The well-worn story about Moses chasing sheep on a hot afternoon is a good one, and weird enough to be real. It's all about seeing the extraordinary smack in the middle of the ordinary. As our mission team prepares to leave for Brooklyn tomorrow, I'm thinking about God who will surely show up in the burning bushes (read: people, places, grunt work, new experiences) awaiting us in the town of Brooklyn, neighborhood of Flatbush.
Read on, we've got a great week waiting for us!
Pastor Chris
1-2 Moses was shepherding the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the west end of the wilderness and came to the mountain of God, Horeb. The angel of God appeared to him in flames of fire blazing out of the middle of a bush. He looked. The bush was blazing away but it didn't burn up.
3 Moses said, "What's going on here? I can't believe this! Amazing! Why doesn't the bush burn up?"
4 God saw that he had stopped to look. God called to him from out of the bush, "Moses! Moses!"
He said, "Yes? I'm right here!"
5 God said, "Don't come any closer. Remove your sandals from your feet. You're standing on holy ground."
6 Then he said, "I am the God of your father: The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob."
HOT!! HOT!! HOT!! ... All the best for a great mission trip.
ReplyDeleteI'm excited for all the mission trippers. Thank God for the internet, blogging, facebook, we can go along for the ride!
ReplyDeleteIt's Tuesday already? WOW!
ReplyDeleteThanks for following us and awaiting our blog posts. I apologize that y'all needed to wait two days for your first flavor of Brooklyn!
As expected, all mission trippers survived 20+ hours on the charter bus and 13-passenger vans. No abandonments at rest stops (HOORAY!) nor vehicle malfunctions (DOUBLE HOORAY!)
Immediately upon our Michigander arrival into Brooklyn, Pastor Dan and his Flatbush congregation welcomed over fifty of us to interrupt their church service. In those few steps from the bus and vans into the pews, our Traverse City group re-energized for shoulder-to-shoulder worship with new Brooklyn friends.
After receiving generous refreshments from their church community, our team left Flatbush Dutch Reformed Church and were guided by Salem Baptist Church trustee Brother Terrance and his congregation to their nearby location, our wonderful nest for the week.
We occupy four floors in Salem Baptist Church (including a HUGE dining room, kitchen, chapel, gymnasium, and classrooms), and we are feeling extremely blessed by hospitable comforts and fellowship.
Afer a meal and walking tour of Flatbush, mission trippers settled in for chapel and lights out by 11 pm on Sunday night. It was great to be vertical to sleep, and all rested well.
Breakfast was served on Monday morning and we were off, down the block to mission work at Flatbush Dutch Reformed Church.
What's been happening since then? The grace of God is ACTIVE, and it involves weed-wackers, scaffolds, rakes, scrapers and wire brushes. You'll discover this in the next post to include comments from our youth.
Continue with your thoughts and prayers...we are ALL feeling them here in Brooklyn. On every side of the fence. Posts to come soon...please check back, and photos will be included if possible!
Wendy, Thanks so much for the update. Will look forward to a few pix and future updates from mission trippers. Mike
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update! It sounds terrific. Looking forward to some photos. Hope you are all getting terrific weather as well! David B's mom
FOR SURE GOD IS IN FLATBUSH!
ReplyDeleteOh, how afraid I was to come on this mission trip! Would I be able to talk with the teens without fumbling my words? What would I say to youth I hardly knew or didn't even know? I knew I had to be honest. Maybe I could learn and maybe it would be OK.
Sometimes I forget that God is here and in TC and everywhere. And then when I take the time Isee and feel and then know God is here. He's in the faces of the curious people as they walk by looking and seeing youth and leaders working at this church and churchyard in their neighborhood. Some stop to ask what we are doing and then encourage us with, "You are doing good."
God is in the faces, arms, hearts and voices of our youth and leaders. God is with us guiding us as side by side youth from two churches sand, paint, rake and fill lawn and trash bags. The love and respect for each other can be found any day antime.
No longer am I worried about what to say. We are a group here learning about love from each other and from the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn. We are experiencing first hand how simple and easy love can be.
--Bonnie Sonnemann
AND NOW SOME COMMENTS FROM YOUTH AND LEADERS...
