New Around the Mission

Bishop Silas Ng

Imagine four days away for rest, refreshment and revitalizing your spiritual life. Participants at a recent British Columbia Christian Ashram Retreat enjoyed the opportunity to connect with God and others as well as hear powerful teaching on the high value of daily quiet time and the relevance of the Ten Commandments.

This summer, Bishop Silas Ng and the Rev Josh Wilton led BC Christian Ashram, a four-day spiritual retreat. Bishop Silas, who is completing his doctoral thesis on micro-macro discipleship, offered five practical presentations on how to design an effective daily quiet time, emphasizing the difference this discipline makes in our Christian walk. Noting that less than 10% of Christians have a regular daily quiet time, Bishop Silas said daily devotions are vital to the success of effective church planting and spiritual renewal. He is leading people through the entire bible one chapter a day in his daily prayer blog as a means to assist people in their daily quiet time.

Rev Josh Wilton is the lead pastor of The Table, a new ACiC/AM Church plant in Victoria BC. Josh taught on the relevance of the Ten Commandments for our everyday living, focusing on freedom from the idols in our life, and on the need for regular Sabbath rest in our workaholic North American culture.

There was a strong youth and young adult ministry at the BC Christian Ashram led by Jill Cardwell, Youth Pastor at St. Simons, North Vancouver. One of the young adults at the Ashram told me that they “enjoyed the chance to get away, to refocus on God, to reconnect with old friends.” Basically, the Christian Ashram retreat is about connections: connecting with God and the people around you.

The United Christian Ashram movement presents a number of summer retreats throughout North America and around the world, with the largest one drawing over 800 in the Maritimes. It was founded in 1930 by Dr. E. Stanley Jones in India where he served as a missionary for over 50 years. During his life, Dr. Jones was the world’s most widely read spiritual writer, with twenty-eight books selling millions of copies.

My wife began attending the BC Christian Ashram in 1974 where she was powerfully impacted by the Holy Spirit. Many members of her family have since given their lives to Christ through the Christian Ashram. I began attending 36 years ago, and now serve as the BC Director. You are invited to have a vacation with God throughout North America in 2011.

*The DVDs of Bishop Silas and Josh’s talks are available for purchase through stuart@lightspeed.ca.

"I could just kiss each one of you!" Rosa Thomson's full face— framed by her wispy gray hair and gleaming with beads of perspiration in the 94 degree heat—was beaming as she climbed the steps of her new front porch. She continued: "I am just so tickled! I am so pleased. What can I do? All I can do is say, thank you, thank you, thank you."

Rosa is but one individual in West Virginia who was profoundly touched by the “Radical Goers” who participated in “Vacation with a Purpose (VWAP),” an annual church family mission trip sponsored by Church of the Good Shepherd in Davidson, North Carolina. The congregation partnered with the Philippi, West Virginia branch of World Vision, a Christian-based global poverty relief organization, to work on home repairs in the area and help organize and execute a Vacation Bible School at a local church over the course of five days. They joined with over one hundred other church groups and families from across the US, tackling projects at a variety of sites.

Sara Kay Mooney, Member of Good Shepherd, wrote a blog entry describing her experience. She references various church team members by first name as she describes their activities:

Rosa's life sings of redemption. Though estranged from her daughter, she has taken in her seventeen year-old granddaughter and two-week-old great-granddaughter under her wing, providing and caring for them both. Her gift of hospitality blessed our group throughout the week. She handed out numerous popsicles, made sure that our water cooler was filled and chilled, and served up a huge spread for lunch on Friday. With the help of another church group, eight of our team members hammered, sawed, nailed, screwed and bolted throughout the week to build a porch for Rosa and her family to enjoy for years to come.

A mile down the road from the Thomson household, Cynthia led the crafts portion of the Summer Adventure Vacation Bible School at Kynette United Methodist Church in Coalton. The VBS teachings and activities centered on the story of Joseph. Thus, we transformed an old pavilion into an ancient Egyptian marketplace. Melanie ran the toy shop, where kids made and played the timeless Egyptian board game Senet. Next to her was the bricklayer's booth, led by Abby and Conor. They mixed soil, hay, and water to form bricks for Joseph's construction of the new granaries. Sara Kay's Scribe Shop taught the art of hieroglyphics. Next door was the Linen Shop, where Karyn helped children make blankets to send to kids in Africa and pray for them as well. Cynthia ran the Weaver's Shop where kids used yarn and popsicle sticks to create ornaments. Down from her was Emily's Barber Shop, where kids could make headbands and receive eyeliner that would have made Cleopatra proud.

VBS was also punctuated with games like "catch the hippo," active (and loud!) singing and teaching on Joseph. "The music was even addictive to adults," Conor said. Cynthia was struck by the quality of e music as well. "They found real ways of helping the kids connect with the teachings. The kids were walking around singing scripture to toe-tapping songs," she commented.

