Responding to Family. . .

Krista left for Scotland today for a 13 day mission trip. What a switch for us? She is usually taking me to the airport for some type of mission adventure. The point of departure was filled with emotion. Matthew was crying, I started to cry, but Krista told me to stop. . . Matthew had tear stained cheeks when I let him off at Pre-school. I wonder what he thinks of us leaving home to take the message of Christ to someone new. I am excited that Krista ventured out to the mission field for a while. I pray that it is a time of renewal and a time that will build her zeal for serving God. Pray for her as she travels 8000+ miles over the next few days. Pray that those that are waiting to hear Gods word from her have hearts that are ready for change. Its time to change because the Kingdom of God is at hand

Buddy

Weekend on the Delta . . .

A family time on the Delta, more specifically, Brannan Island State Recreation Area. The summer campout for the Davis Park Church of Christ was a time of great fun in a time of adversity. Temps were above 100 degrees and the wind seemed like gale force winds. The water at the swimmin hole was 72 degrees. Most of the time I stood in the water up to my neck and just enojoyed the natural coolnes of the water. Matthew had a blast with the other kids, throwing mud, boatriding and ridge-running. Most of the my time was spent talking to my brothers and sisters in Christ that I usually do not have time to visit with.

Have a great day

Buddy

The Real Response

This past week was a reminder for me concerning what response is all about. Two souls were added to the kingdom. Cary Higginbothom and Art Walsh were both baptised into the Kingdom of God. Art is the husband of Debi Smith Walsh and the son-in-law of Wayne and Sheila Smith. It was my first baptism in a working hot tub. Choice was the 66 degree water of the swimming pool or a hot tub next to the pool. I choose the hot tub. After the immersion we kicked on the bubbles for a little while to experience some heaven on earth. Cary is a seeker from Modesto. Her and her husband Leonard started attending Davis Park a few weeks ago. We have had a few sessions of welcome covenant studies, after responding to the invitation on Sunday morning she asked Mike to baptize her. The angels rejoice for these two new souls saved from the world. Pray for them in the coming weeks . . .

Praise God for letting us make a difference for Him,

Buddy

Family Promise. . .

Family Promise tour # 5 ended for us on Sunday morning Many Thanks to Jennifer and Sheila Smith for all the work they put into this program. Sheila coordinated the 21 meals the families ate while we were sheltering them. Jennifer made sure someone was their to host the families during the night.
I know the two families that moved on to St Paul's Episcopal will do well. Both are on the verge of finding places to live.

7 different families stayed overnight this time and 5 different families cooked supper for the families, I wish to thank each of you for helping in the capacity that you helped. I also want to thank the ladies who helped wash laundry after the program concluded. Each time the families leave their is a mountain of of sheets, blankets and pillow cases to be laundered.

Thanks for making a difference!

Buddy

Family Promise . . . Last night

This is the last night of this rotation of Family Promise. It is always amazing to see how we respond to taking care of the needs of the families in FP. Tonight we have a family of four and a single mom who finishes her shift at 2:00 a.m. Our volunteers will get up when she arrives to let her in. I appreciate their dedication to this great work. I am always worn out by the last day and this is no different. Managing the familes and making sure our volunteers all have a good experience takes a little work. Sheila and Jennifer Smith are great volunteer managers for this program. They are dedicated to making Jesus available to the people in this program, I applaud the work they do God in this program. We wll have had over 30 volounteers involved by the end of tomorrow when we take the beds to the next Church.

I will blog more tomorrow about this great program. Pray for the families in the program.

Buddy

Family Promise Day Three . . .

Thanks to all who have voluntered to make life better for the two families we are caring for this week. I can see that they appreciate all that is being done for them. Pray for the Flores family, on Wed. they find if their application for housing will be accepted. The other family is closing in on housing also. Pray that God will work us out of a job.

