Detroit Hope Memories

Arrionna's Influence

2011-11-22T22:07:00.001-05:00

I am writing, because I must tell you living in florida away from this vibrant ministry I was a part of is tough, but I take notice of the testimonies I hear from my brothers and sisters who are still there leading the ministry.

I also must say that one of my most fond memories is that of Arrionna coming up to me, a little girl of 8 years old then, who is probably 10 now, but she said, "I am so excited to be here, I wish I could give to help this ministry." "Do you think if I give my bus fair in the offering plate that I would have used to get back home, You could help me find an adult that I could trust to get me a ride home from church? I love it here!" This week I am praying for this family, they are in a shelter in Adrian Michigan, and I know they miss their friends and family, and more importantly their church home. I am thankful for God letting me be a part of their lives, Cyerra, Torian and Arrionna, but i pray that loving folks will help them get back with those whom they love and love God with in their spiritual family.

God Bless them. I still learn from youth who give me this kind of example of how to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

God Bless You!
From a Gentle Giant Forerunner of Christ's Peace.

2010-12-18T10:57:00.002-05:00

T-minus 5 months and Counting

You may have heard I'm leaving Detroit Hope, but may have heard some rumor about the reasons, frankly no matter how many times I say it, I think people think I am making the decision for reasons that are not valid, or they would rather have me in Detroit forever. Well folks. It is not about me. It never has. It is about God, and what God is doing up here. And what God has blessed and will continue to. I just want to set the record straight.

I have been on the ground, in some way, intern or pastor, for the better part of seven years. I worked in 2004 with John Atkinson, and there were some of the children from that summer camp program. The way I have measured this, I met David McCray when he was 14, and now he is 21. I have had 7 years influence on his life, and the many lives in the community thanks to the Grace of God letting me be apart of it. We have accomplished so much. Helping families, creating a culture of faith, education, confidence, and working through every struggle and every concern. We have also focused on building a body of Christ that has become a spiritual family that bares each others burdens and lifts up the Yo Buddies and the Me toos in good times and in bad to emphasize the fact that we can care and help each other.

Rachel and I knew that when Levi was born, it was the beginning of a countdown clock in our minds, that we were either 1800 miles from Rachels Family, or 1200 miles from our family. We began to think about Levi's relationship with family so far away, his schooling, his family life, and his extra curricular activities as well as family time with his parents. If Residence Life and Urban Church planting continued to run on the same time table, while he would be at school I would have the mornings off, but I would be working until after he is in bed, and so would Rachel. She just got hired in a new job at the University of Western Florida. We thought this job would come more in like the summer, but it came as early as December 1. Her Job has benefits such as spouse tuition benefit, and other perks that made this move to florida, close to her family, a blessing dropped in our lap.

This is just the beginning of the discussion, and I will continue with this discernment decision in the next post. My computer is dying.

2010-07-06T20:55:00.000-04:00

Peace and Justice in a harsh neighborhood

On June 9^th we had a familiar bunch from Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri come to our aid at Detroit Hope. Twenty-Six Senior high came prepared, and not so prepared for an experience of their lifetimes. Their youth leader Dee Jones from Lamoni Heartland mission center was one of the youth leaders that raised me up through youth programs at Guthrie, Spec, IYF and other youth activities. Every year she would venture out taking youth to places all over the continental United States, and Canada in the name of mission and work camp, and she graced us with their last trip before her retirement. What a humbling, honoring gesture. Detroit Hope would not know what it was about to experience.

The first day, they traveled 12 hours. On a bus, crammed in there, 26 youth and 8 staff. They rested on Thursday, and we explained what they would face in the neighborhood, and some of our ministry history. Then we led them down to the church, and they worked all afternoon and evening. I had a list of Work projects to do, and in that first day, they accomplished like seventy to eighty percent of them.

On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, we left for Toronto, myself and all of these amazing people from out west. We went up and met J.W. Windland and he led these youth on a religious experience through his research and connections to 4 temples and holy places and talked to us about the respectful way to attend, and how to respond, and how to understand their beliefs more wholistically. It really brings about a peace and a mutual respect in the hearts of those who attended. Going to a Seek Temple, a Hindu Temple, a Buddhist Temple and a Islamic Mosque center for prayer.

When we got back, we made it for Sunday service, and the youth were so excited to attend and help that they worked between when we arrived and when we had church to prepare a barbeque and also be active in our service that night.

I must remark now about the work that they did from Monday through Wednesday Night. However I think a list would be more appropriate:

· They Cleaned the Windows

· Re-Planted our garden

· Weeded the Sidewalks

· Painted the Foyer

· Painted the Bathroom

· Took down a rotting shelf in the kitchen

· Planned and Carried out a Vacation Bible School

· Cleaned and straightened the Shed

· Moved Sports Equipment from the office to the shed.

· Cleaned the Food Pantry

· Cleaned the Clothing Closet

· Organized the Worship Center Shelves

· Cleaned the Boiler Room

· Organized and fixed up Classrooms for Usable Space

· Cleaned the bathrooms

· Painted the Basketball Goal Lines

· Painted a Mural about Joy, Hope, Love, and Peace.

· Painted inspirational sayings on the basketball lane.

· Removed tons of trash

· Deep Cleaned the stairs and hallways.

· Cleaned all windows,

· Transformed the Office into a Nursery / Cry Room.

· Trimmed bushes, cut down trees and overgrowth on the lawn

· Organized the craft closet

· Organized and cleaned the kitchen

· Had the idea to create a bike wrack for youth that come to church.

· Made it their Disciples Generous Response Moment Wednesday night and brought in $402.66 dollars.

Now those last two may sound like simple things, but just think about it. They did all this ministry, all these projects, and brought us all this peace, but then when a little girl from our congregation was crying. They heard her cries, caught her tears, and are making a difference for the future by caring so much and buying a locking bike wrack so no child needs to come to church fearful that they will miss their bike when they come out of the building after worshiping with us. They were creating a little bit of Zion here in our neighborhood. They had become invested in us in one week and had several testimonies of their experiences that I hope to get on our website soon at; http://www.detroithopecofchrist.org very soon. They brought us peace, and faught injustice with peaceful action. Yo Buddy for our Mission Trip group from Lamoni Heartland Missioncenter and Prairie Bluffs Mission center. Thank you to them, and thank you to you for supporting us as we stand to our feet as a congregation.

2010-06-18T20:40:00.003-04:00

Mission Trip 2010 Lamoni Heartland/Prairie Bluffs Missioncenter

How They brought us both Peace and Justice.

Okay Folks, It has been a week or more, since the blogger went down, on the monday routine, and I have a lot to tell you about. Yes, it is Friday, not Monday, but I needed a day of rest from our mission trip to be able to get up and think about all the blessings that came into being in the short time that Lamoni Heartland and Prairie Bluffs Mission center Senior High group came to Detroit. I want you all to realize something. In 4 short workdays, with 3 to canada, and 2 to travel, these youth put up some amazing support of Detroit Hope Community of Christ. I must say they have left a lasting impression and will be sorely missed. They evoked a revival type spirit that inspired us, and gathered steam for a great summer to come in 2010. Here are just a few comments about the work projects:

Vacation Bible School - This was put on by every youth participating and Becky from the Council Bluffs Area. They did Studio Go, a resource produced by group or youth specialties, and it focused on Saying yes to God, Obeying, Leading, and Listening, like the bible heroes and heroines tell us. Over all they had great attendance that had to pick up steam, but by wednesday they had two hopping classes that rotated through theme class, crafts class, recreation, snack and a bible/music class. Overall, I thought it was amazing. And it was Detroit Hope's very first Vacation Bible School. Yo Buddy!

Painting The Foyer - I must mention this one first among the work projects. It was an amazing work that was led by Terry, Deb and many full and strong supporting cast Senior High. I wouldn't be suprised one bit to find that everyone in one way shape or form contributed to the job. They painted floor to ceiling, and the trim around every door, window and along the floor and ceiling moulding. Terry and Deb spent tireless time, energy and effort during the days, and during some lunch times working to get the job done. Yo Buddy!

I'll write more later, we are under a severe weather warning, hail hitting my window, I am getting off of the net.

2010-06-08T01:04:00.001-04:00

Blogger decided to go down last week? I will write my blog today, just after I sleep and before biblestudy at Detroit Hope tomorrow. Thanks for your patience.

2010-05-13T16:44:00.003-04:00

Second week of this new Spiritual Practice of Journaling 5-13-10

You guessed it, Im late in this post. I thought better late than never, and I also thought, I will get back onto mondays. I have had some interesting discussions this week, and we may be charted on a new direction here with Detroit Hope.

Some Good news you should know about and pray for.

*David Shelton, one of our youth is graduating from Cody High School this spring. A big YO BUDDY! He is the first in my reconing that we have had that has finished high school outright since we have been here. Not inlcuding GED or Night School. This is a big splash over the damn that is our ignorance and injustice when it comes to our youth in our community in Northwest Detroit becoming educated to be at their greatest potential. Pray for David, his finals, and his continuing future.

*We have two World Service Corps Interns starting this summer, and they will bring a great deal of experience, gifts and talents to the Detroit Hope congregation. We will utilize these skills to provide a greater ministry to those we have not yet met, but it will also allow us to further provide pastoral care wherever our presence may reach to in this Detroit area.

*We have a Senior High Group from my home area being led by Delia Jones, Terry Jones, Julie Elliott from the areas of Lamoni Heartland Missioncenter, and Prarie Bluffs Missioncenter to come to Detroit Hope and help us out with some projects and ministry while experiencing and participating in this awesome ministry. They are also taking a trip to Toronto for a day or so, and taking a tour of the World Religions Ministries Center and then returning to Detroit Hope.

*We have a point system now that will allow our youth to attend Reunions, Camps and Spec. If you would like to contribute money to these hard-working, ministry-inspired youth so that they can go to camp please call Pastor Jacob at (313)515-8955.

*Pray for us, as we endevor to find new energy and spirit of mission, sent and called by God to be a blessing in this specific location. Our Team meets on sunday and we will discuss changing our worship week schedules, changing our times for community support and outreach, and re-powering our pistons for the great work that is about to come forth.

YO BUDDIES
We are praying for these Yo Buddies in which God is truly working in Detroit, and in our lives and our extended family of members and congregants lives, and we would like you to join in prayers of thanksgiving with us for them.
20 Basketballs for DH from Indiana and Claire and Henry
Dean and McCrays got a new stove and fridge with Cluster Support
New Computer - Bill Kline
David saw his Dad
Grandson Visit
Thank You's to a bunch of people
Mother's Day
Internship
Money Donations
Tutoring Program
Sunshine
1st Wedding at Detroit Hope in recent history.
Levi's First Birthday

ME TOOS
Mavis Kinney - Not doing well, possible psneumonia Dr. Not sure about diagnosis
Problems with Mom/Dad
Keisha (Vonnie's Mom) -Heart and Blood Pressure Problems
Jobs-For Roomates and All who are out of work.
Auntie is in the Hospital
Darryl Sick, Dimetrius Sick, Need to go to Doctor.
Mom in Hospital for Surgery
Rick's Family Member in Afghanistan
Teachers
Schools Closing in Detroit
Displaced or Dropped out Students
Saturday the 22nd Block party / Work Day to clean up the neighborhood parks.
Red Wings
Bill Kline Heart Problems
City of Detroit / Detroit School Problems
Mavis Kinney
Relationships in the Church
Teenage Deaths, and abandoned Houses Problems
Teenage Pregnancy
Jobs and Housing
Detroit Hope Internships
More Young People in the church
Mrs Parker, and that the Tutoring program will go better
Ms. Ruth, because we miss her, and her overtime is not paying for the hours she can't be with us.

2010-05-04T23:14:00.001-04:00

Things Learned in Church Planting or Ministry to Hard Living People. For other church planters, missionaries, and laborers for God.

1. The Gospel (Good News of Jesus Christ) is not reserved just for us. The street slang would be The Gospel is not just about you. This has called me to a servant ministry. When I get all-celebratory about a victory in the church plant, some people feel that it is time for compliments. Sometimes, I will say, "give that glory to God, for without him we wouldn't have any of this." Well friends, I know that in our humanness, sometimes this wears on us, like we have a greater work to do, first it starts wearing on us, I remember comparing our church plant to others. Comparing myself to pastors of other plants. Sometimes for self-gratification and other times for condemnation. I think this is those times when we need a good 'Ol slice of humble pie. The very worst is when it sneaks up on you. You go on serving, serving, serving, and all of a sudden, smack, God reminds you that you are nothing without God. Maybe I have experienced something in an ironic way. Maybe in just a new direction with some flashy new ideas. I found myself here. I think to myself, well, what was so wrong about the old ideas, they worked? They were providing a good needed ministry. I tell you-"A ministry will come and a ministry will come to pass. It is not about us. And the really good God inspired ministries have successors, plans, A, B, and C, and when those don't work you should have remembered to pray first. Then start over with alpha A, alpha B, and alpha C. And don't get frustrated, God has ultimate patience, and we are just privileged to be included and be given grace into involved service. That reminds me, wasn't I doing a count down?

2. So since I mentioned it "We're just blessed to be a part of things." This is Gods work, not ours. The sooner we get this in our heads, the better off and humbly favored we may be. I think about all of the God inspired callings that must go out, un-answered and still left as raw potential. When we answer the call, God gives us a responsibility to seek God out for instructions. Pray. Pray. Pray. And that is my first tip to discernment. It is the only unifying factor to discernment practices, they all have something to do with petition and listening prayers. Or at least they should.

3. God won’t give us anything we can’t handle. I know this from experience, I have a testimony of losing my father, coming from farm country to Detroit, being offered drugs and inviting the same man to Church. Somehow, our strength, our courage and our patience can get us through anything if we only ask for help. Even through boring meetings because, to all you missionaries out there, you never know where you might find an opportunity to find a supporter to network with amongst you and find a great Ally for Gods mission.

4. A missionary pastor, church planter needs ultimate patience. Jesus needed time away from his flock to refill, so do you. Sometimes, it would be easy to get angry, lose patience, and blow off the handle. I have seen church planters get so upset they just tackled somebody they thought deserved it. We can get stressed out and burned out, and lose patience, but even Jesus needed a Sabbath away from Peter and the disciples constant questions. Many of us don’t know the answers. We need to have a fog of patience, do not be afraid to say, “I don’t know, let me ask a few people.” Or “Could you let me get back to you on this?” It works wonders, and please follows up with this. It will make you a better minister of pastoral care, but also a better disciple because you tended even the most trying congregants.