Asking some Good Shepherd kids their opinion of VBS, I am greeted with a loud chorus of "Great!" Eight year-old Stacy Plumb shared that she learned about talents from God. "God gives us special abilities," she said. "He has gifted me to be a clown, and to be nice to animals.”

Throughout the week, we enjoyed a rich time of family-led devotions, with teachings on St. Francis, our role as heirs of Christ, discussion about the tension between giving and receiving, a children-centered lesson on the parable of the Good Shepherd, Scripture-based thoughts on our purpose in being called to missions and a personal testimony about the need to abandon our dependence on material goods.

The natural beauty of the green rolling mountains, clear streams, majestic trees, and bright wildflowers of Philippi serves as a gorgeous backdrop for a harsher scene: according to statistics from city-data.com, nearly one-third of residents earned income that fell below the poverty line. Many of the homes we saw were in shockingly poor condition, and health problems caused largely by a lack of adequate nutrition plague the community. Information released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that 30% of the adult population in West Virginia is obese, with 17% of youth falling into that same category.

These numbers, and the suffering that we saw, was overwhelming, but in our study of Genesis throughout the week, we were reminded of the hope that comes in serving a God who, as Joseph said, transforms harm into good. This trip placed us gently in the complex folds of God’s kairos time—that grace-soaked opportune moment. Not only did we witness transformation take place at Rosa’s trailer and in the minds and hearts of young children at Kynette United Methodist, we experienced it deep within ourselves.

Preparing for students to return to school after summer break can spell stress for single parents struggling to make ends meet. All Saints Church, in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, seeks to relieve the burden of single parent households with a back-to-school outreach designed to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ.

Give a Kid a Chance held at All Saints on Saturday, August 7, is the congregation’s single largest local outreach ministry. Numerous church members gathered Saturday morning to share God’s love, grace and generosity to many single parent households in our community. School age children received new backpacks filled with school supplies, new jeans and tee shirts, received free medical, dental and hearing screenings, enjoyed a filling breakfast, heard the Gospel story and visited rooms where they could receive gently used clothing and books. The students received needed supplies to have a successful start of their school year, and spiritually, they received the blessings and love of the Lord as men and women ministered grace and hope to each family. The seeds planted in the hearts of those who attended will hopefully bear much fruit beyond the Saturday event.

Last week Lainie slid another white envelope loaded with coins into the offering plate, just like the past several Sundays. Now the envelope is flat. Lainie wants to give the twenty dollar bill tucked inside — a gift for her eighth birthday — to help others. She looks forward to reaching out personally next Saturday.

Lainie’s family is a part of First Saturdays, a new outreach program at Christ Church Anglican in Overland Park, Kansas. Each month the people at Christ Church reach out to serve their community through local mission partnerships.

A group blesses the community on First Saturdays.

The Hope Faith Ministries team Lainie is a part of serves up breakfast then helps homeless clients pick out clothes and supplies to live on the streets for one week. Other team members assist in a handyman or clean-up projects for a local urban youth facility designed and in personal homes of local residents.

“So far, most of our [First Saturdays’] participants have been families with children,” reports Sarah Schultz, Director of Outreach. “It gives them a chance to do something together that is outward focused.”

The concept for First Saturdays came from a city-wide event called, What if the Church? Christ Church Anglican joined twenty-three area churches for three weeks of concentrated outreach. During this time, congregations even swapped pastors in the pulpit to get to know one another and bring the community together.

“Usually a core group of people in the church volunteer for most ministry opportunities, but this gives a whole new group of people — like little Lainie — an opportunity to step in,” said Sarah.

Watch First Saturdays video here.

Send us your community outreach story here.

By guest writer, Thomas Kortus

Associate Minister Thomas Kortus takes a break from playing soccer with Edgarand Carlos, Oak Creek Village residents who took part in the summer kids club.

When All Saints Church (ASC), Chapel Hill-Durham, North Carolina, moved into a new building a year ago, we knew it wasn’t simply about moving out of a school gym. We sensed God’s call to look for ways to bring the Gospel to the community adjacent to the new location, Oak Creek Village (OCV), a 502 unit apartment complex primarily populated by 3000 low income Spanish speaking residents.

Associate Minister Thomas Kortus was charged with investigating how to serve OCV residents. Conversations with the property manager and residents revealed that the greatest need was for activities and educational programs for the kids. (The ratio of adults to children is one to five; many of the kids were bored, getting into trouble and needed tutoring support.) The OCV staff gave us permission to plan activities for the kids. We invited three other churches to work with, us and the Oak Creek Village Initiative was born.

Aaron White, a member of All Saints Church, tutors Alanzo during Eagles Nest in the All Saints Church sanctuary.

All Saints now runs Eagle’s Nest, a twice weekly after-school tutoring program serving sixteen young children with a team of thirty youth and adult volunteers. The teachers are amazed at the reading progress our students have made, volunteers are blessed by the relationships developing and two students curious about our Gospel Book in the sanctuary heard the Gospel and believed in Christ!

