May 2009

The Vine

It seems to me that there is a common perception out there that following Jesus is a “fix all,” a magical moment which immediately heals all your wounds, removes all your addictions, and makes you a very happy person. As many of us know, the reality is, of course, not that simple, and certainly not that easy. Anyone who reads Paul’s lamenting of his own struggles in Romans 7 can come to the conclusion that, although Paul uses a lot of confusing repetition, it is clear that his life isn’t full of easy, breezy, beautiful moments. But rather he tells us that his own heart is at war, and that his only hope for rescue and redemption is in Jesus Christ.

Biblical lamenting, according to one of our partner churches Coram Deo expresses 4 things: Things are not right in the present arrangement, they need not stay this way but can be changed, the speaker will not accept them this way, and it is God’s obligation to change things. By studying Biblical history we can see that the God of the Bible invites us into lamenting the pain, hurt, and depths of sin and darkness we see in ourselves, others, and around us. Unfortunately I think that it is sometimes very easy for us to forget about the “around us” component.

Here at MCD, our hope and prayer is that we would not only lament the pain we have received from others and bestowed upon others, but that we would lament the depth of brokenness, isolation, and lack of value that many of our friends struggle with everyday. The community-wide Point in Time Count of homeless residents in Omaha and Council Bluffs (facilitated by the Metro Area Continuum of Care for the Homeless) on January 29, 2009 counted 1,258 people experiencing homelessness on that particular day. The percentage of those individuals who are chronically homeless remains above national statistics at 21%.

Whether you study statistics, or simply listen to someone’s story as you eat together at Life on the Brick or talk together at the Vine, it is clear that there is a need for us to take notice of those around us, to lament together, and as Paul did, look to Jesus for redemption, rescue, and His Kingdom to come.

Jodi Cooper, Community Coordinator

Life on the Brick

Rain…showers…thunderstorms…sunshine…warm air…yes, spring is here and at Life on the Brick spring creates excitement and anticipation.  As the temperatures rise so do the spirits of our friends.  Spring is a time of new beginnings.  Naturally, spring is a time that brings things back to life – grass that was brown and dead now grows and turns deep green, flowers that lay dormant for months begin to bud and produce colors so glorious only God could be their Gardener, trees with barren and naked branches filling once again with leaves bright and majestic.

In many ways spring also carries with it a sense of newness spiritually and emotionally.  We feel alive again.  We feel as though we can go out and conquer once again.  We breathe deep and long and feel invigorated, ready to take on anything.

As spring rolls on it is our desire to use this time of “newness” and “aliveness” that is in the air to challenge people to grow and change themselves for their betterment, not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well.  Here at LOB it is our intense desire to be available in any way possible for our friends, and together we can challenge each other to newness.

Kip Givens, Life of the Brick Coordinator

Park Avenue Community Meals

When first coming into the Park Avenue Community Meals on Saturdays, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I went into things a little shy, mostly just observing all of the things that were going on.  As time progressed, I began to have some really great conversations with some great new friends! I got to learn more about my new pals, Mike, Lola, Ethel and Joe from First Baptist Church.  They made me feel like I was already a part of the Park Avenue family, and also made my daughter feel the same way! Each week over a meal we share stories of our lives: Mike’s many stories of the restaurant business and his family in Las Vegas, Lola’s stories about Mike, Ethel’s stories about her wonderful family and all of Joe’s stories of his art and music! It is a great time of laughter, friendship and a lot of fun. It is very touching and comforting to be able to look forward to going to the Park Avenue Community Meal every Saturday, knowing that I will have a warm friendly smile and a hug from my new friends. It is exciting to see that the Community Meal is a place where anyone can come and be who they are, and find family. All because of a shared meal, you have the opportunity to make a couple of life-long friends. To me, this is a prime example of how a community should function, and in that it truly defines the word “community”.

Dana Givens, Companion Coordinator