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Until I return, I pray this for you:
“The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26
If you’re in Greensboro and you’ve signed up for winter shelter at the HIVE, First Presbyterian or Grace Community, but you haven’t come in yet, tonight’s the night to come inside. The forecast temperature for tonight (Sunday, Dec. 21) is 19 degrees and tomorrow night (Monday, Dec. 22) is 20 degrees. Wind is forecast for both nights. That is dangerously cold weather. Please come inside. I understand that there are many reasons that some of our homeless friends choose not to come to a shelter. But when weather is this cold, your choice becomes much more urgent. Emergency overflow shelter is also open at Salvation Army and Greensboro Urban Ministry. Please, please, come inside.
Read more on Frigid weather warning: Please come inside…
“He is no fool who gives up that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
– Jim Elliot
This song was performed at the Night of Remembrance at Grace Community Church in Greensboro on Wednesday, December 17th, commemorating National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day 2008:
Lyrics below
Read more on Let me encourage you…
I’ve visited the women’s winter emergency shelter at Grace Community Church the past two nights, and it’s a peaceful and happy place to be. I already knew most of the homeless women who are staying there, but it’s so cool to get to hang out with them at night like this. It’s like a big slumber party, which is exactly what we all talked about at the library months ago, when I first spoke to some of these ladies about winter shelter, and asked what they thought about doing a women’s-only shelter at Grace. They were excited about the idea, and I have to say, it’s even better than what we imagined.
Read more on Shelter, safety, rest, peace: Homeless women find refuge at Grace…
A Night of Remembrance commemorating
National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day
walk of remembrance starting at Shiloh Baptist Church with Pastor Willis Johnson
service of remembrance at Grace Community Church with Marshall Benbow
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Read more on Photos and text: Homeless memorial walk and service 2008…
“If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country — a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”
– Hebrews 11:15-16
Read more on Longing for a better country…
In two video interviews about Hope Builders homeless camps, since destroyed by the City of Des Moines, a homeless advocate says:
“Most of the religious community operates out of the business model…”
Read more on Churches: Building a business or building the Kingdom?…
Homeless advocates from Hope Builders worked alongside unsheltered homeless people to build huts from scrap lumber for them to live in the woods. The “hootches” were solidly built and insulated and even had windows. A homeless advocated explained why the men preferred to live separately and not in shelters: “Everybody needs private space in this world.”
Read more on Des Moines destroys homeless camps…
Operation Greensboro Cares, a fundraising partnership coordinated by the United Way, the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, the News & Record and other media partners, is raising money for emergency shelter (including winter shelter through the WE! program), emergency food assistance through food pantries, and emergency financial assistance with power and heating bills, to help keep families in their homes and help them avoid homelessness.
Read more on Operation Greensboro Cares raises money for emergency food and shelter…
Easter begins at Christmas. The King who came to die. And rose again. And lives today. Hallelujah. Jesus Messiah, LORD of all.
Jesus Messiah, Name above all names, Blessed Redeemer, Emmanuel, Rescue for sinners, Ransom from Heaven, Jesus Messiah, Lord of all…
While Audrie, Marsha and I began cleaning and reorganizing the outreach storage space in the basement of Grace Community Church this past Saturday, some of our friends headed out to invite our Glenwood neighbors to Grace’s annual Community Christmas Banquet. Our outreach director, Marshall Benbow, writes on his blog:
Read more on Living the light in Glenwood…