Hope

 

I have been somewhat encouraged lately about the church in Canada East.  I might even go so far as to say I have allowed myself to become just a little bit hopeful.  I am encouraged because a few congregations seem to be "getting it", that church is about serv-ice, and not about serve-us.  The following are a few examples that give me hope.

Brydges Street Community of Christ in London has been reaching out to their neighbourhood through regular community dinners.  These and other events are designed to bring them into dialogue with their neighbours so they can be of service to them.  They feed the hungry, both those who hunger for food and those who hunger for human contact.  They provided the school across the street with support in the form of playground resources for the children which they paid for but gave away for free.  That brought them into contact with the parent-teacher group and they partnered with them as a way to serve, again for free.  They work with other churches to provide support for needy families, and that is just the beginning.   After years of being in the area, they have now become part of the community.  The community knows they are there and the neighbourhood is paying attention. A few are even attending church, being baptized and and joining the church in joyfully doing mission.  This congregation has learned to love serving.  Praise God!

Last Sunday I spent the day with Cambridge Community of Christ in a What Matters Most workshop.  This congregation does not own a building but rents space in a neighbourhood filled with rental housing.  There are literally hundreds of families with children and seniors withing a three block radius.  Somehow the Spirit seems to have been whispering and the congregation has been paying attention.  In response, they have decided to become servants to their neighbours.  They began with a community barbeque to which twenty people came.  It was fun, and they met some new folks.  Now they are planning to cook a spaghetti dinner for their neighbours.  This congregation is on the verge of discovering the joy of service, and a hunger seems to be growing inside them to do more of it.  Halleluiah!

Hamilton Community of Christ, like many churches, has grown quite small over the past few years, but that hasn't stopped them from having some big ideas!  Those few member know that they have something of value and importance in their fellowship, something other people long for.  They have meaning in their lives!  What if their little church on Upper Sherman could become "The Meaning Place" for their community?  They are just beginning this journey, but stay tuned, folks, I think you are going to hear a lot more from this faithful, inspired, and caring little community of Jesus followers.

So yes, I am encouraged today and have even begun to have hope.  In fact, there are moments when I allow myself to feel downright excited.  These congregations have rediscovered their purpose!  When we do that, and follow the leading of the Spirit in God's generous love and grace, there is no telling what might happen. 

For more on servant ministry, you might be interested in this post called Saints Wear Aprons (not bibs) from achurchforstarvingartists.  If you want still more, you can follow the links to the original article posted on MountainWings.com.

Posted by Carman

Dedicated

I have watched with some interest the celebrations of the Queen’s jubilee marking 60 years on the throne of Britain and the Commonwealth.  In the moments I have been able to observe the festivities on television, it has been wonderful to see people celebrating together in the streets and forming immediate community with others who have come to stand in the rain if necessary, watch for a glimpse of her Majesty, and cheer their hearts out.  The fact that CBC has provided hours of uninterrupted coverage of this event has been blessed relief from the usual bad and gloomy news that is the normal diet served up by our news broadcasters. 

Even more gratifying was to listen to the sermon of thanksgiving presented by the Archbishop of Canterbury on Tuesday morning, EDT.  It was lovely to hear him define what it means to be dedicated, and to describe the Queen’s 60 years of service in exactly those terms.  It was lovely.  His quoting of St. Paul, and his description of the Queen's generous service is inspiring, and causes one to look at the depth of our one's dedication, and that to which we are dedicated.  The Archbishop invites us to exactly this kind of reflection as he ends his tribute with the following words.

Dedication to the health and well-being of a community is all this and more. May we be given the grace to rediscover this as we give thanks today for Her Majesty's sixty years of utterly demanding yet deeply joyful service.

You can read the full text of  his remarks here if you wish.  I highly recommend it.

Posted by Carman

Legacy

Since attending St. Thomas congregation’s 135^th Anniversary celebrations this past weekend, I have been reflecting, not for the first time, on our legacy.  A legacy, simply put, is that which is handed down from previous generations.

On Saturday evening of the St. Thomas weekend, time was spent recounting stories from the congregation’s founding period, or more accurately, “periods” since there were more than one.  Names were recalled that are famous to those familiar with Community of Christ history in this part of the world, including Daniel MacGregor, J. J. Cornish, and R. C, Evans among others.  Meetings began in a house with just a few people.  Later, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows hall was rented and used for preaching until it could no longer hold the crowds.  Then the first church building was constructed.

