Have you seen this? I love Missions Fair Day! Not only do I get to see people from local missions I care about, but every year I end up meeting someone new, learning about some new, cool thing God's people are doing in the world. Put it on your calendar and get ready to have fun and be encouraged!
Also, this is a great day to plan on bringing the kids down from the upper campus for a walk through. It's a fun, interesting event, kids welcome, and a great way to introduce your kids to where their offering quarters go. Bring it on!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Going to Japan?
Hey! Is God calling you to help the recovery effort in tsunami affected areas of Japan? Here's your chance!
Tomorrow night, yes, August 30th, 6PM in RM S-223, a group of us will be meeting to discuss what a Japan Impact team would look like. If you are interested in this exciting trip, and might be able to get some time off at the end of October (YES! October!!) then pray about it and be at the meeting.
Peter and Wendi Thomson will be there, and we're all excited to see just which missional people God brings! Will we see you there?
Tomorrow night, yes, August 30th, 6PM in RM S-223, a group of us will be meeting to discuss what a Japan Impact team would look like. If you are interested in this exciting trip, and might be able to get some time off at the end of October (YES! October!!) then pray about it and be at the meeting.
Peter and Wendi Thomson will be there, and we're all excited to see just which missional people God brings! Will we see you there?
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Challenges and Inspirations to Faith
I've been thinking all day about our visit with Jean McAllister after church yesterday. What an amazing, transparent, love-filled Jesus person she is! Jean shared about how Rwanda both challenges and inspires her faith. Challenges include just navigating a culture so different from her own--though I have to say it sounds like God has used her mightily in spite of this cultural divide--and dealing with church leaders who may have been complicit in the genocide 17 years ago.
But, then, she also talked about how Rwandan Christians, with all the baggage the genocide still visits on them, the poverty and difficult living situation, how they inspire her by holding their faith so dear.
I found myself reflecting on my own circumstances, and feeling committed to spend more time looking for inspiration all around me.
I also find myself wanting to remember Jean, and Rwanda, in prayer. She is in such a unique situation, and God continues to grow her and use her there, but she needs us all to back her up in prayer. Specifically, pray that she would not feel lonely.
Also, did you see the cool article about Rwanda Partners in the Costco Connection magazine today? My September issue arrived today, and I was so excited to see Greg and Tracy Stone pictured, along with a well-written article about the baskets! The only drawback is that the Rwanda Partners basket roadshow will only be coming to the Seattle Costco in our area. However, if you're interested in supporting Rwanda Partners through purchasing a basket, let me know, and I'll connect you!
But, then, she also talked about how Rwandan Christians, with all the baggage the genocide still visits on them, the poverty and difficult living situation, how they inspire her by holding their faith so dear.
I found myself reflecting on my own circumstances, and feeling committed to spend more time looking for inspiration all around me.
I also find myself wanting to remember Jean, and Rwanda, in prayer. She is in such a unique situation, and God continues to grow her and use her there, but she needs us all to back her up in prayer. Specifically, pray that she would not feel lonely.
Also, did you see the cool article about Rwanda Partners in the Costco Connection magazine today? My September issue arrived today, and I was so excited to see Greg and Tracy Stone pictured, along with a well-written article about the baskets! The only drawback is that the Rwanda Partners basket roadshow will only be coming to the Seattle Costco in our area. However, if you're interested in supporting Rwanda Partners through purchasing a basket, let me know, and I'll connect you!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Come Visit With Jean!
Jean McAllister will be talking about her life in Rwanda this Sunday! Come to room RM S-141 for what is sure to be a good visit, and enjoy a light lunch. 12:15PM is the time.
Jean is a BelPres member who has been serving in Rwanda for the last several years. Her stories are amazing, and her spirit is contageous! Join us?
If you are a missions regular, would you consider bringing a side-dish to go along with the sandwiches? Thanks!
Jean is a BelPres member who has been serving in Rwanda for the last several years. Her stories are amazing, and her spirit is contageous! Join us?
If you are a missions regular, would you consider bringing a side-dish to go along with the sandwiches? Thanks!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Missionary Kid Video
Seems like most of the missionaries I know have posted this video in the last week. And a lot of them are not bluegrass fans.
I hope this challenges some parents to let go of at least one excuse for not follwing a call! :-)
I hope this challenges some parents to let go of at least one excuse for not follwing a call! :-)
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Get Connected!