ReplyDeleteI've never felt closer to God than on this trip. The Tabernacle encouraged prayer and that's what I needed. I love seeing Jesus move in all the students!--Eric
This trip feels worthwhile to me because I have felt others' thanksfulness for our work in just their simple smiles. When people smile, it's like God's way of saying he's proud of us.
--Eva Nienhouse
It all comes down to love. Having love for God, family, friends, and just the average person. Showing love and that you care for each other shows God's love.
--Evan Burnheimer
As told to Pastor Chris: I love New York. I love this church. I'm making new friends. I lift my hands when I sing here.
--Katie Sonnemann
HERES MORE QUOTES FROM WEDNESDAY...
ReplyDeleteEvery year I come in to a trip with expectations, and God reminds me to be open to what He expects from us this week instead of what I expect from Him. I have learned all new things about myself as well as the people I'm here with. Most of us had never met before, and God has broke down walls and brought complete strangers together. If ever there was proof that God moves through students it would be this week. And we still have 3 days left together.
--Jill Wiseman
I am amazed by the beautiful worship music this group is creating for our Lord God!
--Nicky Walczak
Hearing random people on the street saying thank you or what a nice job we were doing was what made this trip and all this work worth while.
--Meg Sheehan
This trip gave me the oppurtinity to meet new and very kind people, and to be able to do work for a good cause.
--Kevin Leahy
The fact that all the work that we're doing is for other people but especially the Lord. We're doing this all for Him.
--Kelly Wiseman
I think that experiencing different peopel within the group and outside of the group is the most worth while thing I not only think that it's intresting but it teaches you something about God that you can't learn in a church service.
--Ellie Perry
STILL MORE COMMENTS ON WEDNESDAY...
ReplyDeleteWith love, inspiration and the energy of youth we are moving mountains!
--Pastor Chris
After being helped by others year-round----it's nice to finally take time to give back, and have fun along the way.
--David T. Blesh
When you do good deeds you can only grow from
it.
--J.J.
The work that people are dueing is amazing. We are getting things done a lot quicker than expected.
--Micah Oelze
I like being in the city b/c people pass by and constantly tell us good work or God Bless You. It keeps me motivated.
--Alayna
It opened my eyes to what its like here. It lifted the clouds out of my eyes so I could see what its really like.
--Joel Icard
In two worlds apart, we are the same.
--Patrick Kovo
I like seeing people enjoy the work that we do, it makes me feel happy because I know that I have done something nice for them and I gain something in return which is awsome.
--Maddy Duensing
For the first time in a long time I have felt truly loved and given back all the love that I have.
HOORAY FOR OUR YOUTH AND LEADERS ON THIS VERY WARM DAY IN THE FLATBUSH NEIGHBORHOOD.
ReplyDeletePhysical work is the best part. Instead of touring we're actually getting stuff done.
--Amy Wiseman
I really enjooy helping this church recover and the people here are so much fun to be around!
--Bryn Bernhard
"When I'm old and grey, I know i'll look back at my youth mission trips as some of the best and most worth wile times of my life."
--Sarah Khoury
After going on mission trips to Kentucky and Nicaragua, I have fallen in love with making a difference where it is needed simply because it makes me feel great.
--Christopher
I love the chance to grow even closer to my friends when I felt that I was already as close to them as was possible. Meeting new people is also awesome.
--Alexis
Seeing people's gratitude for our little acts is very fulfilling.--Bailey Judson
I saw God in the bathroom (at the Tabernackle)
--Bridget Bernhard
Never in my life have I seen 50 kids work so well in the heat and humidity with no complaints day after day.
--Don
"I am where I should be right now! Feeling so blessed! So much to bring home!"
--Julie Leahy
Romans 8:18
"I consider that the suffering of this Presentime are not worth comparing with the Glory
about to be revealed to us."
--Dustin R.
There has been so much that has moved me this week. Two of the many are just seeing every one work so hard in God's name, not for themselves but for God! The other was going to the Brooklyn Tabernacle and seeing so man people completely open to god and speaking in toungs! MY KIND OF CHURCH! Being moved by God and others around me is amazing!
