StreetChurch

This is the faithful David Kyle, who is an integral part of our community at Street Church.

Chris, Ted, and Andrew, hanging out at Street Church.

For the last month or so, Andrew has been available to drive anyone from the street to our gathering as the church at PCC on Sunday evenings. It has been great having them around our community some more.

Rand, Melissa, Stephanie, and Eppi

This is the night that we found out that Stephanie had a huge gash in her leg. The bandaging from the hospital had fallen off and Stephanie wasn’t sure how to put it back on, so we bandaged it up for her.

That same night, Charles shared one of his poems with us.

This is what a typical night at Street Church may look like. I mean, it changes every night, but we are constantly blessed by being in this community.

Lisa T. came and share her story with us.

She was the one who interned with PCC in 2001. We always refer to her as our “founder.” She told us that it was one simple act of obedience that led her to start a conversation that then led to what we know as StreetChurch. Thank you God for all those who cook, drive, serve, and lead!

Tonight was another great night at Street Church! We had a nice gathering of brothers & sisters. Lori & Murph fixed the most outstanding meal for our friends. The menu was roast leg of lamb! with gravy, Lori’s famous tortelinni, brocolli and a great salad. Everyone was blessed by the great meal with many ranting and raving about having lamb. Lori’s idea was the easter theme “The Lamb of God.” Thanks Lori for your great meals!

David K. approached me tonight with the idea of having the Lord’s Supper as a celebration of Easter. He even brought the bread and grape juice! I was a little hesitant at first…I know how to participate but not really to lead people into that special celebration. It ended up that we gathered around the cleared off tables, place four bowls of grape juice on the table and broke some bread. Charles was kind enough to read the Lord’s Supper passage from the book of Matthew and we shared communion together. It was pretty cool and those who had stayed for Bible & prayer time seemed to be touched that they could participate in this special time.

We talked about the resurrection of Christ tonight. We looked at the book of Mark and also Luke! What a story of Jesus raising his hands, blessing his people as he ascended into heaven! I closed my eyes and tried to picture this in my mind. I can only imagine what it must have been like for his followers to actually see this with their own eyes!

It’s cold out on the streets again. We must put out another plea to our church family for blankets, jackets and sleeping bags.

I look forward to this time week after week. We will resume our study in the Old Testament and further understand where we came from!

Love to all and have a blessed Easter celebration! -Steph

I was blessed last night at Street Church; I still can’t get my mind off of what happened. I was very nervous last night, because Stephanie wanted me to speak; so I prayed to God to summon the courage and strength I needed to get started and I knew he would do the rest. That’s exactly what happened; Stephanie read a passage from her devotional and then let everyone know that she wasn’t feeling well, that was my queue to take over. I started ministering from the experiences I’ve had over the past 5 months and how it’s turned my life around, I talked about how this Easter is my first in a true relationship with Jesus Christ, also I talked about the friends who helped lead me back and supported me while rooting myself in faith. I couldn’t believe how clear and concise my speech was, I was so happy and I just knew the Lord was speaking through me. But that’s not all that happened!!! So get this, later in the evening 2 men showed up, and wanted to know if there was any food left. One of the men had ingested too much alcohol, and was very angry and belligerent. I felt I needed to do something, so I asked if I could get him some food, he said yes angrily, I told him I needed to give someone a ride and I would be right back. His answer was “Yeah Right!, sure you will” so I told him just give me 15 minutes, what do you have to loose, and with that I was on my way. I dropped off Turie and Dave at the bus stop and B-Lined for McDonalds. I got some hamburgers and fries and water. I arrived back at the train station in record time and distributed the food, then the young man who was angry looked at me with a surprised look, I gave him his food and blessed him, he asked me “why would you just go out and buy a stranger like , the scum of the earth, the leftover egg white on a dirty frying pan, why would you buy me anything?” The Lord placed my hand on his shoulder and said “because you are my brother, and I look at you through the eyes of the Lord, you needed help and I’m willing to give it no questions asked. His head dropped and he began to cry, he then stood up after a moment and hugged me saying “Thank you”. I think that was a perfect end to a perfect night. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.Praise be to God, thank you for all that blessings you have given. Thank you for helping me to help others, and giving me strength and courage to spread the good word.

Rain has been going all week it seems, but we have “weathered” it in order to meet and be together. Chris, “Shoe” led on Tuesday night and shared what he is learning about Heaven. He has been reminding us that even as a new believer (he started following Jesus in August 2007) we all have something to give. We don’t have to be a “professional pastor”. He has stepped into using his gifts of leadership and developing gifts of teaching. Charles also shared more of his poetry this week! Praise God for his work in our lives–and his raining down of grace!

 Charles read this poem a few weeks ago as we met. His friend wrote it.

I Have to Find it First

I have to find it first,

As soon as I can find it,

I’ll release this built up pressure

to go in peace forever more.