Did you know that Get Connected at BelPres has an online tool for helping you figure out where you might be best matched to serve? Well, it does! Take this brief inventory and see where BelPres is serving and how your skills might match up!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Jean McAllister here
Did you know Jean McAllister is here from Rwanda? She's here through the first week in September, so keep an eye out for her. Lets let her know how much she means to us!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Jubilee Thinking
I hope some of you got to go and hear Peter and Wendy Thomson speak at BelPres yesterday. It was so fascinating to hear them talk about being incarnational Christians in the setting of disaster-recovering Japan. One of the coolest things they shared about was the way that they try to include, in every delivery/clean-up trip North, a BBQ party for the neighborhood. The Japanese gov't is doing what it can for the people, but this mostly means rice balls and bread. So when Peter and his church groups show up to grill huge quantities of chicken and hot dogs, the addition of protein is most welcome. They also shared that somewhere between 200-400 people show up, but they have had just the right amount of food every time. Peter said, "I just said, Jesus, if you're going to bring this many people, you're going to have too feed them! We'll cook it, but you bring it!" And He does. Every time. God is so good!
More than this, though, what a lot of us liked is that Peter and Wendy view what they are doing in North Japan--outside of the mission work (church planting & leadership development) we sent them there to do--they view the relief work as an extention of our own Jubilee Service work! Peter shared that he was inspired by the way our congregation just gets out there and loves on people in the name of Jesus, without expecting anything in return. With Jubilee Service Day happening just the day before, it was a sweet dovetail, helping us think about just how connected we are through works of service in Jesus' name. And my kids had a great time with the Thomson's kids, too!
Speaking of Jubilee Service Day, how did it go for you? My eldest and I helped out at Ardmore Elementary for the morning portion of the day, and we really enjoyed meeting and assisting one of the Kindergarten teachers there. I felt so special to be the person who stapled the alphabet up above the whiteboard! G organized books, moved tables and chairs, and did a lot of go-fer work. We both felt good about what we did, and felt it was over too soon. I look forward to the day all three of the boys are old enough to help out, so we can all stay the day!
We were all BelPres folk in the Kindergarten rooms at Ardmore, but I know more than 20 churches were involved. Who did you fellowship with?
More than this, though, what a lot of us liked is that Peter and Wendy view what they are doing in North Japan--outside of the mission work (church planting & leadership development) we sent them there to do--they view the relief work as an extention of our own Jubilee Service work! Peter shared that he was inspired by the way our congregation just gets out there and loves on people in the name of Jesus, without expecting anything in return. With Jubilee Service Day happening just the day before, it was a sweet dovetail, helping us think about just how connected we are through works of service in Jesus' name. And my kids had a great time with the Thomson's kids, too!
Speaking of Jubilee Service Day, how did it go for you? My eldest and I helped out at Ardmore Elementary for the morning portion of the day, and we really enjoyed meeting and assisting one of the Kindergarten teachers there. I felt so special to be the person who stapled the alphabet up above the whiteboard! G organized books, moved tables and chairs, and did a lot of go-fer work. We both felt good about what we did, and felt it was over too soon. I look forward to the day all three of the boys are old enough to help out, so we can all stay the day!
We were all BelPres folk in the Kindergarten rooms at Ardmore, but I know more than 20 churches were involved. Who did you fellowship with?
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Japan Missionaries Here!
We are so excited to have Peter and Wendi Thomson and family, missionaries in Japan, sharing with us in all services this Sun, Aug. 14. Following the 11AM services, there will be a light lunch with them in S.141. All are invited to come and enjoy this time of sharing about the work God is doing in Japan.
I recommend lunch with the Thomsons to any family wishing to get their kids introduced to missions. Peter and Wendi are very accessible to kids, have young kids of their own, and are doing fascinating things with Tsunami relief. It would be a great introduction to what God is doing in the world through BelPres.
Hooray for missionary visits!
I recommend lunch with the Thomsons to any family wishing to get their kids introduced to missions. Peter and Wendi are very accessible to kids, have young kids of their own, and are doing fascinating things with Tsunami relief. It would be a great introduction to what God is doing in the world through BelPres.
Hooray for missionary visits!
Global Leadership Summit
I spent Thursday and Friday at the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit, hearing the most extraordinary set of lectures/speakers I have ever had the pleasure to hear. If you are ever invited to attend, GO. Do not hesitate. Take two days off work to improve your walk and your work.
I wanted to talk about the GLS here in relation to mission. One of the speakers was Mama Maggie Gabron, a Coptic Christian. Mama Maggie is sometimes called "the Mother Teresa of Cairo" and with good reason. She has begun a ministry, called Stephen's Children, to help the poorest of the poor children living in the slums and garbage dumps of Cairo and it's neighboring cities. She has opened schools that now see more than 12,000 students in Kindergarten and elementary school, and is continually expanding this ministry.
