5/17/2009

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



It started out Sunday with Morning Worship. When people came in they found the chairs arranged in a new way and the announcements on the big screen via PowerPoint slides. During the service we also projected the lyrics to the songs, the scripture reference, and the sermon outline as well. Vonceil had worked out all the technology to make this happen and it was our first attempt to do this during a morning service. The response from the congregation was overwhelmingly and excitedly positive. Over the next few months we’ll be working out the kinks and ramping up our resources by using this format on the second Sunday of each month. By October we should be operating this way full time.



With Mothers Day celebrations, we had only a handful of kids that afternoon at Kids’ Church. While there the kids made tissue paper flowers with pencils for stems.



We tried out several new songs during Evening Worship. The service was shorter than usual. Afterward we set up the back room for SonRisers and the front room for the Citizens of Pigtown meeting.



On Tuesday Gloria and Marjorie followed up with the minister/nurse visit they’d done last week. That evening six of us used more of the free Orioles tickets we’d been given to go to the game. As a bonus, it was free t-shirt night at the stadium. Vonceil opened and closed the church for the Citizens of Pigtown meeting that night.



Over 70 kids participated in Wednesday’s SonRisers activities. Immediately afterward, Gloria and I stopped by a terminally ill church member’s home for visiting and prayer.



By 10:30 we were back at the church to host a group from Diggs-Johnson Middle School for lunch. The kids had been painting the local skateboard park as a part of their community improvement project. After they left I headed up to University of Maryland Hospital. I’d gotten a call that morning from Stella that her brother was there and had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. That night after the NA meeting the Adult Disciples group reviewed Ephesians and the first half of Hebrews.



Gloria and I both had dinner Thursday night at Diggs-Johnson Middle School. The evening’s activities were to recognize the school’s community partners and parent volunteers.



Afterward we had our monthly Priesthood meeting. Some of the key topics were broad plans for fall, specific schedules and assignments for June, and general scheduling and plans for the rest of the summer.



Friday night brought Pizza Church. We had good groups throughout the evening. Jenn and Tamara staffed the first two sessions while Robert came in partway into the third session, which allowed Tamara and Jenn to head out to the young adult retreat for the weekend.



One of the primary topics of discussion before and after the lesson during the Senior High group was the student riot that happened at Mervo High School that morning. We got quite a few details from our student that attends there. I had already heard quite a bit from another perspective as that is the school where Vonceil teaches.



Saturday included a lot of errands. We were able to track down two more parents to get camp forms signed. We were also able to get a cake for Sunday’s celebrations.



Looking ahead to next week we have our regular schedule of activities. In addition, we’ll have a graduation cake on Sunday after Evening Worship celebrating Theresa’s completion of Job Corps. Also, we hope to get the final few signatures on camp forms for the season.



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



The Johnson Family

The Lester Family

The Davis Family

The Lancaster Family

The Thomas Family

The Beyers Family

The Farley Family

The Fleming Family



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