Thank You

“So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do.” – John 13:14-15, The Message

A small but mighty group from down the coastline closed our summer out. Poway Incarnational Lutheran Church brought a sense of heart and humor to the mission this week. To see more photos, click above!

Sometimes, if the Spirit moves, we perform a foot-washing to close out a week of service. It struck me last week, that the act is actually humbling on both sides: humbling to kneel down and wash another’s feet, and, humbling to expose your own feet to the person doing the washing. Once again, I am floored by the brilliant majesty of our Creator, especially in the paradoxical wisdom of our Savior. An act that is equally humbling, and in the right mindset and spirit, equally satisfying, for both persons involved could only be divined by God. Wow.

I’m not a numbers person. Ask any participant if I’m good at dividing large groups into 7 smaller ones whilst standing in front of that audience. Ha! I also am not someone who is typically bottom-line oriented, in that I’m not concerned about quantity, especially if the aspect of quality is forgotten. So it’s surprising to me that I find myself drawn to looking at the collection of full-group photos we have over the course of this Discover year, currently moved by the number of faces. But I guess I’m touched by the magnitude of God’s kingdom, in what it looks like to see huddled masses coming together in the name of Christ. While it is satisfying to know that over 7,000 hours of service throughout Los Angeles occurred collectively by all these wonderful folks, I find it is more joyful to recognize the humility that occurs when you observe the groups, altogether, as a collective. Much like foot-washing, we can feel insignificant when we imagine ourselves one in a crowd of many, one small actor in a play of many good works, and yet, when that crowd is woven together through faith and service and love, it feels like a celebration, like being part of a really huge family party.

I’ll close simply with those photos I’ve been looking at. My humble thanks to all of you who graced DOOR Hollywood with your enthusiastic joy, service, and compassion this summer. You have certainly washed our feet. We hope and pray, in line with the pattern Jesus laid out for us, that we did the same for you.

Matthew

Not Good to be Alone

"The LORD God said, 'It is not good for man to be alone.'" - Genesis 2:18, NIV

For more photos from our Dwell Celebration, click above!

My friends who are in seminary might raise and eyebrow and call me out for eisegesis (inputting my own interpretation, or 'reading into it') with this piece of Scripture, but please bear with me. Yes, I recognize that when God says this in Genesis, it was in reference to Adam needing a direct companion. But that companion would be Eve, and from that union would came children, more children, and eventually, all of society. I think God may have been suggesting more togetherness than even a spouse. With many parables and other Biblical stories that go on to celebrate redemption and reunion, I believe it becomes clear that God is a God who enjoys bringing us together.

For more photos of our latest Discover groups in action, click on any of the photos above.

So it would happen that, this week, we were graced with the infectious joy, enthusiastic service, and vibrant humor of two wonderful Discover groups from Canada, more specifically, from British Columbia and Winnipeg. While volunteering throughout Los Angeles, several small teams generously helped our neighborhood ministry by working on repairs at La Casa de la Comunidad, under Wendy's leadership, and helping to prepare for our Celebrate and Be Celebrated party for all the Dwellers. This gathering would draw together nearly one hundred friends from the neighborhood, supportive mentors and prayer partners, friends from Hollywood Presbyterian Church, Grace Community Church, Reality LA, Silverlake Presbyterian Church, Christian Assembly of Eagle Rock and others, DOOR Hollywood Board members, and Dwellers' co-workers from places like PATH, Salvation Army, and Door Of Hope. While we specifically celebrated the successes of the Dwell team before they start heading back home, the undercurrent was truly a celebration of how God worked through all these amazing servants' hearts. How God delights in bringing people together in the name of Jesus, how God pours out blessings upon those who give of themselves to help build bridges, help bring togetherness, and help encourage one another. Alone, none of this is possible. But in unity.....

Alex joked during his presentation that he felt like he was receiving an Oscar and, thus, scrambling to thank everyone he could think of before the music shooed him off the stage. Hmmm. America, indeed, identifies so strongly as a place to celebrate the overcomer, the lone ranger, the "pull-yourself-up-from-your-own-bootstraps" brand of success. And even in this land of rugged individualism, every Oscar, Emmy, and Grammy acceptance speech; every MVP award ceremony; even every political victory rally all have one thing in common: one person spends most of their allotted time thanking the batallion of others who helped them along the way. "This would not have been possible without your help."

We are designed to need one another. We are designed to work in concert and in unity. What a blessing that is. We don't have to go at it all alone.

And the two pinatas bursting forth with pounds and pounds of candy at the end of the party seemed to be a glimpse of the overwhelming outpouring that is the heart of God.

Please pray for Wendy as she heads back to the Air Force Academy this afternoon. Please pray for safe travels for our new Canadian friends, too!

-Matthew

To find out how to get more involved with our neighborhood ministry, click above.

The Ministry of Zorch

Let me live that I may praise you,and may your laws sustain me. I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant,for I have not forgotten your commands.- Psalm 119:175-176, NIV

Photos of Discover participants from Palo Alto, CA and Lakewood, CO. For more photos, click on any one above.

Boundless energy. That is how I heard one of the group leaders describe the combined forces of Palo Alto Presbyterian and Green Mountain Presbyterian Churchs' youth groups, serving and learning together in Hollywood this week. Indeed. And every morning at breakfast, I heard full stories, at lightning speed, about how the week was going. Between bites of Lucky Charms.

