Next Ministries Service Projects

OK, I'll admit it. I always go in for the social events - skiing, brunch, the occasional happy hour or field trip - but rumor has it the "S" in FOCUS was originally for "service". So I went to a Habitat build and a Bowery Mission service last month.

The Habitat event was pretty fun, though I'm sure it would be a lot more efficient if the Habitat crew did it without our "help". They are so skilled, and so patient with us newbies (especially me). I learned to use a screw gun and a powered circular saw. I was pretty good with the saw right away, but the screw gun took a lot of getting used to, especially with the metal studs close to the ceiling. Half-built houses always bring me back to childhood (not that I'm ever that far away from it in the first place) and I love having the power to walk through walls:


The Bowery Mission service was also nice, especially once we got used to the institutional glare and to the distinctive smell. Claire, the head of our Next Ministries service group, read an opening prayer to the men in the chapel.

The men at the Bowery Mission really do "come as they are". Half the crowd (on the right side of the aisle) is just killing time while fulfilling the Bowery's prerequisite for a hot meal. The other half (on the left side of the aisle) consists of men who have accepted Jesus as their savior. They are there for the worship and the grace as well as the food. Laura Brenneman managed to bridge the gap between them with her music. The men were particularly moved by a bluesy/spiritual she sang about halfway through the service.

Russell, our seminarian, gave the sermon. The topic of the month was "Faith Moves Mountains". Russell faked us out at first by explaining that faith doesn't literally move mountains, which made me wonder if he might want to reconsider his career path. But he quickly moved on to make some good points - for instance, does God want us to ask Him to show off by literally moving mountains around, or zapping a podium from one side of the chapel to another? Of course not. We don't have any need for that (except as "proof" - and we're not supposed to put our God to the test). We have other mountains in our lives, metaphorical mountains that may be every bit as daunting as the Himalayas (especially if they are built grain by grain by a series of bad choices and even worse luck). These mountains can be moved, through faith, with God's help.

One man shared his testimony, which was heartfelt. Others clearly responded to God's call in other ways, or to the music. Two men came forward to help soothe another one who was trying to pick a fight. For a few moments, I could sense what it was like to be in their shoes.

Empathy works in mysterious ways. Today Rev. Dunn's voice caught, it seemed, as she read the list of those beloved of our congregation who have died in the past month - and I was not alone in feeling tears well up in response. We are moved by others' raw emotion, whether or not we know them; and also by the suffering of those we love, whether or not it is displayed for us.