How has your week gone? How has God blessed you? Another amazing week in our community, with temperatures at or below freezing for most of it. Some more needed rain has come and even a sprinkling of snow flakes were seen. God is always there. Creating new and exciting times for us all.
We had good visits with our outdoor friends Saturday morning. We had a van full of folks joining in on the fun. We continue to be surprised by Turner's appearance at the van. What a treat to see him ride up on his bicycle as Mr Scott helps him decide on what he needs. Robert shared with us, he is having to move. The owner of the land is clearing off the property and selling the land to the railroad people. So we think we can move Robert over to behind the Macaroni factory on the other side of First Methodist. Have not heard from Robert this week to see where he is at on his move. We made our way over to the Fairmont and as we try to leave the van decides it does not want to go any further. An old friend comes up, Pastor Kendall walks over and says, should we lay hands on the van and pray? We did, and the van was good to go! As Mr Scott and others were visiting with the guys, I sneaked over and visited Cassie's new building. Cassie was hosting a photography session for the Providence House families. The building is huge with lots of potential. Hopefully it will open shortly. We made our way over to a new stop for me, behind First Methodist church. Some of our regular friends, have decided it is best for us to meet them there to keep the crowds down. Not to sound judging, but looking at this huge building behind us, with a brand new parking lot, a broken down van of crazy radical people sits ministering to the least of them seems to be out of place or maybe it is where we should be?
As I walk into tutoring Monday afternoon, Mr Krysten has the children sitting down at the table, discussing behavior qualities we need to expect from them. And also what they can depend on from us. They discuss ideas they would like to see and Krysten has put them down on a bulletin board. Look for it as you come into the center. Very positive responses and something we could all use in our lives.
Tuesday evening we had our first men's community Bible study. As I have already alluded, we have had a cold week. Well Tuesday evening, we had rain, we had snow, we had below freezing temperatures. As one of the Airline Baptist guys walk in, I say to him, if I had gone home, I would not have left the house again. Saying to him, let's wait a few more minutes, let's try to have another study next week when the weather is not so bad. Almost as I was saying that, the chapel door opens our first gentleman shows up from the neighborhood, all wet from walking in the bad weather! Then another one shows up, then another one, until we had 4 men from the neighborhood! I was blown away by their desire to brave the rainy, fridged temperatures, to come together and talk about Jesus! So here we are, sitting in this magnificent cathedral, in a circle, drinking hot chocolate, talking about Jesus, what a night! We didn't sugar coat our discussions, as we talk about discrimination, color, education divisions among us. And one of the neighborhood men spoke up and said, the only way to break the line of discrimination of color, to get past the difference in our backgrounds, is to lvoe one another as Jesus has lvoed us. Wow, we don't need another hand out, not another program, we just need each other coming together sitting around a circle and beginning to lvoe each other as Brothers in Christ. What a blessing the evening was.
Wednesday afternoon, Mr Scott went to check on Turner to be sure he was doing alright in the cold. He brought him some thermals. Turner had his tarps all spread out over his cardboard boxes blocking the wind as best as possible. Turner had a fire going and Mr Scott said he was doing ok. Mr Scott went by to check on Robert, but he was not there. Scott then drove around the area to see if those who are in tents and not under a bridge needed anything. Thank you Mr Scott for thinking of our friends.
Thursday evening, we had lots of activity. Mr Pete and an old friend Mark Williams met in the chapel to discuss our upcoming Christmas worship time. We will have first gathering in the chapel before our meal on the 22nd. Please try and come if you can, we will start at 5. Ms Abbie will be playing the keyboard, Mark will bring some folks from his church, Ms Dorothy will lead us in the singing of some Christmas hymns. I have twisted the arms of Ms Sarah and Mr Scott to say a few words. We have talked about our desire to have the opportunity to come together and share in God's lvoe in words and songs, well folks it is happening! Very exciting.
It was good to have another old friend join us Thursday evening. Terry Strain and her folks from the Pool joined us to offer flu shots to the community. Momma T and I were one of the last ones to get ours and they said they given out shots to over 20 people. They want to come back again and will do so on the 22nd. Momma T and I walked Terry around the center to show her what God has done. Terry started the Pool at the center and had not been back since she left. Lots of memories for Terry, some sad and some good. God has a way of calming the storms, relieving the stress, and turning good into bad and hopefully for Terry this will be a beginning for her to make a new start in our community. Thank you God for being so faithful.
We had a huge crowd Thursday evening for the meal. Lots of new faces. Ran out of food just at the right time. Ran out of bags of groceries after Ms Abbie had given out 60 bags. Great to have new friends but also a reminder of what we are up against as we are just scratching the service of what God has in store for us.
After our meal, we moved into our Bible study. After a couple of hours sitting in a cold room, I suggested we pray and leave. Don't think our new A/C units are heating. We have never needed heat before, so it will take us getting use to our new units to get it right. Joey led us in the reading of Acts 24. Paul again is causing trouble with just about everyone he speaks to. The Jews are made at him, the Romans are mad at him. We commented, wouldn't it be nice to be able to have that much faith in what God has told you, that we speak the words no matter what the outcome maybe. I am reminded of some of Sione's passionate talks to the people of the church asking them are you feeding the hungry, are you clothing the naked, are you visiting the lonely. Making the church feel uncomfortable, and the church saying you can't make us feel bad at church because that is not why we come to church. Sometimes when we speak the truth, especially God's truth, it may some feel uncomfortable. But isn't that what God is asking of us? If we don't speak who will? If we don't go out and visit our friends who will? If we are not the hands and feet of God who are? We can't wait for the church, we can't wait for the committees, we can't wait for society to decide, there is not time. While we talk about doing church the way Jesus has told us to do church, people are freezing, people are hungry, people need clothes, people need lvoe.
Prayers for continued struggles of alcohol for William. Prayers for continued healing for Charley. Prayers for U 2 Saturday, that our neighbors will join in on the fun. Prayers for Dominick and her new born son. Prayers for Henry and J'taylor and their family as they have moved back home. Prayers for Ms Abbie as she has to be the rock in her family and led her grands in the path they need to take. Prayers for Kelsey and upcoming marriage on July 7th.
Brookwood will be with us this Saturday as well as U 2 Saturday going on. Brookwood will be here around 8:30, U 2 starts at 10. come by and say hi and join in on the fun.
Hope you all have a great weekend, stay warm, enjoy God's blessing around you, hug your children, tell your family you lvoe them and have a blessed week ahead. Amen.
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