This summer, we continued to expand our relationships with OCV by coordinating an intensive outreach project. Beginning July 5, a team from All Saints led a five-day summer kids club onsite. We began on Monday with some of our Eagles Nest kids and their siblings and friends. By the final meeting on Friday, 65 participated.

A young girl enjoys the 45 foot blow-up water slide at the Community Celebration at Oak Creek Village. The water was a welcome relief from the record breaking hot and humid weather.

The temperatures in Durham were record-setting that week, nearly 105 degrees, but the kids were delighted to come to a shaded area in a nearby soccer field. We consumed huge quantities of water and popsicles as we played games, made crafts, listened to Bible stories and sang songs. Volunteers bonded wonderfully with the kids. One mother said her daughter woke up earlier than usual one morning and the first words out of her mouth were, “Is it time for kids club yet?”

A community celebration for kids and families concluded the week. Over 225 people attended: a bouncy house, blow-up water slide, a clown/magician/balloon artist, games, prize drawings, and rocking Latin music made it a blast. The children took center stage to sing songs, and we shared the Gospel lessons we had taught with parents via an interpreter.

Oak Creek Village kids huddle in the shade and listen intently to a Bible story at Kids Club.

ASC is eager to continue engaging this community in ways that create deeper relationships and bless people in word and deed. In mid-August we will host a back-to-school party to give needy children backpacks and school supplies. We have invited local elementary school administrators to help foster relationships between the school and families. Plans are also in place to begin a Saturday morning adult English as a Second Language (ESL) program in the fall.

The outreach to OCV has been well received; however, they are simply springboards to deepening relationships and ministry. As we cleaned up sticky popsicle wrappers after the community celebration, one of the youth asked, “How do we maintain the relationships we have developed? Can we come here once a week to play soccer and hang out with the kids?” One of the adult volunteers arranged a play-date with a bilingual mother and resident of OCV who said she would, in turn, teach her Spanish. Another adult is planning a clothing exchange with the residents of OCV. It is exciting to see people thinking about ongoing ministry in the context of real relationships. The Spirit is at work teaching us how to serve our neighbors in word and deed with the love of Christ.

Coffee Bikes: before and after

On the remote hillside of Bukonya, Rwanda, a coffee farmer swerves through lush vegetation on his wooden bike, pedaling down the rocky path to get his precious coffee cherries safely to the washing station for sorting.

“A day in the life of a coffee farmer” was just one activity 134 children engaged in at the recent Baobab Blast VBS held at All Saints Church in Pawleys Island, South Carolina: What would it be like to ride a bike with wooden wheels down a steep hill? Why are the coffee beans so important to Rwandans? All Saints’ partnership with Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee Company also gave the eager learners an opportunity to put their faith into action.

While the VBS students learned about the exploits of Abraham and Joseph and bopped to lively songs of worship, they dropped quarters and dimes into the offering plate each morning. The coins added up, totaling $264 — enough to help purchase a custom-designed “coffee bike” specifically for African coffee farmers.

“Now the children think about their own bikes differently, knowing some Rwandans have had to use unsafe, wooden bikes to transport their coffee harvest,” explains Carol Schumacher, Children’s Ministry Coordinator.

The Baobab Tree

Seventy-five volunteers of all ages helped to coordinate the African-themed VBS, transforming church classrooms into a vibrant gathering place for the children. This year’s Augsburg Fortress curriculum is based on Psalm 50:1 and uses the impressive Baobab tree as the centerpiece. Known as the Tree of Life, the Baobab was popularized by the Disney movie Lion King. It reaches heights of 98 feet with a diameter of up to 52 feet — so large it provides shelter, food and water for its inhabitants.

The All Saints VBS took the children’s imaginations and faith to new heights. “We are able to teach the truth in an atmosphere that meets the children on their level and provides an opportunity for them to think about other people living in different countries,” Carol shared.

Send us your congregation’s summer outreach story here.

Jesus told a crowd of thousands gathered on a hillside, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14). Jesus’ powerful metaphor inspired the name of a new urban mission begun recently at Christ Church in Austin, Texas. Lumen (which means “light” in Latin and is a measure of the brightness of a light bulb) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to scattering the darkness of poverty by being the light of Christ among the least and the lowly in Austin.

Lumen launched in April with a Party in the Park event held across the street from a city housing project. The party was an afternoon of joy and relationship building with families from the housing project and surrounding neighborhood. More than 70 children and their families enjoyed arts and crafts, face painting, games led by Christ Church’s youth group, a puppet show put on by Hope Mission Church (a new Anglican Mission church plant in south Austin) and free hot dogs and snacks. The children took home books collected at a church-wide Palm Sunday book drive.

The ultimate goal for the event was to begin building relationships with local families and to involve the children in future activities aimed at meeting their educational needs. Reading and math scores at the elementary school the children attend are among the lowest in the city of Austin. Lumen hopes to begin a Saturday early literacy program for preschoolers and their families who cannot afford quality child care during the week.

To learn more about Lumen, contact Nancy Scammacca, deacon of Christ Church and director of Lumen.