Andy's Blog: A Personal Word
February 8, 2010
Feb. 8, 2010A vital part of our mission at Trinity is to GO in order to serve Christ in the world. The recent church survey we completed in January, revealed that we are living out this mission. 64% reported that they had participated in an outreach or mission project in the last year! For 20% of you, this is an ongoing, recurring participation.
25% of you participated in last year’s Great Day of Service, 37% worked with the homeless though Birmingham Hospitality Network, and 35% worked with the Church of the Reconciler.
A few weeks ago I challenged us to respond to the ongoing humanitarian disaster in Haiti. Thus far, you have given over 1,100 health care kits to be shipped to Haiti by United Methodist Committee on Relief. In addition, $23,500 has been collected for the ongoing recovery in that nation through the United Methodist Committee on Relief.
Most of our outreach efforts are local in nature. During Lent we will partner with Council Elementary School in Ensley to work with their students, as well as work on their facilities. Our hope is that this relationship might continue.
This summer, there are two opportunities to be a part of an international mission trip. Last year, we helped to purchase land in Zambia to be used to construct a compound for the Methodist Church in that nation. It will also be used as a training center for SIFAT, an Alabama based ministry which teaches appropriate technology in third world nations. Our team will help to construct a wall around the new Methodist center. Another mission team will travel to Bolivia where they will be digging wells, teaching people how to build stoves, and working with children. International mission trips can be life transforming in helping persons move beyond their comfort zones. If you would like to travel with Jesus and our team to Zambia or Bolivia this summer, contact Dave Barnhart.
In Matthew 24, Jesus invites us to join him in his ministry to the least of these. We as a church, take serious that mandate to be a part of what Jesus is doing to heal and redeem the world.