During the weekend, historic figures from the past were recalled, including those who sacrificed and took extraordinary risks so the church could be established.  The story was told of a man who allowed the use of his house so missionaries could hold church gatherings.  This generosity was met with threatening letters, undoubtedly from a  religious person or persons in the community warning him not to do this, asserting that his house and furnishings would be put at extreme risk of being destroyed by mob action.  The letter also held out the prospect of the man being tarred and feathered.  The missionary offered to cancel services, but the man courageously insisted on going ahead, and nothing appears to have come of the threats.  The church in St. Thomas exists today, in part because of the legacy of such brave persons.

A few generations later in 1970, there was a need to build a bigger church, and a new generation of heroes stepped forward.  This group gave the money to buy a nice lot, and then worked evening after evening, Saturday after Saturday, to build the new church.  These were members who worked at their day jobs, then went to the site to work on building the church until it was dark.  The lovely building we see today on Fairway Avenue was built by the sweat and sacrifice of those members, many of whom are still alive and were present at the Anniversary.  They are elderly now; walking with canes often held in arthritic hands, but they pass to those who are younger, a legacy of honour and love.  Of course they did more than build a church; that is just one of their accomplishments.  They also served their community with equal dedication.  I find them greatly to be admired.

This is just a sample of the great legacy that has been bequeathed to us; a history of love and generous sacrifice.  I find it both moving and remarkable.  It makes me wonder, what will our generation pass down to those who follow after?  How will they look back at us?  Will they see lives invested in the future?  If our stories of faith are considered worthy to be recounted, will  our successors listen with equal wonder and admiration?  I do not know the answer.

I can only speak personally here, but I have invested my life in this cause because of the legacy provided by generations of heroes who have gone before us.  The breadth of their sacrifice and the fervency of their testimony are powerful.  Now I look for those who will follow after us, and seek to instill in them a desire to love God and bless God’s people with equal diligence. 

May our legacy be worthy of the honour bequeathed to us.

Posted by Carman

Abundant

God is calling for a prophetic community to emerge, drawn from the nations of the world, that is characterized by uncommon devotion to the compassion and peace of God revealed in Jesus Christ. Through divine grace and wisdom, this faith community has been given abundant gifts, resources, and opportunities to equip it to become such a people. Chief among these is the power of community in Christ expressed locally in distinctive fashions while upholding a unity of vision, foundational beliefs, and mission throughout the world. – Doctrine and Covenants 163:11a

Does anyone besides me find the bolded statement in the middle of the above paragraph startling? Think about it. Were we not taught in Econ 101 that the first principle of economics is that resources are scarce? Is it not a fact that most of us live our lives assuming that principle is true? Do we not spend vast quantities of time and mental/emotional energy worrying about the fact that there is not enough money to do the things we would like to do? Is that not true in our personal lives as well as our collective expression of community we call the church? And yet, here we have this recent scriptural text saying exactly the opposite!

a•bun•dant
–adjective
1. present in great quantity; more than adequate; oversufficient: an abundant supply of water.
2. well supplied; abounding: a river abundant in salmon.
3. richly supplied: an abundant land.

The idea takes some getting used to, does it not? Perhaps we need to think differently just to get our heads around it. Of course the sentence is not about money is it? The sentence in question refers to abundant gifts, resources, and opportunities. (Okay, resources can certainly include money.) And, the sentence is set in context, which is all about what God is calling to the church to be.

What if the real resources we need are human ones, not financial? What if it is about the actions we take working together and not about buildings or other physical resources? The statement says we have been blessed with abundant gifts, resources (human), and opportunities to become a prophetic community characterized by uncommon devotion to the compassion and peace of God revealed in Jesus Christ. Wow! Are we ready to go there? Are we ready to express that kind of community locally; i.e. in the places where we live?

Reading the statement from this perspective, perhaps there is little wonder both section 163 and 164, given just three years later, seek to encourage us not to be afraid! (see 163:1a and 164:9b)

Okay, maybe I need to go blow some more bubbles now!

