"...to the Highest"

As we began our small group last night, we had no idea that the Lord had something different in mind. Just as we were about to start, a man named Tony was standing outside on the sidewalk. He came because he remembered us from the summer. During our August block party, we offered him a cold glass of lemonade while he was working next to the James 5:16 center. But this time, the situation was desperate. His girlfriend had thrown him out of their apt.- he was hungry and had nowhere to go. He began telling us the whole story.



She was an alcoholic and very abusive to him. She did not work and he supported her. Earlier this year he spent 6 months in jail because of false accusations she made against him. Afterwards, he got a job with a contractor who didn't pay him the wages he was due - he found out later that the contractor was a crack addict!! Friday night he went to the contractor's house with a knife to "collect" his money. "Lucky" for Tony, the man's wife said he was asleep.



Tony came to us at the end of his rope - no job, no home, no food, no money, nothing. In his darkness, he found BridgePoint Church. We invited him to be part our our group that evening. We encouraged him ,prayed for him and I led him back to the Lord. His grandparents are believers and at an early age Tony had accepted Christ as his Savior. I could see the group was moved by compassion to want to help Tony in some way. I was so proud of all of them!



At the end of the night, Rick Balbo and I were talking with Tony. Rick felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to ask Tony if he wanted to go back to North Carolina, his home where he was raised by his grandparents. Tony said yes so Rick offered to buy him a bus ticket. Wow! Rick didn't even know that Tony had told me out on the sidewalk he tried to get a ticket that day but he couldn't without the money!!



I gave him a bible and my phone number to call when he arrived in North Carolina. Rick and I drove Tony to the bus station and he left at 11:30PM. At 7:00 this evening we got a call from Tony who was at his grandparent's house letting us know he arrived safely. He even wanted me to talk to his grandfather, George Clyde. George said, "Thank you to the Highest for helping Tony". He invited anyone from our group to visit if we were ever in North Carolina!!

I prayed for Tony once more before we hung up.



We don't know what might have happened to Tony if we weren't there that Sunday evening. We don't know what plan the enemy had to destroy his life. But we know that God is all powerful and all knowing- God had plans that night - and He used BridgePoint Church to "connect this real person to the real God!"

Reflections

Last night our daughter Alexandra called from Springfield, MO. to tell us she read my blog post regarding BridgePoint's 1st preview service. She also read P. Jeff's & P. Nick's mentioning the picture of the "sign". She told Francie, "It's really cool that you can see in the glass the reflection of the houses across the street from the James 5:16 center." What a great image of what the church was created for...to announce to people there's hope for their lives found in Jesus Christ who connects them to God. Once that connection is made we're to be the best reflection of Christ that we can be.

Reflections can also be meditative. Moments where we look back with fondness (hopefully) to the past events of our lives. In the movie "The Passion of the Christ" Mel Gibson effectively used reflections or "flashbacks" of the characters to move the story along.

Thursday is my fasting & prayer day. It's the day I spend extended time with God in prayer & reading His word. Today it started @ 6:30am and here are some of my reflections of the past week & preview service:

Jesus never fails to show up when we honor Him....

When people who love God come together to do His will there's nothing they can't do...

Praise & Worship with sincere hearts is inviting to the presence of God...

There's no such thing as "Lone Ranger Christians"....

God knows exactly which people to connect together...

The less we're able to do...the more He's able to do...

I love being a part of God's family...

What attracts people to church should be love...

God put forth His best effort & so should we...

Doing ministry as a team is extremely fun!...

Thank you so much to P. Jeff, P. Nick, the leadership of APC and all the churches in our network for holding us up in prayer for our service. Personally it means a great deal to me knowing that heaven is being stormed with prayers for BridgePoint. Words can't begin to express my feelings of how much that means. So, it's with excitement that I say...fasten your seat belts. This is just the beginning of what God wants to do in Tarentum & the Allegheny Valley region.

WAY TO GO, GOD!!!

The Day After

Yesterday, BridgePoint Church had it's 1st monthly service. 50 people attended...Praise God! The launch team arrived by 8:30am. After refreshments and a time of prayer we started the set up. Things went very smoothly with everyone working together...what an incredible launch team! Kudos to each team member!!


Nursery, Preschool, Jr. Church, Welcome, Hospitality & the Cafe area were ready to go. People began to come in and the service started @ 10:05am with kickin' worship! Each part of the service went well right up through the closing prayer. Afterwards everyone gathered near the cafe area lingering for a long time. There was a lot of talking & laughing... everyone really seemed to enjoy themselves.


