Faith Reach needs your help. We need your personal stories!

I was doing some clean up and found this in a Facebook Note. It is worth repeating here...

Friends of Faith,

Faith Reach needs your help. We need your personal stories!

Faith Reach was started to communicate the outward work that God is doing through Faith Church. It has 3 major goals.

* Provide regular news and invitations of opportunities for you to get involved.
* Provide background information on the ministries that we are inviting you into.
* Provide an avenue for you to tell your stories about how God has impacted you or impacted others through your involvement in outreach ministries.

We are well on our way in providing the first two goals. However, they mean nothing without your stories! Without your stories, Faith Reach is just another website and the invitations are hollow. As Christians we are called to share the Good News. That is done most effectively by telling our personal stories of how God has worked in our lives. That is the way these ministries, these invitations, and this website will become an active part of God's plan.

The Personal Stories link on Faith Reach takes you to it's sister blog site. There are several stories there now; like a story from the returning South Africa team, or experiences at the Downtown Rescue Mission worship service. These stories make these actions personal, connectional, and give glory to the Christ that works through them and us.

So, please share your stories. Contact me and I'll help you get your story told. If you wish to remain anonymous on the web, we can do that, but the story itself is important. Just drop me an email at ms@presby.org

It is through your stories of "Christ in you" that life will be breathed into these "Dry Bones" of electrons on a page (Ezekiel 37:1-14).

Thank You!

In His Service,
Dave McGhee

2009 Operation Hungry Homeless Christmas Banquet

by Dave McGhee

I and several others from Faith spent about three hours at the 2009 Operation Hungry Homeless Christmas Banquet on Saturday December 12th. This is an annual event in which a number of local churches involved in ministry to the homeless work together to provide a hot meal, access to donated clothing, and some loving attention to some of Huntsville’s most marginalized citizens. This is a sister event to the Homeless Picnic in July that I reported on previously here. The cold wind and impending rain outside contrasted with the warmth and friendliness inside gave ample evidence of the need for such an offering.

St. Bartley Primitive Baptist Church organized and hosted the event this year. A number of other churches were also involved. Faith provided drinks and ice as well as about a half dozen bags of clothes. St. Bartley is typically one of the main organizers of this event. This year however they also hosted the event. Faith Church has hosted the event for the past several years but due to the Fellowship hall fire, along with timing and logistics, we could not make that offer this year. This loss was sorely missed within this community of providers. St. Bartley did a magnificent job!

Frank has a wonderful “God thing” story to tell! So if I can’t convince him to share it in this blog, please get him to tell you about it!

Once again, as I did in the summer picnic article, I need to remind us (and myself) to throw out any stereotype ideas we have of the homeless! These were clean, friendly, and very polite folks that could easily be you or I. And to be brutally honest, the worst smell was some alcohol breath which I’m sure you’ve already experienced at one of this year’s Christmas parties. Philip, Billy, Howard, and I helped out with the men’s clothes. We had some time to take stock of what was there and had the pleasure of helping these gentlemen find what they needed. I say gentlemen and I mean it. They were very polite, taking only what they needed, helping each other find what they needed and minding each others bags on occasion. Acquaintances shared greetings and travel tips and points of contact in other cities like Chattanooga and Nashville. Every one thanked us and more than a few wished us blessings and a happy holiday!

Here are a couple observations regarding needs for future clothing donations. Socks are always in high demand! Any Boy Scout or infantryman will tell you dry socks are the key to life. Also there were lots of requests for underwear shorts. With Faith’s resources, I would think that focusing our future clothing contributions on new socks and underwear would be very welcome? As far as men’s pants sizes, 30-34 waist sizes are in high demand.

I almost didn’t go to this event. I knew I had a good experience at the summer picnic, yet these stereotypes we have can have a powerful hold on us. Additionally I am not a great people person and last week was very long week with lots of people interactions that wear me out. These anxieties along with trying to find a new place in a “questionable” neighborhood just about had me convinced not to go. The Lord convinced me to trust in Him and go. And I found myself being very amiable and having a pleasant time! I even started to recognize some faces of folks from St. Bartley. Tim from St. Bartley made me feel very welcome. Thanks Tim! I hope this becomes a regular thing.

