There was quite a happening in our little neck of
the woods. Created bit of a traffic jam as passers-by and onlookers stopped to
see what the hoopla was about. There were as many who happened by as had
intentionally sojourned to the blessed event. So much traffic and demand to partake lead to special signs
being posted with directions on how to proceed.
No, I’m not talking about the Grand Opening of the
relocated Phoenix Dutch Bros.® I’m talking the birth of a colt out on So. Stage
Road. I’d observed this pair of
leopard spotted appaloosas in the field just down the road from our house since
we moved in. Apparently I was none too observant, as I missed the fact that one
of the pair was very much ‘great with child.’ Sunday driving home following
worship service, I came up near the field and saw the cars and people gathered
and wondered what was going on. As
I got closer, seeing the bed of straw with the newly birthed colt laid out with
mother standing protectively proud over her, my wonder was replaced with awwww.
(or awe.)
It seems people will and do make time to be
attentive to life. People will go
out of their way, will create a traffic nuisance, will make a fuss to witness
such acts as the birth of a colt, to bear witness to life happening. This was/is indeed a blessed event.
Well, closer to our church home, we too are
experiencing signs of life stirring; signs of possibility; signs of hope. I
hope alls y’all are more observant than I (re: the colt) and aren’t missing it,
because there are some beautiful expressions of Life happening in our
midst. The Phoenix Community
Kitchen is one such growing expression; the Phoenix Food Pantry is
another. These two have been
integral to how we, 1st Phoenix, incarnate the presence of Christ in
the midst of the Phoenix Community.
Adding to these community focused services, we can
add the Phoenix Clothing Bank (The Walk-in Closet). The grand opening is slated
for May 17th (coinciding with the Phoenix, City Wide Yard
Sale). Although the idea of a
clothes bank had been thought of and even dreamed of in the past, it took the
motivational nudge of one of our Phoenix High School Seniors to be that
catalyzing energy that pushed this into motion. Serving as her Senior Project
requirement for graduation and as the basis for her Girl Scouts Gold Award
Project, Kayla is making a great investment in her community.
Closely tied with this clothing endeavor is that of
helping folks prepare for the work place, to help provide professional attire,
help develop better interview skills (and more) in ways to share assistance
with those who truly are interested in finding their way back into the work
force.
Another aspect that’s developing within our community
centers in the agricultural: learning the skills, the techniques of farming.
Its been observed that there exists in this valley (and particularly
surrounding the Phoenix/Talent communities) lands that are laying fallow-
unfarmed. Using these lands as the training facility, folks who are interested
and willing will learn to raise crops, take the crops to market, and earn some
money in process. The hope is that the landowner will begin seeing some
financial benefit as well.
One final (but not last) I’ll share now, is the use
for the church’s Manse: we are specifically finding inroads with the VA and/or
other agencies that could help us locate a veteran family in need of a decent
house to rent (or some other way of making the space available for use by folks
who have/do serve our Country.)
One more – We’ve partnered with Phoenix Counseling
Center to provide a summer youth program for some of our local youths.
The offering of these ‘Rays of Light’ into the
Phoenix/Talent community is taking shape as a larger community entity, in which
First Presbyterian Church is a major component. With significant representation
from the congregation, a steering committee (with representation from each of
these individual entities) is meeting and discerning our next steps. The name
we’ve gone with: 1st
Phoenix Community Center.
When you see signs of Life beaming through 1stPCC,
stop and take a look. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
Grace and Peace.
Pastor Mike
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