We had three adults from the service attend our Sunday evening meeting. They even said they'd like to join the launch team...isn't God good?!!! We had worship, prayer & we talked about the service. There was still an atmosphere of excitement from the morning! Then we ate, drank & the kids played in the boxing ring. It was a good ending to a good day!


Psalm 127:1 "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain." Lord, continue to build BridgePoint...Your house!

The Night Before

It's the night before BridgePoint Church's 1st preview service. It seems like it was just yesterday (2/17/06) we had the first small group meeting in Tarentum. To God be all the glory for the things He has done up to this point!


So, we accomplished the following this past week: cleaned the James 5:16 center (it looks great), gathered supplies & prepared the nursery & preschool rooms (AKA the Red corner & Blue corner"locker" rms). Rehearsed with the worship band (they're really "hot" sounding). Picked up the coffee, food & other refreshments for after the service (always a hit). Met with our Jr. Church leaders & picked up their supplies (the kids should have loads of fun). Mailed out 300 letters announcing the monthly services, passed out 400 flyers in West Tarentum and picked up the PA system. Replaced 4 panes of glass & started to repair the front of the building. Replaced all the light bulbs and took down the heavy bags in the Gym. God asks us to do our part & He'll do His.

God we need Your presence & Your power! Draw people to Yourself through BridgePoint Church. Holy Spirit, move on all hearts as we seek to worship Jesus!

400 flyers in West Tarentum

I just got back from passing out about 400 flyers in West Tarentum with P. Nick, PCO's P. Brian, Dalia, Rita & Dex. The six of us had opportunity to talk with a few of the residents. P. Brian told one guy, "Bring the whole family for the service and food...even the dog. We'll even feed your dog." (that's Brian). The point is we made a few connections & that' always good.

People need to know that someone is listening & cares, that their lives are important and that they're valued. Jesus went from town to town preaching the good news of the kingdom...on foot. While He & the disciples walked He taught them by His words & through His examples. As they walked He healed & blessed. The Bible says that Jesus did so many others things that they are too numerous to write down...it would take volumes to record everything that Jesus did.

There's just something about getting out there & listening. And there's just something about the name Jesus. After passing flyers, Dalia was telling me that during a PCO service she was singing "There's Something About That Name" (Dalia can really sing!) and the Spirit of God was so great that everyone was just in awe of His presence. (that's Jesus)

Pray for those residents who'll receive the flyers, that God will quicken their hearts with His presence and that Jesus will be more than just a name.

God's bringing it all together!

As Bridgepoint prepares for it's 1st monthly service this Sunday October 21st @ 10am, Francie & I have begun gathering supplies & needed items. The great thing is we aren't doing it alone! Each person on the launch team has taken ownership of an area of ministry. They've been out working to make a few repairs on the James 5:16 center as well as purchasing & gathering items from home to bring in for the service. When the doors open we'll offer the following areas: welcome/information, nursery, preschool, hospitality/refreshments, worship & others. What a blessing it is to be part of the family of God!

That family also includes the network churches we're a part of. P. Jeff, P. Nick & the staff @ APC has come along side of us supplying our every need from the use of the office machines to resources & everything in between as well as connecting us with Jr. Church leaders. P. Russ of SFWC also helped us to make an important connection regarding our worship band & sound system. This week the pastors of our brother churches will be praying for BridgePoint as we begin the first of 5 monthly services leading up to our grand opening on Palm Sunday, March 2008.

It takes a team, a family and the Holy Spirit to bring it all together! As Napoleon Dynamite says "SWEET!"

Window shopping

Hi! This is Francie. I'll be posting from time to time.I don't feel a need to have my own blog at this point but I saw something the other day that really struck me so here I go.

I was in Shadyside shopping(window, that is) and I saw a little pillow in a store with this on it.."May I be the person my dog thinks I am". Then it popped into my head, "May I be the person God thinks I am". WOW..God already sees the finished product!!Not what I do or fail to do everyday, but that I am like Jesus!!! WOW!! I am a co-heir with Him, my position and value is established thru what Jesus did on the Cross. I keep thinking about that- that I can choose to act and respond and speak and BE like Jesus, because that's how God thinks I am- and I can walk in THAT. So, MAY YOU BE THE PERSON GOD THINKS YOU ARE!!!!!