In closing, Frank relayed to me that the number of folks served at this banquet peaked a number of years ago at around 400. He shared, that was a particularly good year of cooperation, support, and participation among folks serving this community. This tells me that this need is all about the supply of willing providers. The demand is always high. I heard just recently (I wish I could remember from whom) that the poor will always be with us (Matthew 26:11), but no where does it say they should be the same poor! In sharing the Kingdom we should be continually helping the poor move ahead.

A Letter From A Visitor:

Dear Members of Faith Presbyterian Church,

I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye before I left for Atlanta, as events would have it when I put my 2 weeks notice in, I worked that Sunday and was completely in bed with a sinus infection my last Sunday in Huntsville.

But I wanted to thank all of you. I only attended for about a month and a half, from mid-August until in October when I left. It was not a very long time. But your kindness and Christ-like actions made a profound impact on my life.

The last seven years of my life have been tumultuous for my faith. I grew up Roman Catholic, and got a rude awakening to the rest of Christianity in high school. The one thing that has single-handedly driven me from Christianity were Christians themselves. It has been a very painful path. So when I first came to your church, it was with great trepidation, fear, and honestly, a lot of anger. I even “tested” it the Saturday before.

But you took me in. You invited me to lunch, and to the C3 group. You listened, and did not condemn me for my upbringing. You were understanding, and looked at me with (as I think Becca Phillips put it during the kids’ sermon one Sunday) eyes of love. I had been convinced by so many that God’s love did not extend to me. You all challenged that. Christ says “whatever you do to the least of these, you do unto me.” And I want you to know your treasure is in heaven, because Christ is IN YOU. Really and truly in each one of you and in your congregation.

I for so long felt outcast, a pariah. But not at Faith Presbyterian. I saw, on September 11th, you work diligently with members of other faiths (Catholic and Muslim among them!) for His Glory. I witnessed the Blood Drive you hosted. And the beginning of a food drive. I witnessed Christ in action. There is something I heard growing up, that our lives may be the only Christ, the only Bible, someone ever knows. Another thing I was taught was “Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary use words.” (St. Francis of Assisi) Thank you for LIVING Christ.

I won’t lie and say I came back to Atlanta and am hunky dory and peachy. I won’t lie and say there isn’t a skeptical or cynical bone left in my body. There is. There are many things I have to work out. There is still some anger to let go of. Forgiveness to be had. Baby steps. Baby steps. But thank you for renewing in me a faith I thought I had lost. I was lost but now am found, blind but now I see. His Amazing Grace brought me to you. (and by the way, if I’m ever in Huntsville, it will bring me back!).

Thank you. With love, A Visitor at Faith

Kaylynn's Thank You

Dear Members of Faith Mission Committee,

Thank you so much for your support with my trip to South Africa this summer [2009]. I am so grateful for your generosity. This trip to South Africa meant so much to me and had an amazing impact on my life. At first I thought I was going to learn how the Presbytery in South Africa run their churches and learn about their history. I was definitely wrong.

When we first arrived in SA after a long 17 hour flight, we were picked up by our two very well mannered (and funny) drivers, Musa and Siphle, and the Executive Presbyter of the eGoli Presbytery (also the new Moderator of their General Assembly). They took us to a restaurant at the airport. Jasmine, the other teenage girl, and I ate snails for the first time. This was the beginning of our amazing 2 ½ week adventure in South Africa and just the first of many new experiences.

The first day we were scheduled to sleep in and recover from the flight at a five star bed and breakfast. However, sleeping in was not what our day consisted of; instead, 4 of us woke up bright and early to be at a meeting for the ACTS Clinic mission project. One of the churches in South Africa had invited us to join them. In preparation for their mission trip the church had a HIV/AIDS specialist come and talk to us. I learned new information about how HIV is spread, works in the body, and why it is unlikely we will ever find a cure. Did you know that a healthy person only has a 1% chance of contracting HIV from a single sexual encounter with an HIV infected person? I thought the odds were much higher, but that is a true fact! The speaker made it clear that most of the aid and education for HIV in South Africa came from “the American President” – and while this is a good thing and they were thankful, South Africa needs to take responsibility for themselves and steps are being made in that direction.

