Where do we go from here?

It's not Friday, it can't be Friday, another week has happened, wow, God you are amazing!

I am afraid this week's note will be less than expected due to me being gone on Saturday and a couple of days during the week. The one thought about not being around, life goes on, God is still in charge, His Kingdom is growing. Thanks to all, who continue to live out your passions for Christ, every day, every week. Our community continues to be blessed by your hearts and Christ's lvoe.

Did everybody see the videos and pictures of Science week from our summer camp, priceless. With the making of bubbles, to making volcanoes of smoke, to exploding bubbles and a trip to Sci-Port, the children got to experience things they have never done before. The smiles, the laughter seen in the videos and pictures are what camp is all about. I saw the children last week and did not know half of the children. We have new children from the neighborhood, which I think is great. A big thank you goes out to all our interns and helpers for lvoing our children.

Tuesday evening, Mr Matt continued leading the men's group in sharing their thoughts about life and their journeys. As we were telling someone about the men's Bible fellowship, it is more of a healing circle of guys than a circle of men reading the Bible. No one is being forced to come, but they come to hear from others, to learn from others, to understand no one is greater and we are all going through the same challenges of life.

Wednesday evening, Ms Lisa held a Board meeting. I will admit, this is not my favorite thing to do, but after it is all over, it always is a blessing to attend. Some of the highlights of the evening. 

Financially we seem to be doing ok. Bills are being paid, grants we have applied for have been filled allowing us to move forward on several fronts.

Ms Abbey talked about having meetings with folks from other organizations about partnering in helping the Cedar Grove neighborhood. Creating jobs, improving educational opportunities, maybe housing these opportunities in the second story, very exciting.

Momma T talked about the great time everybody had at our first garage sale. Some money was made but visiting with the neighborhood, seeing some of regular Thursday evening folks, was more fun. They talked about, let's do this next weekend!

Ms Lisa talked about the summer feeding program doing well, more than just serving meals, but the ladies are teaching the children about Jesus, manners, how to dress, life skills, a blessing. Joey shared how much fun it is to sit down and visit with everybody as they come for the meals. We are serving around 50 meals at breakfast, 100 meals at lunch time.

Dr Phil talked about the conclusion of the building of the second JJ house. There are some tree issues in getting the electricity connected but other than that, it is completed. I was thinking, ho hum, we have completed a second house! But what an accomplishment by God to have two brand new houses in a neighborhood where there is nothing new, where there is no hope, where there is only struggles. God has now allowed us to have a yellow and blue house where the light Christ will begin to shine through and amazing things will begin to happen as that light moves from house to house.

It was voted on by the Board to hire Dave and Travis in helping us install new windows in the Bright House II. With our new roof on the house, the installed windows will allow us to work inside in the coming months.

Ms Abbey talked about a meeting she and Ms Lisa had with Travis White from Tyler. Travis has a ministry in Tyler similar to ours and he wants us to partner with him. He wants his community to come over and work at our center and help us in reaching out to the community. Exciting times ahead with the possibilities of the two of us working together.

A community hall meeting was discussed. Maybe start off with a suggestion box, allowing our neighbors to put in the box things they would like to see happen in the community. Then have a meeting with our neighbors to talk about them. The center is for the community, the community needs to have input, needs to feel a part of all of this and needs to play an active roll in making it all happen. We have always wanted their involvement, maybe now is the time to make that vision come true. We have identified several folks in the the neighborhood who will make good leaders, so we are contacting them to see if they will led the community hall meetings.

Ms Amanda has agreed to set up our center to host an open house on National Night Out in October. Very exciting, something we have wanted to do for years. We will have food and games for everybody, helping us meet our neighbors.

We had discussions about adopting an outdoor friends policy. Some of our actions with our outdoor friends has offended some organizations in the city. These organizations have spread their gossip and insults to others, causing others not to trust us. Our visits to our friends was started as a desire to reach out. We have been blessed to have known our friends for all these years. As God has opened doors to us and move in other directions, we will continue to support our friends for as long as there are camps to go to. A policy was adopted, one to follow Jesus and one to allow those who visit each week, to make decisions on whether the needs of our friends can be met.