Pray for the children in the program that lives are not disrupted while they are displaced from homes and moving from church to church.

make a difference for God,


Buddy

Family Promise . . . Night # 1

Right now its 11:15 p.m. and all seems quiet here at the church building. The two families from family promise are here, one is a family of four and the other is a single parrent family of two. I cooked supper tonight for the group and no one seems sick at this point. I ate the pot roast, green beans, mac and cheese also. It was actually pretty good. This time we are having an unusually hard time finding volunteers. Our core group is busy doing a lots of other things. School years are ending, graduations, first real weekend of summer break, etc. If you can help with either a meal or by staying a night at the church building call me at 380-3851 and I will get you plugged in.

The families make it all worth while. Trying to make them special in time of distress, and hoping we can help them bump into Jesus while they stay a week with us at the Church building.

I will update you more tomorrow.


Buddy

Family Promise. . . Next Week

Time flies by so fast. It just seems like a few short days ago that we were winding down from our week with the families from FP. Now it is our turn again. It is with some excited expectation that I approach this each time I know that our week is finally here. Since last time two of the families have found homes. How exciting to be a part of a program that helps people move from homelessness to a home, with the aid of God's people. If you have time to spend the night as a host, prepare a meal for the families or spend time in the evenings with the families let me know, I set it up for you.

make a difference,

Buddy

Debi Smith's wedding. . . local response

I just returned from two days in San Jose, CA. San Jose is abeautiful city next to Fremont and San Francisco. It was our honor to officiate at the wedding of Wayne and Sheila's daughter, Debi. It is a lot of work for parents to put on a wedding 90 miles from home. Alas, the Smith's pulled family and friends together to pull it off. This is one part of being a minister that is fun, watching a new family form in front of your eyes. Seeing two young people trembling before God and the crowd as they pledge their love for one another.

The week of chaplaincy was uneventful, which is a good thing. Peace in the city of Modesto is always a good thing.

Pray for us as we attempt to put together a trip to Pascogoula. We will begin a planning process this week. 4 people are interested at this time. We will see what develops.

Buddy

Pascogoula, MS

John Dobbs has made an appeal for ministers to come to Pascogoula to share the gospel of Jesus Christ to approximately 1000 families who have been touched by the physical work of many brethren who have worked there in the wake of Katrina. This is his second appeal for workers for the harvest. I am praying for an open door for me to be able to work there for a week. I am also praying for others to join me in this effort. Physical work has laid a foundation in this community to show them Christians care, now that the door has been cracked and their curiosity is peaked, its time to show them why we care. Jesus did the physical work for us by beaten, scourged , spat upon and crucified. He completed the work by His resurrection. Its time to tell the story in John's town. Who wants to go?

make a difference,


Buddy

Zoe Rosenberger : A local time of response

My friend and former Church Secretary Zoe passed away yesterday. She fought cancer with all energy for many years. Many prayers have been offered for over the past 4 or 5 years, God heard them all. Zoe left work a few years ago to make the most of the time she had left. I know her children will appreciate this in the future. In the coming days we have the opportunity to respond with in our congregation and make a difference for God. Some are writing letters and cards right now, others will send an encouragement card from the back of the pew. My guess is many will send beautiful flowers and plants. Food will be prepared with loving hands and placed before us while we fellowship remembering Zoe.
Today our hearts hurt with Jim and Anna Alvis, Brain, Lauren and Collin Rosenberger and the rest of Zoe's family. We pray for their comfort from God who heals all wounds.

Be God's Hands today.

Buddy

Fifteen Days. . .

Are we ready? Just fifteen days until the 2006 hurricane season. My prayers are for a light year, a year of rebuilding for the Gulf Coast. We can only wait and be as prepared as we can be. Many response organizations have not rested since Katrina and are still deployed after the many months following the storm. In the coming weeks the community response team will check our gear, replenish what we need to and be ready to deploy when needed.
Training is a never ending process, soon we will have some much needed cpr and first aid course. Some of our folks are way ahead in that they have taken First Responder courses and the CERT class.

I am rambling, so I will stop for now. If anyone has suggestions for classes please call me.

Buddy 380-3851

Ministry in Modesto. . . .

