1/28/2006

It's been a busy week at the Power House in Baltimore, Maryland.

It started out Sunday with Morning Worship. The message was the first in the 40 Days of Community series and focused on Love. We also began our distribution of key rings and a tag with this week's theme verse on it. We'll add a tag each week during the campaign.

For Kids' Church, Jenn had one of the pictures from the 40 Days of Community coloring book blown up to poster size. She cut it into puzzle pieces and had the kids color the pieces. They then had to assemble the puzzle to see the picture and the scripture verse.

At Evening Worship we broke into small prayer groups. In these groups we asked God to help us to better show our love for one another.

We're back to having a full docket of CORE groups in the congregation now that we're on a unified curriculum. The young adults met on Sunday, women on Monday, high school girls on Tuesday, high school boys on Thursday, and men on Thursday. The Towson congregation is using the curriculum at their various meeting times. We had one group scheduled to meet with some of the teachers during lunch at Mervo High School. Vonceil got sick and missed school much of this week so they should start sometime next week.

There were a couple of people who could not make it to a group due to their work schedule. Patricia volunteered to lead a group for them at a yet to be determined time. Shawna made legal copies of the video lessons so that they can have them off site.

On Monday afternoon I was on a teleconference with one of the Community of Christ seminary classes meeting in Independence, Missouri. The class was focusing on evangelism so Jimmy Munson from Chattanooga, Tennessee, and I shared with them and had a Q&A session for about an hour.

We had a more normal sized group (close to 80 kids) at SonRisers this Wednesday. That evening after the Narcotics Anonymous meeting, the Adult Disciples studied 1 Corinthians 12-14. 1 Corinthians 13 was the focus scripture for the CORE group meetings so we reinforced that chapter and put it in a more clear context.

Friday night brought our three Pizza Church sessions. As we were getting ready to send the kids home for the night, a woman and her teenage daughter stopped by looking for an NA meeting. She then asked if her daughter could come in for Pizza Church. It was already over and her daughter was saying that she didn't want to come in. When I told her that it was too late she proceeded to tell me what a horrible uncaring person I was and how this was a terrible church.

After Pizza Church I drove a few kids home. We had to detour around an intersection that was blocked off by crime scene tape and television crews. We later learned that there had been a triple shooting at that corner. This helps keep perspective on why we need to give kids who live more than a couple blocks away from the church a ride home after dark.

When it was time for Sundae Church to start on Saturday no kids were there. Not wanting all the ice cream to go to waste, Tamara, Jenn, and I partook of some. Just as we were putting it away the kids came. We had a good time visiting with them and watching them enjoy the treat.

Looking ahead to next week we have our full schedule of activities. In addition, I have a meeting with Rick and Edith on Monday. On Tuesday the church building will be used by a team of Ameircorp volunteers for their lunch hour. Next Saturday morning the Mission Center Leadership Team will meet at the church and see the new facilities.

Along with the individuals and activities mentioned, please keep the following individuals in the forefront of your prayers:

Miles
Forrest
Elizabeth
Jerry
Beth
Mallory
Steven
Michael

Thank you for your continued prayer support.

Jeff and everyone at
The Power House
"Building the Kingdom of God Here and Now"
PowerHouseMD@Juno.com
www.pigtownchurch.org