In an effort to continually correct the damage that devil uses in society to make us feel inadequate through the media, the Vision drama group, reminds us that no matter how bad you think things are with your physical features always remember that someone always have it worse.
I Have it Worse
Saturday, September 25, 2010
September Evangelism: Taking it to the Streets
After twelve Long months we finally decided to dust the cob webs off and decided to hit the streets on a quest to once again execute the regular and creative ways to evangelize. For this month we decided to hit the neighborhood of Crown Heights. Seeing that we currently reside on 1769 Dean Street (the Pink Church) in Brooklyn we placed two literature and beverage stations on the corners of Utica and Schenectady. The well executed plan was that we would have a table set up at each corner providing lemonade, literature, and prayer (you know, trying to quench their physical and spiritual thirst on a hot Summer Day). The rest of the individuals would pair up into groups and disseminate on to the streets with in the church within a five block radius.
It started off smoothly and what we had to offer to the community was well received (which is something I believe is probably the biggest fear amongst Christians when evangelizing). When I took a second look of my congregation you can see all types there. Those aggressively going after each unfamiliar face with a passion to spread the good news, some socializing in a corner talking about God amongst themselves, some nervous hiding in the shadows of the trees and fences, and somehow were nervous with the desire to say and act but just needed a little push.
I think I had the personality of each type that day and it was interesting how I got my push. I was on the corner of Schenectady and Dean with Duane and Mary while handing out literature to people that pass by. I was a little uneasy. With each person that strolled past, there was a desire to do more. I wanted to say more, provide each person with a little word of encouragement, and ask if they needed us to pray for them about anything in their lives. But I suffered from the same thing that Adam and Eve did once the sinned in Genesis 3. Yep, fear! For some reason I couldn’t muster up the courage to do anything more than raise my hand to pass out tracks; which is usually ok but I was fighting with the spirit to do more.
I asked God for help and almost before I could finish my request he answered it.
Duane quickly pointed our attention to Sis. Griffith. The well over 65 year’s old lady was out there with such zeal to spread God Word. If you can picture this beautiful senior moving very cautiously and unhurried in church, now vibrant and energetic out in the field and is holding down her section of the street by herself ;Talking to people, handing out tracks, and chasing down cars providing literature while they were at the stop light. That was all the motivation I needed. Instantly after I found myself doing the same and asking people if they wanted prayer and a lot of them did. I even got the chance to speak with someone who remembered me asking her the same question a couple moths back when I went out with Personal Ministries. She said He answered her prayers. Praise God!
Sis Griffith
Written By:Naquan Taitt
The literature we handed out contained: SIGN (a small pamphlet), Message Magazine, free 24 Hour prayer line cards , and A DVD. The DVD contained:
The Man For the Moment
Daniel 10- The God Who Listens
It started off smoothly and what we had to offer to the community was well received (which is something I believe is probably the biggest fear amongst Christians when evangelizing). When I took a second look of my congregation you can see all types there. Those aggressively going after each unfamiliar face with a passion to spread the good news, some socializing in a corner talking about God amongst themselves, some nervous hiding in the shadows of the trees and fences, and somehow were nervous with the desire to say and act but just needed a little push.
I think I had the personality of each type that day and it was interesting how I got my push. I was on the corner of Schenectady and Dean with Duane and Mary while handing out literature to people that pass by. I was a little uneasy. With each person that strolled past, there was a desire to do more. I wanted to say more, provide each person with a little word of encouragement, and ask if they needed us to pray for them about anything in their lives. But I suffered from the same thing that Adam and Eve did once the sinned in Genesis 3. Yep, fear! For some reason I couldn’t muster up the courage to do anything more than raise my hand to pass out tracks; which is usually ok but I was fighting with the spirit to do more.
I asked God for help and almost before I could finish my request he answered it.
Duane quickly pointed our attention to Sis. Griffith. The well over 65 year’s old lady was out there with such zeal to spread God Word. If you can picture this beautiful senior moving very cautiously and unhurried in church, now vibrant and energetic out in the field and is holding down her section of the street by herself ;Talking to people, handing out tracks, and chasing down cars providing literature while they were at the stop light. That was all the motivation I needed. Instantly after I found myself doing the same and asking people if they wanted prayer and a lot of them did. I even got the chance to speak with someone who remembered me asking her the same question a couple moths back when I went out with Personal Ministries. She said He answered her prayers. Praise God!