I am finally settling back into the routine. Monday night elders meeting. Tuesday evening visits at the hospitals. Wednesday evening at church. Thursday is bible study day. One in the morning and one in the evening. Friday is kind of a day off, although I find myself sitting in my office. Two of our Response Team members house got hit by a car last night. No major injuries to report right now, but they have a big hole in the front of their house covered by plywood. It had to be scary, one moment sleeping, the next a car coming throught the wall. I am about to go over and visit with the two of them. This weekend is Mother's Day -- husbands do not forget your wives, take care of them and get those kids to the store to buy something or set them down and make a crafty item with them. Matthew got MOM a doz. roses for Nurses Week and Mother's day this morning. I do not know who enjoyed it the most, her or him. He was so proud of the flowers he picked out. Tomorrow is T-Ball for the first time, pray for us. Next week we are on call at MPD, pray for peace in Modesto, or pray that God's message is brought to new places. Thanks for the comments, thanks for reading, I will write more as we respond to this community with the message of Christ.

go make a difference,

Buddy

Back at Home in Modesto. . . .

Lots of good speakers, lots of praise and worship and the most beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. Pepperdine is an interesting experience to say the least. Many compelling arguments made to do more good for God. The experience leaves one exhausted in many ways. Physically because of the terrain that challenges you as you go from one class to the other. Spiritually, because the ideas presented are not always the same ideas I am used to. Mentally, because I have to process the information and compare it with the Bible to determine if it is truth.
The best part of Pepperdine is the fellowship. Spending time with folks from Modesto in the dorm is always fun. In a lot of ways its like fishing, trying to tell each other the stories and things you learned and are excited about. My son likes the childcare there. He made friends and when we had to go he cried when he was separated from them. Seeing the Machen family from Slidell was an indescribable treat.
The new friends I met in the arena of Disaster Relief are tremondous people. Great servants wanting to express the love of Christ in the midst of tragedies. Great servants who are willing to be the hands and feet for Christ in the midst of challenging situations. John Dobbs, Carla Calhoun, Savita Devlin and Laura Cremeans it was wonderful to meet each of you for the first time. Too bad we will probably meet next time as we are face to face with tragedy and trying to make the best of it for someone.

make a difference for God today!

Buddy

Pepperdine Lectures . . .

This week we will attend the Pepperdine Lectures. I look forward to the view of the ocean, however I do not look forward to walking up and down the hills. I am scheduled to be on a panel with Carla Calhoun and John Dobbs if everything goes as scheduled Friday.
My dream is to have a network of response teams nationwide to work with. Imagine getting the call to come and help from another team close to an event instead of getting called by the Red Cross. I have an awesome sermon title waiting to be preached: "The Red Cross or the Real Cross." I am not knocking their mission in anyway, it is flawed, but they are placing people to feed, clothe and shelter in times of disaster. Which is the mission of the local church! Which Cross would you chose the eternal cross of Jesus or the cross that is a temporary organization.
I look forward to bing moved by God during this lectureship, I hope Mike Cope, Jeff Walling, Randy Harris and all the speakers are taking in a full supply of word of God and Holy Spirit to share with us. I will give updates from P.U. during the week.

Motorcycle vs. Parked Car

After two weeks of managing a shelter and the volunteers associated with it, I thought I was going to be kicking back relaxing, studying for my bible studies and finishing any paper work concerning the shelter.
God had other plans. . . Yesterday there was a motorcycle vs. parked car accident in Modesto, the rider did not fair well in the accident. So far by the grace of God he is still alive today. For several hours yesterday I sat with the family and prayed for him to be stabilized. I was fortunate to be there. Helping the son who had never prayed before to lift up his voice to God for intervention(my word). His tear filled voice begged God for forgiveness and pleaded for his father's life. Wording the prayer for the wife of 28 years who was speechless and worried that life as she has known it had changed, was a blessing for me.
My prayer today, thank you God for placing me in Modesto to minister to the hurting people in this community. Father energize me to do your work your way today. Father let me bring Jesus to new places today.

