Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Stewpot Opportunity Center

Some members of our class will be volunteering with Jackson Street Ministries on Wednesday night, December 15.  Here is how everything is going to shake out...we will leave the church (in our own vehicles) on wed. night around 7:30pm. We will travel to the parking lot of FBC Jackson where we will meet up with other volunteers from other area churches. Everyone is expected to be there by 8:15-8:20pm. (Please feel free to meet at FBC Jax without coming to our church). 

Malcolm Woody, who leads Jackson Street Ministries, will lead us in a short time of prayer, then we will travel (probably in our own cars or possibly in one of their vans) to the Opportunity Center.  At the OC, we will work with approx. 40 other volunteers to pass out water and sandwiches to around 120 people who regularly show up for this type of assistance.

Based on Malcolm's comments, we will be through at the OC around 9:30pm and free to leave.  Some additional volunteers (not our group) will then leave the OC and travel to designated locations around Metro Jackson (abandoned buildings, under bridges, etc) and minister to the people who live in these areas but cannot make it to the OC.

Some of the folks that have told me that they are going are: Me, Aaron Albright, Josh/Courtney Friedel, and Melanie Gibson.  I will text you more information on Wed.  Also, you can check out the Jackson Street Ministries website  @ MalcomWoody.com...or just google Jackson Street Ministries.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Mission Opportunity

Joshua and Courtney Friedel are going to We Will Go Ministries in downtown Jackson on Saturday morning, December 18th.  If you would like to meet them there and participate in that morning's mission activities, please let me or Josh/Courtney know.  

Also, I am working on getting more information on a Homeless Ministry that operates in downtown Jackson.  I should have that info for the class this Sunday, December 12.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Sunday School December 5

Our study this week comes from Lesson 5 in our SS book. The title of the lesson is "Incarnational Discipleship." The incarnational discipleship model is physical, active, and tangible. It equates worship with activity. Whereas Personal Discipleship focuses inward, incarnational discipleship focuses outward. Within the framework of the incarnational model, people grow in their knowledge and relationship with Christ by seeking to become His hands and feet through service and outreach to others. (adapted from pg 97 in our SS book) 

Patty and I will see you Sunday!!

The Blessing1

Throughout the recent Thanksgiving holidays, I heard numerous people proclaim how "blessed" they were.  What most usually meant was that they were "blessed" to have a job; or they were "blessed" with their family; or they were"blessed" because they were financially secure, etc., etc. Granted, these are real blessings, but what does the Bible say about what it means to be "blessed?"  I want to share three devotionals built around this idea of "blessing."

The first has to do not with "being blessed," but how we can BE a blessing to others.

In 1 Peter 3:8, the converted fisherman explains 5 ways that we can be a blessing to others... here's how:

1. Live in harmony with others- Harmony means a unity of spirit and thought. See Rom. 12:16 and Phil 2:5
2. Be sympathetic towards others-which means to "suffer together." See 1Cor 12:26
3. Love people within the family of faith. See the definition of "love" in 1Cor 13:4-8
4. Be compassionate towards others-The word "compassionate" means "pitiful." It also has the idea of being tenderhearted and affectionately sensitive.
5. Show humility- Humility is the opposite of pride. See Jesus' example in Phil 2:6ff.

Alot of us want to be "blessed"...and I will share some thoughts about HOW to be blessed in the next devotional, but in the meantime, why don't we make it our prayer to BE A BLESSING to others!