5. Find Your Sabbath. What is Sabbath? Well a good bible scholar might be able to tell you, but I think the great thing is, we are not defined a day. Some other denominations will say of course it is this certain day; it is the first day in the week. Others will say, the Sabbath day is the seventh day, the last day in the week. Well folks “News flash” God doesn’t work on our time, and the Mayan calendar we follow now was not in print in the Roman culture of Jesus day nor are we sure which day God Created first on. This could be debated forever. Go Jump, anyone that wants to sign up for this go right ahead. I was told by a great mentor that Sabbath is anything and any time that fills you up personally, emotionally, physically and most important spiritually. No I am not talking about one of those feeding house churches although some people attend congregations other than those they are ministering in to be “filled spiritually”. I am talking about a sacred time thing, a sacred activity, or a sacred practice. I know of quite a few people that get caught up in their ministry and all consumed by it until they can’t breathe or until they have re-scheduled their vacation three times. A good missionary leader needs to schedule it out, and have people hold them accountable to it. What kind of activities am I talking about? Those things that are usually associated with God given gifts or really positive childhood experiences. I know a church planter that when he gets burned out, he goes to like three movies one afternoon with popcorn and the works and just vegges until he has fully immersed himself in an alternative world. This may work for you. Another mentor of mine, takes one day out of his week for an easy going day, of getting up, having morning coffee, easy meals all day and a day filled with woodworking in his shop. Others seek nature. Some seek God to refill them in creation. Others fish, baiting worms to catch that big one. To have a great fish tale and to mark that great fishing hole of their list. I paint, draw and do anything artsy. There is something for me, like the woodworker in creating like God. We are after all created in God’s image, so why not rest, mind, body and soul, like God did on the seventh day. We just need to look into what perks our interest, and see if we get re-fueled in the process.

6. Don’t be a hero. Well some of you comic book fans may remember this line from many a zombie movie, or western, maybe a marvel comic or two. I say it applies to church planting and hard living ministries because frankly we need checks and balances. We need teams. We need those people who push back, give us checks, like body-checking in basketball just to see where you are, defend you, and have your back when you need a friend, or a bail out of trouble. In teams you will never hear risk management breathing down your neck because you will always have a witness. Also, we get a big head sometimes and we get into trouble and get burned out or put out from some great ministry God would like us to do. (See all above lessons learned) I just know, like Moses, we could easily miss an opportunity for some God blessings, like “the promised land” if we think we are the deliverer and forget that God is. There is a reason that Jewish people focus on the stories in the Old Testament, because their heroes had been honored, and fell from honor and only by Grace we’re God’s people saved. Mostly I am telling you, the world is cutthroat, you need a friend, or team, realize you are not always or ever the leader, and thank them and give them due deserving pats on the back to save your volunteers.

I know I will have more later, let me just think of them and be re-inspired. Thank you.

2010-05-03T22:45:00.002-04:00

God Bless us All.

I must say, I have been trying to keep on keeping on. I think people were a little concerned when I sent the less than 150 character status update up last thursday. I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you I am fine, and it was a healing experience. With healing experiences you find yourself in new territory. (Im sure some star trek fans could enter a quote here) But I am not going to do that. I realized today, that sometimes I need to just be still and let God. Sometimes I think God comes just in time and provides helps just enough. Over the course of my ministry, I have seen this along the road, and I feel that some of these times are when I grew the most as a minister, but also, grew the toughest skin and, equal to other times, when I was most vulnerable. I feel that I can not express how humbled I am lately, and it makes me look back at some times when God has taught us a thing or two in church planting here in detroit.

2010-01-14T15:28:00.002-05:00

My Goal. To Post blog entries more often. Simply that, to let you know each testimony as it comes, so I will not have to wrack my brain to remember Gods works in our lives and the ministry God is allowing us to participate in here in Detroit.

Today, my entry will be a prayer. For Haiti.

Dearest Lord.

Today I ask, that you help these efforts come together to help Haiti. I know that the church, the community of christ has donated some oblation funds. I hope that our people decide to donate more. We have so many members who deal constantly with tragedy. I remember three years ago towards the last conference they were dealing with mud-slides and death, and I know many of the people live in tin-roof homes and the economy is lacking. Now they have to deal with loss of maybe what they hold most valuable, their families. God let them experience your shalom, your love, and your cleansing spirit as they heal. They could easily blame you for this natural disaster, but let them see the mercy and grace that comes with each bandaid, each worker, each rock moved, and re-settled. I ask that their hearts be bound back together, spare no time looking for each and every piece, and healed, made stronger, and give them hope. Love them let them feel found and loved, known and helped.

For now, I ask these things in your sons most holy name,

Amen.

2010-01-13T16:46:00.002-05:00

These are some testimonies we are sharing in our buletins in michigan to draw attention to the dire need of the support from our 4 missioncenters, and the eventual one michigan missioncenter. I hope that on January 17th you can pray with us that the offerings collected may help secure and green our building to be more self sustaining for this congregation to out of its generosity, stand on its two feet. If you are in a congregation in michigan, ask your pastor about collecting a special offering for Detroit Hope on Racial Justice Day.

Help from Tough Places

We have a ministry in-between two rival gangs. Literally one resides and calls their home 7 mile, a mile and a half north, and the other, for which most of our members come from, resides a mile and a half south, the Brightmoor Gang. Our church sits in a kind of neutral territory. You can witness that fact because we do not have tags of either gang on our church or inside of it. The green space around the church is a stark contrast to all of the cement and blight of the rest of the area in northwest Detroit.

Over the years, we have had a number of young men come and take part in our organization. It has become a house of senior high men who grew up in 5 years, and now we see as young adult leaders of our ministry. One such individual was an enforcer in our neighborhood, and he would come around and check on his members and their siblings at our church. He kept his distance, but you could tell he was really getting involved in our program. One night he surprised us.

“Would you like for me to mix the cool-aid?” he asked.

The next week, he added laying out the plates for pizza, next, set up the chairs and wiped down tables, the next following week, he was cleaning up and reminding people they should be cleaning up their own messes. This was eliminating a huge stress to our ministry picking up after 70-80 congregants at our Wednesday night pizza church. Over the journey, in the last 8 months, great mentoring has happened between this young adult and Jeff Stoker. Because of the fostered relationship this young adult is calling our movement his church, and we are asking for his input and help in the formation and direction of this emerging congregation. We look for this man to become a leader not just for today but for some time to come.

Doodles on the Table

I was originally an artist. I went to Graceland University to follow my talents and dreams to be an art teacher. While there I was involved in the campus ministry program led by Blake Smith. His mentoring and direction let me get involved in missionary endeavors including a trip to Chattanooga and a World Service Corps Assignment to Detroit where I found my calling. Interesting how a calling by Jesus Christ will just seem to up and grab a person. I have been church planting at Detroit Hope for over 4 years, and we are currently in our fifth year working in this neighborhood. We have done great ministry, and been in some tough places, and it always is good to re-group and organize with field staff and others dealing with the ministry of the leading the church. One such time, our field staff were gathered at Bluewater Campground for some direction and discerning about our field goals and passions to discern what matters most as Christ has called us all in our most recent revelation. Stassi Cramm knows how sometimes a 4 day discussion and meetings can get long and lengthy, and one way she keeps our minds turning is to have butcher paper out on the table with goodie bags, and crayons. I was drawing on the table, as I like to do, sharing testimonies when they added to the discussion, and then went back to drawing. (The only way I multi-task well.) Anyway, I was drawing our church seal, with the sacraments all eight of them circled around, with our historic sites and the villages the Community of Christ ministers to around the world.

During one of our breaks, Eleanor West came up to me, looked over my shoulder and said “if you bring me a painting of that I will give you some donation to your Mission and your building projects.” Little did she know I would make her a 4 foot painting of it. It resides now in Boyne City congregation and they and this disciple made a great donation with the intent that it would help us and we could in turn share the message and mission of Christ through this artwork, Through other trips. I always have felt good about this friendship and it really is helping to reach our goal in the Give Hope to Detroit Hope campaign. This is where the inspiration came for the Artwork Sale at our mission conference and online at detroithopecofchrist.org.

Baptism Buddies

At Detroit Hope we have two 8 year olds. They have been coming for 2 years, almost three. This last year the first, Isaac Miller, turned 8 in January. Having had just took our pre-baptismal class we call new believers, this young man was excited to be baptized. So excited it was his Yo buddy at church and at school. Before this he began to witness to his school teacher about how Yo Buddies works at church and everyone shares the blessings that people are thankful to God for, and then the concerns that are lifted up in prayer as a part of the whole congregation praying for them. This was accepted by that teacher, and became something that they would share Yo buddies and Me Toos as a part of their “Show and Tell time” every day at school. Isaac is so passionate, that he would share these in the car on the way to church and home on the way to his home. The second one Arrionna turned 8 in June, on the 29^th in fact. She was just as excited, but dreaded the fact that Isaac one of her best friends would be baptized first with out her. But she didn’t tell anyone. Especially Isaac. Isaac, the spiritual person he is knew and wanted to share his baptism with someone else, and he asked me, “Could I wait to have my baptism with Arrionna?” I smiled, because I had been privy to that information Arrionna wasn’t sharing. I said great! And played it off and said, If you think you can wait that long. Then I told him to go tell Arrionna what he had decided to do. When he got there, I was standing back a bit, and could see over his shoulder to the surprised and amazed Arrionna who honestly looked like Christmas had come in late January.

When they were both baptized it was like we all gained a brother and a sister, thicker than blood into the Community of Christ at Detroit Hope. They are great disciples and additions to the body of Christ.

Detroit Hope Starts a Clothing Closet

Pastor Jacob Blakesley Reporting

In my first year at Detroit hope I had a lot of supporters from home. Lamoni was my home congregation, and the first Christmas was the first, and hardest Christmas I had faced as a minister. We had children coming in from off the street that had said their hats and gloves had been stolen at home. I believed them to an extent, but when I checked with the parents, they said yeah, we bought them this character hat, and it was so cool it was sought after. I said if we had a hat gloves and mitten drive this could support the community and its children.

That Christmas there was such an outpouring of hats gloves and mittens from congregations near and far in Michigan that every kid we knew could have had 5 sets of hats, gloves, and mittens. Because of this, we opened our clothing closet ministry. When Lamoni congregation got wind of this they felt called and inspired to fundraise for an over sized washer and dryer units. What A BLESSING!!! They were low energy but also they would continue to help us offer clean clothes out of our closet when sometimes we would receive clothes that have been sitting in a garage for 6 to 8 seasons they got dirty. That was the initial place it provided ministry.

Additionally in the Michigan job crisis we have found that landlords, renters, and evictions have become more swift and fierce, and some of our members have been evicted in cold weather, rain storms, dumping belongings into the mud puddles and pot holes on the curbs. These washers have cleaned what remaining belonging they had, and the clothing closet helped people get back on their feet when they were restored in their living situation.

This is one way Detroit Hope is outreaching and living for the call of God into our community. If you have ever wondered why clothing closets were so much work, or if it was worth the effort, get out and listen to the needs of our dire, desperate communities. They are in needing of the healing, restoring and reconciling nature of the Community of Christ, and we need to care enough or ask God to empower us to do a great task to let others know we are Christians by our love.

Stewardship at it’s Best

Pastor Jacob Reporting

In our campaign towards repairing our building and making it less of a burden on the mission center and the rest of Michigan when we move to one united mission center, it has always been a goal at Detroit Hope to make our ministry more financially responsible. One day Jeff Stoker, a seventy and our financial officer at Detroit Hope, affectionately called by the kids at the church “Pastor Jeff” was looking at the bills we cover locally. One of which is the water bill. He was looking at how much we were spending, at it was over 500 dollars a month, with usage rates under 40 dollars. This did not sit right. He went down town, sat at the DTE offices, and met with one of their representatives. When he got done, the lady he talked to told him that the remainder of 460 dollars a month, it was going down the drain literally. It was accounting for our street drain in our parking lot at they were charging us for the water from the snow and the hard winter we had. I must admit we prayed when we found out the bill was so high. We also informed Dena DeVormer and Deb Crowley of the bill and they prayed for it. One Day we were setting down with Paragon Management Director Margaret Davy and Outreach Services Director Bishop Tom Jeffers, and they both suggested that because they’re renting the parking lot from the church they should cover the water that runs off of the parking lot eliminating that bill from our books. Because it felt like such a blessing, we asked if one of the items on our list, the leaky basement, could be the first project we start. Rick Mac Gregor and our World Service Corps volunteers remove the tile, clean up the basement, painted everything with dry-lock, and made the space useable for ministry again. Without these savings and your generosity this miracle wouldn’t have happened. If this project did not occur the inspectors from the county and the city could have come in and said our basement was moldy, wet and a health hazard, but now, this space is a blessing and our cleanest slate to have ministry restored in our building. Thank You!

Pizza Church Receives back Blessings

Wednesday night is Pizza Church. If you want to go find out more about this please go to http://www.detroithopecofchrist.org and click on videos to find more in depth about this. But anyway, we buy pizza, lots of pizza. We feed our congregation each Wednesday after our seekers service. We flip back and forth on who we buy our pizza from either Prince’s Pizza or Little Cesar’s. The local manager at Prince’s Pizza really likes us because he is a leader in the community and his family owns and operates their business. One year, his brothers got together and decided our church would be the recipient of their local charity project. Jeff and I walked in to order 10 five-dollar pizzas and they said, “hey, come around back and get these turkeys for your ministry.” On the way out, even though they are not Christians they said “may God bless you and your ministry, your doing well for this community.” Upon getting back to the church with the turkeys we didn’t have enough room in our freezers for all of them. Jeff and I looked at our congregation and realized we could think of 10 adults and there families we could give these turkeys to. One of the women told me this would be a struggle for her because her oven wasn’t working. Then two others approached and said the same thing. How would we help these situations? Jeff suggested to myself and the three that we roast them in our turkey roaster right at the church then when they were done cut all the meat up and place it in quart bags and give the cooked meat to them. Each of the three was happy with two quart bags of turkey each and they insisted we give the leftovers to others in the congregation. This blessing really stretched! We are constantly thinking at Detroit Hope about how we can take what we’re given and help God’s people.

We Share becomes Who Me?