In His Name,

Amen


Go make a difference today for God,

Buddy

DR 406 scaling down, Shelter Closed and Trailers out by the end of the day. . .

DR 406-06( the Red Cross number for this disaster) is scaling down. Early next week the effort will revert back to our local services group. The shelter and the people assocoated with it have found homes in new places. Two weeks ago many of their homes took in 3 ft of water. Today they have moved to new places throughout the county. I am glad that we have the infrastructure to absorb them into new places. This disaster was different for me in a lot of ways. This time instead of being a follower I was asked to lead. What a difference it makes when you know the decisions you make impact nearly every aspect of dozens of families. I believe I will be less critical of leaders in disaster in the future.
Lots of Good things happened for God during this effort: Preaching at the shelter; discussions with an admitted athesist; discussions with a person who is spiritual yet not yet convinced about God; discussions with a man who was raised in the COC but worshipped alcohol for many years. He is coming to church this weekend at Davis Park; discussions with a woman who is still controlled by all that is carnal in this world, but miserable because she has had a relationship with Jesus in the past; discussions with a Christian couple who have struggled this year with personal illness and the death of many loved ones. All of these people I would have never met had I not been involved in Disaster Relief.
Today I pulled the Community Response Trailer home. It looked good being used on the site. I am glad that we have a tool like that to use. The trailer provided an area for inventory that we used for feeding. Over 5000 meals were served from the inventory kept safe in the trailer. Additionally the Generator from the trailer provided electricity for 3 families for two weeks. It was referred to as God's generator on the project.
This closes out this project for now unless I remember something else that is important.

Go and make a difference for God today!

Buddy

Shelter To Start Closing

The Patterson Shelter will close this Saturday. I have grown accustom to the drive and the long hours of shelter work. I am not sure what lies ahead for the folks at the shelter, all I know is they have to find something by Saturday. Even though they are a tough group to work with, I still hurt for them. Life as they knew it changed two weeks ago. They were comfortable making ends meet and squeaking by, now they face uncertain times in new places to live, if they can find something they can afford. The Red Cross will help with first months rent and deposit, which for the first few has been around $2000.oo. It costs alot to live here even in the rural communities. Next month they have to figure out how to pay the rent on their limited incomes. Tommorrow I will go encourage the remaining families (30) to find a new home, tonite I pray for them and for God to give me more compassion as I work with them.
In addition to the shelter clients, I manage a large diverse group of volunteers. So far I have had over 100 volunteers work around the shelter. By the end of the Sheltering in Patterson we will have served over 5000 meals and snacks. I am constantly reminded that all ministry is intentional, rarely does service to others happen by accident. I thank God for all the willing people who have put time in to make life easier for someone in need.

Its late, I'm sleepy

more tommorrow,

Buddy

Newman flood - Central Valley Flooding

The shelter reamins open today with a population of 42. The water is not receeding very quickly. The residents of the shelter want to go home. We want them to be able to go home. I continue to run this operation by the seat of my pants, but we have volunteers for sheltering and feeding coming in from around the state to help. I was allowed to have a worship service on Easter Sunday. We also had an easter egg hunt on Saturday :) Trying to make the best of a bad situation is what its all about. I will blog more this week.

make a difference for God

Buddy

Newman Flood Continues

The Disaster Relief work continues in Newman California. Presently we have 82 registered at the shelter at Orestimbe High School. In the parking lot we had as many as 17 trailers at one point. Additionally we are kenneling 21 animals, 15 dogs and six cats. Presntly we have four of our team working on this project. Wayne and Sheila are helping in the feeding area, Christie Sipes is working in the Medical Services Area, I am heading up the Mass Care Team. It is really strange to be doing "real" relief work only 30 minutes from home. Friday night we(Davis Park) will be cooking the evening meal for the shelter residents. It is an exciting service opportunity, an exciting opportunity to do what Jesus wants us to do. Any one who can spare a day, night or evening let me know on my cell phone. 380-3851. We have been asked to have an easter religious service for the shelter, plus provide and easter dinner. What a great day to help others see Christ living in you.

Buddy