Our final business matter of the evening was the election of new board members. It was with great gratitude we said good bye to Beth and John as board members. They have supported our community for many years and will continue to do so in other ways. We will not let them leave!  The two new members on the board will be Tim and Ardis. We will share their stories next week.

Thursday evening at chapel, we were treated by song and praise from Pastor Eddie and his wife Ms Jean. He talked about the storms we go through, needing Jesus to help us through them. Then we were treated to a meal prepared by our friends at the Rescue Mission. We had lots of food and lots of folks. Ms Abbey said, we had our largest crowd of the year. I sat down with a gentleman there for the first time and he said, how nice everything was. He will be back he said. Momma T and Ms Lisa had out over 75 bags of groceries, Ms Lisa opened up her legal clinic. A busy fun night.

Prayers for us all. Prayers for our community. Prayers for our country. Prayers for Christ's light to shine in and through us everyday, all day.

Surprise, surprise, surprise!! Isn't that what Gomer always said on Andy Griffith. We had originally had our board meeting scheduled for Thursday evening, but Ms Sarah asked us to move it to Wednesday because she wanted to come in early and surprise Scott! We did and she did!! Welcome back Ms Sarah!! We lvoe you and excited you are back with us again. Can't wait to see your smiling face and your big hugs!!

Wednesday evening, we were reminded again, our community is in a dark, hopeless place. One of our director's car's window was smashed out as were meeting inside. Many years ago, as I was first beginning to meet the community, I thought, if mr brian smiled enough, gave out enough snacks, handed out groceries, then miraculously everything would be alright. Well my truck was broken into, the center was broken into, the Bright House was broken into, the appliances of the JJ house was stolen, windows continue to be smashed at the center, candy was stolen, bikes were stolen. People in their right minds would have quit long ago, but we continue to come.

Our latest obstacle Wednesday night again reinforces why we are here and why Christ's light needs to shine in our neighborhood. Whoever did this damage does not know us, does not Christ. Our job in the coming months is to make sure everybody in our neighborhood knows us and knows Christ. Several years ago, we had one of our friends, who helped with our meals, have a window broken out in her car, that was the last time we saw her, Satan won that one. Satan will not win this one. God is greater, God will prevail. Amen!

Have a great weekend and a better week! Lvoe, lvoe, to all!!

God is in charge

Welcome to the first day of summer! Oh boy, temperatures around this part of the world has been in the 90's already! Hot and humid, just 3 more months to go!

Our week got started early, with the beginning of our orientation for our summer interns Friday morning. Momma T, in Momma T fashion had us sitting in a circle, sharing stories with each other, alter filled with flowers from the garden and an old wooden cross standing tall. They spent Friday getting to know each other, Momma T hosted a dinner for them Friday evening. We have some returning interns and some new young faces, a great group of young people. Please go by and meet them all, they will be a blessing to our children.

Also, Friday afternoon we had a special group join us. A friend of Matt's is ministering to a group of young boys from the inner city of Bossier. Billy owns a gym where he instructs them on lifting weights and their souls. A part of his ministry to show the young boys part of serving Christ is serving others. So he brought them to us and they started the process of scrapping and priming the Bright House II. Amazing to see to these young boys climb the ladders, laugh, joke with each other as they worked. Billy asked if they could come back and continue their work.

Saturday, we had our family breakfast, complete with French toast, bacon, hash browns, fruit and almost hot coffee! All our new interns made it! or most of them, Lomax was arriving late as we were leaving, early for him! Thanks Momma T, Tim and Sonotra for making it all happen, delicious.

