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Location: Blogs Brad's BlogMid-Week Missive |
 | | Posted by: Brad Miller | 6/24/2009 3:24 PM | Greetings on this beautiful day!
So, who says things slow down in the summer? You’d never prove it around here! So far this summer we’ve had Family Camping Fun, Pink Flamingo Flocking Season has begun and several of our kids have already had a great time at Camp Christian. Then of course there is the work going on around our building and grounds and the preparation for even more work late in the summer or early in the fall. And in mid July we will welcome Theatre Camp for kids of all ages and grades into our facility. We also will most likely be serving as overnight hosts for a group or two on their way mission trips on the gulf coast. Whew!
But in the midst of all this activity around and in our church, there are always opportunities to make sure we step away from our own place and space in search of what Jesus called the “others”…the widows and orphans, the dispossessed, the lonely, the elderly, the sick and those who simply need to know that someone cares. As we begin our program year in the fall, one of my goals is to make sure that while we spend so much time and effort on what is physically happening at the corner of Lanier and Peachtree, we reach out beyond these walls in continued service to our community. To that end, I seek your help in giving our community service/outreach ministry ideas of where we might become involved with regular service projects. It is fine and good to give of our resources to ministries outside our church, but the real blessing we can provide is when we connect up those gifts with the gift of our presence. What if we designated one Saturday afternoon a month to service projects away from the church. What if one Saturday a group of us went to Campbell Stone to visit with folks and help out with small chores? What if one Saturday a group went to the Food Bank to help out in their valuable ministry? What if one Saturday we went to the City of Refuge to help restock the clothes closet, or prepare lunch for the residents or simply to just go and play with the kids? What if one Saturday a group of folks went to do yardwork at a homebound neighbor’s house? How about taking a Saturday to paint one of the apartments at the Interfaith Outreach Home? I bet you can think of a lot more where we can take 3 or 4 hours and 10 to 12 people and really make a difference.
I know that many of you do volunteer work on your own. I hope that you will take my challenge to heart and let me know what kinds of activities you would like to participate in, what kinds of ministries you would like to support with your time and presence.
To get you thinking (and to enlist your support to help out if you are able) take a look at this message from Daonne Caldwell of our BCC Garden Club.
"The Oglethorpe University – Brookhaven Community Garden is on the Oglethorpe University (OU) campus. The mission (purpose) of the Community Garden is to bring together the University (its faculty, staff, students, and contractors), the Brookhaven Community, and committed friends to develop a vegetable garden for the production of locally grown, locally distributed (shared), healthy products (food) that feed those in need and heighten the awareness and appreciation of, and commitment to living in harmony with our environment and as a community. Brookhaven Christian Church is one of the Garden’s founding organizations. Thus, a member of BCC serves as a member of the Garden’s Governance Council, which meets once a month. The council is responsible for the Garden oversight, fund raising, and food distribution. During the summer months, BCC will host the Governance Council meetings.
BCC’s involvement in the Garden is not a BCC Garden Club project. Rather it is community outreach and service. From the 2008 fall harvest, turnip greens, broccoli and mustard greens, were provided to the Oglethorpe Presbyterian Church (OPC) Food Pantry. From the summer garden, cucumbers were supplied on Monday June 22, with plans for more cucumbers as well as green beans, tomatoes, and squash to follow shortly.
BCC is welcome to schedule activities that will support the Garden’s mission. St. Martin’s School and OPC have already taken advantage of this opportunity. In the fall, children from St. Martin’s School helped Oglethorpe students paint the sides of the raised beds. Next Thursday, July 2, OPC Vacation Bible School Students will be visiting the Garden to learn how to harvest beans and spread worm castings. Members of BCC will be instructing the students.
Currently, BCC is responsible for watering the Garden each Monday through the end of August. If anyone is interesting in helping with the watering or wants more information about the Garden, please contact Daonne Caldwell at 404-364-9593 or daonne@bellsouth.net."
So, how can you help? From watering a garden to holding babies to helping prepare meals to just visiting with folks who might appreciate a visit…let me know what you think and I’ll do what I can to make it happen. Because after all, this is what we are called to do.
For an updated prayer list and list of upcoming events, please go to www.brookhavenchristian.org
For your prayer list:
Please keep Terry Downs and his family in your prayers. Terry is a good friend of Shane Pinson who has been struggling with cancer since just before Christmas. He has undergone surgery and various treatments and while his prognosis is uncertain, at best, he continues to go forward with a remarkable attitude. Please keep Terry, his wife Leann and his four children in your prayers.
Please keep the Groff Family who have been in process of adopting a Russian girl who is now 5 years old. Health issues and governmental red tape have slowed the process. The Groff’s ask for prayers that the adoption would move forward and the health issues would be addressed. The Groff’s are friends of Kerry Whatley.
Upcoming Events
There is still time to register for Theatre Camp here at BCC for kids of all ages 5 through high school. Basic Acting Skills will take place July 13 – 17 and Shakespeare for Kids will take place July 20 – 24. For more information go to www.theatreworksofga.com
“Flocking Season” is in full swing. If you would like to assist our Flamingo Friends find a temporary home (they are very quiet and quite lovely) on the lawn of someone you love (or not) contact Chief Flamingo Wrangler Lauren Evans.
I hope to see you in worship this Sunday as we celebrate “Praise on Peachtree” in the fellowship hall. (Remember, the summer schedule is slightly different for P.O.P. – after this Sunday the next two P.O.P.’s will be Sunday August 2 and Sunday August 30. The theme this week is “Wise or Foolish” and the scripture is Matthew 7: 24-27. Have a great rest of the week!
Be peaceful,
Brad | | | Permalink | Trackback |
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