Update Tuesday - Celebration

We are celebrating a new job!  Not for us, but for one of the members of our fellowship.  More than just a job, however, this new employment opportunity really represents a fresh start.  We first met this young lady while we were on the street serving coffee and sandwiches to the homeless.  She herself was not homeless, but just happened to be walking by.  After a street closure, her bus had been diverted and so she was walking to the next stop to get a transfer when she happened upon our group.  We had the opportunity to chat, and she seemed intrigued by a group of people who would give of their time to hit the streets and serve our neighbours in need.   We exchanged contact information that afternoon, but to be honest, I wasn't really expecting much to come of it.  That was until the next week when she called to ask about our Wednesday fellowship meeting.   That was 9 months ago and this young lady has been coming ever since. We have been able to learn a lot more about each other.  She grew up with the Children's Aid (Child Protective Services) in foster care and group homes.  At seventeen she was sent out on her own with an allowance and moved to Hamilton because rents are cheaper.    Even with cheaper rents, finding and keeping quality jobs has been difficult and she has needed help at times for basic necessities such as groceries.   In a new city, with few relationships, and little support as she tried to figure out a direction for her life she found us.  To be honest, we are not the most obvious fit.  We have few people in her age bracket and no "young adult" programs geared for her.  But, on the other hand, what we do have is equally important if not more so.  We have people who are willing to give of themselves.  We have people willing to give love, time, advice and spiritual council.  Some of the more mature ladies have been able to walk with her, encouraging her spiritual growth and giving wise council.  The past few weeks have been fun to watch.  She was the first to invite a friend to our social night.  She also took the challenge of planning the music part of our worship time last week, pouring over the passage we would be looking at and picking music accordingly.  While most people just pick their favourite songs, she picked a song she had never heard just because the words fit so perfectly with the theme of the night.  She is really engaged in our bible study times, not afraid to ask the honest and tough questions.  After much discussion with other ladies on our group, she was finally able to begin to share some of the goals and direction that she has begun to set for the upcoming year.  In the midst of this, she was able to find a new job, one into which she has been pouring herself, diligently studying and working hard.  Even last night my wife got a text asking what she could be studying while we are away.   It has been a priviledge to watch her begin to get her life on a healthy trajectory with Jesus.   In all the planning and talking about growth and numbers, I can sometimes forget that what we do really is about people, it is about helping people connect to Jesus and walking with each other to see Jesus change lives; hopeless to hopeful, purposeless to purposeful, needing to giving. 

This week has also been full of some great conversations.    Some things are being put into place and details are coming together so that hopefully I will have some exciting news to share in the coming weeks.
I am out of town for the next few weeks, a week of vacation followed by some visits to ministry partners.  I am not sure there will be updates over the next two weeks or not but at the very latest I will be updating things again in three weeks.
Thanks for all of you who continue to support and pray for our ministry here in Hamilton.  We so appreciate all you do!!!

Update Tues - Not So Fresh a Start

Well, it did not end up being quite as fresh a start as I had hoped for in 2013.  Although we worked extremely hard to find a safe place for our oldest son, he had a meltdown on Sunday night.  After trying to bring him down for a number of ours the staff at the residence had to call an ambulance and the police.  Our son was taken to a hospital in the nearest city where they deemed him not to be in an acute situation.  Because of this, and because they had no open beds they did not admit him.  His previous residence could not take him back because of a number of questions about his condition that the hospital could not provide answers for.  He was thus released somewhere in the city, but because he is considered an adult by the law, confidentiality precludes anyone from sharing any information about his whereabouts with us.  
I was hoping that this week would bring an update with a few more things about the ministry, and a few things to be celebrating, but those may have to wait.
We would ask for your prayers to discern next steps, for Daniel's safety, for the emotional well being of the other kids and also for the ministry as we continue to seek God's leading for moving forward.
 

Update Tues - Fresh Start

I am not really one for making New Year's resolutions.  To be honest I am not sure if it is a philosophical decision to not make them, or just laziness.  It could very well be either, or both.  There is something, however, about new beginnings or fresh starts that can help spur on the imagination and help one to think ahead that can be both healthy and invigorating.  I think that I am probably at this place as I write this first post of 2013.  I have actually taken some time away from cleaning my office space to write this morning.  As many of you know the last six to eight months have been a bit of a roller coaster ride for my family, and the last month in particular, has been down right chaotic.  My office has mirrored this chaos and was almost unusable.  Today, however, I am happy to report that things for our family have shifted to what will hopefully be a new normal with everyone safe, happy and on the road to healing.  We found a residential facility for our oldest son who has been struggling with mental health issues this past year.  It seems to be a great place with a great program and both he and we are really excited for him.  We have also been able to bring our other children home after being apart for almost four weeks.  So today is the first day of a new beginning, a fresh start.  Now that family things have started to even out, it was time that my office be cleaned out in preparation for the fresh start to carry over to life and work.
As I look to 2013, I anticipate it being another busy year with a lot of positive things personally and for the ministry.  After finishing a one year bible reading plan, I am a little over a week into a new chronological reading plan that will lead me through the bible once again, but this time organized around the chronological order of events found within scripture.  I am excited to see what God may reveal this time through.
We are also beginning the year with a friend who will be living with us for the semester.  Graham, a friend from camp, has started a co-op placement within Hamilton and so has come to live with us.  He seems very interested in learning about what and how we do ministry and so I am looking forward to the opportunity to share and pour into him over the next few months.    One near future goal is to be able to house interns here in Hamilton and this will give me a great opportunity to experiment and do a dry run, and hopefully it will be fruitful for Graham as well.
Similarly, I am hoping to spend more time this year with current leaders and with some new ones as well, pouring into them and mentoring them along.  If our goal is to start a growing network of fellowships, and not just one small group, then leadership development will be key.  I am looking forward to continuing on and growing this part of my role in 2013.
I think that this year will also bring with it the need to grow an administrative framework that will facilitate the a growing network of small fellowships including leadership structure and, most importantly, financial services.  Be praying about this one because I hate administrative stuff! 
These are just a few of the thoughts that I see leading us into this new year.  I am looking forward to 2013 bringing new leaders, new fellowships and new experiences of which we would never have even dreamed!