Sis Griffith
Written By:Naquan Taitt
The literature we handed out contained: SIGN (a small pamphlet), Message Magazine, free 24 Hour prayer line cards , and A DVD. The DVD contained:
The Man For the Moment
Daniel 10- The God Who Listens
My Pathfinders Experience
I guarantee that most of you all have wondered once or twice what pathfinders is really about ; well I stand here before you now to explain the experience I have had so you can basically get a clue of what pathfinders is about.
In the year of 2006 I willingly joined pathfinders. At that time the reason I pretty much joined pathfinders because I saw the older teens of the church doing drills, marching, commands, drumming and so on. So basically I was thinking they were having fun, and I was pretty much getting kind of old for adventurers. Mainly at that time was pretty much just thinking “Oh, this looks like fun how bout I join the fun “. But as time went by I noticed that we weren`t really doing the things I would usually see them doing; WE WERE DOING WORK.!! … I expected to do work and all but I thought we would’ve been drilling and marching most of the time. Actually that’s all I thought pathfinders was about.
I was inducted into the Lighthouse Flames Pathfinder Club with Rachel Brown, Deneek Leon, Deneeka Leon, and Nasha Bazemore. I successfully passed boards in the Spring of 2007. During my 1st year of pathfinders, I completed my Friends folder, learned all my memory texts, went to camp and most definitely had fun. Since it was my first year going to camp with the pathfinder group, I wasn’t really sure what I was supposed to do. We`d get up at around 7 o` clock in the morning when it is brick cold outside and we made a shower out of tarp, wire and a bucket of COLD water. We took basically hours to set up tents; we arrived at about 1 or 2 o` clock in the afternoon and didn’t finish putting up tents until about 10 o` clock and the next day we still had a tent to put up. When we got all finished with working on tents it was time for FUN! We the new comers now hearing about mushing was like the best thing we`d heard for camp, which was putting together and mixing up a bunch of cosmetics such as toothpaste, lotion, ointment, powder, etc. . Then in the middle of the night a few of us would get up and put it on the other few pathfinders that were snug and sleeping in their tent. And if you were lucky you might just get your picture taken. Our funniest moment was the 1st Time I ever experienced mushing. Nasha, Deneek, Deneeka and I had went out at about 2 o` clock in the morning and went over to the other girls’ tent and put mush on Rachel’s hand and face and she wiped her hands on her face and woke up a little and we were like “Oh Rachel they got u too, they came in our tent and mushed us too, Man we just came in here to check on yall.” Good Times =]
But please don`t think that just because I’m talking about fun, that’s what pathfinders is about. Pathfinders is also about learning more about God, Teamwork, Integrity, commitment, and being able to work independently. Over the years I have been in the drum core ; I have been a color guard ; I have done community service ; I have been to the official fun days ; I have gone on neighborhood and community walks,etc. I have completed 4 folders and I am currently in the Ranger Class. From 2006 to 2010 I have had a lot of fun with the Lighthouse Pathfinders. Through the bad and the good; we have stuck together throughout the years. Companions we are and will remain!
Written By: Cedryanne Winter
In the year of 2006 I willingly joined pathfinders. At that time the reason I pretty much joined pathfinders because I saw the older teens of the church doing drills, marching, commands, drumming and so on. So basically I was thinking they were having fun, and I was pretty much getting kind of old for adventurers. Mainly at that time was pretty much just thinking “Oh, this looks like fun how bout I join the fun “. But as time went by I noticed that we weren`t really doing the things I would usually see them doing; WE WERE DOING WORK.!! … I expected to do work and all but I thought we would’ve been drilling and marching most of the time. Actually that’s all I thought pathfinders was about.