The next two days we went to museums and learned about the history of South Africa and the difference between African and Afrikaans. (Afrikaans being the descendants of white Dutch settlers in Africa) We went to Constitution Hill, where it was shocking to see and hear how people were arrested and treated under apartheid. Today the prison is closed and is the location of the government’s new Constitutional Court, where all eleven of SA’s official languages are spoken. We also visited the Hector Pieterson museum where we had the opportunity to be guided through by Hector’s sister who told us about the day that hundreds of school children were killed while protesting unfair practices in their schools. Hector was one of the first boys shot that day that began the Soweto uprising and the subject of the first photograph showing the world opposition to apartheid.

We did meet with Pastors, Elders and members of many churches we have relationships with through the North Alabama Presbytery. They told us about their church history and we were shown the many different ways they are helping in their community. I was surprised how involved the different churches were within their communities. We visited a lot of orphanages and HIV/AIDS help groups. The orphanages were my favorite part of the trip. I loved playing and loving on the little babies and toddlers. A lot of them had AIDS or other serious illnesses. It was a bitter sweet moment when visiting the children, but a time that will impact my life forever. Seeing their faces light up as they ran to hug me was the best feeling ever. At every orphanage I found a new baby and tried to convince my mom to take them home. I’m still working on her.

Towards the middle of our trip, 3 team members and I left our group to join with St. Mungos’ mission team to an AIDS clinic. While there, Jasmine and I connected with the other teenagers on the trip and got to know them better. During the 4 days we were with them, Jasmine and I counted pills in the pharmacy for six hours, we counted 15,000 pills! The next day we filed thousands of papers in a tiny walk-in closet with no windows, which was tough. But we managed to file every paper while dancing and singing like we were rock stars. On Sunday we went to a traditional South African service. It was amazing to see someone give a sermon while someone else interpreted it in three different languages. Not to mention the spirit that was present and the singing!

When we finally reconnected with our other team members it was time to take another plane ride to Cape Town. This was a time for us to relax and process some of what we had experienced together. While in Cape Town we went shopping and explored the beautiful city. We walked down to the bazaar and shopped there for hours getting true South African souvenirs for our family and friends. Jasmine and I took a cable car up to Table Mountain and looked over the entire city and ocean. On our last day in South Africa we went to another traditional South African church. Even though we were not able to understand anything we still tried to sing along in Zulu (which has a lot of clicking in it). After church we went to a home where a young boy had AIDS and water on his brain; his mother had AIDS also and was very sick. We sat and listened to her story and then prayed with her. Her biggest concern was for her son. If we could, I would have taken him home, and she probably would have let us. We then were taken to our last Day Care in South Africa. The women at this house were taking care of children with disabilities. We talked to the women there about how they started the Day Care and how they work it. This center, like so many, was an oasis in the middle of a very poor neighborhood. I was impressed how organized and clean it was with so many children who also needed so much attention. After saying goodbye to them we left for the airport and headed back to America.

The two and a half weeks I spent in South Africa have changed my outlook on life. I now see things in a totally different perspective. Struggles that I deal with seem so little compared to the things that people there are dealing with every day. The strength and courage I saw present in people fighting with AIDS and HIV gives me courage to not give up with any obstacle I am now faced with. I have always had a burning desire to help people and now seeing how much of a difference the churches in SA are making with HIV/AIDS clinics and orphanages has encouraged me to help back in my home community. This year I am vice president of Beta Sigma Upsilon at my school and I am promoting our involvement with UNICEF which raises money for kids in Africa with AIDS. I will also continue to do volunteer work here, but now I have more insight into the human suffering people in poverty endure. I understand the hope that a little effort on my part can bring. Most importantly, I have come to realize that I get so much more than I give. I want to make a difference in the world and my trip to South Africa has made my desire even more powerful.

Thank you one more time for helping make this awesome experience happen for me! I will honestly never forget it!

In love,
Kaylynn

I Witnessed Love!

I attended this week’s worship at the Downtown Rescue Mission. Faith generally leads the worship service the third Monday of the month. I’ve come to enjoy these services though I wasn’t really expecting anything special. Wow, was I wrong!



Frank started the service with the question, “How do we know that Jesus is with us? What evidence do we have?” Then Nancy woke us all up with a rousing praise song sung as both round and energizer. Jerry then led us in confession and a message of forgiveness. Then Bob provided the message. It was about the bread of life using two passages from John. The second passage was about Jesus predicting his betrayal by Judas; John 13:21-27. The message was a truly Spirit inspired interpretation of Jesus’ identifying Judas by serving him bread. Given Jesus’ complete understanding of the importance of earthly bread and the bread of life he offers, this act was interpreted as both the initiation of the events of his crucifixion but simultaneously also a forgiving of Judas for the role he was about to play. Then Jerry and I served the people croissants; an act of service unlike any I had ever experienced before. It was humbling at the same time as being uplifting.



