Kingdom Service Day 15: Peacemaking

I couldn't help myself.  I had to create a 2nd blog post today after I looked through the photos at the Youth Art Team blog (click here...you have to see them.) that shared our experience Sunday.  The students have been talking about the Matthew 5:9 verse, "Blessed are the peacemakers..."  On Sunday, they painted pictures that represented peace, and they walked them out into the neighborhood to give them to neighbors.  All the while, their youth art team partner took pictures to tell the story as a photojournalist.  The fingerprints of Jesus were all over this.  Take a look at the Youth Art Team blog and see for yourselves!

Kingdom Service Day 15: Child Sponsorship

Orchard Hill has a partnership with Food for the Hungry in the Gorongosa region of Mozambique.  Over the past eight years, several friendships have developed between Food for the Hungry staff and Orchard friends, between Orchard friends and some of their sponsored children.

Food for the Hungry is a Christian development organization, and one of its development strategies is the child sponsorship program.  OHC celebrates the 250 child sponsorships through our congregation, and we are seeking the goal of 100 more.   Child sponsorship provides a strong financial base for a community as it seeks sustainable solutions for food security, education, clean water, health care, and more.  It also allows FH staff to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and to grow up disciples who will plant churches and spread the Gospel.

Prayerfully consider child sponsorship in your household.  It is a powerful way to link arms and make a difference.  You can head to the events desk at OHC the next two Sundays to learn more about how to sponsor a child through Food for the Hungry!



(Ann Voscamp has a beautiful blog post related to child sponsorhip.  This past summer, she and her daughter met their sponsored child in Africa.  You can read it here.)

Kingdom Service Day 14: Wholistic

Alice Shirey did an excellent job teaching about the Whole Gospel and Jesus's care for the whole person.  I don't know many teachers who take on Matthew 25 with the sheep and the goats, but Alice did, and she did so with tremendous grace and truth.  You can watch her teaching this week by clicking here.

Kingdom Service Day 13: Youth Art Team

One of my favorite days of Youth Art Team this session was last Sunday when the photography subject was "People", and the team got to take pictures of each other.  We have several sibling groups on the Youth Art Team, and it was so much fun to see them being photographed together in all sorts of candid and posed shots.

This 8 week session of Youth Art Team is winding down, but if you're interested in volunteering in some way in the future, be sure to contact me by email!

Kingdom Service Day 12: Love INC

It was a joy to sit down with two friends yesterday who caught me up to speed on what's happening with our local Love In the Name of Christ ministry.

Love INC birthed locally six years ago, as a result of a call on Carolyn Cleair, a friend I had met through Love Cedar Valley events.  Carolyn was instrumental on Love Cedar Valley's core team for several years, and she was thrilled to see so many churches unite to serve and worship together as one body for a one day event. This, however, also burdened her and several others with a desire to see the Church unite and serve together on a continued basis to meet needs in the community.

When Carolyn learned about something called Love INC in Spencer, IA, she felt nudged by God to pursue something like that for the Cedar Valley.  The rest is history, as they say.  You can read more about Love INC by clicking here.

Love INC has twenty local churches partnering together and is working hard to help churches avoid duplicate services, to validate the needs of individuals who seek help, and to move toward transformational, empowering ministry within the community.

Love INC currently has a great need for Clearinghouse volunteers.  The Clearinghouse is a call center open from 9-Noon on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  Volunteers are needed to commit to one day a week to answer phones and follow a form asking callers a series of questions that help record and assess the needs and circumstances of those calling for assistance.  Clearinghouse volunteers then make follow up calls to help validate and prioritize needs and to connect the callers to needed resources.  If this is something you'd be interested in learning more about, you can email or call me, or you can find Love INC's contact information on their website.

Kingdom Service Day 11: Treasure Hunt

Last April, our staff and Board took a field trip and listened and learned around our community.  While traveling on the bus, pairs got together to take this fun little quiz.  It was meant to see how intentionally we are acting to get outside of our comfort zones; our known zones.

If you live in Iowa's Cedar Valley, you might want to try this out!

Treasure Hunt

                  10 points for every yes..you’ve shopped at

a.        the Bosnian bakery, Sarajlija’s, on the corner of 9^th and Williston in Waterloo 

b.       the International Market located next to the Honey Garden on LaPorte Road or the new location in Thunder Ridge, Cedar Falls  

c.       El Mercadito, 520 Laporte Rd., Waterloo 

         10 points for every  yes…you’ve eaten at

a.       La Chapala Mexican Restaurant on LaPorte Rd, Waterloo 

b.      El Patron Restaurant, Corner of 4^th and Lafayette, Waterloo

c.       Thai Blessings, Sycamore St., Waterloo 

d.      Honey Garden Greek and Mediterranean Restaurant, LaPorte Rd., Waterloo 

e.      Taste of India, corner of First and Hudson, Cedar Falls

3        20 points if you can speak 5 sentences in one different language (Pig Latin does not count).  

4               10 points if you have been mentored in faith, life, or work by someone of a different race or ethnicity. 

5       10 points  if you’ve purchased items at World’s Window on Main Street CF. 

6       10 points  if you have LeCrae or Trip Lee on your playlist.  

7       10 points if you have traveled internationally.  

                 10 points if you’ve seen the largest collection of Haitian Art in the United States.  It’s located at the Waterloo Center for the Arts. 

9       10 points if you’ve intentionally expanded your multi-cultural/multi-ethnic awareness this past year..either by reading a book, seeing a film,  listening to a lecture, going to a performance, going to an African-American worship service, etc.    

              10 points  if you know what book of the Bible this verse is found… “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  

        10 points if you know the country of the most recent refugee influx into our community.  
    
       How did you do?!

   

Kingdom Service Day 10: Noticing

God speaks to us in the everyday, ordinary moments of our lives.  Today, friend Ben Patterson shares about the power of Kingdom Service when we're open to notice...

There is Power in a Simple Introduction

As I set out on a three-block walk to the courthouse, preparing to report for my jury duty assignment, I could see that a stranger would intersect my path on the sidewalk. We’d be walking together.

It was a cold morning. I wanted to keep my head down and walk alone, but keeping to myself would have given a cold shoulder more severe than the morning temperature.

So, I initiated a conversation.

“Where are ya headed today?” I asked.

“Oh… I’m walking to apply for a job over at Burger King. I hear they are hiring,” the man replied. “I’m sure you’re going to get yourself a nice coffee this morning?”

“No,” I said. “I don’t drink coffee anymore. I’m actually headed to the courthouse to report for jury duty.”

“Oh, man. Jury duty. I’ve never had to do that,” he said with a smile.

“Me neither. It’s my first time.”

At this point, I thought about offering an introduction because I wanted to know his name. But I talked myself out of it, thinking that he wouldn’t care about my name and it would make things awkward.

We continued our conversation, talking and laughing about jury duty stories we’ve heard from others who have taken part in the process.

Our conversation was cut short as I arrived to the courthouse parking lot. I said, “Thanks for talking, have a good day.”

Without missing a beat he replied, “Yea, you too. Hey, my name is Joe.”

“Joe?”

“Yea.”

“Alright, sweet. I’m Ben.”

And with that we went our separate ways.

I couldn’t help but shake my head and smile as I walked into the courthouse. Three things immediately came to mind:

1 – I was going to pass on even having that conversation! Why? It was great to talk with someone I didn’t know.

2 – I didn’t think he even cared about my name, so I avoided an introduction. Why?

3 – I felt cared for when he introduced himself.

There is value in having conversations with people you don’t know. And there is power in a simple introduction.