So, we started doing this praxis thing just over a year ago. There is something about an anniversary that makes me reflect back. So, what where have we been?
Pastor Brad asked us to do something with "social justice", and to "run with it". We first found a multimedia course that our denomination put together. This course was written specifically to help churches launch appropriate social justice ministries. It was a combination of finding the needs in the neighborhood and region, finding the passions and giftings of the people in the congregation, and slowly building a self-sustaining structure to move forward. Sounded great. I was told however that we weren't going to run this course (for a variety of reasons). Oh well.
Bill and I first tried mapping out a complete organization, and then tried finding people to fill the various roles. Well, since Sanctuary was just starting and we didn't know very many people and how they could plug in, we didn't succeed. After that we advertised a couple of meetings and asked interested people to come and suggest ministries.
Out of this came the support for New Life Family Services.
The AIDS task force was launched with strong support from the pulpit, which drew a strong leadership team. Armed with their passion and materials on launching AIDS minsitries (from a Saddleback Church conference), this group found and built connections with a couple of established HIV/AIDS ministries in the Twin Cities, and are active. That's great.
Bill and I and some others have been going downtown most Saturdays to spend time with the homeless and give them water and hygeine supplies in the summer, and hats, gloves, handwarmers and blankets in the winter. Many people have generously donated blankets and winter gear. (Thank you very much: your generosity touched many people!)One small group asked us to come and talk to them about it, which was beneficial.
Now to some of the challenges we faced: we are not an conventional-style org-chartable ministry. We don't have a voice "at the table". We are not a budget line anywhere (and having been on the church council several years ago, I've seen the benefits of appearing on the budget...). For a while we set up a table in the lobby each Sunday night, but that has become difficult with the numbers of people now attending (oh, the problems of a growing church (smile) ) I've tried to get space at the different info tables, but even when I got the space, I didn't really get the space (long story...)
What could be done? I've thought about setting up the donation bins by the wall. However, I've noticed that the food shelf barrels that have been set up in the lobby seem to collect empty coffee cups...probably not going to work for our stuff either. We tried leaving our bins in the cloak room, but everyone was asked to clean their stuff out of the cloak room (a reasonable request...)
I've just received a request to provide 400 pairs of socks to give out at an event for the homeless...faced with this request (and knowing that we don't have announcements at Sanctuary or a way of advertising this except through what you are reading right now), what would you do?
Also, dear reader, I'd also like to know what you would change as of today concerning Praxis (it might help to review the first couple of posts to get a sense of the mission)?
Oh, and one more thing...if you read this, just send a comment saying "I read this", or "I read this and you're whining..." or something to let me know...
That's it.
Blessings all,
Matt
