Salt & Light

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Upcoming Events

This is the update as of 6/27.
Here is the schedule through December.

June 20th: We are doing a bulk mailing of postcards to intoduce ourselves and our web-site to the neighborhood. We will be inviting them to the picnic also. They should receive this a few days before we go into the neighborhood with our buckets and rags to wash cars.

June 28th: On June 28th, we will send teams of 4-5 people around to offer to serve the neighbors. We will meet at 10:00 at Zia Park, as yet to be determined. We will emphasize washing their cars, but alternately offer to do yard work or whatever they would like or need done. This will be done freewill with no expectation of return. We will also hand out fliers for the July 4th picnic in the park. We'd love to have lots of labor for this and it's a great opportunity to stretch, to serve, to grow and to be blessed. Just ask any high schooler who's been to HSLT in the last couple of years what a blast this actually is. I'd love to challenge everyone of you to consider being part of this great opportunity. We will be inviting RWCC to join us as well. We will be operating in 2 shifts. Meet at the park at either 10:00 for the 1st shift or 1:00 for the 2nd shift. A short training time will be given first so don't be late. Lunch will be served at the park from 12:00-1:00 for any who are washing cars, (thanks to Rod & Rose). We will also be passing out invitations to the picnic. Y'all Come!!!

This will be followed up by a celebration picnic at Rod & Rose's. This one is just for us, not the whole neighborhood. Let Rose know what you can bring, a dessert or side. If you can't make the car wash we still want you at the picnic. We promise not to give you a hard time about not being at the car wash!

July 4th Celebration Picnic: Zia Park, on King & Zia. When you 1st drive into the neighborhood you will pass the school on the right, Zia Park will be just a little further on the left.
This is what we've been building up to! Andy will be pulling our camping trailer over there in the morning and putting up a big sign on it to invite everyone in the neighborhood to the picnic. Picnic officially will begin at 5:00. We will be needing some volunteers earlier to help with the details. We would like to pass out some more invitations, talk to people already in the park, fill up water balloons for kids games, etc, etc. There are not many tables so bring chairs & blankets to sit on. Also need some coolers to keep food and ice in.
LifeSong will be purchasing the hamburgers & hotdogs and trimmings, including drinks and paper stuff. If each family coming brings a large side dish, big bag of chips, or a dessert, we should have enough for the neighbors who come also. We are having a dessert contest too so if you like to cook, bring a dessert. There will be a prize! (don't know what it is yet)
And there will be music!!! Bud and friends will be blessing us with their talent!
A great family time for us and the neighbors both. Our goal at all these events is to never have people leave empty handed. At this picnic we'll give out magnet calendars with the events for the rest of the year, including of course, our grand opening in October and probably sparklers for the kids.

In August we will be doing some sort of luncheon or move in or supply drive or something helpful for Ciello Azul as they open their doors to the community. After I talk with Princpal Archuletta, we'll have more details for you. We will invite any contacts we make to join us if it seems appropriate so keep that in mind.

ON September 20th we'll be having a Fall festival. We don't yet know what all this entails, but it's our last big push before our opening on October 5. The Hit Squad is going to be there!!! We will also have food and games. If you have ideas, send me your comments.

On October 5th we open our doors!

Christmas: I know, its seems too soon to think about, but this will be a great time to get new people involved. We are thinking caroling, children's programs, and/or activities. A Christmas Eve service. Christmas will follow very quickly after our 1st service in Oct. so if we want to be ready for the busiest season of the year, we should start planning early.Again, send me your ideas.

I don't know if my excitement is coming through or not, but God is going to do great things, and we get to be part of it!!! Wow!

I have been reading 2Corinthians and found a lot of great verses about ministry. Here is one of my favorites.
2Cor.2:14 But thanks be to God! He always leads us triumphantly in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of knowing him. To God we are the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are being lost. To some people we are a deadly fragrance, while to others we are a living fragrance. Who is qualified for this? (Not Me!) At least we are not commercializing God's word like so many others. Instead, in Christ we speak with sincerity, like people who are sent from God and are accountable to God. (parenthesis & emphasis are mine)

Let's keep praying, your fellow LifeSinger, Cheryl

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Lots of Good Ideas!

Wow, this is really working! The ideas are coming in and some really good ones too. I'm going to try to summarize. Let me know if I have forgotten anyone's idea completely.

Neighborhood “get acquainted events”

Picnics – Father’s day barbecue, luau

Smaller block parties, particularly in blocks where we have RWCC or Lifesong members.

Blue's Brothers Movie night

Bob Samala's band to do an oldies night / karaoke kind of thing, kids fiddling.

ice cream social

4th of July event

Harvest Festival

Christmas Caroling

Live Nativity in the park

Sport activities such as a basketball tournament in a park, soccer, baseball, softball, (perhaps including a hotdog dinner with it).

some kind of talent show in the park? With a barbeque or some such thing?

passing out some free information about planting and growing things in the area, or places to visit on a weekend, etc. Many of these people will be new to the area, so we can help them get oriented.

Service events

Yard/house work volunteers, Specifically for single moms and/or families of deployed service people.

Play days - play dates for parents and kids in the park with but perhaps with supervised activities while the parents are nearby chatting?

Recycling project

Free Car Wash - could go door to door and offer our services - good way to meet people and get a feel for the community - could also do it at one of the members homes and just invite people in.

Back-to-School project: Passing out paper or pencils to homes with school children. Maybe a good way to find out where the children are so we can invite them to children’s events later.

Election Service Project - Such as helping at the poles

We could offer transportation to the VBS at RW.

School Related Events

Teacher Service event: helping them move in, bringing in treats 1st week of school, etc.

Perhaps a luncheon during the preparation week.

Art, drama or music events for Children

Teaching Events

Financial Peace University Could do the whole event over a week-end with follow-up groups in weeks to follow.

Marriage Seminars

Child Rearing Seminars

Handy-man training

election debate where we present the issues and both candidates without vitriol. Perhaps a carefully structured debate between a democrat and a republican in our church. The goal would be not to win, but to inform. To serve, not to campaign

Some event which allows us to share truth of the Gospel as well. Show a film which does it, or introduce a topic which allows us to speak to interested parties after the event or something? Ideas?

Church Events:

Pot Luck

Special Music or Drama Program

Christmas Program

"Introduction to Sunday School" program

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Salt and Light

This is our 1st "meeting" of the Salt & Light Team. I would love to have everyone's participation and this seemed like the best way to get it. As I've mentioned before in my emails, this will be our outreach into the community surrounding Ciello Azul.
We will not be using telephone surveys or door to door campaigns to get people into LifeSong. Our desire is to reach out to the community in love and service. We want to get to know them and introduce ourselves to them.
I am listing several ideas below. I'm hoping these will just get the brain juices flowing. Notice I have several categories. Don't worry about categorizing...just send me your ideas.