Posted by Carman

Balloons

On Sunday afternoon, May 8, 2011, the Fired Up team met at Waterloo Town Square to give away helium filled balloons and offer free hugs to people who passed by. It sounds like a pretty simple service project doesn’t it? It is of course, but like all simple ideas, it took weeks of planning to make the event a success. The balloons needed to be ordered and paid for ahead of time. Should we have the Fired Up logo printed on the balloons? How about a big smiley face that would make people feel happy? How much will that cost? Who will order the balloons? How will we get all those helium filled balloons to the site?

Then there was that other question, “What do we do if it rains?” Hmmm…that could be a definite downer. It was decided that in the event of rain, they would have some big umbrellas handy and offer to escort people to their cars, and the event would go on. At least that problem was solved!

After trying to deal with all those questions, it was tempting to back off, forget the balloons and just offer free hugs. After all, hugs are free and you don’t have to transport them. In fact, 100 hugs take up no more room than 10. But would people be open to an offer of a free hug from a stranger? What to do, what to do?

In the end, the team decided to step forward in courage and order 100 helium filled balloons. They opted for brightly coloured balloons with ribbons but no printing in order to save money, at least for this first try. The Fired Up message could be conveyed by giving people a card with the information on it. As for transporting them, some friends were recruited to help get the balloons to the square. It turned out to be a beautiful sunny afternoon, so no umbrellas were needed. I’m sure there were some thankful hearts for that little blessing.

About an hour after they began, I arrived on the scene to see how the event was going. By that time, brightly coloured balloons could be seen up and down King Street and all over the square. It was a wonderful, energizing, happy sight. The team was down to their last few balloons, but free hugs were being offered to everyone. It was remarkable to see grown men and women suddenly change course when offered a hug. In the short time I was there, I heard comments like, “I love hugs,” and “I’ll take all the hugs I can get!” Some didn't want just one hug, but insisted on getting a hug from the entire group. Between the sunshine, the balloons and the hugs, joy was definitely spreading in the community.

The most remarkable change of the day, however, was not the balloons or the hugs, but those who gathered to give them away; I have never seen them happier. Their faces were covered in huge smiles, their hearts were filled with love, and their comments included, “Can we do this every week? This is fun!” Another was, “I was apprehensive about offering to give people hugs, but now I know people really are open to that. I’m having a great time.”

On Sunday afternoon, a tiny group of disciples took to the streets to try and spread a little joy to the people they would meet. They were successful. As I reflect on it now, I am reminded of a line from one of Apostle Paul’s most famous teachings:

And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. [1 Cor 13:13]

Posted by Carman

Community

Sometimes words catch your attention because of their various parts or aspects. Such a word is Community. This compelling, significant, and powerful word has many implications worthy of at least a few moments (if not a lifetime) of reflection and devotion. Lets think about just a few of those aspects as we begin our day today.

• Come – the invitation of God’s Spirit to be at One and experience joy, hope, love and peace.
• Commune – the state of being in intellectual and spiritual dialogue with God and others.
• Communion – being in fellowship with others around shared ideas and beliefs.
• Common – holding ideas or aspects as central to the community, those things on which we agree.
• Unity – being in harmony of purpose.

If we put that all together, we are invited to commune with God and share with others, discover the ideas we have in common and come to a unity of purpose that leads to united action and service. It is a compelling definition of Community.

This brief reflection on community is, of course not definitive but cursory; a momentary glance at a word or state that calls to us unrelentingly. According to Doctrine and Covenants 163, it is our identity and calling, our purpose, the reason our communion exists.

How shall we be in community today?

Posted by Carman

Vulnerable

In 2007, President Stephen Veazey introduced a new word into our scriptural lexicon. The word is vulnerable.

“Be vulnerable to divine grace.” (D.&C. 163:10b)

Previous to this, the word does not appear in scripture, although examples of that vulnerability fill the pages of our scriptural texts.

Often, in response to some post in this blog, the authors receive email notes from people who want to offer us their comments, but do not want to go public with them. It is an interesting phenomenon. There is a certain kind of fear in putting one’s honest thoughts out there for everyone to read. It makes one feel vulnerable. The sentiment seems to be, “If people only knew what I really think, they might criticize or attack me. I’d be vulnerable.”

Of course no such attack has ever happened in response to any post or comment in What’s the Good Word. It is not that kind of conversation, and this is not that kind of community. Still, to feel vulnerable is uncomfortable, and we are reluctant to go there.

