News On Poverty and Outreach

I have to admit I am a little more wild and crazy about the scope of outreach, poverty, how to make a difference, and social justice since coming home from NOC. If I lose the fire, will someone please slap me? Is that too harsh? It is too easy to become complacent, so I may need a firm reminder. Verbal slapping is fine too, as long as you speak the truth in love. I guess that makes it more of a swat. Anyway, enough of that.

I subscribe to Outreach Magazine, which is the print publication arm of the organization that hosted the convention. I want to share two excerpts from the latest issue of the magazine which arrived two days ago, and I carry with me everywhere now, trying to read five minutes here, five minutes there...

"The best intervention for churches is not to try to save the world. It is to find what is working already and serve the people who are making it happen." Charles N. North and Bob Smiletana, Good Intentions: Nine Hot-Button Issues Viewed Through he Eyes of Faith. I probably should add this to my already too long reading list (if I cant' find more than five minutes to read a magazine, when on earth am I going to read a book, never mind that I have contracts to write two, and so many ideas swirling around in my head it is giving me a headache).
Anyway, I think my church, Community Mennonite Fellowship in Milton, PA does a good job of this, and is becoming better and better at it all the time. We are developing a close partnership with Hand Up Foundation (OK so some of you are probably getting tired of hearing about them, but they are just right on target...) and are now in conversation (our church leadership) with forming a Social Needs Response Team that can partner with folks already involved in building those relationships for transformation by meeting needs and serving.

I absolutely believe that one person can make a difference. Are you? Just food for thought.

Another quote from the same magazine excerpted from Reckless Faith Let Go and Be Led by Beth Guckenberger, states, "It's too easy for those of us who work with the poor to forget to address their poverty. We work around them or on behalf of them but often we still don't know how they live or how to help. We have a responsibility to be God's hand and feet in their lives, for God cares about their hungry bellies, hurting fee, bug-infested beds and runny noses." I went to a great workshop at NOC which dealt specifically with ministry to the poor. The session was titled, "Understanding Poverty in the Pursuit of Souls: Outreach to the Poor." It was excellent and given by Sadell and Sherman Bradley who serve in the Cincinnati area with Equipping Ministires International and City Gospel Mission respectively.

We must build relationships with these folks too, not simply toss our discarded leftovers in their direction. It's one of those push you out of your comfort zone things, but one with huge impact for giver and receiver. Don't be afraid to ask them how they are, invite them for a meal, invest a little bit of time. Like I remarked in my comment to Weekend Musings, becoming homeless is a lot closer as a personal reality, if not for us, then certainly for someone we know than we believe.

Find someone to bless today.
Peace.