What is most amazing about Mama Maggie, from a Western perspective, is that she is the youngest daughter of a respected Cairo doctor. She grew up in private school, travelling to Europe every year to keep herself in the latest fashions. Educated in Europe, she returned to Cairo to be a professor at the American University there. This is a woman who had it all. Everything. And she gave it up to become everything to the children of Cairo. It's such a remarkable story!
This morning, as I was helping one of Ardmore Elementary's Kindergarten teachers get ready for a new school year (Jubilee Service Day, yay!), I kept thinking of Mama Maggie and her kindergarteners. Children rescued from a life of filth, darkness, and oppression, because this one woman heard God call her, and obeyed. So extraordinary. So encouraging. So challenging.
I wanted to talk about the GLS here in relation to mission. One of the speakers was Mama Maggie Gabron, a Coptic Christian. Mama Maggie is sometimes called "the Mother Teresa of Cairo" and with good reason. She has begun a ministry, called Stephen's Children, to help the poorest of the poor children living in the slums and garbage dumps of Cairo and it's neighboring cities. She has opened schools that now see more than 12,000 students in Kindergarten and elementary school, and is continually expanding this ministry.
What is most amazing about Mama Maggie, from a Western perspective, is that she is the youngest daughter of a respected Cairo doctor. She grew up in private school, travelling to Europe every year to keep herself in the latest fashions. Educated in Europe, she returned to Cairo to be a professor at the American University there. This is a woman who had it all. Everything. And she gave it up to become everything to the children of Cairo. It's such a remarkable story!
This morning, as I was helping one of Ardmore Elementary's Kindergarten teachers get ready for a new school year (Jubilee Service Day, yay!), I kept thinking of Mama Maggie and her kindergarteners. Children rescued from a life of filth, darkness, and oppression, because this one woman heard God call her, and obeyed. So extraordinary. So encouraging. So challenging.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Jubilee Service!
Jubilee Service Day is tomorrow! Are you going to be there? How was it for you, if it's tomorrow already?
I will be at Ardmore Elementary with my eldest, see you there!
I will be at Ardmore Elementary with my eldest, see you there!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Direct Impact of Deeper Impact
Many of you will remember the amazing sermon series Dr. Dudley did last spring entitled "Deeper Impact". Several hundred of our congregation made a commitment to have a deeper impact in their neighborhood, community, or world, and now there are a couple of really cool things going on. Now, a little more than a year later, we are beginning to see some tangible results.
One thing Deeper Impact developed is a Mobile Medical Clinic. This rolling clinic has made regular visits to Jubilee REACH, and is about to begin serving the KidREACH and Eastside Academy communities! Thanks so much to the Healthcare Resource Team for all the great volunteer work!
A newer development is a new partnership with Union Gospel Mission's Open Door Legal Services (ODLS). Under attorney David Mace, there have been 3 clinics so far with Jubilee REACH clients, and one focusing on EA and KidREACH clients. Many thanks to the Deeper Impact Legal Team for all you are doing for those in need!
God is doing a big thing among those who came forward after Deeper Impact
One thing Deeper Impact developed is a Mobile Medical Clinic. This rolling clinic has made regular visits to Jubilee REACH, and is about to begin serving the KidREACH and Eastside Academy communities! Thanks so much to the Healthcare Resource Team for all the great volunteer work!
A newer development is a new partnership with Union Gospel Mission's Open Door Legal Services (ODLS). Under attorney David Mace, there have been 3 clinics so far with Jubilee REACH clients, and one focusing on EA and KidREACH clients. Many thanks to the Deeper Impact Legal Team for all you are doing for those in need!
God is doing a big thing among those who came forward after Deeper Impact
Monday, August 8, 2011
Trouble & Jubilee Day
Sorry for the long absence again. I was having some trouble with getting gmail to let me log in and stay that way. Honestly, I don't know what I did to fix it, but, here I am again!
Don't forget that Jubilee Service Day is this coming Saturday! And, if you're not registered for that, there's still a big need for helpers at Spiritridge school, the following weekend. Look here for details!
Don't forget that Jubilee Service Day is this coming Saturday! And, if you're not registered for that, there's still a big need for helpers at Spiritridge school, the following weekend. Look here for details!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Looking for Someone to Support?
At last week's SIM South Sudan meeting, I was priviledged to meet Bob & Karen Ihrig, of Burlington, WA. Bob is a pastor and a building contractor, and Karen is a nurse. With this unique set of skills, they are seeking to serve with SIM in South Sudan. They plan on being there two years, to help build the new SIM school, minister to the churches there, and, for Karen, work with the young mothers in the "Maternity Clinic" to manage care for undernourished children.
I was impressed by their energy and excitement to pursue this call of God on their lives. If you're looking for someone cool to support, short term, look for Bob & Karen Ihrig at www.sim.org/giveusa.