Wednesday we switched up our ministry sites which gave us all a chance to serve the homeless, share time with elderly and love on kids.
For our evening activity we worship at a local church. As a group we really enjoyed the music which was lead by a strong gospel band. The worship experience was very different and diverse, but that did not stop us from worshiping God. It was fun to see the youth get into the music and dance and be moved by music.
We have united throughout the week:
These our the words of the students as they process being in Atlanta.
"We came to Atlanta to take a breath and focus on others. We dived into a new culture; we discovered that there is a world bigger than our own. We came to this community with a sheltered view, but we are leaving with a whole different perspective."
"We are HERE to... Unit with each other and with the community. We are here to use our gifts to love and serve others. You can feel at home no matter where you are or who you are with."
"We are here to experience God in a new way by spreading God's love little by little and taking the spirit of Atlanta home."
"We are here to serve 24 hours in the city of Atlanta but grow a lifetime in faith. We left a little sweat, but took a lot of sunshine, and in the process united through the love of God."
"We are here to be inspired by our experiences with the people we serve. In order to invest the same energy in our own community and continue to enrich our faith by the seeds that were planted."
This week as been amazing and it as blessed us in so many ways. "We came, we saw, we served, we were present, we are leaving changed."
Blessings,
Mel
As a Youth Minister I have the blessings to be apart of so many amazing young peoples' faith lives. My life and faith have been so blessed and touched by these young people. In my blog I have want to share with you these faith moments that I have captured for a moment. You will find those blessing of faith that have inspired me and allowed me to see the glimpse of God.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
MLK JR moment
Last night (Tuesday) we got the privilege to tour the Martin Luther King JR museum. This national park holds the legacy of MLK's journey through faith, civil rights and his life and death.
We visited the tomb of MLK and his wife, the house he lived in and the church he preached in.
As a woman in ministry I love to visit churches, especially old ones. To sit in them and taken in the surrounding of the holiness.
I especially love churches with pews. .
I slipped into the pew of the Ebenezer church and Martin Luther King was heard over head preaching one of his many sermons he had preach from that pulpit.
As I took in the moment I began to clear my head and take in my surroundings. Trying to focus on what it meant to be sitting in Martin Luther King's church and what it would be like in that time. As I began to listen to him preach the first thing I heard was love your neighbor has yourself. Then he went on to read and preach on our theme verse:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' (Mark 12:30 NIV).
At that moment a few of the adults began to look at each other in awe. Though scripture we were connect in time with Martin Luther King Jr. For me it was a reminder that God was just saying remember why you are HeRe.
Blessings,
Mel
We visited the tomb of MLK and his wife, the house he lived in and the church he preached in.
As a woman in ministry I love to visit churches, especially old ones. To sit in them and taken in the surrounding of the holiness.
I especially love churches with pews. .
I slipped into the pew of the Ebenezer church and Martin Luther King was heard over head preaching one of his many sermons he had preach from that pulpit.
As I took in the moment I began to clear my head and take in my surroundings. Trying to focus on what it meant to be sitting in Martin Luther King's church and what it would be like in that time. As I began to listen to him preach the first thing I heard was love your neighbor has yourself. Then he went on to read and preach on our theme verse:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' (Mark 12:30 NIV).
At that moment a few of the adults began to look at each other in awe. Though scripture we were connect in time with Martin Luther King Jr. For me it was a reminder that God was just saying remember why you are HeRe.
Blessings,
Mel
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
We are Here to invest
We are finishing day two of our work site ministries. We have been serving i variety and amazing ways. These first two days we have jump into the city of Atlanta with both feet.
We have served with the elderly at a senior center, singing and sharing our stories. We have worked to prep food or served food to homeless at Loaves and Fishes and Open hands. We have loved on children at both the Boys and Girls club, and the Fraser House, a school for children and adults with disabilities. And many of us have worked in the hot Atlanta heat to clean up neighborhoods by picking up trash, helping to mow the lawn or removing mud that has washed in.
The Atlanta people have been welcoming and we have seen God through all we have encountered.
This Psalm verse has inspired me these past two days:
You turned my loud crying into dancing.
You removed my black clothes and dressed me with joy.
So my heart will sing to you. I can't keep silent.
Lord, my God, I will give you thanks forever. (Psalm 30:11, 12 NIRV)
In our faith we are being challenged to be HERE to Worship. To worship God with all or heart and mind and strength. And to be HERE to Invest our whole being, not only in Atlanta but also in our lives at home. God has give everyone gifts and abilities and by using those gifts we worship God and we invest in our relationship with God which allows us to love our neighbors.
Tomorrow, Wednesday we switch to new sites, please continue pray for us.
Blessing,
Mel
We have served with the elderly at a senior center, singing and sharing our stories. We have worked to prep food or served food to homeless at Loaves and Fishes and Open hands. We have loved on children at both the Boys and Girls club, and the Fraser House, a school for children and adults with disabilities. And many of us have worked in the hot Atlanta heat to clean up neighborhoods by picking up trash, helping to mow the lawn or removing mud that has washed in.
The Atlanta people have been welcoming and we have seen God through all we have encountered.
This Psalm verse has inspired me these past two days:
You turned my loud crying into dancing.
You removed my black clothes and dressed me with joy.
So my heart will sing to you. I can't keep silent.
Lord, my God, I will give you thanks forever. (Psalm 30:11, 12 NIRV)
In our faith we are being challenged to be HERE to Worship. To worship God with all or heart and mind and strength. And to be HERE to Invest our whole being, not only in Atlanta but also in our lives at home. God has give everyone gifts and abilities and by using those gifts we worship God and we invest in our relationship with God which allows us to love our neighbors.
