Dine at the Vine

Harvest's children worked hard as a multi-age team of students to prepare a spaghetti dinner and talent show for guests a few weeks back.  Their aim was to raise money for Winter Blast Camp, but much more than that was accomplished through this "Dine at the Vine" event!

I watched how the children greeted, sold tickets, opened with prayer, and waited on their assigned tables. Not only were they building community with each other, but they were helping the whole church create community and a sense of intergenerational family.  I loved seeing how the young people experienced being servant leaders, and how this event helped them see how they are important contributors into the life of the church.  And that was only the dinner!

The talent show was terrific! The students cheered each other on and encouraged the timid ones to get up on stage and give it all they got!  Solos, dances, a debut at the piano...all were awesome.  "Dine at the Vine" helped students try out talents and passions and to buy in to doing life together in a family of faith!!

prompting the questions

Our friend, Dan, who is helping lead the way in the 33:5 house renovation, called me two days ago to share a few stories.  Apparently, his plumbers are perplexed by our investment of time and money into a house that sits in "not such a nice neighborhood".  They're asking Dan about his beliefs; they're trying to wrap their brains around the "why", and now they're working on language to explain it all back to Dan.

Dan and I were delighting in the conversations and questions that are being prompted among his work team. I told him that it reminds me of this quote:

If the people do not ask questions to which the gospel is the answer, we can no longer just say, “Their hearts were hardened,” and walk away feeling good that we have witnessed to the gospel.  Instead, we need to get down on our knees and ask God why our life and our work are so unremarkable that they never result in a question relating to what we believe and whom we worship.”

Bryant Myers, Walking with the Poor

Happy Thanksgiving 2013!

Because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

- 2 Corinthians 4:14-15

"Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving."
-W.T. Purkiser

my first turkey bowl

 My son, Nathan, and I joined family friends in their annual Turkey Bowl touch football game on Thanksgiving morning.  Ninety minutes of fun football with the young and the slightly older.  This was a first to play in snow on Thanksgiving, but it was oh-so-fun!  Everyone was included, there was lots of laughs, some good play for the competitive folks, all complete with a group prayer and photo at the end. What a great picture of friendship, thanksgiving, and community!