--John Wolf
I think the reactions from the people on the street have made this week worthwhile. How excited they are by our work is awesome.
Their faces tell it all: suprize that someone cares, Hope for the church's future, absolute thanks that we are here. And in the jend we take back the joy of meeting new people, seeing new places and at the end of a long hot day feeling like we've made a difference in the lives of others.
--Patrick Koro
THAT'S IT FROM FLATBUSH ON THIS WEDNESDAY. TONIGHT WE'LL BE TREATED TO DINNER BY THE YOUTH FROM THE SALEM BAPTIST CHURCH WHERE WE ARE STAYING. THE YOUTH GROUPS WILL JOIN AND HONOR SENIORS.
Thanks for your replies/comments!
Terrific comments. You must be moving mountains because an earthquake was felt in TC today! ( seriously...)
ReplyDelete:)
OK, I won't try to match the earthquake comment, which was rock solid, but I do want to say thanks to mission trippers and team members for taking time to post so many comments. It is easy to imagine that your days are full even without taking time to let us know what is happening. We do appreciate reading about your work, your reception by the local folks, and your feelings about the experience you are having. Thanks again, Mike
ReplyDeleteHere is our final day. The weather is beautiful, and we hope to wrap up loose ends.
ReplyDeleteHere we are during our final morning in the Flatbush neighborhood. We didn't get to sleep in after our busy, fun day in Manhattan, Soho, Chinatown and Times Square to name several areas we spent time in. After breakfast we took time to write down our individual thoughts about how Jesus stretched us this week. We shared communion and left our responses and then began final touch-ups at the Flatbush church and cleaning the Salem Missionary Baptist Church where we stayed. Check out below individual responses and thoughts!
ReplyDelete--Bonnie Sonnemann
HOW JESUS STRETCHED ME THIS WEEK
ReplyDeleteThe courage and hope to finally change. To address problems that needed to be and thinking of ways to fix the problems.
To be less self-centered and help others more than usually. Go out of my way to help and connect with friends and strangers. Offer more love and forgiveness.
Working with and around people I had never met.
I was not very connected to God before this trip
and I wasn't sure that I should go on a mission trip until my faith was stronger. God told me to take the risk and because of that my faith and connection with God has grown stronger.
I am not a very social person but this week I've made so many friends. I was brave and courageous and Jesus put me in situations where I would have to put my faith in other people. I have grown into a socially functioning person...but I am not only being social, I'm learning to love.
More thoughts from youth mission workers here in Flatbush neighborhood....
ReplyDeleteThese thoughts are telling how Jesus stretched each as individuals.
Looking below the surface.
By branching out and meeting new people. Also different worshiping like at Brooklyn Tabernacle.
When I went on an excursion and I didn't know anyone and branched out to people I had never met before.
Strengthen relationships with friends--making new friends that were strangers at the beginning of the trip--made me realize the relaionship that I have with God needs to intensify
He has made me work hard in a good way. He has shown me that I need to open my eyes and see teh world as a whole and to not be self centered.
Before this trip I questioned the existance of God, but now Jesus and all the mission members showed me I wasn't trying hard enough and that I just had to believe.
Jesus has asked me to be able to adapt to changing plans even if it means changing the day. I usually like a pretty good schedule and sometimes this week the schedule changed which was a little difficult for me. But I tried my best to go with it because I knew I had to.
It's time to close now. Hopefully you realize that these thoughts are from individuals participating in the work at Flatbush church and not only from Chris and Wendy. We have a few quick showers and lunch and packing the bus and van yet to do! Thanks for checking on us and our work and growth.
ReplyDelete--Bonnie Sonnemann
Wow!! Speaking of moving mountains, mountains were moved just reading all the entries! I ABSOLUTELY enjoyed all the personalized comments. What an awesome experience for all of you. Curious...about ground zero, let us know the deets.
ReplyDeleteI'm on the island of Crete in Greece and have enjoyed your comments and the wonderful experience that you shared with us. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you SO much for all your inspiring comments. I can't wait to see you all when you return. Thank you for being such positive role models on your trip!!!
ReplyDeleteGREAT JOB!!!!