volunteer to sign up and learn more.

Ephesians 4:26-27,29-32 (NIV) - “‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold…Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

“Paul, again quoting the Old Testament (Psalm 4:4), doesn’t say you shouldn’t be angry; anger itself is a natural human emotion, and to pretend it isn’t here is a form of lying. But he insists that you mustn’t let it lead you into sin. You must learn to tame it, to deal with it before you lie down to sleep. Otherwise you are leaving an open door and inviting the satan to come in. Everything that follows from anger - the raised voices, the shocking words, the sour taste in the room - all these must be put away…

Paul adds some comments in the more positive direction. In particular, you should behave as those on whom God’s Holy Spirit has placed God’s mark. The word Paul uses could refer to the ’seal’ or official stamp on a document or package, marking it out for a particular use or occasion. The mark indicates who it belongs to and what it’s for. The presence of the Holy Spirit in the community, and in the heart of the individual Christian, declares that we belong to God, and that we are destined for full  ‘redemption’… That is central to the Christian hope, and possession this hope gives particular shape to our present lives.” [Wright, Nicholas T.  Paul for Everyone: The Prison Letters. 2004]

Let’s pray for ourselves and for our churches in light of this truth - that God has sealed us with His Spirit for the day of redemption.  Pray that we will live, then, in the Spirit, not grieving Him, but pleasing Him.  Pray that we will be kept safe and pure until the day of redemption.

- BR

Isaiah 63:8-12a,15-16 (NIV)

“He said, ‘Surely they are my people,
children who will be true to me’;
and so he became their Savior.
In all their distress he too was distressed,
and the angel of his presence saved them.
In his love and mercy he redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them
all the days of old.
Yet they rebelled
and grieved his Holy Spirit.
So he turned and became their enemy
and he himself fought against them.

Then his people recalled the days of old,
the days of Moses and his people-
where is he who brought them through the sea,
with the shepherd of his flock?
Where is he who set
his Holy Spirit among them,
who sent his glorious arm of power…

“Look down from heaven and see,
from your lofty throne, holy and glorious.
Where are your zeal and your might?
Your tenderness and compassion are withheld from us.
But you are our Father,
though Abraham does not know us
or Israel acknowledge us;
you, Lord, are our Father,
our Redeemer from of old is your name.”

When [Israel] rebelled against God, things couldn’t just go on as before. God is not mocked. When a child runs into the street right in front of a car, the dad pulls his child to safety angrily… Only love cares enough to get angry and rebuke and discipline. So it is with God. If our lives grieve his Holy Spirit, he won’t support our stupidity.

Therefore, the question Isaiah asks twice in verse 11 is the question of every generation: “Where is he?”… If you see yourself as you are – helpless, guilty, needing a great Ally – this becomes the question of your life. Where is he? Stop everything else until you find the answer to that question.

Other generations experienced him. Now it’s our moment. Where is he in our experience? When we go to our Father in honesty, admitting everything… when we go to our Father with that kind of trust, while we’re still a long way off…, he sees us and runs to us and embraces us and kisses us. This is God. When we go into repentance, our experience of our complex God becomes simple – steadfast love through the blood of the Lamb. [Ortlund, Raymond Jr.  Isaiah: God Saves Sinners.  Crossway Books, 2005, Wheaton, IL]

Today, if we feel far off and have grieved Him, let this be the cry of our hearts – God, “look down from heaven and see, for you, Lord are our Father, our Redeemer.” If today we feel the nearness of His Father’s delight and compassion, then let’s pray for our generation, asking God that the Spirit will lead those around us to cry out, “Where is he?” and that they will experience His steadfast love through the blood of Jesus.