To build up my heavenly treasure

I’ll walk the streets of Zion

And sing praises all day long.

For I see that it is Jesus

Who lifts us up where we belong.

And we’ll see the streets of gold

That they talk about so often.

I’ll talk to the lamb of God

Who is gentle and so soft spoken.

I’ll kiss my mom and dad

And shake my pastor’s hand.

Thank him for being so understanding

And showing me the way to the promised land;

I will see all of my loved ones

Who to me are very dear.

I may even see my best friend

Who I’ll bug and keep real near

We’ll splash in the River Jordan

and praise His holy name

and thank the Lord for his love

that helped me get this way;

But first I have to find it

This love so sweet and clear

Which only for a selected few

Will get a chance to share.

All I have to do is have a change of heart

and praise His holy name all day long.

Yes, I just keep love in my heart.

I just have to find it first.

This past Tuesday night we had to say goodbye to our good friend and fellow street leader Robert. He and his family are relocating to Sacramento. We will truly miss him. He has been a great asset, giver, and servant in StreetChurch. He goes with our blessing and prayers that God will lead him to his next mission.

We also talked a lot about the Holy Spirit and being constantly filled with him. I have been incredibly encouraged by reflecting on Jesus’ life. He put aside his abilities as God (Phil 2) so that he could live humanity and identify with us. But in doing this he showed us (therefore saying, “Follow me.”) what it looks like to be in constant relationship with God the Father and filled and led by the Holy Spirit. Remember that even though he did miracles–he didn’t do them about of his ability to be God– but his ability to be filled with God’s spirit. That’s why so many thought he was just like the rest of the prophets who did wonders. That’s why he would often say that healing people didn’t prove his identity as God, but forgiving sins did.

May we be a church who lives in the power of the Holy Spirit as we follow Jesus in relationship with God our Father.

God bless Robert and send him in your power and send others to serve and lead in his stead.

-Tony

Last night was deep. Chris “Shoe” led our time in the Bible with verses from 1 Corinthians and Psalms about calling out to God, being weak and recognizing our need for God’s love and forgiveness. It led to a great discussion where people shared and questioned honestly about how to actually forgive those who have caused pain. We discussed the parable of the unmerciful servant and how if we have truly experienced God’s love and received God’s forgiveness then we will naturally want to love and forgive others. One clue that we haven’t truly come close to God is our tendencies to hold a grudge. We did a lot of praying and I am so grateful for Street Church!

We get ready to say goodbye to Robert who will be moving to the Sacramento area next week to start a new job. Next week will be his last week serving and leading at Street Church.

-Tony

Wanted you to know that Street Church was pretty awesome tonight. We had a smaller crowd, but that was a good thing because we ran out of meat quickly. However, the group we did have was tight tonight. I’ve started a new study in the Book of Genesis with the emphasis on “Why do we need a savior anyway.”  I’m kind of trying to take a theme and work through it with our friends. I went over the 1st chapter and it seemed to me that everyone was really listening. It’s a blessing to know that it really matters to them.  Then we had prayer circle and so many prayed that it took a long time to get done.  We had to fight through 2 commuter trains, one freight train and two busses.  It seemed unusually busy tonight.  PLUS, during prayer time, some one (not our group) started hollering across from where we were standing over to someone standing near the train tracks! AND a group of loud young people were behind the bike rack making noise-just laughing and telling jokes but it was very distracting!  In the end, it was good. I told our group that God heard us even if the trains and busses and people were making so much noise.  That brought a smile to the faces and that was good.

-Stephanie

It was cold tonight. We gathered as usual for dinner and prayer. Thankfully we had a lot of great donations to pass out. Some warm jackets, scarves, and gloves. It was really good to see John B. back.

I have recently finished an amazing book.

It was given to my wife and me by a good friend just a few days ago. The way she detailed parts of the story, I knew I had to read it asap. The main character has a weekend with God. Yes, a full interaction face to face, voice to voice, physical experience with Him…or all three of him, or her…or..Papa, Jesus, and Sarayu. You simply must read it.

Please, I can’t really explain it and I don’t want to give it away. You just have to read the story. The tag line to THE SHACK, is “Where Tragedy Meets Eternity.”

I already want to read it again and have re-read pages over and over. So tonight, I shared what I was learning, reminded of, and confronted with in my reading of this book.

God’s truth never gets old.

We spent time being quiet and reflecting on God as our father and God redeeming our pain.

A great time of starting the year together.

The cold didn’t let us, but that didn’t stop our time–our time as God’s people, a family all focused on him.

It was good to hear Ted’s story. He’s experienced God in some hard, yet significant ways. It was good to meet Jake, too. I pray for God’s peace for all. That we would all be at home in his love and at home with who he made us to be.

At peace in his love,

tony