The statement in D.&C. 163 calls us to be vulnerable “to divine grace.” At first glance, that seems contradictory and counter-intuitive. After all, we might reason, isn’t divine grace simply God desiring our highest good? How can that make us vulnerable? We need only to look to the stories of Jesus or any great prophet to know the answer. Perhaps that is what scares us.

To think of divine grace as God desiring our highest good is to look at the world from a self-centred perspective. It is all about me, and God wants the best for me! But over and over, the examples of scripture and of life point in another direction. The spirit of life calls us to go beyond our selfish natures and serve others in the spirit and presence of a divine grace that wants the best for everyone, even the most vulnerable! That is exactly what Jesus is recorded as doing, and those who claim his name are called to go and do likewise. (See Luke 10:37.) To be vulnerable to divine grace is to allow ourselves to be bent to the divine will. It calls us to be open to others, even though we might well get bruised and emotionally bloodied in the process.

Are we ready to go there? Are we willing to be vulnerable so as to bring grace to others?

May your day be blessed by the presence of grace today, and may we be vulnerable to its desire to use us for the benefit of others.

Posted by Carman

Passion

I stand in line at Starbucks.

A series of monogrammed coffee mugs catches my eye.

Each bears only one word, like Joy, Hope, Love, and Peace, but not Joy, Hope, Love or Peace.

Passion.

Hmmm... Where does my Passion lie?

Passion for Christ?
Passion for this community?
Passion for a relationship with God?
Passion for Peace, Reconciliation, and Healing of the Spirit?
Passion for my larger community?
Passion for people?
Passion for…

Passion.

Where does my passion lie?

Where does yours?


Posted by Carman

Between the Crosses

Funny how a phrase can stick in your mind. Funny how it can take on life in new ways as it percolates in your subconscious.

Between the crosses…

Think of Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, commanding an army outpost hospital in France during W. W. I. Following the death of his young friend, 22 year old Lieutenant Alexis Helmer of Ottawa in May of 1915, he penned Canada’s most famous poem which begins;

In Flanders fields, the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,

But on the 28th of January, 1918, McCrae himself died of pneumonia in the very field hospital he commanded. Between the crosses of Helmer and McCrae, there were less than three years, but in those three years, Doctor John McCrae probably saved the lives of hundreds, perhaps thousands others.

Between the crosses, life happens.

Between the crosses of Jesus and the two death-row convicts executed with him, stood soldiers, grief stricken friends, and a broken-hearted mother; real people with real feelings, and real lives. In the air between those crosses their three unfortunate occupants held a strange conversation, and as a result of that redemption and grace ocurred.

Between the crosses in our lives, life exists, but we seldom know where or when the crosses will come.

Between the crosses we need to make the most of life.

Posted by Carman

Why?

Marion’s recent post, Challenge, gives us a lot to think about. If you followed the links to the achurchforstarving artists blog , or the pomotheo one, you will know that it is part of a much larger and very interesting conversation. The conversation might even be considered important, at least to those who think about the purpose and future of the church and the congregations.

In her post, Jan Edmiston asks the question, “Why exactly do we gather together as a congregation on Sunday mornings?” This is a question a lot of people have been asking in recent years. Judging by the empty seats in many churches, apparently the reasons why we do are not so obvious to a lot of people.

For some other folks, the answer comes quickly; “We gather together to worship God.” Why do we do that? As someone I respect said to me recently, “Does God even want our praise? Is this the best way to show our love for God?"

Appropriately I think, Edmiston never answers her own question, but does posit several possibilities, each of which end with a question mark. You can review those by following the line above, but I would like to add a few more.
• To plan for our collective mission?
• To support each other in mission?
• To celebrate our achievements with God in mission?
• To teach Christian mission to new disciples including our children?

I have often noticed that when I start thinking about a major topic like this, almost instantly there are many sources that come together to bring added information to the subject. (What’s going on there on a “spiritual” level?) Usually those raise more questions, but occasionally they may also point towards answers. It was therefore not surprising that yesterday Kris Judd sent me a link which led me to this very intriguing YouTubeVideo. I hope you enjoy it.

But most of all, I hope you will join this conversation. Why do you go to church on Sunday mornings if you do? If you don’t go, why do you not? What do you do instead? We promise you will not be judged, nor will your answers; we just need to talk. And while you are at it, watch for those added pieces of information that may come your way while you are thinking about it!

