Community 4:12

Blessing Bikes

One of the last places in the world you would probably expect to find me is at a gathering of Harley riders.  At least that's what a couple of people told me when they ran into me at Motorcycle Sunday in Phillips Park this morning!  My friend Randy, pastor at Warehouse Church, started this annual event several years ago as an outreach ministry to "bikers," and it just gets bigger every year.  On this chilly morning I was walking around in my very non-leather jacket when Mayor Weisner came up behind me and said, "I don't think we're dressed for the occassion!"  While we were quite out of our comfort zones, we both love Randy's heart for bringing Jesus to everyone, so were excited to be there.  I found myself more than once, though, thanking God that He has equipped us all to minister to different kinds of people.  Let's just say, I don't think I'd be very effective at leading too many of the folks I saw today into a personal relationship with Jesus . . . but Randy has probably led hundreds of them over the years to Christ.  Very cool stuff!   

Kingdom Work

Just got back from a couple of days at the Exponential Conference in Orlando.  This was my first church planting conference, and a couple of us representing community development went to the conference so that we can continue a dialogue we began in January about the need for bringing these two aspects of Kingdom work together.  I got to spend a lot of time with Mary Nelson, founder of the community development corporation, Bethel New Life, in Chicago.  She is retired now, but has 40 years of community development experience that she travels around the country sharing with others.  And what a bounty of wisdom and experience she is!  What a blessing it was to be with her.

We were part of a panel in a social justice workshop.  It was so encouraging to hear person after person say, "This is exactly what has been missing from this conference in the past.  We need more workshops like this!"  That was strong confirmation that the people looking to plant churches today are wanting to be more involved in urban ministry and under-resourced communities.

Got to hear a great talk by Andy Stanley on visioning and it was very cool to see Community's own Eric Bramlett emceeing the event!  Dave and Jon and our NewThing Network have set a model of church reproduction that others are hungry to learn from.  And how kingdom expanding will it be if we can create a model of church reproduction that has community development/social justice as part of its DNA?  I do believe that is the direction God is calling His church.  I can't wait until the CCDA (Christian Community Development Association) conference in Miami in October when some of the church planters will join us.  While both conferences pack close to 3,000 people in a room and feature terrific and inspiring teaching, they are two very different conferences in many ways.  The most obvious on the surface is that I could probably count on one (or maybe two) hands the number of people of color at the Exponential Conference.  I think that is indicative of the kinds of places that this type of church planter has historically focused their efforts (predominantly white, wealthier suburban areas).  And you can probably count on 1 or 2 hands the number of people at CCDA that are focused on planting churches.  But I think that is changing, which is why it is so important for church-planters and community developers to be working together.  The Church needs both in order to truly represent Christ to the world.  I am super excited about the opportunities on the horizon!

And the People Gave . . . Very Generously!

What an amazing weekend at Community!  We collected about $230,000 as part of our Celebration Generosity service to be used for the Jesus Mission in East Aurora, Uganda, Philippines, and Church Planting efforts through our New Thing Network.  The Neighborhood (East Aurora) Team raised over $72,000!  That will allow us to expand our Parent Mentor program, bring on a Leadership Resident for our future East Aurora Campus Pastor, hold 4 large community events, continue to support our tutoring and educational programs and begin some School for the Arts opportunities in the coming year.  A huge thank you to all of you who were part of this amazing celebration of generosity!

Celebration Generosity!

It is going to be a historic weekend at Community.  For the first time ever, every penny that we collect through our weekend offering, at all 9 campuses, will go towards HPFTHWBTG and eradicating poverty in Uganda, the Philippines, East Aurora, and through our NewThing Network.  Our attenders were asked to join one of these four teams several weeks ago, and this weekend they will have an opportunity to support those teams financially.  I have lots of dreams for what we'd like to do in East Aurora through Community 4:12 and the "Neighborhood Team," so I am excited to see what will be possible because of the generosity of Community attenders!

Thanks, Tom!

Thank you so much, Tom, for designing our new Community 4:12 logo and the banner for this blog!  The name Community 4:12 does not have an obvious meaning, so we wanted a logo that similarly makes people think.  There is so much symbolism in this new logo if people want to think that deeply about it.  But for those who don't, it is just cool looking!  You rock, Tom! 

