trip two

greetings! (and salutations!)

today we leave for trip number two. we are heading to Miami University of Ohio for a Jr High Conference called Celebration. This time will very much be like camp for these kids, just on a college campus. Also Tom (my mentor) is the lead guy on the conference, and Josh ,the associate youth pastor, is the emcee, so things are going to be pretty crazy. please pray for:
-ENERGY
-wisdom as we work with Jr High kids around the clock (this is nothing new, but always comes with it's challenges)
-the students themselves, that they may be inspired by the Holy Spirit to pursue a life dedicated to Christ.
-the leaders that God will continue to grow and work in our lives through this conference.

Again i thank you for your continued prayers. They mean more than you know! God is working here and you have a part in it! Thank you!

May we further His Kingdom by His power wherever we are!

grace and peace,

-joel

First Trip Down . . . Three to Go ! ! ! !

Greetings Friends!

On Sunday I returned from a Missions Trip to Ann Arbor. That may sound weird considering Knox is in Ann Arbor. Let me get you in on the vision of the trip:

The Ann Arbor area (and Knox) are very well off communities, so students don’t really see the needs of the city and surrounding communities. For this trip we traveled into the city and stayed at a Christian fraternity house which served as our hub as we divided into 3 teams to serve at over 12 different missions and organizations ranging from soup kitchens to pregnancy counseling centers to a boarding school for the developmentally disabled. This trip is to open the student’s eyes to those hurting and in need in their own community and to share Christ’s heart for them. It is to reveal to them the mission field they cannot retreat from. This is the mission field they live in every day.

The typical day would look like this:

6:30 – Wake up eat breakfast

7:00 – Time with God (devos focused on community)

7:30 – meet and depart for morning service

11:00 – debrief reflect on service

Noon – eat lunch

1:30 – travel to afternoon service site

5:00 – debrief reflect on service

6:00 – supper

8:00 – evening session (focusing on selflessness found in our relationship with Christ and how that ties into community)

10:00 – prep for next day’s service

12:00 – common room in the frat is closed – most kids went to bed around 10:30-11

The trip was a great success. We have a lot of follow up to do as we keep trying to help the teen’s change of perspective move into regular action!

Here are some pictures of some things we did

For one of the meals an entire teams needed to feed 8-10 people for $5. This is one of those meals. This was to give a glimpse into the life of someone who must feed a family on very little income.

Each team spent an entire day using Ann Arbor public transportation. We did this to experience what it was like to be on someone else's time the whole day. We had organizations we had to be at at certain times, if we missed the bus we couldn't serve. This was also a responsibility and team builder.

This is a group that has just finished making a meal for aprox 40 people at the Ronald McDonald House on the Medical Campus of the University of Michigan Hospital

These girls have just finished serving a meal at a local soup kitchen

Brandon is digging a hole for the sign of the community garden outside of a center dedicated to providing protection for women and children in abusive relationships as well as women who are sexually active.

These are only a few of the organizations are youth were able to serve with. We hope than many of our student will make a commitment to return and serve at some of these organizations.

My mentor’s wife had surgery last Tuesday and things are looking good. It will be a few weeks until they are able to prescribe a treatment. Please keep them in your prayers as they continue to go through this process.

Here is a picture of the Robinson Family you can put a prayer to a face. Ruthann is in the back left and going clockwise there is Tom, Molly, and Sarah.

I am continually learning from both of the youth Pastors here at Knox as we discuss and execute different plans dealing with many of the eternal grey areas of ministry. I feel so blessed to be working with people who have a passion of developing youth who are ready to deal with the real issues of the world and life and not just the Christian issues of life (aka a sheltered life of Christian brainwashing – harsh language I know).

Your prayers are felt here in Ann Arbor. God is working up here and he has a lot planned for everyone. I pray that he continues to stretch and grow me as he faithfully leads me through this time of learning.

Please keep in prayer:

• The youth that went on the Ann Arbor trip, that they will strive for a deeper understanding of everyday service in community
• This week. This week is going to be crazy as we need to:
• Finish things for a middle school conference Knox heads up at Miami University every year. We leave Monday. There will be around 250 youth total.
• Write lessons and programming for our weekly ministries here at Knox
• Plan and execute 2 prep meetings for trips coming up in a few weeks
• Start planning and writing curriculum for those trips we are having prep meetings for.
• Tom and Ruthann
• My Productivity – I’m not going to lie. It’s tough to sit, plan and write for hours at a time. Please pray that God continues to direct me with His vision for this ministry and that I do not get distracted by trivial things but that my time may be spent furthering His Kingdom every step of the way. Random I know, but that’s how my brain is right now. Also I really need to get caught up on my school work. It will be interesting how all of that unfolds over these hectic summer months.

Thank you so much for your prayers and encouragement! God has shown his faithfulness through His Church and for that may He be glorified! May you all continue being shining beacons of his grace and forgiveness and you will continue to show the world who our God truly is!

grace and peace,

_joel