Some of you may remember Terrence Hall. He was the short gentleman that got up in front of the large missionary crowd gathered in Mount Pleasant for the weekend in March or April. You would not know it because I was late because of a flat tire, and we spent the night at the church, and then after opening ceremonies on Saturday, and the set up of our display, but Terrence, quiet Terrence answered the call to share his testimony in front of all kinds of people so that I could go provide courtroom ministry for another member of our congregation in another part of the state. From what I hear, from my wife and others, Terrence felt the spirit, faught his fears, and shared courageously what this church has done for him and why he shares the good news of Jesus Christ. We are so proud of him because since this step forward that he took in his faith and confidence, he has decided to do singing solos, and lead the choir at our peacemakers camp during the summer. Terrence is an emerging disciple in the Community of Christ, and with your continued support we can continue to cultivate young adult leaders from our youth programs into being tomorrows oaks of righteousness that will do greater ministry than we are now providing for them.

2009-09-08T21:27:00.001-04:00

Heading up to northern great lakes mission center conference. I hope that all goes well. Please Pray for our journey and time together. Thanks

2009-06-09T11:32:00.002-04:00

Having World Service Corps Volunteers here this summer is helping me to flash back, and remember 2004 when Shannon and I ventured to detroit. Here is a web log she posted, but some good old stories from the past.

Wednesday, 9 June 2004

midway through week 1 in Detroit

First of all I have to ask for prayers, this week I have been battling what is either a head cold or an unexpected allergic reaction to something in the environment here. I am hoping it's a cold that will go away soon and not allergies that will last all summer.

This has been a good week so far, busy, but good. The best part has been just hanging out with the kids who come and hang out at the church in the afternoons. During the year they were mostly working on homework, but now that school is nearly out, we get to play games and talk, which is nice. Today we played dodgeball in the sanctuary - which I'm sure would make some folks cringe, but we had a blast. We had the rap music blaring and the kids know not to throw or kick the ball too hard. Yesterday was blazing hot (if anything is going to kill me here, it will be the humidity) so we decided to go buy some water balloons and have a big water fight - which was tons of fun. It is amazing how quickly children come to trust. It is sad to know that they come from some very difficult homes and a tough neighbourhood (when we drove two of the kids home last night, John (my host) didn't stop at any cross streets because it isn't safe to stop at corners at night) and are in a system that has betrayed them. The teachers have even told them not to go to school this week because they won't be doing anything important. Many of them will have to go to summer school. I have been amazed at how small some of these kids are - a child I would have thought was around 9 or 10 is actually 14 - growth stunted as a result of poor nutrition. It is great that John has the church open for them in the afternoons - otherwise they would have no place to go but home where they would be alone since their parents have to work.

Tonight Jacob (my partner), John and I went to a congregation in the suburbs for their Wednesday night potluck and bible study. How great it is to have church family who welcomed us with open arms, not because they knew us personally but because they knew us as brothers and sisters from the Community of Christ. That is the feeling I want for these kids - to know that they have a family in Christ that will always love them, always welcome them, and always try to feed them, be that physical or spiritual food.

Wednesday, 23 June 2004

some pictures

Last Sunday John was preaching and wanted to have a powerpoint presentation with pictures of the kids and neighbourhood, so we drove around on Wednesday and took some pictures or the neighbourhood and downtown Detroit.

The pictures were inspired by Isaiah 61:1-4;

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me;

he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,

to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners;

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all who mourn;

to provide for those who mourn in Zion--to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.

They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, to display his glory.

They shall build up the ancient ruins,

they shall raise up the former devastations;

they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.

This is the church where we spend most of our days. It is in a primarily residential neighbourhood, not what I had originally pictured, but it is definitely impoverished, as you'll see in some of the other pictures.

This is about 1 block away from the church, there are so many houses like this.

Many of the houses, even though they don't look habitable, actually have someone living in them. This happens a lot in this neighbourhood, there will be a row of houses that look fine, and then a pile of rubble, a hole or an empty lot where a house used to be.

This was taken closer to the downtown area, it is crazy the conditions people live in.

This is downtown Detroit - it looks more like a war zone than a city where people live.

Here is a window in the church sanctuary. It is broken because of a bullet. (don't worry, we weren't there when it happened)

Here is John with some of our kids. They call him Pastor John or sometimes even Dad, since many of them don't have fathers. The kids think of the group that meets at the church as a family, which is an awesome way to build community.

Posted by shanneranner at 12:26 PM PDT

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update

Last week was busy busy busy. John, Jacob and I have been working hard and we actually have already made an impact up here. There was going to be a grant that is not available now, and instead of going ahead with an underfunded, secular peace camp we met with the mission centre president, Jerry Van Rossom on the 17th and talked to him about this idea we came up with for 3 1 week vacation Bible schools for three age groups. 1st through 5th grade the first week, 6th through 8th grade the third week and senior high in between. This idea came the day we had to tell our neighbourhood kids that their church, pastor john and Jacob & I would be used by someone else all summer (most of the neighbourhood kids are too old for the camp). I have never seen such sad faces. We realised that alienating them that way would ruin all of the hard work John has done so far. Jerry agreed with us about the underfunding, and now we have a manageable task for the summer and we will be able to share Christ with these kids. Also, our Bible school won't be all day, which gives us the opportunity to do ministry in the afternoons and evenings, and maintain pizza church, with our staple food: little caesars ready made pizzas. $5.00 for a large, always pepperoni or cheese, seemingly the cheapest food in michigan by our estimation.

I was happy to see the Pistons win the NBA championship, it is fun to be in a winning city, and it is good to see an often sad, depressed city get excited about something. We were even happier that there were no riots - proving to the world that Detroit can behave itself.

Another exciting thing about our new plan for the summer is that we will get to go to Flint reunion, a mainly young adult reunion at Bluewater campground our last week here. John stays with the director of the camp, Doyle Rice, and he has already recruited Jacob and I to help out. It should be a good time, a nice way to finish up our time here.

Posted by shanneranner at 11:40 AM PDT

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Wednesday, 16 June 2004

adrenaline hangover

Yesterday we went to Cedar Point - "Roller Coaster Capital of the US". It was a lot of fun for me, I love adrenaline highs, so the coasters were AWESOME. We went on one where your legs dangle, one where you stand up, and one that used to be the tallest (the line for the tallest one was too long). But today I kind of have an adrenaline hangover, it's exhausting going on those things.

The sad thing though was that Jacob couldn't go on most of the rides because he is too tall. The kids we took had a blast though, it was fun to hang out with them for the day.

Posted by shanneranner at 1:01 PM PDT

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Monday, 14 June 2004

monday monday...

Today Bruce & Helen gave us a ride to the church. Our first day alone at the church, just Jacob and I and the kids. I'm not sure what route we took to get there exactly - but it wasn't the route John takes when we go with him. Today we avoided the run-down stores and buildings and stuck to residential streets instead. I guess it's easier to pretend the poverty and hardship don't exist when you can't see it. However, I know that I am guilty of ignoring those problems in my own city too. At least by driving alongs Hastings in Vancouver, one can't ignore the problems that are there. Isn't that supposed to be an important step in recovery - admitting there is a problem?

Today I found myself withing that I could promise these kids a bright future... there are a lot of things I wish I could promise them - like food and clothes and safety. I know too well, though, that many of them are headed for a future filled with institutions that will continue to take advantage of them. What I can do now is minister to them and with them through an institution that won't take advantage of them.

We played 'Trouble' for awhile today, me and some of the kids. We have no pieces for the game, though, so we used lego pieces instead. Thankfully the die is built into that bubble thing in the middle, so we didn't need to go looking for that. My favourite line was from the boy who kept talking about getting his pieces back to his "crib" - i.e. the home safe area. It was pretty funny.

The neighbourhood around the church is called "Hope Park", so John is thinking of calling the congregation "Living Hope Community of Christ" (or something close to that) which I think is a great name. If the church can provide children and adults at least with a sense of hope, then that is great. True, other needs must be met as well. Churches should not only cater to the spiritual needs of members, but to the physical needs as well. How is someone supposed to sit through a church service if they didn't have any breakfast and know they won't have any lunch? Churches also need to be prophetic - challenging the institutions that oppress the people the church works with. It is easy to identify these roles... it is much harder to fulfill them.

By the way, you can leave comments on here if you like, and you can email me... I noticed that homesickness was tapping me on the shoulder the other night, and I'm trying to ignore it by keeping in touch with some familiar souls.

Posted by shanneranner at 4:20 PM PDT

Updated: Monday, 14 June 2004 4:24 PM PDT

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Friday, 11 June 2004

an entertaining email

This is an email Jacob & I wrote the other day to the other volunteers in our program after they sent us emails about their trips through London, Victoria Falls and Australia. I hope you find it entertaining, it covers some stuff I'm too lazy to type out again - it's much easier to cut and paste! There are a couple of jabs at our fellow volunteers in more far-off places. For those of you who don't know, my partner Jacob is 7 feet tall - that might help you understand some of this...

June 10, 2004 4:48:59 PM

'Sup folks!

Jacob & Shannon here, relaxin' in the air conditioned computer lab in what has fast become "our" church. While many of you were visiting exotic destinations such as London, we had already:

-discovered that Subway is twice the price in Michigan than in Iowa and Missouri

-watched game 7 of the Stanley Cup final

-ate pizza and watched the Pistons game at the church on the big screen (after jerry-rigging a coathanger antenna through two vcrs to get the signal to the projector)

-while taking some kids home we drove through a neighbourhood where we learned that it's not safe to stop at cross streets

-played dodgeball in the sanctuary while listening to rap and hip hop music

-been repeatedly stuffed with food by our host family: this morning it was non-stop pancakes and sausages. Bruce (one of our hosts) is constantly concerned that "a big guy like Jacob" isn't getting enough to eat.

-had a water balloon fight with the neighbourhood kids (which ended in a bucket of water being dumped over "Pastor John's" head)

-went to potluck and bible study at Troy Oaks congregation

-Jacob is rediscovering his lego building talent with the kids and planning out the mural he's going to get the kids to paint on the church during the summer day camp

-Shannon hoping her stuffy nose is a cold that will end soon and not allergies that will last all summer

-We have scared our hosts - not realising that the phone we were using is about three feet from their heads as they sleep, or not sleep since "it's been ten years since we've had voices like that after midnight in our house!"

There are plenty of adventures ahead of us, next week we're going to Cedar Point amusment park - roller coaster capital of the USA - with some of the kids. and these are just a few snapshots after only three days of being here. Jacob's getting his birth certificate from home so we don't have to hide him in the trunk when we go up to Canada (not that we would actually do that...) to visit.

We could write forever, but that's all for now. It's time to send this email off and go back to following our calling to help build a christ-centered community here.

Blessing on your ministries too, friends, wherever you are around the world.

Love,

Jacob & Shannon

aka the G's who are down in the 'hood in D-Town

aka Grizzly Bear and Sha-nay-nay

ps if anyone needs a cheeseburger, let us know and we'll try to Fed-Ex it to you - John said he missed those when he was in the Phillippines. Or, we can just eat one for you and then email you about it.

Saturday, 3 July 2004

thursday report

Thursday was great, we had a good time painting and playing dodgeball with the brand new ball we bought. We played by the rules from the movie, which meant a longer game because in the movie, if you catch the ball, not only is the person who threw the ball out, but the team that caught the ball gets to bring one player back in who was out. We had lots of fun with that. Here are some pictures from our adventures on Thursday:

 Then the ball popped, which was not fun. But, there are funny pictures:

 After dodgeball we made some music again. The kids are so funny. This one kid, Dave, is very particular about everyone starting together on his beat, it's great. Here are some pictures:

 The mural is coming along well, Jacob's doing a great job, and the kids are having fun helping out with it. It was so hot on Thursday, however, that we couldn't work for too long. Here is the in-progress mural:

Then, on Friday we went up to Bluewater campground to hang out with some friends and to pick up our kids who were there all week. The grounds are nice, with a beautiful view of Lake Huron. Last night we watched the moon rise, it was spectacular. I took a couple of pictures at the lake during the day:

 The kids made masks at camp. John made one too and someone painted it to look like his actual face. It is very creepy. From the picture, it's hard to tell that it's a mask.

I think that is all for now, that's all the pictures I have. I'm getting better at remembering to bring a camera along with me.

Posted by shanneranner at 6:49 PM PDT

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Wednesday, 30 June 2004

sabbath wednesday

today we took a sabbath because we were exhausted and knew that we would have a hectic few days ahead of us. Weekends aren't exactly relaxing when you're doing ministry. So we went to Spiderman 2, which was tons of fun. It's a great story that even had some positive messages: sometimes you have to sacrifice some of your dreams in order to do the right thing.

I appreciate the comments people have been leaving for me, and I think I should clarify something for a lot of you. Your comment won't appear right away when you post it because I have to approve the comments first. When you post a comment, I get an email letting me know someone has left a comment, then I can choose whether or not it appears, that way I don't have any weird people I don't know leaving random comments.

Tomorrow is game day at the church and we are going to go out and buy a new ball so we can play dodge ball - the kid who owned the ball we used before took it home, so we thought we should get our own. I think we're going to try playing using the rules from the movie Dodgeball (if you haven't seen it, wait and rent it, it was funny, but not quite worth the admission price). In the movie, if you catch the ball, not only is the thrower from the other team out, but the team that caught it gets to bring back in a player who is out. Jacob and I are hoping it will make for a lengthier game with more chances for kids to participate.

Dodgeball in the sanctuary = fun times.

Posted by shanneranner at 6:26 PM PDT

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Tuesday, 29 June 2004

a kinda sorta bible school

So no one showed up for Bible school yesterday morning, which was a bit of a downer. But, we got some spraypainting done as the base coat for the mural Jacob is painting on the side of the church.

We kind of looked like hoodlums with our yellow rags to keep us from inhaling too much paint, but no one noticed us.  The kids showed up after summer school got out at 12:30, and we played elbow tag for awhile, since it was a big hit last week. I took some pictures because they were having so much fun.

After that we fed them cookies and lemonade, here are a couple of the really little ones who are really cute. This first little guy just liked to lick the icing out of the cookie and then wouldn't eat the rest. He was cracking us up. The little girl didn't want her picture taken at first (I have one of her hiding under a table), but then she decided to strike a pose.