Tomorrow, Wednesday we switch to new sites, please continue pray for us.
Blessing,
Mel
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Run to Win!
Wow! We have had a fantastic day.
We begin our day with amazing worship service at Mountain West church. The music, talk and prayer was so moving and inspiring.
A little back story we were connected with this church through the middle school-Milwaukee mission trip site director. God began working His spirit last Tuesday when we were need for a church to stay in. And while we worshiped today many of us would tell you that we felt as if the pastor's message was just for us. As the Mountain West church filled our hearts, we has a young people energized them. For me it was a reminder that God is at work in so many places and that we box Him a box to often. We forget how big He is!
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26 NIV)
The pastor's sermon was titled Run to Win based off the passage: Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! (1 Corinthians 9:24 NLT)
He shared that is not just about saying we are Christian but is putting that into action. A runner needs to train and be discipline to run a marathon. And in order to run that race the runner needs to change and adapt his life. As Christians we also need to be discipline in our faith lives and change to follow Jesus. We need to move into action.
This message ties so well with our mission trip theme this week to love God with all your heart, mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself.
We need to give Him everything, our whole being. This week we are Here to love God, and love on the people of Atlanta with our whole being... We are beginning our journey to move into action.
Today was also our play day:
We visited the world of Coca Cola where we tasted coke products from all over the world. The olympic torch just came through Atlanta so many of us had our pictures with that milestone event.
We enjoyed a winning baseball game by the Atlanta Braves.
We arrived to our Youth Works site at 5:00pm and settled into our new home for the week.
We are all excited to jump into our week and see what more amazing things God has planned for us.
Blessing,
Mel
We begin our day with amazing worship service at Mountain West church. The music, talk and prayer was so moving and inspiring.
A little back story we were connected with this church through the middle school-Milwaukee mission trip site director. God began working His spirit last Tuesday when we were need for a church to stay in. And while we worshiped today many of us would tell you that we felt as if the pastor's message was just for us. As the Mountain West church filled our hearts, we has a young people energized them. For me it was a reminder that God is at work in so many places and that we box Him a box to often. We forget how big He is!
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26 NIV)
The pastor's sermon was titled Run to Win based off the passage: Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! (1 Corinthians 9:24 NLT)
He shared that is not just about saying we are Christian but is putting that into action. A runner needs to train and be discipline to run a marathon. And in order to run that race the runner needs to change and adapt his life. As Christians we also need to be discipline in our faith lives and change to follow Jesus. We need to move into action.
This message ties so well with our mission trip theme this week to love God with all your heart, mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself.
We need to give Him everything, our whole being. This week we are Here to love God, and love on the people of Atlanta with our whole being... We are beginning our journey to move into action.
Today was also our play day:
We visited the world of Coca Cola where we tasted coke products from all over the world. The olympic torch just came through Atlanta so many of us had our pictures with that milestone event.
We enjoyed a winning baseball game by the Atlanta Braves.
We arrived to our Youth Works site at 5:00pm and settled into our new home for the week.
We are all excited to jump into our week and see what more amazing things God has planned for us.
Blessing,
Mel
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Traveling thur God's Country
Saturday morning we drove out of St Louis heading for Atlanta. It was a beautiful drive from the corn fields of Illinois to the Appalachian mountains of Tennessee, to downtown Nashville.
We arrive into sweet Georgia just in time to watch the laser show on Stone Mountain. The fireworks were a great welcome to GA!
We were tried but safe when we arrived at Mountain West church.
Here are some:
Pics from the road
We arrive into sweet Georgia just in time to watch the laser show on Stone Mountain. The fireworks were a great welcome to GA!
We were tried but safe when we arrived at Mountain West church.
Here are some:
Pics from the road
Friday, July 13, 2012
Here I am Lord send me...
We left Eden Prairie today slightly before 8:00am and we arrived in Manchester, MO safety around 6:30pm--smooth sailing travel wise:)
Day one of travel is always filled with the excitement and anticipation of what lies ahead in the upcoming week. It is always good quality bonding time with the people in our vans and we begin to form our community as a whole group.
Our theme for the week is You are Here.
I shared with the group tonight this bible verse:
"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8 NIV)
We have been called and each individual on this trip has answered the called and are saying "Here I am Lord send me." I cherish this moment as I look at each individual knowing God is is going to do amazing things in their lives this week and use them to show God's love to others.
We are HERE tonight in Missouri!
Blessings, Mel
Day one of travel is always filled with the excitement and anticipation of what lies ahead in the upcoming week. It is always good quality bonding time with the people in our vans and we begin to form our community as a whole group.
Our theme for the week is You are Here.
I shared with the group tonight this bible verse:
"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8 NIV)
We have been called and each individual on this trip has answered the called and are saying "Here I am Lord send me." I cherish this moment as I look at each individual knowing God is is going to do amazing things in their lives this week and use them to show God's love to others.
We are HERE tonight in Missouri!
Blessings, Mel
Intro...
Welcome to the High School Mission trip blog... Tomorrow, well really today (since it is in the early hours of the morning) 59 of us are heading out with the destination Atlanta GA. I plan to update you our 10 day trip and how God is working in our lives.
Please pray for us and safe travels for the next couple of days.
Blessings,
Mel
Please pray for us and safe travels for the next couple of days.
Blessings,
Mel
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