I was inducted into the Lighthouse Flames Pathfinder Club with Rachel Brown, Deneek Leon, Deneeka Leon, and Nasha Bazemore. I successfully passed boards in the Spring of 2007. During my 1st year of pathfinders, I completed my Friends folder, learned all my memory texts, went to camp and most definitely had fun. Since it was my first year going to camp with the pathfinder group, I wasn’t really sure what I was supposed to do. We`d get up at around 7 o` clock in the morning when it is brick cold outside and we made a shower out of tarp, wire and a bucket of COLD water. We took basically hours to set up tents; we arrived at about 1 or 2 o` clock in the afternoon and didn’t finish putting up tents until about 10 o` clock and the next day we still had a tent to put up. When we got all finished with working on tents it was time for FUN! We the new comers now hearing about mushing was like the best thing we`d heard for camp, which was putting together and mixing up a bunch of cosmetics such as toothpaste, lotion, ointment, powder, etc. . Then in the middle of the night a few of us would get up and put it on the other few pathfinders that were snug and sleeping in their tent. And if you were lucky you might just get your picture taken. Our funniest moment was the 1st Time I ever experienced mushing. Nasha, Deneek, Deneeka and I had went out at about 2 o` clock in the morning and went over to the other girls’ tent and put mush on Rachel’s hand and face and she wiped her hands on her face and woke up a little and we were like “Oh Rachel they got u too, they came in our tent and mushed us too, Man we just came in here to check on yall.” Good Times =]
But please don`t think that just because I’m talking about fun, that’s what pathfinders is about. Pathfinders is also about learning more about God, Teamwork, Integrity, commitment, and being able to work independently. Over the years I have been in the drum core ; I have been a color guard ; I have done community service ; I have been to the official fun days ; I have gone on neighborhood and community walks,etc. I have completed 4 folders and I am currently in the Ranger Class. From 2006 to 2010 I have had a lot of fun with the Lighthouse Pathfinders. Through the bad and the good; we have stuck together throughout the years. Companions we are and will remain!
Written By: Cedryanne Winter
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Senior Appreciation Day: The Golden Years
My fingers stroked the delicate fabric of the off-white silk table cloths that laid obedient and straight on the surface of the tables. The gold chargers, gold rim plates, crystal glassware, and silver utensils were placed in a particular order, measured at the exact equal distance, and glistened from the pampered attention they received. The rich brown, basket weaved floral containers in the center of the tables, were filled with various shades of golden yellow flowers, white hydrangeas and roses, and scattered brown pine cones. As we lit the candles, at last, a smile of satisfaction danced upon our lips as we knew the seniors would be mesmerized.
The detailed décor, delicious menu, and soft Christian music assaulted their senses in pleasure as each senior were escorted to their seats. Sister McKenzie sang a beautiful rendition of He’s Able, while the seniors waited to be served. A sea of applause filled the air and gratitude was verbalized. I juggled hosting and carrying plates filled with; escovich fish, vegetable fried rice, macaroni pie, vegetarian meat, and green salad. I laughed inwardly as I saw the faces of the seniors as they strategized how best to devour their meals. Knives and forks made musical notes, as Stacy Brown recited a seniors’ appreciation poem.
I stood still, nerve impulses moving in a network connecting rhythms and lyrics, as the words danced upon the minds of all who were in hearing distance. An acknowledgement of claps, smiles, laughter, and praises effortlessly fell from the lips of many. Rachel Brown and Kizzy Clemons sang a beautiful song to the seniors. The empty plates were gathered and I asked the seniors to get together for photos.
Written By: Ann Marie Brown
The detailed décor, delicious menu, and soft Christian music assaulted their senses in pleasure as each senior were escorted to their seats. Sister McKenzie sang a beautiful rendition of He’s Able, while the seniors waited to be served. A sea of applause filled the air and gratitude was verbalized. I juggled hosting and carrying plates filled with; escovich fish, vegetable fried rice, macaroni pie, vegetarian meat, and green salad. I laughed inwardly as I saw the faces of the seniors as they strategized how best to devour their meals. Knives and forks made musical notes, as Stacy Brown recited a seniors’ appreciation poem.I stood still, nerve impulses moving in a network connecting rhythms and lyrics, as the words danced upon the minds of all who were in hearing distance. An acknowledgement of claps, smiles, laughter, and praises effortlessly fell from the lips of many. Rachel Brown and Kizzy Clemons sang a beautiful song to the seniors. The empty plates were gathered and I asked the seniors to get together for photos.“Ok, get closer to each other, thank you. Everyone say “CHESSE.” I said while snapping memories.
“Ok, just one more, Sister Branch, stop dancing in front of the camera.” I jokingly scolded.
The beautiful smiles, each hard working wrinkle telling its story as I snapped away. The hand of time, on that grand clock of life stood still, painting memories of this very moment, hour, minute, and second was captured and passed. It was at that point a sudden feeling of despair flooded me, the faces that I occasional take for granted, with repetitious greeting robotically given, may not be here one day. My impulsive intruding thoughts ripped my joy so hastily away; I knew that our seniors would not live forever. I push those thought to the back of my mind and I smiled again knowing that I was going to make a conscious effort to give my flowers while they are still living. Our small token (The Golden Age Luncheon) could never be enough to say thank you, but it was a start.
Written By: Ann Marie Brown
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