That service took me from low expectations, to awakeness, to forgiveness, to awe for the gifts of the bread of life and the presence of the Spirit, to truly experiencing a humble act of service. What better proof of the power and presence of Jesus in my life could I want?



But, oh no, He wasn’t done yet! After the conclusion this young woman came over to thank us and bless us for the service with tears in her eyes. She then approached Jerry and gave him a hug; and in that hug melted. The burden was too much and the tears started flowing. Jerry sat with her to pray. I don’t know what was discussed or confessed and I have no need to know. The picture of this woman’s tear filled face, full of both agony and release, in the full fatherly hug of the love of Christ will be forever etched in my memory.



Truly evidence aplenty for those that will open their eyes and see. I witnessed love!



Agape,
Dave

Whitesburg Workday

Faith Presbyterian volunteers included 13 people last Saturday. This mixture of all ages also included two families bringing their children. The group descended upon the Whitesburg campus about 9:00 am. I perceived it as an example of our Faith Family in action in our neighborhood. We all improved in our pruning, weeding, and clean up skills as we attempted to transform the court yard flower beds, trim the shrubs in the front and other areas of the school campus. Along side us was the principal, not sitting in his office but along side of us as well as the PTA president. Both were with us the entire time working hard to improve the grounds. As we left the campus, I saw visible signs of our efforts- branches of bushes piled high along the street and in the back of a truck, tools in stacks, and a transformed, cleaner campus. It was a good experience, a venturing of the Faith family connecting with neighborhood needs in our midst. I look forward to the next experience to continue the relationship. Hope that others will want to join us for the next venture!!

Sarah Curtis

Faith@School

The Faith@School ministry is very slowly taking on a shape of its own.

It was originally conceived as a way for Faith to reach out into the community and build strong ties of partnership with a single school. There was an effort to build on a successful reading buddy ministry at West Huntsville elementary school (WHES). The faintest inkling of partnership was budding when it was announced WHES would be merging with Morris elementary school. I say, faintest inkling, because establishing that partnership is a two-way street of trust and commitment, and that takes time to develop.

At the beginning of this school year Faith is trying to reform and restructure this ministry. In order to do that, a partnership of trust must be formed not only with the community but also within Faith Church itself. A luncheon meeting at Faith was held back in August with several school representatives, Second Mile Development, Youth Development Association and about a dozen or so Faith members. This was a very informative meeting highlighting the strong needs of the entire school system for community involvement. Particularly in these times of decreasing budgets, school restructuring, changing demographics, and anticipated rapid growth.

At a following Outreach Committee meeting the question of whether to focus on one school or several was discussed. Several individuals have been making inroads into relationships with several schools. Libba Nicholson is working with Morris Elementary, George Newell is working with Farley Elementary through a group from Redstone Village (not confirmed), and Sara Curtis is working with Whitesburg Elementary. While no formal decisions are being made, it appears this ministry effort is taking the form of multiple paths into involvement with Huntsville City Schools.

Given this direction that the Holy Spirit seems to be leading these folks and schools, the question that remains is what form of leadership and nurture does Faith Church pursue? The efforts of three individuals who happen to be Faith members does not make a Faith ministry and is likely not sustainable in the long run. However, their faithfulness offers Faith the opportunity to provide ministry to our community by ministering to these servants. How can Faith support them? How can Faith nurture more Faith members to engage in this multi-faceted school ministry to provide resources and more importantly a growing and sustainable source of ministry leaders to share the burdens and carry on the work in the long term? How can Faith bring these efforts together as a team rooted in God’s Word and Jesus’ example of servanthood? How can Faith bring them together to share successes and failures and strengthen one another? How does Faith strengthen these servants, and more, to spread out into the community?

Where will the Holy Spirit guide Faith Church in this ministry? What is the Spirit revealing to you? Share you thoughts, ideas, and prayers by commenting below.

Agape!

Lions & Pandas & Falcons, Oh My!

Click on your school mascot to go to
their website!