Then we shooed them out to try to decide what to do for the rest of the week. We decided to do activities in the afternoons - one activity per day - and if they want to be at the church they can participate, otherwise, they can go home. We really don't want to encourage them to just hang around doing nothing at the church. So today we worked on the mural with the kids - it looks phenomenal already, Jacob has done an awesome job, he is a great artist. I will take some pictures of it later this week. We also had the littler ones do some sidewalk chalk to brighten up the area.  We used the Bible lesson we were going to teach yesterday at the bible school for pizza church this evening, which worked out well. Psalm 100 was the scripture we looked at and we talked about how you need lots of instruments to make a band, and you need lots of people to stick together and do God's work. Jacob had an awesome object lesson with a rock and some twine that showed the twine was stronger fused together than spread apart.  After a bunch of the kids left, a group of boys stuck around and started their own little music group, with two playing heart and soul on the piano and the rest drumming beats in the sanctuary with whatever they could find. I brought in the rhythym instruments we'd used for the bible lesson and we had a little band going, it was a ton of fun.  This week may not be shaping up the way we thought it would, but God works in mysterious ways and we are trying to let the Spirit move us in ways that will touch the lives of these children and build community in their neighbourhood. Coming together to do art, to study the Bible, to eat and to make music is a great place to start.

Posted by shanneranner at 4:28 PM PDT

Updated: Tuesday, 29 June 2004 4:47 PM PDT

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Saturday, 26 June 2004

Farenheit 9/11

Today I went and saw the new Michael Moore movie, "Fahrenheit 9/11". It is a very good movie - go see it! I cried through the part of it where they talked about and showed film of Flint, Michigan. It looked just like the neighbourhood we are working in here in Detroit. The movie talked about how many poor people have little choice but to join the military, then look what happens to them. It's as if the poor are disposable members of society whose sole purpose is to ensure that the lives of the rich and powerful remain as comfortable as possible. The movie showed how following the trails of money reveals just how inbred and corrupt not only the U.S. government is, but many of the multinational companies who fund the U.S. government and pour money into the U.S. and global economies. The reason to attack Iraq, as many people know, had little to do with terrorism and much to do with greedy folk who want Iraq's oil.

I know that the sensationalism of the movie was intended to rile me up, and it did just that, and I'm glad. It reminded me of part of the reason we are working with these kids - we want them to have options other than going off to get killed in a pointless war. We want to deal with their immediate problems but also begin to address and realise the institutionalized oppression that maintains the stratification of our society. This is not the way God wants the world to be. Anger at the way things are is a good thing when that anger is productive, when that anger sways votes and creates responsible citizens who are willing to take action to change the world. Too many people are complacently comfortable in their little gated communities. It is that complacency that ends up breeding generations of apathetic, ignorant people who continue to oppress the last, lost, labeled, least members of society.

Go see this movie. Go see what could happen to my kids here in Detroit. Go see how greed can truly be sinful when it kills innocent people. Then remind yourself of whose side God is on - those last lost labeled least.

Posted by shanneranner at 2:28 PM PDT

Updated: Saturday, 26 June 2004 2:31 PM PDT

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Thursday, 24 June 2004

O Canada

We spent Monday and Tuesday of this week in Canada, which was a nice escape for a bit. On Monday we visited Point Pelee national park, and I stood at the most southern point of mainland in Canada. I also listened to the waves crashing on the lake shore and was slightly homesick for the ocean. We visited John's parents and sister Karen, who were great hosts. It was nice to just relax and read. I finished the first of my three books I have to read for school: "Hard Living People and Mainstream Christians" by Tex Sample. It is a great book that had tons of practical advice and insight for the kind of work John is doing here. On our way back "home" to Detroit, I got a little teary-eyed due to being a bit homesick.

We had a great pizza church on Tuesday night, we brought out a bunch of Bibles and taught the kids how to look up verses, and challenged them to memorize the order of the first four books of the New Testament - an easy task for the older ones, but challenging for the young ones. Thursdays are going to be game night at 4pm for the summer, and today went well for Jacob and I (John couldn't be there). We played elbow tag, and the kids had a blast. I had a good time watching them laugh and laugh. We gave out flyers and forms for our Bible school, and took a pile of flyers to the community centre across the street. This was a big step for Jacob and I! Today was the first time we've walked off the church grounds (and not driven off), and we went by ourselves. It really is safe there during the day, but I was too scared to go door-to-door handing out flyers, so we decided the community centre was enough.

For the Canadians out there, a friend sent me this link which is kind of cool: http://www.politicswatch.com/VoteSelectorQuiz2004.html You take a quiz and it tells you which party you should vote for. Probably not a perfect way to decide how to vote, but an interesting quiz to take nonetheless.

Posted by shanneranner at 12:33 PM PDT

Updated: Thursday, 24 June 2004 7:46 PM PD

Tuesday, 20 July 2004

what a day

These past two days have been exhausting. Yesterday was both emotionally and physically exhausting. We arrived Monday morning to find a huge mess had been left behind by one of the groups that uses the church on Sundays. There were dirty dishes all over the kitchen; food scraps on the sink, counter and floor; sticky, dirty floors; our craft supplies used; mess everywhere. I was so frustrated and upset that I cried. I worked so hard last week to keep that kitchen clean so I could cook good meals for our kids every day, and all that hard work had been ruined. In a way I felt personally attacked, it hurts to see hard work disregarded that way.

Bruce and Helen came to help us out, which was a wonderful blessing. I could tell that it was hard for them to see their old church in such disarray. We also have two other Michigan girls helping us out this week - we miss John C, Jordan and Linda, but they will be back next week. It was good yesterday to have lots of hands helping out. I was so upset about the messy church that I really needed to get out of the church and get some air. So when we needed to get water (I have probably neglected to mention that the tap water in that neighbourhood has often been muddy, so we only give our kids bottled water, or water that we cart over to the church from Bruce & Helen's), I volunteered to go. I had a good cry and a good pray in the car on my way to the store, and was able to calm down. It is frustrating because we are really only here to observe and help, not to question the system or petition for change. That means we're not supposed to contact the Mission Center (the next level up of church governance) to make suggestions about problems. We have to call John, who is at camp, and get him to contact the MC. For me, a person used to trying my hardest to make positive change happen, the process can be frustrating.

Once the kids arrived, though, my spirits immediately lifted. I had a couple of them help me put together the newspaper while Helen cooked lunch. It was fun to see their work come out on paper, and I am so incredibly proud of them. We had new kids come, which is always exciting, and everyone was very well behaved.

Today was a good day, though very hot and tiring. Tuesdays are pizza church and we are there longer than usual. My body is aching this evening, probably from tiredness and because I am on my feet nearly all day - cooking, cleaning, and supervising in the computer lab. We have shopping to do for tomorrow's lunch, but I have a feeling we will be doing it tomorrow morning and not tonight.

I'm off to change laundry loads.

Posted by shanneranner at 5:22 PM PDT

Updated: Tuesday, 20 July 2004 7:44 PM PDT

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Sunday, 18 July 2004

last sunday

Today I'm not at church for various reasons. It is actually nice to have a morning by myself in an empty house, I need time like this to reflect and think. I was thinking about last Sunday and decided to copy out my journal entry from last Sunday night into here, because the story of Sunday is a good one. Some background info: Highland Park is the poorest, most dangerous area of Detroit. Holk is an independent minister who has his own church called "Word of Power", one congregation of which meets in our building. The one time I met Holk, he reminded me of a used car salesman, very sleazy. So here is the story...

July 11, 2004

Snapshot: Highland Park area, strip mall, very few stores, right in the middle of the mall is a neon sign: "Army Recruitment Center"

We went to church at Highland park, a good speaker again. We eat lunch, change clothes, and head over to the church. We're waiting in the lobby for Dave, Le-Le and Dalila when Pastor James - Holk's minister - comes out of the sanctuary and invites Jacob and I in. We say we're just waiting for our kids, but, not wanting to be rude, we go in. There are three kids who are no older than 10, one teenager, and one older fellow who we find out later is 83 and a deacon. The kids and James finish up a song they're singing, and James says "We have a minister in our midst today, and she don't know it, but she's gonna bring us the word today. So come on up here!" I don't remember protesting at all, I felt like I was being challenged, like I, John's church, and the Community of Christ were being put to the test, so I stepped up. I asked if they were looking at a particular scripture, he said no, so I went with the lectionary that day - the story of the Good Samaritan. I'd heard it preached earlier that day and John had done the story for our "Gettin' Real with Jesus" time with our kids earlier in the week, so it was fresh in my mind. I told the story instead of reading it, being sure to bring in the lawyer's question to Jesus: "Who is my neighbour?" I made the story repetitive and built up the tension - the advantage of telling and not reading. I engaged all six of the people in the congregation, I couldn't tell what James thought since he was behind me. I talked about everyone being our neighbour, and Jesus calling on us to go and do the same. I talked about how Jesus calls us to love our enemies, not just the easy people to love. And I talked about how we are called to act on our love; not just talk about loving people, but actually do things to show our love. Mr. Deacon even gave me some "Amen!"s and I distinctly remember applause when I was done, which felt weird.

Now that was a step out in faith.

James commended me for "really gettin' to the point" of the scripture. I'm just grateful God gave me the words to say, because it definitely wasn't all me up there. James kept complimenting me after the service on my ability to keep the kids engaged. (there were only three of them, it wasn't that hard) When he spoke after me in the service, he didn't even engage me, forget the fidgety kids he kept getting mad at. Afterward he wouldn't take the kids to see Spiderman 2 because one of them had misbehaved. I was not impressed with him at all. I did love talking to the 83 year old deacon though, he was great, really sweet, very funny, humble with a huge, genuine smile that lit up his face - a totally different vibe than from James. I guess this today was partially God saying "Shannon, when you pull out the seminary card," (which I did in a conversation with James on Monday) "I'm going to hold you accountable for it." Serves me right for opening my big arrogant mouth to proudly say that I'm a seminary student.

Back to July 18th

That was definitely a Sunday I will remember for a long time. I want to say thank you to all of you who are reading this who sent me notes from BC reunion, I got them in the mail yesterday and they made my day, I really appreciate your thoughtfulness. I missed you too very much and missed being at reunion. I'm really looking forward to spending a week a Samish for Kimtah when I get back.

Posted by shanneranner at 9:22 AM PDT

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Saturday, 17 July 2004

catching up

I've been very lazy about updating this past week. With only three of us working at the church is has been very tiring. Jacob, John Corn and I had a great week though. Other than a fight on Monday that resulted in everyone being sent home, the kids were great. We really feel like they've learned to trust us and we've learned to trust them. I was lucky enough to be the one who cooked lunch every day, well, maybe not so lucky. It's always hit or misss for how many kids will show up for lunch. We always seem to have enough food to go around though, and these kids aren't too picky.

All week during craft time we split the kids into two groups and had half do a craft and the other half work on our camp newspaper in the computer lab. The kids did some awesome work, and hopefully, the next time I post to this blog, I will also post a link to an online version of the paper, so you can read it. The kids did some great work and I am very proud of them.

This week the mural has been finished. It grew in the past 2 weeks.

Here is Jacob finishing up, with Teara directing of course. Here is a preliminary picture of the finished mural, better pictures will come soon:The other exciting thing this week was that we took them all on a field trip yesterday to Flint to a children's farm and a water park on a lake. They had a great time.  All of the kids got to feed the animals, which was fun for them. It is interesting to think that kids who live in a dangerous neighbourhood like ours by the church, could be scared of some goats and donkeys. There was a brand new baby donkey at the farm:   One of our girls decided it would be a good idea to braid the hair of one of the donkeys so it would have a "real pimpin' doo"

Here is the whole group. The tour guide didn't do a fabulous job of taking the picture, but it's not too bad. We certainly were not expecting 24 kids to show up for the trip (we take anyone who shows up with a permission form), but we managed just fine and they were very well behaved.

 Here is a bunch of our kids posing on a tractor.

 We ran out of bread for sandwiches at lunch, but the kids didn't seem to mind. Everyone had something to eat, even if it was cheese wrapped up in a few slices of ham. Thank goodness we had bought exactly 24 bottles of water.

My camera batteries died when we got to the water park and beach, so I didn't get any pictures there. That was great though, all of the kids ended up playing in the water and in the sand at the lake, the water park wasn't as exciting as the lake I guess. I had fun watching them. The concession stand had exactly 24 jumbo freezies in the freezer, so we bought them out and gave them to our kids. It was a really great day and I am so glad we went. A lot of the kids slept the whole way home, they were so tired, and we slept well that night too.

Posted by shanneranner at 11:59 AM PDT

Updated: Saturday, 17 July 2004 4:19 PM PDT

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Thursday, 8 July 2004

exciting week

This week has been exciting. We have three new people helping us out who have been a great source of new energy. We have a planned-out afternoon camp that is going very well so far. Lots of progress has been made on the mural, and it looks like they will be doing a mural inside the church as well because we have lots more time for painting.

 Here is Dave painting:

 Here are Trina and Jacob painting:

And a picture of me! Finally! You can see that I am being good and reading my Bible.

Here are some pictures from crafts class:

Here are some of the guys showing off their fancy beadwork that they were very proud of: Posted by shanneranner at 6:56 AM PDT

Updated: Thursday, 8 July 2004 6:18 PM PDT

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Sunday, 4 July 2004

4th of july fun

Today we went to Highland Park, the most dangerous and run-down neighbourhood in Detroit (our neighbourhood isn't the only bad one), for church. The neighbourhood is so run down that there are places where there are no street signs. The service was great. The congregation's building there is also the Community of Christ African American Ministries Centre. I heard the best sermon so far in my time here this summer, I felt like it was speaking to me personally where I'm at. It was both challenging and inspirational. It was a good place for our first communion service (since this is the first first Sunday of the month we've been here for) of our time in Detroit. Yesterday also marked the end of week 4, which means we are halfway through our time here, which is kind of sad.

We had a little 4th of July party at the church in the afternoon. We bought lots of hot dogs and sausages and served them up to our kids and to a few adults passing through. I took some great pictures of the cookout, but the memory card they were on is corrupt, so I don't have them, which is sad. I do have a few pictures from another camera though. After eating, John and the two girls that went to camp led everyone in a few campfire songs:We also had some flav-o-ice freezies that we gave out for dessert. An older fellow from the Restoration Towers senior's home next door to the church came by, and for some reason I love this picture of him eating his freezie:

After we ate, since it was Pastor John's first time back since we started our little Heart and Soul band, we had to play for him, and fun times were had:

 Our little Dancing Queen, Brittany:

 To cap off a great 4th of July, Jacob and I took John to see Fahrenheit 9/11, which we didn't mind seeing for a second time. We thought it was a very patriotic thing to do. I had a revelation afterwards when we were talking about Michael Moore. John said something about the fact that it's silly that people say Michael Moore isn't patriotic, it's obvious he loves his country. I said that criticizing your country shows you care enough about it, you love your country enough, that you want it to be the best it possibly can be.   A Belated Happy Canada Day and a Happy 4th of July. Go find a way to make your country even better.