Posted by Carman

You

You are the light of the world.

You!

Did you get that?

YOU are the Light of the World!

Not someone else; YOU! Jesus said so in the Sermon on the Mount. (You can look it up. See Matthew 5: 14).

So…you are the light of the world.

What does light do? It gives light! That’s all. Simple, right? It just gives light. It is what it is and it does what it does. It gives away what it is, and it is not diminished by the giving. It does not ask, “How much will it cost me to give this light?” It does not grumble “I have already given away light today, or this week, or this year, or 40 years ago.” It does not complain if it is turned on at 3:00 in the morning. It just gives light.

And yet the effect that light produces in people who behold it is really quite startling. People who walk in the dark of unknown paths somehow gain a sense of hope, assurance, safety, peace, security, trust, confidence, faith, encouragement, and even joy in the presence of that light. The light just did what it does, but the people who saw it experienced blessings. It is a wonderful metaphor for people who know themselves to be vessels of God’s light and love in the world.

So, you who are the light of the world, how is the light business? Are you shedding light for others to walk in? Wonderful, isn’t it? What a privilege to be called to be the light of the world!

“You are the light of the world.
A city built on a hill cannot be hid.
No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on
the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

Posted by Carman

Adjourned!

The conference is adjourned “sine die.” It has come to a close, reached its conclusion, terminated, and will not resume in this session. The intensely busy schedule has come to an end and the agenda has been completed. Sounds like it is over, right? Sounds like there is nothing more to do and we could take some time off now, but the work has only just begun.

In conversation with our new Apostle on Friday afternoon, I learned that, following the end of Conference on Saturday, the Council of Twelve has scheduled a meeting on Sunday. On Monday, all Field Officers, including Mike Hewitt and me, begin three days of field meetings. For the first time, we will meet with the international and not the domestic fields.

We have not yet seen the agenda for those three days, but we can be sure that it will include determining what actions we need to take in response to the decisions made during the world conference. By the end of the day on Wednesday, no doubt we will have learned what new priorities will need to be addressed. Then we get to go home and get to work!

Isn’t it interesting that what appears to be an end is, in reality, another beginning? I wonder if, in Luke 10 when Jesus sent out the Seventy, it wasn’t preceded by a conference or a training workshop. “After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go.” (Luke 10:1) Probably that meeting adjourned, and then the work began. The Seventy went out, and later returned with stories and testimonies of what happened. (Luke 10:17). Perhaps they, once again, thought the job was over, only to discover that the work was just beginning all over again! Perhaps it is ever thus in the service of God.

It all makes me wonder: do you suppose that when we get to the end of this life and cross through the veil, we will discover that our work is really just beginning?

Posted by Carman

Location

You know the term: this is your reporter "on location" at the beach as the hurricane blows in, or at the protest in front of the conference centre where the world leaders are meeting.

Well, this week I'm "on location" at the hospital bed where my mum is busy healing some crumbled bones. (I hope you're drinking your milk, her doctor said to me!)

For all the ways we have to work from remote sites, or view live feeds via satellite or computer, or conference call or meetings on-line--sometime you just have to be there.

Yesterday morning there was a news report of a church that burned in Whitby. The folks will find other places to gather for their Christmas services, but I was touched that ninety food hampers that were ready for delivery to needy families were destroyed.

Needy families won't be much affected by where we Christians do or don't gather for worship or carol singing or preaching. What they will miss is the "on location" support they need from the Christians willing to be out there in the mix of life and living, offering real food, actual mittens or boots or snowsuits, or a real smile at the door of a neighbour.

Foodbanks are calling for our contributions. Shelters will need extra volunteers over this season that tends to bring greater stress to many. Those of us who are able can consider where we can best help out, and it's quite likely to be somewhere other than in the pew or at the office. Think about it. Where can you serve "on location"?

Sacaba

Sacaba is the name of a village in Bolivia where a most remarkable venture is happening. In this town, a group of young Bolivian women from the local congregation of Community of Christ run the Light of Day Bakery. This little group of women gets up every morning and gathers at 4:00 a.m. They have prayer together, and then begin to bake bread. They do it day after day, providing wholesome and safe bread for the people of the village where they live, at reasonable and affordable prices. The amazing thing about this, however, is not how early they get up, or how hard they work, but the fact that they do this without pay! Their compensation is a few pieces of bread with which to feed their own families.

