It's December? 쟔econd Advent Sunday tomorrow? 쟑lease, won't you have a look at our October Newsletter that is attached as a PDF file. 잸lso, below are some more updates and prayer requests:
1. We had a wonderful 4 year anniversary celebration on Nov.19th. 잸ll our tables were filled and there was enough food for everyone. 쟔pecial thanks to Ms. Wanda for coordinating the event; also special thanks to Mr. George for handling all the food, and thanks to all the guests and supporters of 8th Street Community Church. 쟑lease, continue to pray for our struggling ministry.
2. Please, pray for those affected by the recent violence in our neighborhood. 쟙e live in a wonderful community that is marred by occasional, disheartening incidences.
3. Praise the Lord! 쟙ith the support of many friends and supporters, we were able to give out 142 turkey dinners - 10 of them were turkeys without the fixin's. 쟙e are thankful to all who were willing to share. 쟙e also had our annual Wednesday before Thanksgiving dinner with neighbors. 쟔pecial thanks to Wanda and Barbara who prepared the food. 쟅t was quite good for the soul!
4. Danny and Carres are proud parents of little Denise (b. October 13th). 쟑ray for these rookie parents who finally realized that sleep is better than gold. 쟏f course, they will be Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus for our Christmas skit. 쟑raise God!
5. Pray for our Butler Street Community center building project. 쟙e had to stop working on the building for several reasons but we will finally pick things up again the week after next. 쟙e are low on funds and will have to take things in stages. 쟙e will keep you better informed of our progress and lack of ... with email updates devoted solely to the building project. 잸ll of this may be confusing to you, given the fact that we had a grand opening celebration in the summer with an unfinished building. 쟋ay I suggest viewing the building as a great sinner who needs much much more work than originally thought?
6. Pray for our leadership.
7. Please, have a look at the attached newsletter. 쟕hank you.
Finally, I would like to share an experience I had today. 쟅 attended another funeral today at a church nearby. 잸s is often the case, 95% of the people present were African-American and I was the only Asian. 쟕he church became filled. 쟋s. Anne who lives across the street from our church had lost a son a couple years ago. 잸nother son of hers fortunately survived a shooting last year, but another son died last week and so I found myself attending this particular funeral. 잸s I sat in one of the back pews before the service started, another pastor whom I am acquainted with sat down next to me. 잸 minute later three pastors stopped by and asked the one next to me to go up with them and sit in the front. 쟕he one next to me tried to introduce me to the others, saying that I was also a pastor. 쟄owever, a bit ignored, I found myself alone in my pew a minute later. I could not stay for the whole service anyway and I stepped outside to call two 8th Street members who were running late for the service. 쟏utside, someone who knew me explained to me that as a pastor I needed to go in and sit with the other pastors. 잸fter all, I was a pastor. 쟅 laughed and then had to leave. /div>
Later on in the day, I was at our church building and saw many many people gathered at Ms. Anne's house for the reception. 쟔he saw me and waved me over. 쟅 asked Giles to accompany me and together we went over. 쟅 didn't get it, but Ms. Anne wanted to introduce me to everyone hanging out around her porch. 쟔he invited me in and she forged a path through the many folks gathered. 쟙e entered the living room where she asked for everyone's attention in order to introduce me as the pastor of 8th Street Church. I was a bit embarrassed and also confused as to my exact purpose for being there. 쟔urely enough, there were a number of puzzled looks on some of the faces as if to say, "What is this guy doing here?" 쟕hen Ms. Anne asked us to follow her into the next room where mostly ladies were sitting around the table. 잸gain she introduced me and I greeted everyone. Then I had to follow her into the kitchen were a bunch more folks were gathered. 잸gain she introduced me and I said hello to everyone. 잸s we were trying to make our way back out of the house, Ms. Anne asked if the ladies seated around the table would sing now while the pastor is here. 쟅 couldn't help but feel awkward receiving this much attention at a funeral reception, especially after skipping out on the service and not having been more pastoral to the family. 쟕hree ladies sang: "It is well with my soul". 쟙hen they finished, tears rolled down their faces and Ms. Anne had gone away into a corner. It wasn't until about 8:15 when I thought about the things I have just written in these two paragraphs. 쟕he more I think about it, the more I am so grateful to Ms. Anne for showing me kindness today. 쟔he mourns the death of another son and my love goes out to her and her family. 쟔he is not a member of our church. 쟔trangely, it all feels like a second ordination. 잸fter all, I am a pastor . . . after all.
Sincerely,
Pastor Andy of 8th Street Community Church
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8th Street Community Church
3760 N. 8th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19140
(215) 821-8823