Introducing Serving Jesus Blog!

I'm really excited to introduce a brand-new blog at CCC.  Our Small Groups Director, Eric Metcalf, has created a site so that small groups and others can stay informed about upcoming service opportunities offered through a variety of ministries.  Click here to check it out!

Come Read To Us Day!

Have 30 minutes you can spare next Wednesday, April 16th, between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm?  Then come be a guest reader for Brady School's "Come Read to Us!" Day.  I'm going to be reading for a Kindergarden class at 9:00.  You can pick your own book to bring, or have the teacher provide one for you.  I did this last year and it was so cool to see moms, businessmen, government officials and college kids coming to the school to read.

It makes a huge statement to the kids that you would take time out of your schedule to spend 30 minutes with them!  For more information or to sign up, click here to email Michele Zwart!

Writing . . . necessity or extra-curricular?

I love to write.  I have always been able to express myself so much better in writing than verbally.  So it breaks my heart that my kids are not learning to love to write.  We knew there would be many aspects of their education that would not be as "top-notch" here in East Aurora district 131 schools as they were in Naperville district 203.  And we're mostly okay with that, knowing that education is far more than what you learn in school.  But, the one area that I notice a huge difference in what is taught and required of the kids here is in the area of writing. 

There is so much need to focus on the basic reading and math skills that writing seems to be a subject that gets the short end of the stick.  But for me, knowing how to communicate effectively in writing is an absolutely essential life-skill.  I know the boys are young, so there is time for that skill and that love of writing to emerge, but it worries me a little that they aren't starting young.

So, being the "fix-it" kind of person I am, we are starting a new evening routine around the Strand house.  After dinner everyone is going to sit together and "journal."  Each person can write whatever they want, they just have to write something.  I figured I'd get all kinds of moans and groans about that, but last night after picking out their own special notebooks, the boys each eagerly sat down to write!  Brian decided to write a story, and Erik wanted to draw and write the step-by-step plans for building a fort in our backyard.  I suggested about 15 minutes---not wanting to expect or push too much.  I'd say they each went for at least 30 minutes.  Granted it was a new and novel experience, so I suspect it won't be that easy most nights, but it did my heart good to see the boys ENJOYING creative writing!

Casting a Lighthouse Vision

The vague vision and dream is starting to feel more real.  Tonight we held our Neighborhood Team Vision Dinner in the building that we dream will one day become The Lighthouse.  About 200 people gathered, some from Aurora, some from CCC, to hear about our vision for the church and community center we hope to open in East Aurora.  I am obviously pretty biased, but it felt like a powerful night . . . like God is really up to something.  I still really don't know what is going to happen, but I think after taking this vision public and asking 200 people to join us in this mission, we've got some serious momentum building.  Now I just pray that God keeps us moving in the right direction.  If we are moving this fast in the wrong direction, we're in for a serious trainwreck; but if we're moving where God is leading, it feels like we are heading down the runway about to take flight!  If you happened to be at the dinner tonight, I'd love to know what's stirring in your spirit about all of this.

My New Role Model

I had the great pleasure of meeting with Father David Engbarth of our Lady of Good Counsel church in East Aurora yesterday.  Ever since we started working in this community, I've heard people talk about him as a Priest unlike any other.  And now I know why.  I'd have to say he rose to hero stature in my eyes pretty quickly into our conversation!

This Anglo man has committed himself heart, mind, and soul, to helping Catholics, and in particular Hispanic Catholics, move from being what he calls "sacramental Catholics" to "evangelical Catholics."  What an evangelical this man his.  He has only been at Our Lady for a little over a year (he served for over a decade at another big church in the area).  When he arrived the congregation was 95% anglo, even though the church is in a community that is 80% Hispanic.  There was nothing done in Spanish, and the congregation kind of preferred it that way.  He has been on a mission to create a truly multi-cultural congregation and 4 months ago they started their first Spanish mass.  They now have over 600 people attending that every week.  And I am fully confident that they are hearing a powerful Word of God when they listen to Father David every week.  And talk about a heart for the poor and suffering and marginalized.  He believes that Jesus preaches a holistic gospel that cares about every aspect of a person--mind, body, soul.

I want to be like Father David when I grow up!