Neighborhood Party

Here are some pictures from the party. It was great. Over 35 volunteers from 7 local congregations. Lots of folks from the neighborhood joined us. Some say there were over 250 people in Betty's back yard. I don't know. I didn't count.

I do know that people were touched by the Love of God. I do know that people had lots of fun, and got free hot dogs, groceries, and clothing. I know that we all were encouraged! When's the next one?

Neighborhood Party 10/3/2008

Doug's Ministry to Individuals

Here are the audio from Doug's ministry to individuals that took place at Outside the Gate.

Friday Night - October 3, 2008

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Saturday Night - October 4, 2008

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Feeding Homeless Folks on Tryon & 8th

Yesterday I went down to the United Methodist Church on Tryon and 8th St in Charlotte. That is where Mat Rogers and a crew of people were setting up to serve dinner to a bunch of hungry people in Uptown Charlotte. The lines were long, and the spaghetti was good and held out till everyone was fed. It was nothing fancy. After folks went through the line many of them sat on the steps of the church to eat.

Mat prayed before we got started. One of the things he asked was that we would gain the trust of the folks we were serving over time and they would "let us in". This petition struck me as he prayed. It embodied a desire to do more than a good deed, but to develop a level of friendship between me and another that would change both our lives. To me this is what living missionally is. Living "in such a way" that through our serving, our listening, our friendship and love we participate with God in drawing people to Jesus.

It seems that Mat has been doing this for around 7 years. When I met his mom she told me how he and a buddy began going down the streets of uptown looking for hungry hidden homeless people to serve. It seems that now he has more friends to feed and more to help him feed them.

Mat is an art teacher at Independence High school. I look forward to his coming to spend some time with us on Friday night at Outside the gate. Can wait hear his story and be inspired and motivated to find ways to live our lives more connected to God's mission.

Adding to Our Conversations

On Saturday you will meet my friend, Debbie Somjack. She will be part of our "Be the Message" segment that evening. I have invited her to come and join us specifically because I have come to believe strongly that a lot of our communication is surface. We rarely communicate heart to heart. But, I also believe that people long to be heard. They long to know someone cares. They long to be joined at a heart level, without judgement. Knowing that someone else feels along with us and knows our heart is a key to moving people along in their spiritual journey. God's love calls us to slow down and listen with our heart. I have asked Debbie to come share about how she became a Biblical counsellor and how listening and joining a person, heart to heart, brings healing and draws people to the Lord.

Update on Saturday Morning Outreach

Today I heard from a couple friends who are going to be joining us for the Neighborhood Party in Monroe. Pat Haigler is bringing some young friends who will be helping to keep the atmosphere fun, especially for the littler ones. Unfortunately my 18 year old son will probably have to hide in the corner. We now have a troupe of clowns joining us!

Also, Redeem Christian Center will be manning the grill cooking hot dogs and giving away soda. They are also going to bring their mobile "King's Closet" and will beginning away clothing. I know that will be a blessing to the neighbors.

Chris Price will be bringing his guitar and playing some music. Chris has a great heart for the Latino world and so will be sharing some in Spanish as well. Joining him will be McKinley Sanford playing his sax and singing out strong and clear.

We are going to ROCK the place with God's love!

Justify Steps Praise Dance Team to be at OTG 08

I just got off the phone with Shelly Knox of Redeem Christian Center in Monroe. The praise dance team from their church. Justify Steps, will be joining us on Friday night. I am looking forward to their leading us in saying yes to God and to what he is calling us to in our community. Our participation with God in his mission of reconciliation and redemption can take many forms. One is to inspire our imagination through the arts in worship.

"Be the Message"

"Be the Message" is an integral part of our time together at OTG. This is a series of short discussions with folks being the message of Jesus outside the gates of our churches. Some have started ministries, others are just loving people they come in contact with, some are having parties, some are just being an ear to a friend, but all of these folks will encourage you to engage your community in practical ways by loving people and serving God.

This year some of the folks we will hear from include Dom Duarte with Restoration Houses helping men in transition. Donna Ginn with Healing Broken Places who a couple weeks back put together a party in her apartment complex that blessed a lot of folks. My friend Robin Black will share about how God connected her with a family she never met before, while Jeff Wolfe shares his vision for The Barn and how TNT Garage touches teens lives. A new friend, I haven't met yet, Matt Rogers will share about feeding homeless folks on the steps of a church in Uptown Charlotte every Saturday. And I am still working on a couple more to round out our time.

The reason we will hear the stories of folks like these is so that our imaginations can be stirred, and our hearts prompted to conspire with others to be the message of Jesus in our community. Can't wait!