Dream Team

We had a productive meeting Sunday. Last time we met, we generated a host of ideas. This time, we honed our agenda for the rest of the year and began the process of tackling the nuts and bolts required to pull off some ambitious programs.

If you couldn't be there Sunday, I hope you'll join us next time. These meetings have been both inspiring times to dream as well as exciting times as we see plans take shape and start down the road to reality.

And if you are interested in joining the Community Day planning team, let me know. We will be meeting soon to nail down plans for this August event that will serve as a launchpad for other programs. We will work side by side with our neighbors to serve residents of our cities in the morning at several project sites, and then party together in the afternoon back at the church parking lot.

Some areas of Community Day where you can help:

• Service Project Planning
• Advertising/Community Involvement
• Sponsorships
• Food
• Games
• Basketball Tournament

In addition to Community Day, we have a busy summer ahead of us. We'll be cleaning our Adopt-a-Block area monthly, working at the Habitat site on July 15, hosting a community game night in late July, and planning a community-themed worship service for Sunday, July 30.

Things are happening, and we need the whole body to make them work! Please pray now for the hearts of those we will meet through these activities. And pray for our own hearts as we are challenged and called into service and commitment to one another and our neighbors.

Adopt-a-Block

Saturday, June 10 will be our first Adopt-a-Block clean-up day. We'll meet in the Spazier lot at 10:00 a.m.

We'll pick up trash, remove graffiti, and generally clean up Spazier Avenue between Glenwood and Glenoaks Boulevard, as well as Glenoaks between Spazier and Elm. The City of Glendale will provide the necessary supplies. Just show up!

Habitat Work Day Rescheduled

Good news! The church's volunteer day with Habitat for Humanity's Palmer project in Glendale has been rescheduled for Saturday, July 15. We will start work around 8 a.m. and wrap around 3 p.m. We'll post a new sign up sheet shortly.

Have a home improvement project coming up? Are you a contractor looking for a place to donate materials left over from previous jobs? Check out the Builders Surplus Store in Pasadena. We went on Saturday and found it's a great resource for just about any project. And all proceeds benefit the San Gabriel Valley Habitat.

Additionally, Habitat is looking for volunteers to provide lunches on volunteer work days. And they can always use volunteers during the week in their office. If you're interested in helping with either of these, let me know by leaving a post here (or contact Habitat directly) so we can set this up. It's important that as people of faith we support and advocate for those who are tackling poverty in our community.

Habitat Work Day Postponed

We will not be volunteering at the Habitat site on Saturday. Due to problems on the site, the structural engineer has had to revise the drawings. They now plan to start work in June. I will keep you updated and will let you know as soon as we set a new date.

"Let Us Be You"

I heard this song for the first time last night at the Pepperdine Lectures. I thought it was worth posting the lyrics as they relate a theme not often enough expressed in our church music.

"Let Us Be You"
Words and Music by
Clarissa Cox and Michael Lusk

Live in our hearts, fill this body.
Stir our spirits, help us serve!
Walk with our feet to the hurting.
Let us be You, revive Your church!
Let us be You on this earth.

Let us be You when a wounded soul cries out for hope,
Let us be You when the lonely need to know they're not alone
Just as Your stars pierce through the night
Let us forever shine Your light!
Let us be You, let us be You on this earth.

Reach with our hands, touch this city.
Lord, let our mouths speak Your truth!
Use our blessings to bring justice.
Let us be You, revive Your church!
Let us be You, on this earth.

Dream Team Meeting

Please note that the Dream Team meeting will now take place on Sunday, May 21 at 12:30 p.m. Come prepared to plan logistics for the summer and spend time in prayer.

Beginnings

Beginnings are always exciting. When I'm writing, the beginning is always my favorite part, because the possibilities are endless.

But beginnings are tricky. Beginnings sometimes make a lot of promises that never deliver. There's nothing more disappointing than a calendar full of good intentions and grand ideas that don't materialize.

I'm determined that we won't see that happen with the Community Ministry. So far, so good. We've almost filled our roster for Habitat for Humanity and Big Sunday. And the support for more outreach into the community is great. But it's about more than numbers and programs.

I have a lot of anticipation regarding the future. As with the beginning of any story, the possibilities really are endless. I hope that we won't allow our plans and expectations to get in the way of God's design. He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. And so, more important than all of the upcoming events is prayer.

Please be in prayer over our hearts -- that they would be open to our neighbors. For our neighbors' hearts -- that they would be open to the love of the Lord and forgiving of our shortcomings. Pray that God will send us workers to fill needs, and leaders to direct and shepherd our church. Pray for mighty acts of God in this neighborhood, that he will make his presence known and surpass our human limitations. Pray that we will be prompted to pray even more. Finally, pray for the events ahead, and for those to come that we don't yet even know about.

As we get to know our neighbors, things will change. Because we want to be sensitive to the needs of our community, and not simply adhere to a preordained agenda, things will change. It's a relationship, not a program.

Upcoming Events
May 7 - Big Sunday
May 13 - Habitat for Humanity Work Day
May 14 - Dream Team Meeting
May 20 - Glendale Graffiti Paint Out
Summer:
Adopt a Block
Community Day (service day)
Community Block Party/BBQ
Basketball Tournament

Big Sunday, May 7

May 7 is Big Sunday, the LA area-wide day of service. They're expecting 25,000 volunteers, and we'll have fifteen from the church volunteering at a family field day for PATH Achieve Glendale from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Check out the Big Sunday web site here. We still have some spots open. I hope you'll join us if you can.

Welcome to Glenoaks and Spazier!

This is going to be the official blog for the Community Ministry at the Glendale Church of Christ in Glendale, CA. You can visit the church's official website here.

If you live in Glendale, Burbank, or any of the surrounding areas, I hope this blog will be of some service to you. I'm going to chronicle events as they happen as well as address concerns and issues that affect our cities and neighborhoods.

If you're somewhere else and just visiting electronically, it's great to have you around! Please browse and comment where you wish. I hope this blog can become a virtual community that transcends our geographically-focused ministry.

I encourage everyone to take part in discussion and suggestions for how this space can better serve you. This ain't my space...it's Glenoaks and Spazier, and a lot of people call it home.