Posted by shanneranner at 12:01 AM PDT

Updated: Sunday, 18 July 2004 9:28 AM PDT

Sunday, 1 August 2004

the last Detroit entry

Since I leave tomorrow morning, I thought it would be fitting to write one last entry before I go. The final week here was a lot of ups and downs. The kids are really getting at each other, which I think is partially just what all kids go through when they are spending more time together during the summer than they usually would during the school year. We had a good Sunday at Bluewater a week ago. It was the start of Flint reunion, and I had the chance to visit with some Graceland folks. There were lots of young adults there, which is very inspiring, it's good to know that the church cares about young adults. It was a day of good conversation and good worship, which were things I was in need of. The worship service was in a tent overlooking Lake Huron, which was a fabulous setting for a service.

It was good to have John C, Linda and Jordan back at the church for the week, the five of us made a really good team. We had lots of fun with the kids, in spite of some crazy times. Wednesday morning John and I went shopping for supplies, sending two avid shoppers (I haven't been an avid shopper until recently, and now I can't get enough) out with a wallet full of money can be dangerous, but we didn't spend too much. We got back to find Linda in a kitchen disaster - burger grease everywhere from cooking cheap, fatty hamburgers on the griddle. So I left right away to buy two industrial sized jugs of de-greaser from a food-service store. Linda and I sprayed down the entire kitchen. We threw away the vertical blinds, which were disgusting from years and years of greasy cooking. The floor was even covered in grease, so we were slipping and sliding all over the place. We shut down that area of the church and the kids did craft time outside - tie-dying t-shirts. All we could do was laugh really, poor linda was covered in grease herself from being in the kitchen while the burgers were cooking. Thankfully she was able to rescue the chocolate cake that Helen made for us earlier in the week. Several times I had chocolate cake for breakfast last week, shhh, don't tell my mom;)

In the past two weeks Jacob painted another awesome mural, around the corner from the first one. This one is of Jesus:

 A guy from this area came by with some games and lego to donate on Tuesday, which was awesome. I think Jacob & Jordan had just as much fun with the lego as the kids did:

 And here's John playing twister with DJ:

 And little John and Ariane playing a game:

 On Thursday, which was our last day with the kids, we had a big water fight and grill-out party. Jacob and I had fun buying water toys and filling over 100 water balloons on Wednesday night. It was great because John A. was able to be there too. We had our cookout first, which was fun. Here is Linda cooking some corn:

 And here is Jordan chatting with a hungry passer-by (we don't turn anyone away when they ask for food):

 We bought some face paint too, and Dave wanted a tiger face:

 And Britney wanted a poodle face:

 There was a slip and slide:

 Everyone looking up to see where the water balloons are coming from...

 ...from John, John, and Jordan on the roof:

 the kids either had to trapse through the kitchen to fill their buckets and guns:

 or bravely try to fill them from the hose, which John was in charge of, which meant the risk of having the hose aimed at them:

   A fun time was had by all. We sent the kids home to dry off and put on dry clothes, and then they came right back to play games and work on the newspaper. To end off the day, instead of our bible lesson time, Jacob and I were presented with great big cards that the kids made for us, and we each said a few last words. John bought us ice cream cake as a send-off, which we of course had with the kids. When it was time to leave, we all took a picture in front of the mural:

 It has been a summer of ups and downs, good and bad days. I am so sad to have to leave these kids, they have become very important to me. I do miss home though, and the people there. Being away definitely helps me appreciate what I have even more. The lessons I have learned this summer will be with me forever, and I have only just begun to process everything that has happened. I am sure that telling my stories when I'm back home will be a lesson as well. I can't wait to share with all of you, face to face, and not just through this blog!

Posted by shanneranner at 2:07 PM PDT

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Friday, 23 July 2004

how do you spell pon?

Amazingly enough, today there is actually a cool breeze blowing and so I sat outside to write this out by hand and am now typing it in.

It was almost unbearably hot these past two weeks, especially since I spent a lot of my time in the kitchen with the hot stove and oven. I was proud of myself because last week I bravely lit the oven for the first time. It's a gas oven and you have to light it using a flame. So we bought one of those long-handled lighters and I lit it. I am now an old pro and had no trouble lighting it to keep the quesadillas warm that I made for lunch on Wednesday. I think my body has adjusted to the heat though, because this week I haven't noticed it as much. The humidity is really gross - I don't like breathing thick air when it gets really humid. For all you Mommy types reading this, yes I am drinking lots of water, I even caved in to the trend and bought a cheap, purple, Eddie Bauer knockoff of a Nalgene bottle at Target this week. We keep a big cooler filled with water for the kids all the time to make sure they stay hydrated.

We did a week-long pillow making project for crafts this week. The kids decorated fabric using puff paints and then made pillows by cutting a fringe and then knotting it to make seams. It worked ok for some, but others couldn't do it so we bought a cheap little sewing machine (the kind you see on tv) at Target to finish the pillows. Of course, as you would expect from a $25 device, about halfway through the afternoon it would only work by plugging and unplugging it instead of pressing the pedal, and the little hand-held sticher that came with it died as well. I still haven't decided whether or not we should take it back. I am sure all you sewing geniuses out there who are reading this wish you could help! Next week for crafts we'll be tie-dying t-shirts, which should be lots of fun and is a bit easier than pillows.

Today I am resting, which is nice. I could have gone up to Bluewater campground with Bruce, Helen and Jacob, but I decided to stay here and rest instead. I want Jacob to be able to spend time with his girlfriend Rachel (who is at that camp this week as a Graceland University Representative) without me hanging around. There isn't anyone up there right now who I know so I would just be following Bruce & Helen around. Besides, like I've said before, I'm the type of person who needs lots of processing time on my own. Jacob and I also need time apart - lately we've been bickering like brother and sister quite a bit.

Yesterday was a special treat - Troy, a good friend of both Jacob and I from Graceland, came to visit us at the church, hang out for the evening, and stay the night here at Bruce & Helen's before heading out of town today. He also taught our "Gettin' Real With Jesus" time in the afternoon at the church:

 He likened the story of Jesus falling asleep in the boat to a Detroit Pistons basketball player falling asleep in the locker room, it was a good story and the kids were very engaged. I had a good talk with Troy about my time here, he is a good person to reflect with, and it was a much more beneficial conversation than my midterm evaluation was. It was fun to remember our time in university and remember things like the fact that Troy and I are both so competitive that he actually suggested we keep score while we watched Jeopardy and I seriously considered the idea. We didn't keep score, although Helen keeps insisting that I should go on the show since I'm always calling out answers when we watch. We got hooked this summer on watching the Mormon guy, Ken, who has been the returning Jeopardy champion for pretty much the entire summer. We keep making jokes about the bishop back in Salt Lake gleefully keeping a running tally of how much the Mormon church's 10% cut of Ken's winnings is growing each night.  Yesterday the kids finished up their stuff for this week's newspaper (I am still struggling to upload last week's paper to the web, I really want you all to see it!). I have had a really good time working with them in the computer lab:

 Some days I feel more like a teacher, especially when I keep getting asked things like Keiron did the other day: "Shannon! How do you spell pon?" "What?" "HOW DO YOU SPELL PON?!" "What do you mean?" "You know, like 'once a pon a time'" "OOhhh!" And I try to stick with my usual rule for computer teaching: I will tell people how to do something, step by step, but I won't do it for them. It works most of the time, except for the long days when I've been asked umpteen times where the paint program is. I am so happy that they are getting the opportunity to just spend time on the computers and increase their comfort level. I even don't mind if they play games - I just don't tell them that when they play the "Mavis Beacon Typing Tutor" games, they're actually increasing their typing skills. hee hee hee.

Posted by shanneranner at 3:56 PM PDT

Updated: Friday, 23 July 2004 4:02 PM PDT

2008-11-03T21:37:00.000-05:00

2008-11-03T20:58:00.002-05:00

Well, I have a lot to tell you.

Since our super successful summer camp we have had some outstanding growth. We have really been blessed by what is happening with Detroit Hope. God is smiling, but as Ephesians 3:7-11 says, we will press on towards the goal. I must say a talk with Steve Kellogg from Central Mission really impressed upon my current mission.

For those of you that didn't know about this summer, we have a computer technology center camp, focused on peacemaking, and supported by a non profit who shares our building with us. We put our church programs right up next to the end of the camp and our youth do the inviting. Our Adults were active leaders, and they invited more children. Eventually, our Adult bible study became a family bible study, swelling to numbers of 34-40 and it became more like a bible church than a bible study with that intimate learning setting. So we started a youth bible study. But who should volunteer to lead it but a Young Adult named Melissa McCray. It has been a successful start, and now we have two bible studies.

Fast forwarding to this weekend. We had mission center conference, and we had a lot of investment in it. The conference voted to keep Detroit Hope alive, and sustain us with our utilities, and it was awesome to receive that support. But also some people were pledging to help us fix things around the church and actually take us under their wing. I must say that this is really re-assuring as we are growing in ministry and sustainability.

Jeff Stoker, our Congregational Financial Officer, and Co-Pastor and myself were both voted, and ordained to the office of seventy. The service was awesome, and we should also have it up on our facebook group Detroit Hope Supporters soon. One thing that was awesome about this, was the fact that we had an invitation as a congregation to have anyone who had not previously been baptized to consider coming to the waters to seek out and commit to God. Melissa was spoken to by the holy spirit. She was invited at our ordination to be baptized. God was really with us all! Yo Buddy!

2008-04-02T09:28:00.002-04:00

April Showers Bring May Flowers, Shouldn't that be like when we go through rough times and then God saves us by bringing us Grace? Isn't God awesome? Yo Buddy for some thoughts like those today

2008-03-31T19:48:00.002-04:00

Wow, Has it been that long?

March 31st I decide to resurrect the blog. Since I last posted, a lot has happened again. We had the baptism of one of our most vibrant adults, She is so excited that she found God and found help because since she found God she had one of the most trying tests ever, she became homeless. Through oblation help she is able to become stable again. She has assistance, and she is in a new studio apartment she can afford, and she can ride the bus to the church for only 50 cents.

Besides this, I went to seminary in January, and it has been tough, but I am still working through it. Please Pray for me on this. (Jacob)

The Community Technology Center (Our Non-Profit partner) just upgraded 12 computers, got a new server, and was donated a copy machine!! This will help us so much with our ministry.

Rachel Blakesley and Troy Farrar have been working diligently on our new believers class, and things are going so well that we are already through the material. They used the of water and spirit resources out of the missionary tool kit, the aliyah scripture helps from 163, they used the priesthood manual and the new members manual. (and Rachel and Troy's Learning experience in the religion minors at Graceland and Troy's experience working at Kirtland and Nauvoo historic sites. This has all come together to be a stellar class. We would appreciate your support in praying for baptisms. We had 12 complete the class, and they need to come to a realization that they are committed to Jesus Christ on their own. So they need your prayers. Pray for them, pray for their relationship with God.

Also Jeff and I will be posting a website soon. So look on here for the updates.

Until then,

May Peace be with you- The Detroit Hope Team

2007-11-02T16:04:00.001-04:00

Well Supporters,
We have a new Flyer! Printed for first distribution in the Detroit Community in which we minister, but for you supporters, I can send them out personally or look for me in congregations near and in Southern Great Lakes congregations soon. This flyer is a tri-fold that tells both seekers and disciples information about the good things that we do at Detroit Hope! I hope to also have a PDF that people can print off in their own areas, to spread the witness of this great ministry. The second distribution will be at our Southern Great Lakes International Missioncenter Conference this weekend, November 3 and 4th, so look for our booth me,and some of the Detroit Hope Folks.

-Pastor Jacob Blakesley

2007-10-10T15:47:00.001-04:00

Greetings from Detroit Hope,

This year has been a great year, involving a lot of improvement, growth, and building as we have all been blessed by the spirit flowing in is and around us. Many have come to support the mission that Detroit Hope has, and many more are needed to help in the future. Let us tell you about some of the goals reached, some of the emergence achieved and some of the real life changing stuff that we have accomplished in 2007.
In February we took this years budget and combined it with a missionary grant from the world church that allowed us to hire Jeff Stoker as a part time stipend position here at the church and help with C.F.O. responsibilities as well as many other helps, with our Adult bible study, with Pizza Church and with Sunday evening worship. Above this, he has coordinated some efforts to help the witness of the Detroit Hope Ministry come forth.
In late April we put up a basketball goal that was something that the community has been hoping for, for a long time. Putting it next to Restoration towers has offered up some friction, so in the first week, we set up some rules and regulations that stated exactly how a basketball goal supported by the Community of Christ should be used and appreciated and the seniors hours of bed time should be respected, among other rules about language and fighting. This has really been supported by the community. Seniors come out on their porches and patios, and watch the games, they appreciate that we are giving youth something to do, and the youth really do stay out of trouble because of the atmosphere we have created here.
On Memorial Day week, we had a mission trip come all the way up from Northwest Florida-Alabama Mission Center. They were well-received by the Brighton congregation, and they commuted every day to Detroit Hope to split each day up into thirds, and provide help in these areas:
The first third they helped with building projects, to help get the font ready, to build a sign, to plant a community garden, to clean the attic and organize clothing in the basement, to organize the kitchen and many other projects, they did this between 8:30 and 12 each morning.
The second third gave them an opportunity to be ministers helping Detroit Hope. They canvassed the community; they visited, did worship planning, led pizza church and Sunday church, visited restoration towers, and visited congregants’ homes. All between 1 and 4:30 in the afternoon.
The last section of the day was the sight-seeing. They enjoyed this and went to the Henry Ford Museum, they went to Laser Tag, they played basketball and had a talent show and water fun day with the youth of the congregation, they went to see a movie, and it was a good relaxing end to each day.
Then when we were all done with the day, Jake Goodson (Rachel’s Father) led the group in devotion each night, and it really geared them up for the next day, spiritually feeding them after they had completely served to their potential.
In June and July we had our Community Technology Center Summer camp, and we had the blessing of over 50 kids attend, we did classes such as cooking, recreation, music, crafts, computers, job preparation, and peacemaking for ages 8-18. This was a good camp and the grant moneys allowed the Community Technology Center Summer Camp to take the youth on field trips they otherwise would not have been able to afford.
From this summer camp and the growing status of having a C.F.O. and starting to have some of the ministries come online, we have been fortunate enough to also have our first two baptisms; the baptisms of David Raphael McCray and Victoria Childs. Because of them, and our commitment, we have become an emerging congregation, with enough members to reach this level, we are on our way to becoming more self sustaining, and able to stand as a congregation in the mission center again, not just a seed, but a planted congregation someday soon.
As you will notice our programming support from the mission center has increased. This is due to the fact that we will be trying to get a working sound system for Detroit Hope this year. Our old one was stolen by previous renters before we were here, and it has left us with nothing to be heard over the background sounds of the city. This was okay when our services were between 15 and 30 but now we are averaging in the 47-52 range for pizza church on Wednesday nights. Our sound system might need more than 3000, but we were graciously given this projected support from the mission center finance committee and we are going to try to assemble this sound system in 2008. Another thing we are going to have as a goal is to have more training at Detroit Hope dealing with Generosity. It has worked in Baltimore Maryland in their church plant, and building projects, so I want to talk with Jeff Anderson, and figure out what it will take to start moving towards Financial Stability soon with the membership at Detroit Hope. I know this is a daunting task, but we are ready to meet small goals that get us to the greater goal of standing on our own two feet.

