Ch-ch-Ch-Changes

It’s the beginning of a new year and a great time to hear from you about what’s working and what needs work.

Some prefer paper, some email. Some of you requested only an “end of the year” receipt rather than monthly ones.

I have usually included this letter in receipts or attached to an email.  Yet, now I have a direct to email option, with functionality and a link for donations.

In the past I have done shorter bulletin type newsletters that have been needs based.  Yet, predominately I share the stories and lessons learned from my mission field. 

Feedback and ideas from you are what help me freshen things up.  So, I hope you will take part in a survey I will be sending out soon, to let me know how best to communicate.

Of course you are also welcome to email me back, call, meet over coffee, or whatever!  =)

Just know that my heart is to share with my partners (that’s you) how God is using us (our prayers, our donated goods, our support funds) to really build relationships, share Christ & restore lives along East Colfax!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day

As a nation we will observe Monday, January 19th, 2015 as Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  First written into law by Pres. Ronald Reagan in 1983, it was first observed three years later.  At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.

Denver hosts the State of Colorado’s celebration.  Aurora is currently the only city to observe the day with a full week of activities and events commemorating the national holiday.  This is the 29th annual commemoration titled the Dream Endures, with events from the 11th through the 19th.

One of the events is a breakfast hosted by ACOF: Aurora Community of Faith.  A City of Aurora recognized group of leaders in faith with a voice and strong ties to city leaders.  This is one of the events where we, as Christians, take the opportunity to remind our city leaders, partners, and community of the faith of this pastor of God that led him to non-violent protests against inequality.

Now imagine being new to America, a refugee from a war-torn part of the world where voting and freedom of religion are distant & dangerous goals.

I had the opportunity to visit a local resource, the Asian Pacific Center, while a citizenship class was being taught.  As a few of us settled in the back of the room, the teacher continued with her lesson on the Bill of Rights.

She asked, “How many of you could speak about your faith in public?”  Three Hispanics raised their hand.  No one else did in a class of 17 students.

“How many of your countries did not allow you to speak out against your government?”  Hands flew up around the room.  The students looked around at classmates, not of their own country, nodding about the same struggle.

“How many of you were denied work because of your race, religion or even gender?” Again, more hands were raised than not.

Now imagine learning about Gandhi, Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King Jr. for the first time.  Sitting at the back of this class, I was reminded of what makes America great, yet I was uncomfortable and sad at how much we still struggle for equality and non-violence.

I don’t want to preach or be negative. I just ask that we continue to pray & act.

New Year Revelations

So, my first ministry partner party was this last January 2nd.  It was small, with just a few family members that are supporters for me.

We had some good food and played a few games while we talked about what God has been doing personally in our lives, and other stuff, too.  =)

My next party will be April 3rd, when I will host a full Seder Christian dinner.  I love the image of waiting for our coming Redeemer that each Seder depicts and the added celebration of knowing He has come.

Please join me to share in this beginning of the Easter weekend and the deep reflection of all God has done.

Families and friends are all welcome to celebrate together with me.  Invites will be going out soon, so feel free to contact me with any questions or specifics.

Not a Silent Night Everywhere...

I had a rare opportunity to share Scripture on Christmas Eve with two non Christian families that I have known for years; as teens and then as adults.

Luke 2:1-19 was appropriate for the children.  Yet when the children had gone off to play, I asked if I could share the battle that had happened on that very same night.  With puzzled looks, they said they’d never heard of it.

“Well, it’s not for the fearful or those that don’t want to know about spiritual things,”  I said.  In their curiosity, they asked me to share.

I had been reminded of the story a few weeks before by my boss sharing about a  sermon at his church.  I then looked up again Revelation 12 and remembered my own revelation about the story, when my own faith was new.

Yes, God waits on us, but He deeply desires a relationship with us, too.  I remember my southern grandmother calling Jesus the “hound of heaven.”  “He has our scent and He follows our trail, seeking relationship with us, unceasingly.”

Revelation 12 speaks of Mary and the birth, yet from the spiritual perspective and the battle that was waged for our Savior to come to redeem us.

The story sparked discussion of dragons, demons, the devil and angels.  Prayerfully, I waited for the Holy Spirit’s timing.  So, when it came, I was able to answer their questions about salvation with the truth of the gospel, simply and clearly.

God deems free will sacrosanct.  Yet, that doesn’t weaken His heart to meet us and abide with us in deep relationship and faith.

As we Christians all know, life is messy and far from perfect.  Every choice, every act always has several layers of influences.  Circumstances, baggage, emotions,  materials needs and fears all play their part in all our choices.

I think we sometimes forget that God wants all of it, even the ugly stuff.  We forget, in the heat of the choice, that He will stand, unafraid.  He will face all comers without hesitation.  He smiles in acceptance when we demand that He be involved.  He cries only when we look into His eyes and walk away.