Warming Up Stillwater

Much of this week has been centered around an event we are calling "Warming Up Stillwater". The event is this Saturday at the Stillwater Community Center from 6-8. Its a chili feed along with coat distribution of nearly 400 coats that our church has collected in the past couple of weeks. The event was a collaboration of a number of different people thinking about ways that our church could become more involved within the community. We won't be promoting our church, handing out information about Countryside, or trying to tell people why they need to be with us instead of with someone else on Sunday mornings. Instead, we'll slip the "Gospel of John" into a pocket of each coat, along with setting up a prayer room down the hall for anyone who may need prayer or would like someone to talk to about spiritual issues. We're doing it this way because its not about us, its not about showing off Countryside, or our ministries, or facilities. This event is centered around helping the helpless and planting seeds not for Countryside, but for Jesus Christ. We are calling it "Warming Up Stillwater" because the goal is to keep them physically warm with coats and hot chili, but the reality is without the light of the world they are in spiritual darkness and in the cold (John 1:4). Jesus is the only one who can truly bring them light and hope and we long to display the love of Christ through our actions and to discuss the person and work of Jesus with many on Saturday evening.

I have been absolutely overwhelmed by the feedback and help I have received from people within the church. I have been impressed with the desire people have to serve others and truly show love and compassion to others as Christ has commanded. People have bought new coats, donated sacks of used coats, volunteered to make chili, brownies, serve, share a testimony, and do anything else to help make the night a success. My prayer is that this is the first in a long line of opportunities that our church takes to be a blessing to the people in the Stillwater community by helping those who are in need. If you know of someone in the community who may need a coat for themselves or their children be sure and tell them about the event.

To live is Christ,

Jay