Sincerely Your Brother in Christ,

Jacob Blakesley

2007-10-10T15:45:00.000-04:00

Hi, this is Pastor Jacob,

Here is a list of some of the news items that we have had from the past year. I hope you enjoy reading the list, a letter I am preparing for the confrence will come later.

Detroit Hope News

Public Relations, Three Pamphlets
Emerging congregation
Congregational Partnerships
Field Fundraising
Upgrades on Facility,
Mission Trip
Detroit Hope Garden
3 service discipleship sessions, Adult biblestudy 5:00 Tuesday,
Pizza Church 5:30 Wednesday,
Sunday Evening 5:30 Service
Ventures
2 Baptisms this summer
Looking to get Tech Center Re-Opened
57 Last Wednesday
19 Sunday
18 Adult Bible Study
Starting Stewardship and Discipleship
Seminary Study
January and May Intensive Seminary Study
October Preservation of Safe Night, Angels Night, Halloween
Christmas Program December 18th
Field Meeting
Church Planter Retreat
Adult Biblestudy reading the New Testament, Currently Romans

2007-10-03T14:49:00.000-04:00

David's Testimony

This Is My Testimony, By: David McCray
I guess being baptized is a really good feeling, especially with all the support you get from other people and sometimes from people you don't even know. To be excepted into to a family that dose'nt even know you that well, and for them to except you so wellingly is hard to put in words. When you think about all the bad things on the news and just bad things impiticular you forget where the world even started and who created it. We are downgrading ourselfs in society and my goal is to let people know it's not all bad and I would like to build my community based on Joy, Hope, Love, and Peace. So to be excepted into a family that basically has the same goals as myself is more that I could ever hope for. I am honored to be a part of this family and I wish to to change every persons life I am invited into. I have so much more to say but I am trying to make this as brief as possible, so thankyou for being my brothers and sisters I love you all.

Your brother forever, David R. McCray

2007-07-12T11:18:00.000-04:00

Dearest Brothers and Sisters,
What an amazing summer it has been for Detroit Hope. I truly know prayer works when so many awesome things have happened in our favor. I just want to take a few minutes and tell you about them.
Most recently we had our first two baptisms in at least 7 years here at Detroit Hope. This is a seed planted, and a growth beginning. David Raphael McCray and Victoria Childs are our first in the time I have been here, but I know because we haven’t had a full strength congregation we haven’t had the conviction and commitment to Jesus as we have been working towards. Now we are starting to feel where all this work has been for.
I wish you all could have seen David, come up out of the water, and give the “Rocky, Champion of the world victory fists” when he came up out of the water. I hope a picture will do but the experience was priceless. I must say, this is a culmination of all the help and support we have mustered this summer.
This summer started out with a lot of goals, a lot of projects with deficiencies, and the need to take care of some of them so our congregation could grow. Our first miracle came from a great youth group from Rachel’s original stomping grounds. Northwest Florida-Alabama Mission Center is where they were from. Several youth, 3 staff and a whole lot of energy came from the south, the many thousand miles up here to come and work, to minister, and to enjoy life in Detroit for a while. Boy did their summer get off to a great start. They worked on about 12-14 projects around the church facility, they worked in ministry capacity, doing visiting with the seniors, visiting in the community, and canvassing the community for an week end festivity that included a talent show, dime sale, bar-b-que and water fun day for the community. When it was all said and done we had a group of 75 plus for Wednesday night pizza church, a group of 120 plus for our bar-b-que, and several people that have joined our congregation merely because of the differences they made in the outside of the buildings exterior. These changes include a sign out front, a community garden, and painting the lines for our basketball goal to help us play pick up games and shoot three-pointers. The ministry, and the projects were accomplished with style and energy, and put us way ahead of our goals, so much so, that we accomplished most of what we had planned for 2007 in about a weeks time.
Next came our annual summer camp, with a starting attendance of 32 youth. This year seemed to run better when we split up the youth and the teenagers, with youth ages 8-12 upstairs with their own staff, and 13-18 downstairs with their own staff. This was almost orchestrating two camps at the same time. It worked for the first two weeks, we had many victories, and a great field trip to the Detroit Science Center. We took a week off for July 4th week, so Rachel and I could go teach Sr. High class at reunion, and she ended up having a gull bladder surgery, and we were covered by Rob Borkowski and Pam Hernandez. After that week is when we rushed back into our first baptisms here at Detroit Hope, and we look forward to making our first trip as staff to SPEC with one of our youth David McCray, and 50+ others from the rest of the rest of the region.
In many ways I want to say thank you for supporting us and praying for us, because in many ways this summer has been a big answer to our prayer. I know because of you out there praying, we have felt God more in our lives. Thank you.

God bless you all,
Jacob Blakesley

2007-06-27T23:00:00.000-04:00

These are some pictures from Detroit Hope - Alabama/Northwest Florida MissionTrip and our tallent show day. Over 100 people came to the church, and played with water balloons had a tallent show and a barbque.

2007-05-26T09:52:00.000-04:00

Wow folks, I appologize up front. My Blog has not been updated in a month. Sorry, lots to do, and lots to report I guess. First of all, we are trying to update our congregation to emerging status. This means, if we get 6 baptised and confirmed members we can have a recorder, Rachel and I can transfer our membership there, and if we have baptisms soon we can have them at Detroit Hope. Besides this, our building has been in disarray. We put up a basketball hoop that Jeff Stoker found a great deal on, and as soon as we did that, it seemed like the building was jealous or something because things started breaking one after another. Begining with our sanctuary lights. One Pizza church we had to worship in the dark. Crazy. Then since we have been becoming an emerging congregation, we have been looking at the place and setting up some priority projects to get things running so we can be emerging.

1. Give us Identity in the Community help us build a sign. Our old sign was hit by a truck before my time, and has been a presence that the church has been closed, because there is nothing for the adults to read and see. No amount of flyers telling people what time services are compares to the presence of a sign they walk by or drive past.

2. Help us fix our font, so we can have baptism of water, and confirmation of the spirit. Our font was in disrepair because at one time the churches that were renting the building here in detroit believed they should leave the font filled and baptisms would come to them. Congregations were small because they were not out reaching the community. Now, we have a font that needs re-surfaced and repaired to be able to sustain its first community of christ baptism in quite a few years.

3. Light our World at Detroit Hope (Sanctuary Lighting). Our lighting is a particularly interesting issue. One day, during a rain storm our lighting quit working. The lighting has not been workng since. Our solution is to replace the lighting because the old fixtures and light bulbs are getting too expensive for our building too.

4. Help our services be heard. With our growing number 48 last week at pizza church, we have constantly harder possibilities to be heard by the whole group, and voices of the youth keep getting smaller and smaller as there are more and more of the voices competeing. We are going to be working on getting a PA system back up and running to assist all those involved in the services at Detroit Hope.

We will have estimates of these projects soon. I wanted to tell you though, that these projects will be mission center giving opprotunities, locally.

Also for some of the asthetic projects, a mission trip from the south is coming up from Northwest Florida-Alabama Mission Center to help us. This is a great blessing. They will be here a week, and we will have pictures up after this next week. I look forward to telling you progress stories.

Here are pictures of our basketball hoop I mentioned earlier.

2007-04-26T12:01:00.000-04:00

Dear supporters,
We had a wonderful weekend at Ventures in Muskegon. What an experience!! Darreco and Jamasha were baptised, the ventures planned the service for them, and they were on fire with the holy spirit. Such an awesome experience. One thing we need to pray for is baptisms, two of the sr. high, on their way home, talked to my wife, and first asked if we had a font. Then they asked if someday we could have a baptism, possibly with them? AWESOME. This was a victory, because they are talking about it, and I am letting them know how much of a possibility it really is. Wow how awesome. Pray for the encouragement to be counter cultural too, because I will tell you about that in another post.
Jacob

2007-04-10T10:35:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday before Maunday Thursday we had a good turn out for what was Detroit Hopes first ever Communion. We set the scene up like the last supper table, and had some elements of real experience. Communion was to form though, Jeff broke bread, and I read the Scriptures from Mark, and then Mike and Rachel read the communion prayers, and served the 30 in attendance. It was a little bumpy, because some were peer pressured by ones who have done communion differently, and we were trying to have symbolism for the sacrament. I think it went good, and it definitly had some learning points, but I also committed to do this every month from now on.

Also on Friday we took two of our youth to the candle lit Riverview Good Friday Service. They were really taken back by the way the service was done. This was a compliment to Riverview because they had never seen a service done that way. Dark, filled with sadness, but with hope. Some positive comments were made on the way home.

Friday Night, after I had dropped of the youth, I was on my way home and it was snowing. I didn't think much about it, because it always snows in michigan, and I was driving under the speed limit, however, you know those signs "Bridges may be icy" they are not kidding, in a split second, I was slipping from the far left lane, to the further left wall, then bounced, sliding to the other side, over three lanes of traffic, luckilly with no one around. but crunching into the guard rail on the other side. Then because I wasn't done stopping, break down and all, I scraped for about 12 feet. I was fine, only one bruise, and all the doors opened, but that is about all I can say. Today I am still waiting on the insurance to assess, but we will find out.

The work must still go on.
So Sunday we went to Highland Park, and the African Delegates gave an awesome testimony of Jesus. "He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!" They shared their personal testimonies of Jesus, and how it worked in their lives to bring their life harmony, comfort, and ministry for others, and especially through urnest prayer. Prayer was the biggest thing that came from the service.

Overall a great learning week for Detroit Hope, and a great Easter season has begun. And we closed it out with my birthday on easter, and the McCrays invited Rachel and I Over for Cake and BBQ. Good times.
Praise God!

2007-01-03T00:01:00.000-05:00

A quick note about Detroit Hope Stipend Position

For those of you who have been keeping up with the mission center website and news feed from our communication minister extraordinare Erica Blevins, she has posted an important announcement about a part-time position working with the Detroit Hope Church Plant. We had a number of skilled ministers and folks colaborate on the criteria for which we have put together. Ultimately, this was to direct our search. I want to personally invite beyond that to the call of Christ to this area. We have accomplished a lot in a year, and I think that we could do even more with someone committed part time to the call. It is a big responsibility, a daunting task if you will, but God is in our midst. All of us have the ability through God who strengthens us. We may have doubts personally or in our lives that we may not be fit for church planting, or urban ministries, or coming over that dotted line of difference. I stand to say, those barriers can be overcome through Christ. The Love of Christ stretches to every neighborhood in Michigan and the world. Please help. Feel Called. Be a Servant. I have been in prayerful consideration, and I know that some of you may be feeling like you can't because a lot of you are supportive to so many different ways of ministry, social groups and associations. I understand that. I ask that you that have felt the urgency of this congregation re-opening, and being one day sustaining; that will help in our search for someone who might be in transition, someone who is striving for different ministry, someone on the edge, someone who is just thirsty to give. Help us find that person. Give a helpful nudge, a pat on the back, an appreciation that extends them to a new area broader than the place they are. I am affirmed that this work we do here has momentum for something great. Christ has blessed us thus far, and we only need the help to find resources, people and a giving spirit that will change the balance to growth, health and vitality. Help us. As President Prophet Steve Veazey has stated, the Call for Volunteers is Now! I ask that you volunteer prayer and discernment to help Detroit Hope find a part-time person, and also look for volunteers to help in your own congregations to bridge gaps, bring us closer together - interdependent, not so independent and isolated. Christmas this year really showed me the power that the Spirit can bring to the Body with the responses of even a few. Just imagine what we could do together!

Thank you for your Prayerful Support,

Pastor Jacob Blakesley

2006-12-31T17:27:00.000-05:00

A lot has happened in the Christmas Season, and I want all of us to be thankful for what has come to be.

On December 13th I loaded a Cruiser bus and Jerry helped and loaded his van as we took 28 Jr. and Sr. High to see the Nativity. We were the last ones in, and filled the theatre with our attendance. Not all of our folks could sit together, but it was a growing experience to say the least.

Over the whole month Troy Oaks has been super generous giving of themselves to come together and provide for our congregation. I want to say a big "THANK YOU" and a big "GOD BLESS YOU ALL" to them for all of the work they did for us.

They raised 51 hats and gloves and sets for the kids, families, and seniors in the area. They also with the help of John Barrett raised all kinds of presents, and walmart gift cards and not a single kid went without recieving something from our partnership with Troy Oaks, they definitely made an impact in our community, maybe making things a little brighter this season.
Also a member from Troy Oaks, Rich Allen arranged for his office to adopt one of the families from the Detroit Hope Congregation, and they met the needs of coats, small presents they were looking for and much more. I was not there to go with them, but Mike Slupinski showed him the way, and He and Rich filled a regularly empty living room full of presents and gifts for a large extended family. Thank you Rich and the Doctors, Nurses and Staff at your office for the support you have given this family in this new season. What a sign of good will and sharing.

