Prayer in public schools...

OK, so the blog title was just trying to get your attention.
But, in truth, there are some really interesting moments where "worlds collide" when you have a church that meets in a school.

Last night was a great example.

There were a dozen or so of us who gathered at Barkstall last night simply to serve the school. They asked for our help and it was really an honor to be able to meet that need. Towards the end of our work, we all circled up and we prayed together. We prayed for the families of the teachers who died last year. We prayed for the safety and nurture of the children at Barkstall. We prayed for encouragement and hope and joy for current teachers. And we prayed that our partnership and our presence, as a church that meets IN barkstall, would point towards the love and care of Jesus.

The work we were doing was mostly gardening. We were helping clean out the inner courtyard at Barkstall which will be reworked as a memorial to those teachers (both of whom were members of our church). I had a very strong sense that, through our prayers and our labor, this memorial garden will be a place where the Spirit of God will speak peace and nurture and care to the students at Barkstall.

Worlds colliding.

God actively working in all kinds of place.

Barkstall needs our help!!!

Please give this prayerful consideration.

Barkstall school, our Sunday morning home, is need of some help.
You probably remember that 2 teachers at Barkstall passed away last year and the school is redoing the inner courtyard in their honor. As a part of that, they need a bit of manual labor to prepare the ground.

The tasks are fairly simple:
1. Weeding
2. Moving rocks (fist sized rocks).

That's it. Anyone could help. I hope lots of you WILL help.

I'd like to organize a work party this Wednesday evening (yes, that's 2 days from now). If I hear from a few of you, I'll go ahead with the plans. I'll be there either way.

Please email me if you can make it! Wednesday at 6pm at Barkstall. We'll work for an hour or two (or until we finish).

Thanks in advance.

Oh, and if you come, you can be one of the first to see my new hair cut. Its a doozy.

Peace
Scott

A really cool Generosity Idea

So I was forwarded a link today from someone in our church. This person got an idea based on the generosity series and ran with it. I think its a great idea.

So I want to encourage you to click on the link below and check out one person's suggestion for how we can give ourselves away to one another!

Take a look:
Generosity in C-U (psst. click that <)

I've also put a permanent link to the Generosity blog over on the right side bar. Hope you'll check it out!

Meet some real live missionaries...

Come join us for refreshments and fellowship! Bob & Carol Kuiken are in town!
They have been with Wycliffe Bible Translators for 25+ years. Their work at Faith Academy in the Philippines has helped change the lives of hundreds of kids who have come through.

Where:
Marty and Melody Kane's House
805 Breen Dr.
Champaign, IL, 61820

When:
Thursday, May 14, 2009 7:30PM

Questions:
Email Melody Kane: melkane@gmail.com
Phone: 217- 722-6810

Hey Dads...Mother's Day is one week away.

OK Dad's, you're gonna have to trust me on this one.
I've got a great idea for mother's day.

Next Sunday (which would be exactly one week from today), you could amaze your wife with your Generosity by volunteering to teach children's Sunday School. It's a beautiful idea really. Your wife gets to sit and enjoy worship. Your kids get to see you volunteering in church. You get the pleasure of knowing that you are making a difference. The sheer creativity of this simple idea is going to be hard to match.

If the idea sounds great, but totally freaks you out, Barb Buttlar has arranged a very simple video based curriculum that requires minimal prep while producing maximum results! So there really is no reason to not take advantage of this great opportunity. I had several moms come up to today after church and agree that this is really a fantastic idea.

NOTE: This idea is sure to make your wife smile, but should NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE be interpreted as an ALTERNATIVE to your responsibility to also honor the moms in your life through a somewhat more tangible gift!!!

So MAN UP and get it done!
Email me to sign up for this amazing opportunity: scott.keeble@firstchurchchampaign.org

Mom's feel free to forward a link to this article to as many men in the church as you can think of!!!