What A Weekend!!!

Last weekend we had such a great day at Sunset Youth Services trying to be helpful and having fun at the same time. Our projects:

·         Beautify the front by planting flowers

·         Clean the Center

·         Paint the Center

·         Paint the climbing wall

·         Hang the awards and plaques in the main lobby

·         Demo the Stueckles’ garage level to prepare for the building of a music studio

·         Everything else that Ron and Dawn asked us to do

I think what struck me as we were eating Mutasem’s chicken for lunch and I looked around was how amazing our church community really is. Where else do you see 50 people kids, teens, singles, marrieds, young hipsters, older folks all working together to help out the city. I was struck by the amount of people who asked if we were doing community service. I was also blown away at the amount of positive feedback we got in regards to our kids working. As we move forward as a community I think we will look back on Saturday as a milestone, a crossroads. It felt like this is what why we are here.

Jesus was walking along with his disciples trying to get from the Lake to Jarius’ house when Jesus stops and asks a crazy question: “who touched me?” The question was crazy because who wasn’t touching him, he was in the middle of a crowd who was surrounding him because of all of the miracles that were being performed. The crowd was following him because they loved him and wanted to see God at work and as crowds do they were bumping into him anxious to touch and be touched by him and he asks the question: “who touched me?”

A woman comes forward. She came trembling and fell at the feet of Jesus. I would imagine that she was afraid, afraid that she had done something wrong, afraid that she was going to get into trouble. Instead, she explained that she had touched Jesus because she knew if she touched him she would be made well. She had been bleeding for twelve years and nothing she had tried was working. Twelve years, that is my son’s entire life. She bled, which would have made her unclean. She would have been unable to participate in temple worship, or be married, or be around her family. She suffered for twelve years and wanted to be healed so she fought the crowd to touch the hem of his cloak, the edge of his clothes. She did not need to touch his hands, or his face just the garments he was wearing was enough and she would be made whole again. She touched it and was made well.

After her explanation she was sent off in peace by Jesus.

Scripture calls us the Body of Christ.

My hope and prayer is that our presence, our love and joy and service is a small part of the healing process for the neighborhood and the kids that are a part of Sunset Youth Services. Even though we may fall short as a church sometimes, I believe that we can at least be the hem of his garment. I think Saturday was a great step in the journey He has called us on.

Learning from Jesus to seek Justice, love and serve others and walk humbly with God.

Peace

Edwin