Then after Rachel and I returned from Florida, where she grew up, we planned a gathering Christmas Party on December 27th that was awesome and such a warm and welcome sign of peace and sharing throughout the ministries of the church and the world. Thank you. It was capped with talking about the christmas gifts of the wise men, and what gifts we could give and what gifts Jesus would want to recieve and what we can give to others that would make Jesus happy, and how we could change our community and world. Seven Members of Troy Oaks Presented their giving, Pam and her sons, Alex and the gang. Linda, Tim and Theresa Brenner, all came out, and Missy. It was a great time, and it got to show what giving could do, and how it was so appreciated. It also taught some of our folks that we are not alone, and people do care about us out there in the world. Our kids were a little riled up because we had 42 members here, and 6 adults from their families, and 7 new people from troy oaks, and Rachel and I, and with 16 pizzas we were filled and had enough for some to have seconds. What a season of love, hope and giving, I was so proud to be even involved.

2006-12-07T12:56:00.000-05:00

More Pictures from Christmas Nativity in Detroit - Pizza Church

2006-12-07T12:44:00.000-05:00

CHRISTMAS IN THE AIR AT DETROIT HOPE

These are pictures from our Nativity Service Live at Pizza Church Last night.
I hope you have as much fun viewing these pictures as we did experienceing the story.

2006-12-01T14:36:00.000-05:00

Comments are fixed, I found out that in my ignorance, I did not know that the formal default setting on blogspot was the setting of, Members only, so I changed the setting to, ya'all come, now everyone should be able to post a response to any of the writing we post on here.

In other news, Pizza church was great this week, and we had 23 attend, and four adults which was amazing, and we conquered the task of reading Psalm 25 and breaking it into 4 chunks and doing a rap back and fourth using the words from the Psalm. It was a great activitiy, and I think it will be remembered as an important scripture because the kids rapped it and nearly had it memorized by the end of the night, and it was a catchy tune. Then, I took some folks home because it started raining, and then, I cleaned house. Yes we are still taking bids for people to clean, but as of yet, I am bringing back my skills from when I was assistant caretaker at the Guthrie Grove Campgrounds, and I mopped, washed dishes, threw out some bad food, and then vacumed, and then met with one of our members who wandered back in from the cold to talk with me and share in prayer. All in all a great experience. One that I think will help bear fruits in faith.

Six things to pray for:
1. A holiday free from injury in our connections and travels of friends and family this Christmas.
2. For our communities in which our churches serve may find ways to make sure everyone stays warm and has enough food to get them through the winter months.
3.Pray for Membership of Detroit Hope to think about discipleship and baptism.
4. Pray for 1 new cell group this year to grow and be fostered in this neighborhood.
5. Pray for all those who have tests and struggle to stay in class, during this time of year, pray for those who are thinking about dropping out, and pray for their well being and that they might find tutors or mentors to make their studies easier.
6. Pray that we all remember Christ in our Lives during this advent season.

Our Congregation wants to thank Lamoni Congregation for their dilligence and understanding and their unwavering ability to give and help our congregation so much. We thank you for all of your support this season. It will help in our ministry, and in our mission to serve the community. God Bless You!!

2006-11-29T12:36:00.000-05:00

Detroit Hope Giving Opprotunities
Quarterly Response

October -December
Warm Clothing- Including: Hats, Gloves, Mittens, Scarves, Coats, Blankets, Wool Socks, Boots, Bedding, Flannels, Light Jackets or Sweatshirts, Gently used or new.

January - April
Non Parishable Food Items, Canned items prefered, but will find use for anything non parishable. Produce and Meat storage is a little more difficult. Food is used for activities, and food pantry service. Food Pantry Gets depleated between october and January because of the greater needs of the community.

May-June
Outdoor Equipment and recreational supplies to help us with our summer camp programming. Balls, Games, Nets, Bases, Equipment used in Recreational Events for Kids and Families.

July- September
School Supplies: Pencils Pens, Erasers, Glue, Boxes, Folders, Notebooks, and all those types that would help us assemble school bags, and a supply base for our tutoring programs that happen all year round.

Don't let this list stop you from sending supplies or support to us anytime, all of the programs that we have are on-going and frequent. Any help to any of these lists would be appreciated and a blessing to the congregation we work with.

2006-11-27T13:47:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving Festivities!!!
Last Wednesday Night, We had a great turn out for church. Hinged on the fact that it was thanksgiving, we talked about ways we were blessed and the ways we could give to those less fortunate than us. We prayed and we talked about discernment. And how when we pray, we could think about people, and the spirit could help us discern who to contact and help. The kids prayed and came up with 5 new names, and contacts of people who were in dire need of food on that night before thanksgiving, and they were blessed to find that those people were really in desperate need. a lot of the kids came out with me, and witnessed that there was a huge response, a "oh how we are blessed" or "Thank our lord and savior" it was cool. the kids felt really great about having the spirit help them decide who needed the food more than them. The other blessings of the night included Mike Slupinski and Jeff Stoker and Sara and Stacie coming and helping to fix Beef stew instead of pizza this week. A healthy meal of carrots, potatoes, beef and gravy, and we had pumpkin pies for desert. Then we had a poor woman come into the congregation asking for help, and we offered clothing and food, blankets and a hot meal. The congregation saw numerous ways we were helping in the community that night, every time an opprotunity arose, we were there, affirming to the needy. I think this night was a big boost of faith for our new believers.

2006-11-14T18:00:00.000-05:00

Young Adult retreat a Success!!!
Thanks to the staff that prepared it, the spirit that was there, and the members that gathered, we had a marvelous retreat at blue water last weekend. There were some great classes taught by Mark and Jacquie Hanton, "Fitness Jeopardy" Julie (Sarahs sister) taught "Giving your Heart to God" An Exercise in spirituality and calling. Khristi Bernhardt-Atkinson gave a great presentation on financial Management and Rachel and I taught about being a timely Disciple and NOW being the time for young adults to serve and feel calling.
It was awesome. i will write more later.
Jacob

2006-11-14T17:55:00.000-05:00

Report on a Tradgety

One of our most active young people recently lost a Grandma. She passed recently and asked that the congregation keep her in our prayers.
I also worked with her on and off recently to assemble a slide show for the funeral of music and pictures, and the Funeral is being held tomorrow I believe. I have not been invited but I felt really good ministering to the family by helping scan 40 photos into digital format to help the attendees remember the woman she was. I know it will make an impact.
Pray for this loss, and the family to heal.

Thank you - - Pastor Jacob

2006-11-09T13:20:00.000-05:00

LET THERE BE LIGHT!!!!!
Well, two ways I have been enlightened, one the simple solution, I bought a ladder and replaced some bulbs in the sanctuary here and it really made a difference in the members ability to read the scripture during our bible study,-I felt so bad that we had only 2 bulbs remaining when I changed the rest, and now we have 8 bulbs cascading down with light and warmth, and 300 watts of light. (they are old fixtures) But we are blessed because last night at pizza church we had 24 members there, and 10 of them read for us from the bible as we studied about Ruth and her love, and support for Naomi, and being faithful no matter what. Giving us an example of how we can be faithful and how God is there for us. I think this is a miracle because frankly, 2 or 3 usually read. and yesterday, we seemed to whip right through the reading, and the folks understood, and were moved. We are also relating scriptures week to week with our theme "Ways Jesus would want us to be Faithful." I give bonus points (leftover halloween candy) for the people who can remember back to scriptures in previous weeks and remember why we talked about those people and what the lesson was. IT WORKS PRETTY WELL!

Oh I said two ways I have been enlightened. I appreciate all of the concern, for members that I have been writing about. People have been posting comments however difficult, and emailing me, but the most regular response has been that names should be protected. I will be sure to use more pronouns and false names to protect those who I am talking about. Unless permission is provided. I am new at this web based publishing, and I understand now that the world does need to hear the witness of Jesus working here, the world is still enriched by not name dropping. Thank you all those out there for your guidance and direction, and don't be afraid to email if you want to leave comments, I know this blogspot situation is hard to respond to.

Here is my email again for those of you that may want to write to us here.
jacobblakesley@gmail.com

Thank you for being supportive, and if you notice, the names in the testimonies have been changed for protective purposes.

2006-11-09T13:09:00.000-05:00

So A long time coming the conclusion of the Halloween Party Festivities.

We had over 100 people, new people, families, children, and good interested people coming into the church, the Cake walk was a huge hit, Thank you Lamoni P.T.A. for introducing that one to me. When I planned this activity I thought back to those P.T.A. Carnivals of my childhood, and I remembered how the kids could not get enough of those cup cakes as prizes on the cake walk. I remembered that, the airwalk, and the dunk tank, and this was the least fuss and most enjoyable. These Urban kids and folks from michigan had never even considered a cake walk to be as fun as it was. I cut out paper pumkins about feet sized 15 of them, and drew carved out looking numbers on them. I taped them in a circle on the floor and played creepy sounding halloween music. When the music stopped, I drew a number out of a bag, and when a person won the event, then they were out for that round, so they could eat their cupcake. That opened up a slot for someone new from the croud around to jump in and take their place. Parents were involved, small children that had to take two or three steps between pumpkins, and everyone loved it. We went through 48 cupcakes pretty quick, I think we had 7 rounds of people. No idea how many people were involved in just that game.

So in the last post I talked about pumpkin carving. That was great, and a suprize like I said. I bought 30 pumpkins and 17 of them got carved, 3 more got painted, and 5 more got these potatoe head looking eyes poked into them. so we only had five left when we were done. Pretty good. I bet our dumpster was a little more heafty this week.

Overall a huge blessing, and what an impact was made in that short time. Halloween was safer and more fun because of the ministry we provided here that night.

2006-11-01T15:10:00.000-05:00

Well, I am having technical difficulties showing all of you the pictures of the Halloween Party. I will get them up and going as soon as possible.

Until then, I will tell you about the festivities. We started early, one of our church folks came by and wanted help with his costume. I helped him create a shield and a sword for Link, and burned up some precious time getting decorations up. But That is the ministry. Plans change, things get changed, and we roll with it. So, when he had his armor made from duct tape and cardboard, with colorful duct tape from the summer camp we had left over, he left and got his clothing to match his plan. He left and came back three times, in the time I hung streamers, laid out the festive pumpkin vinil tablecloths, and set 6 pumpkins to start carving. then, I laid out 15 paper pumkins with numbers on them and taped them to the floor. This was our cake walk. Then, I mixed cool aid, and got halloween cups out, laid out the face paints, and as soon as that was set, church folks were showing up, with additional help from Jackuline McKinney and John Barrett and Les Quartier. They helped me staff the event, and there was a constant flow of people coming in, and some stayed a while and did cake walking, painted faces, and carved and painted pumpkins. One testimony I have was that the children, (Senior High and Jr High) saw the pumpkin I had carved that said "Jesus Loves You" and so they were inspired and started to work. However the hang up was they stared carving, and didn't clean out the inside, and when they cut it they cut at a degree angle that allowed the carving tied down with string to drop inside. I asked "how many of you have carved a jack-O-lantern before?" None of them had, and we had 30 pumkins to clean and when I cleaned one, then I put the tea light in it, and lit it up, and the kids were amazed, like they didn't know how it worked, they all said "OOOHHH AHHHH" and this testimony will be continued.

2006-10-31T11:34:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, October 30th, 2006

Jerry, Barb and I sat down and hashed out some great progress on writing a Grant for world church. I came home on a high from the spirit working in that meeting, and as if prayer couldn't answer any more that day, it did. My mom called, and even though that is exciting, she said, I have some news for you. Lamoni congregation, with the direction of Tom Morain has raised enough for your congregation to get a washer and dryer combo to put in the church.

Some backstory, it seems like just yesterday, I ran into Tom in the commons at CLW. He said, "If your ever feel like you need something that would help in the ministry you are providing there, just let us know and I will start to work on it." So about 2 or more weeks ago, I emailed him, with the news about this blog, and some current stories I had for him about the ministry happening. The turn around on this story has been amazing, WHAT A MIRACLE they have PROVIDED!!! I am so proud of the congregation I hail from. They have made a big impact. Anyone from there that might be reading this, be sure to ask Rachel when we are in town again, I jumped up and down, and said "God is sure good!!!!" FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!

But what you ask am I going to use this for? Well part of my interest in a washer and dryer, is that we have facilities to house a clothing closet, and a need to provide the community with warm clothing in the winter time. 3 weeks ago I think it has been now, October 14th anyway, we had a dime sale, I talked about that in an earlier testimony. The outreach it provided really made an impact with our neighbors in restoration towers, and our community at large because we were providing a service. A comforting service to people that really matter in this community, citizens, family, friends, peacemakers, and folks that may be struggling. This washer will do more than just clean clothing for our closet, it will allow us to help members with their laundry, providing ministry that way, also clean towels and rags when we provide meals here in our church kitchen, along with many other ministries that will present themselves.
This is a huge blessing and I thank you all!

2006-10-28T00:16:00.000-04:00

Halloween Party-Coming to Detroit Hope

This Tuesday, Halloween Night, we have the great priveledge to host trick or treating festivities. It all came together something like this. About three weeks ago, one of the kids from the congregation asked "what are we doing for halloween Jacob?" I said, " I don't know, we need to plan something shouldn't we?" Having a yup response, I went and thought about it a while. I knew that John Barrett had helped before, and I wondered if he had any ideas for me. I called him and he said, "Jacob I was just going to call you," " And he said he would ask around and find some candy donations from people in congregations. To all you annonymous donors, thank you, and I am sure John will thank you, but the current count to date, he said he has 25 bags of candy. This is a huge blessing, and we will outreach to so many folks. If your still going to donate, don't be detered by this blog I am just singing your praises. We can use all the candy we can get. Providing a safe place in Detroit for trick or treating will be a great example for the community. So, then I got thinking, what else could we do??? how could we do more???? Then I called around, asked Mike at church, asked various others, and then asked Austin, where could I get quite a few pumpkins for the kids to paint on and carve?? He and his co-worker friend recommended Meijer. I thought, great, its close, I could use program dollars, and I bet this week there is slim pickin, and maybe a cut in price, I was right on both counts, and there were enough, I thought, to fill the back of my Jeep, and I did pretty well in price. One thing that was awesome about the ones I found there, was the size!! They were nearly perfect. As I loaded 24 lbs pumkin, then heavier, then heavier, I thought, how are these kids ever going to carry these as far as they walk to church????? So I started searching for smaller, smaller, smaller, each time looking for smaller ones, to be both cute and something they could take home and show their parents, or leave, and it wouldn't be that far or much to the dumpster. We got those non cut pumpkin carving kits, and scrapers, and I bought my favorite designing tools a package of sharpie markers, and I think we have the beginings of a great halloween event. Don't worry, we won't do anything to scare anyone, this will be more of a cellebration, and a safe environment to help support the safe activities of Angels Night here in Detroit. If you are passing out candy this halloween, think about us, and send a prayer of blessing our way to have a blessed evening in our outreach ministry. It should be fun. --Jacob

2006-10-26T21:02:00.000-04:00

A Report on Pizza Church

Yesterday, Wednesday October 25th, we had Pizza Church, and it was outstanding!!! We talked about Esther and read from the Illustrated Bible, and shared what else we knew about the story. I asked if any of the kids knew the name of the new movie that represents Esthers life and story we learned about. None of them did, but not a lot of people know about it either. The name of the movie is "One night with the King" and I have not yet seen it.