Why would they work so hard without pay? How can this little group be so dedicated? What motivates them to this service? The answer lies in their desire to serve their neighbours and share the light they have found. That is amazing dedication! Would I do the same? It seems unlikely, and I am truly humbled!

But the dreams of this little group do not stop there. They have their eyes fixed on other projects of service for their community. Noting that their region can grow a lot of vegetables, even though many people are not used to eating vegetables, they dream of starting a project related to nutrition, so people will be healthy and have better lives. Talk about sending/serving ministry! This is wonderful, extraordinary generosity! May Heaven bless these women, and return to them the love they give.



You can learn more about this project by watching the following video. Simply click on the link below, and then on the link for the appropriate bandwidth.

http://www.cofchrist.org/broadcast/default.asp#news

Solutions

I'm thinking of just how many people have told me about solutions they're part of. You know what they say, if you're not part of the solution you just may be part of the problem!

Some of the problems are huge ones--AIDS, war, hunger and homelessness. And you might think you can't be the solution to those ones. But look again. Today (I'm writing this on December 1) is International AIDS Day and there are the folks in Stratford organizing and attending vigils and creating awareness and support for real solutions.

We think of our good friend Rod Downing who keeps reminding us via his Peace newsletter and truly putting pressure on countries and their leaders to move on solving such huge issues as Darfur. It may be a global issue, but there are things to be done, even by one person.

Many CEM congregations have found community problems they can do something about: GTA West make sandwiches for the homeless hungry; Providence Bay ensures families without means can join in the community skating time; Hamilton provides food and fellowship for their neighbourhood seniors. Many congregations support local food banks and adopt families at Christmas time. You can add to this list I'm certain.

As Christmas approaches you, like me, may be receiving all kinds of pleas to help with this or that important cause. Let's not just reject them all. Let's give some thoughtful consideration to how we can be part of the solution.

We've been considering our various ministries to bring our healthy congregations into greater balance. As the season of giving is upon us, this is a time to answer the call to serve others. What are the calls into community that tug at your heart? Can you moblilize your family, a few friends, even your whole congregation to make a difference, to be part of the solution?

Share your story here.

Context

Now there is an interesting word. Context refers to the circumstances in which an event occurs. It is the setting in which something is said or done, and it really does matter.

“Context is everything!” That is a phrase one may hear from time to time. It suggests that one cannot overestimate the importance of our circumstance. I heard this phrase the other day in the midst of a discussion by our CPI pastors. The conversation was on the subject of the mission of a congregation.

Then there is the matter of internal context versus external context. In a congregation, for instance, the internal context might be all about the relationship between church participants, whether supportive or antagonistic, harmonious or tense. External context is about what is happening in the community where the church is located. I find this external context very intriguing, partly because we often ignore it so completely!

What is happening in your external context; the community where your congregation is located? What is occurring in the lives and circumstances of the families who live there? Is the recession impacting them in a serious way? What circumstances are changing in the neighbourhood? Are there needs that the church can and should respond to?

Context matters. External context matters because that is where our mission is.

Heroes

There are a few people I think of as my heroes; or more accurately as heroes of the gospel. For instance, in the High Desert in California, in the city of Victorville, there is a man whose name is Gary. Gary was/is a drug addict who came to church one Sunday morning with his girlfriend Tracy looking for help to get their lives back on track. Gary was in trouble with the law, with Family Services, with just about everybody you could name, but he wanted to do better.

Gary and Tracy knew there had to be a better way to live. They showed up at church and asked for help. Though no longer together, three years later, Gary and Tracy have been baptized and are still off drugs. Gary has custody of his son, attends church every Sunday, and helps wherever he can. He also goes to school. His goal is to become an addictions counselor so he can help others the way he was helped. I love Gary and Tracy deeply; they are my heroes.

There are also other heroes in this story, and they are the people from this little congregation in the desert who supported Gary and Tracy and others while they went through this enormous change in their lives. They are people who really didn’t know how to help drug addicts, but also knew they had to say yes when asked. They learned how to support people who were getting clean, and be patient with them while they learned what it means for them to live a Christian life. It took great courage and patience for them to do that. The members of this little congregation are true heroes of the gospel, and they will always have my undying respect and admiration.

Do you have heroes? Who are they? What do they do that makes you admire them?