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| Signposts of God's Love |
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During worship a couple of weekends ago, we learned about two signposts of God's love, one going on locally at the Bridge Ministry and another going on globally with the Honduras Mission Center plans. A couple of folks have just come back from a Building Goodness project in Pearlington, MS. Soon others will be leaving for a medical mission trip to Haiti. By the fall, we're hoping to coordinate and staff a Reading Buddy program for a local school.
We are learning that there are so many paths that we can take to "go in Christ" and one of the ways that Peace can facilitate God's work out there is to help folks figure out:
- what's going on?
- who's doing what?
- how can I get hooked up?
Toward that end, I'd like to start collecting information about the signposts of God's love that you are involved with, what opportunities to serve are available and how you can be a link between Peace and the signpost.
Some of the information I'd like to start collecting includes:
- organization/mission name
- description of organization/mission
- what are the opportunities to serve?
- how can you help hook someone up?
Leave a comment or send this info to me and we'll see where the signposts lead us. |
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Gosh, Kim -- where to begin???
Let's start with Habitat for Humanity.
The current "ministry status" in Peace is somewhat uncertain -- I am working with John Voight to get a "small group" going. Our starting point is really "networking" -- finding others at Peace with a heart for this ministry.
Most people know of HfH -- at least by WOM and occasional publicity in the news -- and the "sweat equity" and volunteer aspects of providing affordable housing.
What people do not know is how HfH is changing how it works -- especially in a community like Charlottesville -- more community-building than individual house-building -- more large-scale partnerships and small-group networking than one-by-one volunteering.
There is almost zero awareness that Thrivent Financial is HfH's largest single benefactor. Or, that our Charlottesville Chapter of HfH would like to qualify for a Thrivent Builds Grant in 2009!
The opportunity for participating in a Thrivent Build is especially significant -- first, because Thrivent's grant process is selective -- second, because the financial support is largely provided by Thrivent -- and last, the build brings together Thrivent members, other Lutherans, and members of the community in a way that makes a difference. Affordable housing is generally considered the number one or number two justice issue in Charlottesville/Albemarle. A Thrivent Build in Charlottesville/Albemarle opens up the possibility for a larger partnership between Thrivent and Habitat in the near future.
Any friend of Peace -- that includes Peaceans, friends of Peace, neighbors -- interested in participating should contact John or myself. They can do that through the church office, or to me directly at 434.962.8449 (email: Eric.Schmitz@earthlink.net).
We'll be looking to organize some weekend dates this fall where we volunteer on an existing build. My charge as a local fraternal leader in Thrivent is to help organize similar small groups at Immanuel and at St. Mark, and bring those groups together. learning to work and play together prepares us to secure a grant in 2009.
Nearly anyone with a heart for their neighbor has skills which can be used to support a Habitat project -- even the most marginal "handyperson" can do something -- we can use organizers, food preparers, phone callers, "cheerleaders"...
That's my first signpost contribution. More to follow. |
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Number two:
Gradually -- perhaps because of the mission partnership with Gerizim in Honduras -- perhaps through IMPACT and the awareness of issues like affordable housingand medical care -- perhaps through Habitat's efforts in Southwood -- or maybe just because the evidence of change is "in my face" every day that I transact business locally -- I've been gently nudged in the direction of getting involved with and/or just getting to know more about the Hispanic/latino community here in Charlottesville/Albemarle.
Peace already has built a bridge -- albeit an infrequently traveled one -- with Casa Del Padre -- a non-denominational eglesia located on East Mraket in Charlottesville. Hazel and Fernando Guray lead that congregation, which serves a portion of the local Hispanic/Latino community. Traditionally, we are linked through Gerizim -- Pastor Fernando has been active abroad in that Honduras ministry -- and we spend an afternoon doing a service project -- a small, free medical clinic -- in preparation for our Honduran trip. For a few hours, once each year, we share fellowship, and meet a local need.
I'd suggest that there is ample opportunity to do more. It's a matter of time, and of heart.
We have a latino worship liturgy in the ELCA -- when we look around us and consider the 29 corridor and surrounding rural area between here and Greene (aka Ruckersville) -- one can imagine the possibility of reaching out to the unchurched, progressively assimilated, Latino/Hispanic community. A mission congregation on 29 North that specifically reaches out to the same old constituency (aka WASP) may be missing the call.
Anyway, how would we know -- until we reached out somehow? And how to do that?
It's not as hard as you think. Sometimes, its as easy as visiting Tropical Cazon, or Tienda Hispana -- spending time to savor the food and the company.
There is another signpost: Creciendo Juntos - Growing Together (CJGT) -- a network of organizations and people working to support and strengthen the Charlottesville regional community through the integration and development of its Latino/Hispanic members.
http://www.cj-network.org/index.html
One of the best ideas they offer is the Tertulia -- or conversation group. Check this out -- not only as a means of learning Spanish, but of educating yourself to a growing, vibrant segment of our community, and an opportunity to build personal -- and spiritual -- relationships.
http://www.cj-network.org/learn_sp.html
--eric
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