The real exciting victory that happened was that the kids really retained the story and the lesson, because we asked questions, focused on good answers and sharing it with others by speaking up, and Mike drove some really good points home. Then a man came in, and said, I need to talk with you Jacob. I stepped outside with him, and he told me a story about how he had not made his rent payment, and was now homeless until he could find another place to live. He told me that the area agency on aging could make arrangements, but he was so depressed he needed someone to talk to. He continued to say that I was one of the only ones he knew that would really listen and wouldn't judge. This really made me feel good inside as a servant of Jesus. I continued to listen, and he told me about his wife, and his time in the vietnam, and his loss of his wife, It sounded like she died of some terminal illness, although he never illuded to what that was, I really felt for him. He told me also, that one of the places he could move was all the way over on the east side. He could move there, but they don't have a meal program like our restoration towers did. He told me that he would have to keep on top of his income, and not buy drugs nor alchohol, he illuded then that that was the reason he didn't make his rent payment. I knew that there was not much case for going back to restoration towers because they had given him more chances than he knew what to do with. He continued to talk about how lonely he was, and how good it was to talk to someone about this. He said he wanted to come back and talk with me again, and when he said that, I reacted with a quick thought, almost given to me as inspiration, and I think it was the spirit working in me. I grabbed the paper sign on the door of the church, peeled the tape off, and gave our back door sign to him. It had all the times I am in the church, when our activities where, and when he could find me. It also had times when I would be in the neighborhood, and when he could reach me and I would be within walking distance. It also had my cell phone number on it. I was compelled to give it to him, by a strong power, and then I said, " You know there is someone else here for you besides me, Someone who looks after you and is always with you." He asked, who, and he guessed "Rachel," I said "that was a good guess, and that was true" But I said, "Jesus." I could tell it effected him. Then I let that moment rest, it was nice, and I felt him absorb that. I said, "I am here, but he is the one the one you can pray to always." He then talked about how he is strong, but the Depression gets to him. We talked about how Jesus lifts us up and how he can make us stronger and last longer than we ever could alone. At this point he started to tear. I said, "You can come and talk, or call me anytime, and before you go I want to pray with you." In the prayer, I asked God to send his best angels to look after him, to lift him up to give him strength, to find Allies that God has placed here on earth to help him, to know that there are people out there that will help him at any time. I reminded him that God would put those people in his path, and those angels would direct him, if he was willing to look and listen. I assured him that I was here, and there would be others, and that Jesus our God would share all the love that would sustain him, and connect him to the good memories, and remember the good times. He did say thank you, and tears were streaming down, and he said I had forgotten that I was a child of God, I have not prayed in a long time. He said Amen Brother, and I will be back.

What a experience!!
Thought it was worth sharing.

2006-10-25T14:20:00.000-04:00

Detroit Hope Summer Camp
by Rachel Blakesley
The past five weeks at Detroit Hope have been a whirlwind of fun, games, food, learning, and laughter, and there's still one week left!
With 82 kids and teenagers on the attendance sheets, it certainly has felt like a whirlwind. We start each morning out with a Peacemaking class and lunch that is provided by Restoration Towers. Then we split up into Drama, Dance, and Cooking classes. Each of these classes is taught by community volunteers that have graciously given the bulk of their summer to help the neighborhood kids. One of them is a wonderful intern, Ciemantha Stubblefield, who came all the way from Oklahoma to help us out this summer!
In the Drama class, we have been learning about controlling our emotions, creative thinking, and other performance skills. We should record some of the skits the campers have come up with because they will keep campfire goers laughing for years. The Dance class has been working hard on a routine to share with us at the end of the camp.
Some of the staff are going to take the Dance class, but we will have to wait until the campers aren't around or the 11 year olds will show us up! For now, we like to help out with the Cooking class so we can have smoothies, banana pudding, stir-fry, and many other tasty treats. After those classes, the campers enjoy past times such as dodge ball, baseball, and kickball during Recreation.
We settle down in Arts and Crafts and make construction paper masterpieces, t-shirt treasures, and awesome clay creations. The day ends with some computer training and great snacks. Every two weeks we go on an awesome field trip – we've been to Crossroad Village and the Detroit Zoo already!
All of this is made possible by an Old Newsboys Goodfellows Grant. Huge thanks go out to them!
New contacts through the camp gave us a record number of 42 people at Pizza Church on Wednesday night. Yay, God! We have been very blessed this summer and many persons’ lives have been touched.
The camp is almost over but we have activities here at Detroit Hope almost every day throughout the year. Call Pastor Jacob Blakesley at 313-515-8955 and join us in the transforming of lives. Who knows, you may even be the one who is transformed!

2006-10-25T14:04:00.000-04:00

Here is some picturea of our Detroit Hope Murals that the kids have helped with since we have been together.

2006-10-25T13:23:00.000-04:00

In reading over yesterday's blog entries, I know that there are some historical stories, that I should share with all those who read from this blog. Being a year into this ministry, it still feels like yesterday. - - Jacob

Hello, my name is Jacob Blakesley. I am originally from Lamoni, Iowa. I have come to Detroit because of a calling that I felt, when I came here in the summer of 2004. I worked with then pastor John Atkinson, and I felt the mission and the excitement of this needs based social ministry of church planting. I had been to Chattanooga previously through a winter term with Jimmy Munson, and have searched for something different than the traditional worship style. I believe we haven’t gone far enough with our reach yet. Church planting really is a lifestyle, about going to where people are, making the initial contact, following up with a second and additional meetings, and really establishing a relationship, that our name proclaims. I had the privilege to apply to be a church planter at the same congregation that I worked with for World Service Corps, and I really wanted to come back. I was distracted during my studies at Graceland, because I wanted to serve somewhere else, in a missionary ministry.
My family was concerned, because we have all been from “safe” places, and my mother and father were concerned that I would be 1000 miles from their reach of helping me. The day after baccalaureate my father passed away due to a heart attack at the age of 55. We had services that week, and over 2000 people came to the funeral, supporting him, and celebrating his life. I could have decided to run from this ministry, because it would have been easy, but I decided to get away and pray. As soon as graduation at Graceland was over, I went to Florida with my fiancé where she lives, and her family invited me to go camping. While we were there I prayed every day, and I asked for direction, and healing. Next for Memorial Day weekend, Rachel, Gabriel her brother, and I went up to Chattanooga for their weekend reunion. While I was there, I was administered to during a healing service, and in that administration, I felt as though my dad finally understood the calling I felt, and now, since he was in my heart, and beyond, he could be with me in Detroit. I talked with some church folks, and decided, I would call Jerry and Ed, and interview for this church planting position during the World Conference, in the beginning of June. I hitched a ride with the Chattanooga, and Mid South Region, up to independence, and I applied for the job because of the calling I felt. Ever since that administration, I have felt like my family is supporting me, how ever far it may be, and the allies that have been bolstered here and at headquarters and all over the domestic region, I have been supported through any struggle.
Since then, I was hired in July, and trained for three months in Chattanooga with Jimmy Munson, Kenny Alcorn, Jared Munson, Faith Johnson, and Steve Kohler. Just to mention a few. I have been onsite in Detroit since October and I have been working, networking, contacting, and investing, and diving in to all of the opportunities, and resource gathering I can muster. Now I am pleased to report,
I have some good news from the life of the church plant in Detroit. I wanted to just tell you a few little things about the prayers answered in the Detroit area.
The Bible Study at the Restoration towers has brought the church outreach into the community. The Restoration towers has been grounded and supported by the Community of Christ, for nearly 25 years in 2006, and the residents know that what we are doing is positive and helps them. Just sharing in a once a week bible study, has been a great outreach tool, because their families and friends live close in the community, they have been doing outreach for me. Perfect strangers, people I have never seen nor contacted before are coming forward and saying "reverend blakesley" and I think that is just too formal, so I turn and meet and greet who I am responding to, and then tell them about the church and the ministry, and a brief what we are doing for the community and then, I correct them, and when they ask for my name again, I say you can call me Jacob, or Pastor, and I always say, come by and see me, and give them my card. This has turned many people into great follow up contacts.
On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, from four to six on Tuesdays and Thursdays and ten to one on Saturdays, we have been having tutoring for the elementary school children, especially the 3-5th grades. This is a great outreach tool, that has been funded by the generous re-financing of the Restoration Towers Retirement Home, and Sandy Trombley and Jackuline McKinney run this program, and we have numerous other volunteers, because I want to be involved for the ministry of presence, and I also want to build relationships with great missionaries that these kids can be. So far 25 kids have come from 60 invitations, from the elementary school, and we have an active group, and I feel like they are contacts, and a social ministry that is growing daily. I know all of their names, hobbies, talents, and already who tries to pull tricks, and I feel like connections, and lives are being changed for the better.
For the daily ministry I was a bit discouraged about whether I would be able to reach some of the contacts I remembered from the summer I was in Detroit for World Service Corps until Saturday, when I broke the ice with one such leader from the congregation before, and she welcomed me with a hug, and asked me interesting questions about how much I was committed, and when she approved she gave me a high five, and said, “I will tell the group at school.” I thought it would have been great just having her tell a few, but when two days later, the church had 17 former congregants, and 25 for tutoring, I realized how many I had seen, and contact base, and potential this had for missionary outreach, and identity, and a future here in the church plant, and the neighborhood, I just was
Over-whelmed with joy, hope, and driven with mission and love. My Calling was evident. Because of the outreach efforts of Katrina Bradley, and others she
contacted, Pizza Church happened this Wednesday, the 8th, progress is happening, it is building itself and prayers are being answered. I feel like these folks were waiting for the time when our church would return and bring the same community of love and hope back to Detroit. It brings me Joy and Peace, seeing this community alive again.
With over 300 contacts, and 42 active outreaching youth, this is a thriving
Missionary blessing. Each of you has had and will have a hand in the work that has helped this congregation to live again. Through mentoring, training, support, kind words, encouragement, discussion, behind the scenes, ever supporting, nurturing, answering a question, affirming, sustaining, blessing, and having been witness to this, and your continual prayers are appreciated. We can do it by helping each other, and giving testimony to what has been successful. This is our time to step up and never give up for the ministry of the future.

This was the testimony of how I got to be here. In Detroit in a calling I have really felt, and I feel that we are moving as the spirit has allowed.

2006-10-24T13:39:00.000-04:00

Goals for 6 months
One week ago, I sat down at my desk and wrote on a deck of flash cards 100 things that I could do in the next 5 years to help the growth and production of the efforts here at Detroit Hope. I let Mike Slupinski, friend and missionary coordinator, look them over. I am excited about having that imput because he really had a connection to the church plant here when he was thinking about these because it gave me a new list of goals to reach for. We worked out two piles, one if we could do this in the next six months, and the other pile, 6 months-5 year plan. I am going to post the first ones here now, and later when we do some more planning and discernment, then we we will come up with some more to post.

Clean and Repair Font because our team has been praying for Baptisms.
Work on Construction of an in-ground grill.
The built in grill would be an outreach tool to the seniors and people of the community.
See if the church speakers still work in the sanctuary.
Sell or remove Pianos and Organs that are not working.
Post a Sign outside.
Put up a Basketball Goal Outside with retaining fence.
Work on a Job Description for a part time employee.
Get people to pray for Baptisms and bringing people to Jesus Christ.
Remove Unneeded Refuge from Old Congregations.
Find responsible members for future indigenous leadership.
Purchase and learn about more Gospel Music to use in worship.
Work on a Visiting Team, or rotating schedule for extensive visiting.
Work on building a Prayer Chain / Group to pray intentionally for this congregation.
Make the Church Visually Pleasing
Sell or Donate Choir Music.
Get Church ready for mission trips to come to Detroit Hope.
Write down some of my successes and techniques for this type of urban ministry.
Use Seventies in the area, get help from more of them than just Mike Slupinski, and help them feel called to the area.
Help Jackuline and the Community Technology Center director start adult computer classes to provide outreach, and community services.
Leadership from Youth in Detroit Hope that can find some ownership, enough to even invest themselves in being priesthood someday.
Send out bids for cleaning services then hire one of them.
Buy and keep a water cooler accessable.
Work with Margaret or work on future kitchen remodel.
Work on Sound Equipment to get it up and running for church services.
Artwork fundraising for church.

Just so the reader knows, these are hopes and dreams for the next six months, some of them might be for a later date than that, like the sign and the hoop, because frankly with as cold as it has been, we may not be able to get below the frost line soon, because of how cold it has been getting at the church and up here recently. All are worth praying about, and all would bring worthy ministry to this congregation. Our hope is to get a lot of the goals to be realities someday.

Posted by Jacob

2006-10-24T13:07:00.000-04:00

This weekend, I felt the missionary bug as Bob Kyser, Mike Slupinski, Deb Crowley, Barb Borkowski and I all talked about the future of Detroit Hope as a congregation. We talked about how we could apply for grants from World Church, share some designated giving from the Mission Center, and have some new ministries begin here. All thanks to the new ideas flowing out of this meeting we had friday. Then, just when I was on fire, we had a great missionary team weekend in Howell at this nature retreat center. It was very awesome. I was so excited throughout I could not contain myself. I was too excited. Now that the weekend is over, I am trying to find a way to implament every idea that is flowing into my head. I believe the spirit has given me the gift of inspiration after this event. Hopefully Detroit Hope will feel the blessings that bear fruit from these thoughts.