What a Blessing

So yesterday (my day off) was one of the best day's that I have add in ministry at the Grace Place (my church). I took a group of over 30 people from my church to Bridge Town Ministries to minister to the homeless in Portland. The ministry involved eating with them, hair cuts, foot washing, shaving station, clothing distrabution, and pretty much just hanging out and showing God's love through our lives.

Several things meant so much to me, and had a big impact on me:
1) we did this as a multigenerational church. Kids from elementry students, youth, college age, young married, young familes, parents with teens, through seniors. We had every stage of life represented in our goup.
2) watching a senior citizen from our church kneel down to wash the feet of homeless people.
3) watching one of our elders who I have sat in countless board meetings with, kneel down to wash the feet of the homeless.
4) watching one of the other pastors at our church giving some pretty sweet hair cut to those who really needed it.
5) Having the oppurtunity to pray with those who truly need prayer.
6) Ministering this way with the people I worship with. Somebody wispered to me as we were leaving the parking area under the burnside bridge, "We just did church." I could not agree more.
7) To have this type of experience not thousands of miles away on a mission trip where you will never see the people again, but right here in our home town, where they can go back this next Friday. (and I know many of them will.)

My heart is full, and I praise God for what he is doing in my church.