Just like young Captain Kirk quoted above, I don’t always know what I am supposed to do, but I do know what I can do. And these outdoor ministries are what we can do. Your support and prayers enable and empower Lisa and me (and CPC in The Hill) to hear the sounds of the battle and run to the sound of need, trusting God to show us how we can help, and praying that God will be showing us how we (and you) can help. The work that we do must be a long term, consistent ministry. And because of your support and prayers, we are seeing God work in the lives of our most vulnerable Hill neighbors. You enable us to grow our church and see 35 to 40 folks each Saturday outside our apartment on the Sidewalk; 18 to 25 folks who stop by for some coffee and a conversation with the pastor each Wednesday; and on Saturdays, 10 to 12 children at Maxine’s for reading out loud and some prayer. The CPC in The Hill outdoor ministries are strategic, long-term commitments to reach Hill neighbors with the gospel . . . to increase the church . . . see lives change . . . that’s why we need your support . . . *Click the file below for the full 2024 Winter-Spring Hill Newsletter Update . . . and lots of pictures!
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September 5, 2023 Dear Partners and Co-workers in God’s field, In my Senior Year of Bible College, I was an intern at my home church. I had confessed to one of the pastors that it had been a very hard week. I will never forget what he said: “If church work was easy, everyone would do it.” As a pastor in the Hill, not one week goes by without some form of earthly or spiritual skirmish. (“We do not wrestle against blood and flesh,” Ephesians 6:12). My call as a pastor in the Hill is to be in the midst of their battles, messiness, and struggles—every day. On call at all times. Present among them in their own neighborhoods, on the streets and sidewalks, at their kitchen tables. This is what you enable in your kind financial partnership—a pastor and wife living among those often forgotten by the world, and sadly, often by the church. I have mentioned this before: most pastors in communities like the Hill do not live in the community. Your support makes it possible for us to live in their midst, as neighbors—a present pastor and wife. Trust me—they notice. I used to work in the social action world, basically 9 to 5 and off on the weekends . . . I got to go home . . . here, I live . . . I am here 24/7 because it’s my home. Thank you for making this possible. This season of ministry has been both exhilarating and exhausting. Click here for Full Newsletter >>> 2023 Summer-Fall Newsletter Update Or, download Newsletter from this file:
September 13, 2022 My co-workers and partners in God’s field: In a sermon last year at a supporting church, I preached on the Book of Acts, particularly the last scene where Paul is under house arrest awaiting trial (28:17-31). I pointed out that many read the Book of Acts and pray, “We want that! God, do it again!” Yet, that’s not necessarily the right takeaway. We can get enamored with almost every scene . . . but, using Amy Carmichael’s words, ministry isn’t pretty, not a thing to be looked at and admired. Luke didn’t hold back, didn’t paint a rosy picture. He presented a battlefield and a battlefield is not beautiful. The mission of the church is an impossible task. Ministry is messy, especially in a community like the Hill. This past year has been a blessing to watch God at work . . . For full Newsletter click here >>>> Or simply download from this file:
Over this year, from the COVID-19 lockdown ‘till the present, I have participated in three funerals from among our church family. One of these was for Marcus, a young single father of two teenagers, who had been a faithful servant at our sidewalk breakfast each Saturday. He was originally invited by his sister, who, herself, had become a regular part of our Saturday Sidewalk Breakfast team. Early on, Marcus and I sat on my apartment front stoop, while he shared his recent and messy life and why he was committing himself to the weekly sidewalk breakfast: “When my life fell apart, I didn’t find too much grace at church. I do take responsibility for how I messed things up, but it was still hurtful that the grace I thought I’d find at church wasn’t there. Maybe grace would have helped me turn my life around. When I see who comes to this breakfast and the church service, I see grace—this Saturday Breakfast is exactly what these folks and I need . . . it’s like ‘Grace with boots on the ground.’ I want to be a part of that and maybe I can be a part of the grace that helps to turn some of these lives around.” I will miss this man, a friend and a brother, a co-worker in God’s field--and I will never forget his words. Your financial support would greatly help make keep this weekly event of grace possible. For the full Newsletter and pictures of this past Summer ministries, please check out the file below.
“But the heartbeat of the kingdom of God is the local church. A specific address where a collection of disciples--sinners and misfits all--are trying to live into the ways of Jesus” ~Richard Beck We’ve have learned one thing that is vitally important to a ministry that seeks to reach people whose lives are unstable, subject to immediate changes and interruptions—sometimes violent interruptions, often daily and messy crises, and where self-sustaining resources are lacking . . . people whom we called back in my social action/community action days, vulnerable populations . . . that one thing we’ve learned: be consistent. Most recent NewLetter & Photos (Spring thank-you letter) >> Here Our COVID-19 Version of the 2020 Hill Christmas Store––This year we could not facilitate our regular Hill Christmas Store because of COVID-19. But, we were determined to do something. Thanks to our anchor Church (CPC New Haven) and the Beacon Bikers, we were still able to provide twin events outside (at our Sidewalk Breakfast & Church Service and at Maxine’s Saturday Read Aloud) with pre-packaged Grab’n Go bags (worth $47 for $5), along with Christmas carolers at both sites . Some of our Store regulars appreciated that we hadn’t given up. New families and neighbors discovered something new CPC in The Hill does—no matter what! Your prayers and support helps keep these annual events going despite COVID-19 For Full Fall-Winter 2020 Newsletter Update from the Hill >> Click Here News from CPC in The Hill — Summer 2020 (recap)Adjusting Ministry & Church Services to the COVID-19 Crisis––A tsunami hit us when State after State began closing down, schools closed, gatherings banned, and Stay-at-Home policies established. No church gatherings. Wow! Every pastor and session (i.e., elders) scrambled to respond. I was able to keep in touch with CPC in the Hill families through the phone and dropping off basic household items and groceries, especially during the shut-down period. Live streaming became the goto for online services. We started with a Facebook Live service; in May, moved to the front steps of our worship site for an outdoor in-person and FB Live; in June we moved out back to the patio for an outdoor, more accommodating in-person gathering (still, FB Live); and, now, we have transitioned back inside for our in-person gathering at 158 Davenport Ave. Because of social distancing protocols, we can only accommodate up to 25. No one has had to do this before—a shutdown and then a transition back to gathering—yet we are slowly trying to get back to some form of normalcy. For Full Fall 2020 Newsletter >> click here |
CPC in The Hill NewsLetter UpdatesThis page is dedicated to our Newsletters and Videos to help connect to our prayer partners, our financial partners, and to all who will be blessed to see God at work in the neighborhoods, streets, and lives of those living in the Hill. Archives
May 2024
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