Hey friends –

Sharefest is coming next weekend, Apr 26. More and more I feel like this is one of the best things we as a church do all year. Here are a couple of the reasons I find myself motivated by be part of it:

Uno – The more I read about poverty the more I discover how important education is. One of the best preventative measures we can take against future poverty is investing in our schools. In the Los Angeles Unified School District only 50% of high school students are graduating, a problem from which the South Bay is not immune. I’ve recently been trying to help some friends at Starbucks find more career-oriented employment and am amazed how many young adults here didn’t finish high school or its equivalent.

Dos – As we serve the city in Christ’s name, the church embodies our apologetic. What I mean by that is that in a post-Christian age you don’t argue people into the faith with the strength of your logic; rather you woo them with you the strength of your love (as in New Testament times). Especially among younger adults, the church is no longer known for doing good, but is largely seen as an institution that serves itself while passing judgment on the world around it. We have a chance to reverse that perception here at home, and it’s beginning to work.

Tres – Our own spiritual formation is inextricably bound up with our service to those in need. Typically we ascribe our greatest growth to learning more about God, but I’m not sure the writers of the New Testament would agree. Learning is not to be downplayed, as the Scriptures say much about growing in the knowledge of God. However, we tend to look past (or at least see as more “optional”) the growth that comes to us as we give ourselves away to others. I am learning that some of the deeper heart qualities we see in Jesus come to us only as we combine our learning with compassionate service to those in need.

If you are planning to participate in Sharefest this year, sign up asap with Angela (angela.crowley@gmail.com) so we can plan accordingly. Projects this year include landscaping, clean up, and painting (murals for those who can paint well, and also projects for those (me) who are only qualified to paint a bench). There is some pre-work needed for prepping the murals too – let Angela know if you have the skills . . .

Lord bless you my friends, and we’ll look forward to being with you this weekend –

Tim
Mt 6:33