FROM THE DESK OF THE
EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR
Hello again!
I am excited to share with you that Calvary is in the news - for a good reason! As many of you know, we have started a campaign called
10,000 Ways to Bless Your Neighbor. The word is starting to get out in our community what Calvary is doing. This week, the Chicago Tribune ran a story on Calvary.
The story entitled "Calvary Church Heavily Involved in Community" begins with a great story that absolutely captures the spirit of our 10,000 Blessings campaign.
"A member of Calvary Church recently came to the aid of a panic-stricken customer in line at a local food store who had forgotten his wallet, paying for the man's groceries..."Read the full story right
here!
WHAT IS THIS "10 THOUSAND WAYS TO BLESS YOUR NEIGHBOR" CAMPAIGN ABOUT?
We want to BLESS our community, our neighbors, our co-workers, our mail carriers, our police and fire departments, our school teachers, our _____. You can fill in the blank for the individuals or families you want to BLESS.
Calvary's staff worked to create our song that gives examples how to bless people. We had fun working on this and have other surprises along the way as we bless people. Do you know the lyrics? Check out our video
here on Facebook. (You don't need a Facebook account to see it.) Here is another way of looking at the word BLESS.
BLESSB is - begin with prayer on how to bless someone.
L is - listen to people and God. A lot of people would just like to sit and have someone listen to them and pray for them.
E is - to eat, break bread with them, share a meal, send a meal, take someone out for a meal, encourage others with a kind word, pray for them, or send a card or note.
S is - serve. How can you serve others? Drive them to a doctor's appointment, help someone in need, hold a door for someone, babysit, clean someone's home, shovel a sidewalk, cut the grass for your neighbor (spring is here... at last!), help the teacher in school, pick up groceries for someone, repair someone's car or household appliance. See, it's easy - simple ways to serve someone. You can create your own list of serving others.
S is - for story. Now you get the opportunity to tell how Jesus worked through you to bless people. We ask that you share with us by writing on the connection card how you blessed someone or you can send us an email or letter telling us. NO, WE ARE NOT SHARING STORIES FOR OUR GLORY, RATHER WE WANT TO REJOICE AND CELEBRATE WHAT GOD IS DOING! Remember, it's about blessing people; we don't want to know who you blessed but how GOD USED you TO BLESS someone. We also ask that you share your blessing with people week to week at church so we can rejoice with you about blessings.
We have made available to you cards that say: "10 Thousand Ways to Bless Your Neighbor" on one side and on the other side: "My Goal Is to BLESS You Today Because God Has Blessed Me Richly."
On the bottom is the Bible verse, "Freely you have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8b). This is the verse we are using for our campaign.
You can use the card as you bless someone, you can leave this card with a meal or when you are serving others; it is not required that you leave the card. The card is an opportunity to say why you are blessing someone. The blessing is the goal.
We also will be challenging and teaching our children how they can bless other kids in their neighborhood. Our KidsLife ministry has outlined a great program to teach the kids. See Tiffany, our KidsLife director, for more details. Our Jr. and Sr High youth ministry will be reaching kids in their schools and neighborhoods as well, and Dave G., our Youth Pastor, is working with them.
Okay. Here is the exciting part:
Our challenge is to bless 10,000 people by October 1, 2013.
Our KidsLife ministry is challenged to bless 1,000 kids or adults.
Our Jr. and Sr. High kids are challenged to bless 1,000 kids or adults.
Now it is your turn. Calvary, it is the prayer and goal of your consistory that we BLESS 10,000 people in our community by October 1. CAN WE DO IT???
On Sundays please write on your connection card or email to us the ways in which God lays on your heart to bless someone or several individuals. You don't need to write your name on the connection card if you wish to remain anonymous.
And, yes, we have "10 Thousand Ways to Bless Your Neighbor" t-shirts for sale! Stop by the Revelation Bookstore to order your t-shirts. All sizes are available!
Let's continue to make the news and make waves in our neighborhood for the glory of God!