So it was that I learned of the game Zorch! It is a favorite of the Palo Altians, and they have taught it to the Green Mountainites. Basically, it involves a very dark room, one person who has a flashlight and must remain stationary at one end, all others stand at the opposite end of the room and must carefully advance forward towards an item. If the person with the flashlight shines the light on you, yells "Zorch!" and your correct name, you must go back to square one. The person who reaches the item first without being Zorched gets to become the new Zorcher.

As I listened to the kids argue about how to best explain the rules and moments from one of their games, I smiled. What intrigued me most was that even though the goal is to not get caught moving forward, recalling moments of being Zorched sounded like it was just as much fun as being the winner. The item they were going after was a Bible (how perfect is that?) Having flashlight's beam shine upon them and hearing the Zorcher call out their name accurately seemed to feel good, too.

So, I started to imagine God as the perfect Zorcher. Isn't that kind of what we're all doing down here, stumbling forward in the dark to find truth, and isn't it exhilarating when we feel God find us? Isn't it like a beam of light cutting through the fear of night? And, in Zorch, when others are found, I imagine that the light also illuminates pieces of the room, making it easier for everyone else to make their way to the Bible. Kind of like when we share our testimonies, when we expose stories about how great God has been to us, doesn't that shed some light of hope for others who overhear it?

Of course, God doesn't guess, God knows our names before even reaching out to us. But being recognized for who we truly are is, I believe, one of our deepest desires. Children of a loving and merciful God. And these energetic and fun-loving kids reminded me of that.

May you feel God's finding of you today, wherever you are as you read this, wherever you go to from here. Be found, and spread the light.

Matthew

Stepping Back to Allow

"Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us." -2 Timothy 3:16, The Message

For more photos from the week, click above

DOOR Hollywood, as with any DOOR City, is very busy in the summer time. We have Discover groups coming in each week, Dwellers coming to the end of a year while others are preparing to embark on theirs, and the neighborhood kids are off from school, looking for fellowship and fun at all hours of the day. It's easy to feel over-stretched, overwhelmed, and over tired!

This passage from 2 Timothy, though, calms me down. When we root ourselves in the Word, really lean up against it as a solid rock, we find that our energy levels are restored to the tasks God has put before us. And, for over-achievers like myself, we can better discern what God is NOT intending us to do by noting where our energy is not present. The beauty here is that, we can step back sometimes and allow others to take part in the action, the growth, and the joy.

LEAP365, from Eastern Mennonite University, on a tour at PATH.

So it would be that this week, fantastically energetic high school and college kids came to serve from the East Coast through a program called LEAP365. They sorted materials, met with and served the homeless, and explored Los Angeles all along the way. Wendy is taking on many of the repair and maintenance projects at the house before she leaves later this month by connecting with members of Hollywood Presbyterian, friends from the neighborhood, and other skilled folks like herself. And our incoming Dwellers: Alex, Josh, Brady, Alayna, Kyle, and Robert are beginning to connect with agencies, sending in resumes and holding phone and Skype conversations with potential supervisors for next year. All this is happening at once, by the grace of God, and when I step back and allow, rather than let my need to be over-involved prevail, I learn just how good our God is, and just how amazing it is to be a part of the body of Christ. Just a part, not a whole.

May God humble and bless you this week as well.

Matthew

Dweller Wendy allows her fix-it gifts to bless both the physical DOOR House as well as fellowship building opportunities with neighborhood kids.

Dwellers 2010-2011: from top left: Kyle, Josh, Alayna, Alex, Brady, and Robert

"I Want to be the Start of a Chain Reaction"

"No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a washtub or shoves it under the bed. No, you set it up on a lamp stand so those who enter the room can see their way. We're not keeping secrets; we're telling them. We're not hiding things; we're bringing everything out into the open. So be careful that you don't become misers of what you hear. Generosity begets generosity." - Luke 8:16-18, The Message

Eric prepares food at a homeless shelter in Hollywood. For more photos from the week, click on any of the images you see here!

Last night, during our closing worship and discussion, Eric from Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church made a statement that almost got overlooked. We had just completed a 20 minute sharing time, where teens and adults from the Church of Christ of Goshen, Connecticut and Walnut Creek (CA) Presbyterian Church discussed a "rose" (something beautiful from the week), a "thorn" (something annoying or challenging), and a "bud" (a hope for the future.)

Eric raises his hand, right after everyone has shared, and says, "I have one more bud." My first inclination was to keep the evening moving along, because we had many more elements to cover, and so I almost said, "hold your thought until after we're all done." But I didn't, and Eric blossomed this incredible idea, linking a commercial he had seen with the work and experiences they had had this week:

"I want to be the start of a chain reaction of helping others and encouraging people."

Indeed, it touched the entire group. We certainly do need to keep our light out in the open, to brighten the lives and souls of others. I am so blessed to sit back and watch how God allows the service and the outreach to unlock doors, no pun intended, in the hearts and minds of these young people.

To the Goshen Creekinites, or the Walnut Goshians, you have reached out across this huge city called Los Angeles, and from what I see, you're reaching out across the country in new connections with each other. I assure you, the love and joy that you all radiated this week is bright, and inspiring, and fills us with new hope.

Bless you all!

Matthew

Impromptu Worship, God brings it all together!

Working at Project Angel Food

Before saying goodbye....