Hurtin World out There

Today I switched up my visitation schedule slightly. Normally I head out on the visiting trail in the afternoon, but I had a parishioner in AGH that was being discharged this morning. So after I dropped Abby off at daycare, I headed out. After visiting AGH and Mercy, I went to Jefferson Hospital for my last visit. I had a great visit with the parishioner.
On my way out, I witnessed a woman crying and was practically shouting out, "Can anyone take me home? I was in the ER and they released me. I have no money and no one will take me home."
I witnessed as I was coming closer to her that others were just walking by her giving her the cold shoulder. Something struck me hard in that moment. I just stopped and asked, "Are you ok?" She responded with the same question she asked earlier about finding a ride. I asked, "Where are you going?" She told me where she was going, actually near the church.
I told her I could take her there. Normally, I don't just pick up strangers. But this was different. She needed help. I was not going to just let this woman sit there in pain waiting for something to fall in her lap.
As we left I heard her say, "Oh, I am thirsty." We stopped in the drive thru at Chik-Fil-A. She thanked me many times for her coke (her husband works for Pepsi) As we were driving her phone rang. It was her husband. She told him a pastor was bringing her home and she was in good hands. After she hung up, her phone ran again. It was her doctor's office. As she explained her troubles, I felt so bad for her. Multiple health issues...former drug use and treatment... the list went on and on.
As we got closer to the house, she continued to thank me as she sipped on her coke. I told her I was just thankful I could have been there to help. I told her, "Normally, I am not there at lunchtime." She said, "I truly believe God put you in my life today for a reason. A good reason. Thank you for being a good person." I told her I would be praying for her and she got out of the van and went in her house to rest.
Now that I am serving in the city, I see more needs around me than I ever did. I see physical hurting, emotional hurting and people who are spiritually needy. As I drove into the North Side this am, I witnessed people in wheelchairs, homeless and in great need. As I walked out of Jefferson, I witnessed one who had all three hurts that I mentioned above. As I came back to the office, I heard over the phone and through e-mail the pain that some in the church family are experiencing. There is a need to be the light of Christ to a hurting world. Wow, did I see it today. I am thankful God used me and you today to give testimony of the hope Christ can bring.
John 17:20 Jesus said, "I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me because of their testimony."

Parent Night at School

Tonight I had the opportunity to visit Aaron's third grade classroom. At Baldwin-Whitehall, the old days of Open House are no longer. Our proud children cannot take us on a tour of their classroom, locker or school. So Jennifer had the kids and it was my turn to be the parent attending Parent Night.

As I was the last one in the room at the end filling out my paper work (as always the case), Aaron's teacher said, "Oh, another lefty." I said, "Yes, another lefty. Don't you just love smearing ink and lead all over your hands?" She laughed and told me that she smears dry erase markers all over the board when she writes in class. I laughed and told the teacher that I used to have the same problem when I taught 1st grade in Florida. She then said she did not know I was a teacher. I told her that was my previous profession and God called me into pastoral ministry.

That started a conversation! She went on to tell me about her church and all the great things happening there. We shared our faith with each other tonight and was so pleased to hear that Aaron was being taught this year by a born again Christian woman whose love for Christ Jesus is evident.

It has been such a joy since Sunday's kickoff service to hear of the wonderful stories how Baldwin's parishioners have been sharing their faith this week in the world we live. I ministered to a dying parishioner and her family today at Asbury Heights. As we held hands, read Scripture, laughed and shed tears, I was pleased to hear how this woman shares her faith to all the staff at Asbury Heights. In the midst of one of life's most intimate journeys, this one individual still shares the love of Christ with all she meets.

How have you witnessed those people in life sharing their faith to all they meet? Have people witnessed the same by you and your actions? Thank God for Aaron's teacher and the parishioner I ministered today. Thank God for their ministering to me.

After a Long Long Long Vacation

Thanks for all the well wishes during my long, long, long vacation! I signed off of blogland right before heading to the Outer Banks. During my two week vacation, I knew in the back of my head that August would look somewhat of a blur to me. It really was just that, a blur!!

Almost a year ago, we began praying for God's leading in developing an alternative service at Baldwin Community. Back then, I thought September 9 was a long way off! Wow, how time flies right by. After a year of prayer and preparation, The Asbury Alternative, http://www.asburyalternative.com/ got off to a most blessed start! Yesterday, we had our first worship service and there was no greater sense of thankgiving by seeing many chairs being added to the existing chairs already in place five minutes before the worship began.

The band rocked, the crowd was in tune to the leading of God's Holy Spirit, and I was just floored by the level of excitement this worship brought to God and to all of God's people.

We faced many obstacles in the week prior to the first Sunday. Our lead keyboard, had to take on many more responsibilities at work and had to resign from playing, our lead guitarist, was in the hospital for a potential heart attack, equipment was not in on time, as it was backordered. Satan had a real desire to thwart this opportunity. But the prayers to our God kept coming. We were not going to give up, even if it meant me and our drummer. By week's end, we had a full band. All positions were filled! Our lead quitarist did not have a heart attack! Praise God! We even found (after a year searching) our bass guitarist by mid-week. This group bonded together in such a most awesome way. All equipment was in and installed by Wednesday!

Thank you all for praying for the start of this new service. Your prayers were certainly answered. It was a true joy for all to be a part of something so new and fresh yesterday. After a year of planning for September 9, 2007, I told the band, "Yes, we do have worship on September 16th!"