Chiggers, chiggers where are the chiggers?! They are on our legs! This is the summer for chiggers! As we walk through the grasses to get to the camps, the red bugs have been getting on us. We are now spraying our legs and feet to help keep them off. We got to visit with Turner, I mean Bernard, Richard, Brad, Charles, Daniel, Smokey. Tim and Matt go out to Catfish, then back to the Macroni camps. With the hot, humid weather, cold water is desired by the guys. So we are asking again this summer for water jugs. When you finish your milk, please wash out the jugs, fill it with water and freeze it. Then bring it by the center and we will give them out to the guys on Saturday.

Monday was filled with excitement and some reservations, as our summer camp got started. You never know what to expect, but as usual God has it under control and the afternoon was a great one as the children were introduced to each other. Lots of activities kept everybody busy and the camp got off to a great start. Camp is going on, Monday through Thursday in the afternoons, come by and hang out, a cool bunch of people!

Our summer feeding program is going really well. Pastor Eddie called and said everything is going good. He is pleased with the turn out of the neighborhood and the workers. We have some special ladies working with the program. They are doing more than just handing out food, but sharing their lvoe of the Lord with the children.

Tuesday evening, Mr Matt led the men's Bible fellowship in reading from Second Corinthians, talking about Paul asking God to remove the thorn in his side. Jesus saying to Paul, my grace is sufficient. We know God's grace is sufficient, but we still continue to do it ourselves? Patience with us Lord as we try to become the people of God you want us to be!

Forgot to mention last week, Joey and Lomax hosted a group of young people from the Yellow House of Highland on Wednesday. The Yellow House was started by one of our first interns, Anna. Anna and her friends wanted to live together and share community with their neighbors. The Yellow House is now a member of Community Renewal family. A group of young people, some going to college, some working, have committed to live in the Yellow house for a year and learn what it is like to be a community and sharing that with their neighbors. Joey and Lomax shared with our new friends their journeys with common ground and how they live in community. They gave them a tour of the gardens, the JJ houses, and the center, showing them what God is doing here. They all promised to get together on a regular basis to reflect on their journeys.

Thursday morning, I happen to drive by the center and could barely get down the street with all the young people running around! It was great. We had a big group of youngsters from Grace, working in the garden under the direction of Ms Patty. Others were playing basketball, some were just hanging out, some were climbing the tree. The area seemed alive, full of God's lvoe.

Thursday afternoon, we had our first challenge of the summer. It is hot, nerves are on edge, tempers are high, but God is in charge. Joey and Abbey were able to use their skills, with the help of our policeman friend to help get everything under control. Life is hard, many, many challenges. We have opened up our doors and our hearts and we can expect to have these challenges to be a part of our gatherings. Just because you are at "church" doesn't mean the troubles stop at the door. We have to be a community where those struggles can be listened to and prayed for. Thank you God for being in charge.

No better way to get our Thursday evening started than to hear Ms Abbie and our common ground choir sing their songs, then to have Joey share the Word about lvoing others, chapel doesn't get any better than that. Mr Tom cooked our meal, many folks helped serve and clean up. Ms Lisa, Ms Abbie and Momma T handed out the groceries. Everybody got fed, good food for the soul and the stomachs!

The image that comes to mind this week is seeing Joey walking hand and hand with one of our younger campers down the street as Joey took her home. Here this young man, shoeless! a big smile on his face, talking and joking with the little one as they shared their lvoe with each other. You can talk all you want about reading what others think you should be doing for God. You can go to church every Sunday and not have a clue what it is to be a Christian. We have young people who are living life as Christ lived, for others. Not wanting anything in return only lvoing them unconditional. I can only imagine what this little one must be thinking  of this strange young man. Walking her home, caring for her, lvoing her like no one has ever lvoed her before. What an impression this single of act of kindness will make on this little girl. 

What a priviledge we have to be a part of such a community. A community that is concerned for others, not themselves. A community where praying is first. A community where God is in charge. A community where when one of our young people is struggling with life, our community opens up their hearts to them. A community where there is hope for those who have no hope. A community that can come together to help each other. All of you are awesome children of God.

Hope everybody has a great week, many blessings to you all! Amen!