True Fasting
Or why we need housing units…
One of Pastor Art’s favorite sections of scripture to teach from is Isaiah 58 - the question of “true fasting” - the type of fast that YHWH finds acceptable (Isaiah 58:6-7), which parallels nicely Matthew 25: 35-36. We’ve been working on feeding the hungry, with our food pantry and nutritious refreshments after each service. And clothing the naked is taken care of with the abundance of donated clothes we have been receiving. So what about shelter for the homeless?
We need housing units.
We recently had a very nice visit from some folks from Phoenix who are the overseers of this ministry for the conference. By the end of this month we will have a newly remodeled fellowship hall, thanks to them and a team from Jackson Michigan that is coming down next week. And we’re getting new heating units for the Sanctuary building. Soon we will be able to convert the main building back into classrooms and offices. Praise the LORD! But the two existing housing units in the back, which are unusable at this time, are destined for the bull dozer. And they need to be replaced.
It was suggested that we ask for donations so that we can get some nice double-wides. But, I have never felt comfortable with asking for money. I kind of feel that that is the LORD’s business. Someone once coined the “cute” saying “The LORD’s will, the LORD’s bill”. I guess I think that if someone is supposed to give to our ministry, the Spirit will move them to do so, without my urging.
And we are trying to lease out some of our extra land, so that there is more money coming in. One of the problems with preaching good news to the poor - Isaiah 61:1 - is that there isn’t that much money in the offering basket.
I’ve been sending out monthly news letters (if you want to receive one, email me your snail mail address - artandme@juno.com) but I try not to exaggerate what we are doing, or specifically ask for funds. We invested in an online travel business, planning on using the commission we received to help support our ministry - but it turned out to be sort of a pyramid thing, probably not the wisest move - fortunately we invested in our name with our money, not the churches. If you want to check it out - http://www.ytbtravel.com/psalm1810 We also produced some C Ds. Which we though we might be able to offer for donations. But to be honest, they donations are not pouring in.
The real reason I am writing this post this morning is to express in words, for myself as well as for anyone who cares to read it, just why we need housing units. Is buying a few housing units really a wise use of the LORD’s resources?
Over the past year there have been at least three specific cases of us having to turn away people in need of temporary shelter. One was a woman whose son had been trying to find a job and housing in Phoenix. He was in the process of getting together enough to bring her there, but she had been evicted and was living in her car while she waited for him to send the funds. Another was a young man - an aids victim - who had a bus ticket to Albuquerque for treatment in a hospital there, but had no place to spend the night before the bus left. Praise God we had enough funds at that time to put him up in a small motel for the night. Most recently was a young man named Michael. When dealing with people in crisis, one needs to count on discernment. Pastor Art is pretty good at that, especially with his years of experience working at a homeless shelter in New York. It nice to be able to offer a safe and comfortable bed to those in need - after all, Hebrews 13:2 says not to neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
But there are other reasons we need housing units. In the past, housing was available for the pastor, the caretakers, visiting speakers, and visiting mission teams. When the team comes from Michigan next week, they will be staying in dorms at the United Methodist run Navajo Prep School, since we have no place to put up 30 guests. It would be great to have a Men’s and Women’s unit - two three bedroom double wides.
And one of our plans is to sponsor teaching seminars and retreats for the pastors and ministry teams of some of the small churches on the Rez. With the nice “new” fellowship hall, and the main building set up as classrooms again, all we would need is a place to house them.
And it would have saved our recent guests from Arizona, two groups who brought donations of clothes, toys, and school supplies, some money if we had a place for them to stay.
2Kings 4:8-11 and Matt 10:11-13 are the verses I found this morning about providing shelter for prophets and apostles. I always look for scriptures to support something that I think “would be nice.”
We are striving to be more than a church. This ministry was set up 56 years ago to be a mission to the Navajo - the Dine‘ . It may not be a mission in the traditional sense of the word, but we will be more than a place that 20 people come to worship and fellowship. We already are more. We will share what we have. We will grow up disciples. This place will be restored (Isaiah 61:4) all to the glory of God, and for His purpose!
If you do feel led, you can sent donations to The Free Methodist Church at Farmington, PO Box 6132, Farmington, NM 87499. We’ll send you one of our CD’s if you ask.
Well, I’ve got work to do, errands to run, prayers to pray. Thanks for taking the time to read these posts. May God bless You! May God bless us everyone!
One of Pastor Art’s favorite sections of scripture to teach from is Isaiah 58 - the question of “true fasting” - the type of fast that YHWH finds acceptable (Isaiah 58:6-7), which parallels nicely Matthew 25: 35-36. We’ve been working on feeding the hungry, with our food pantry and nutritious refreshments after each service. And clothing the naked is taken care of with the abundance of donated clothes we have been receiving. So what about shelter for the homeless?
We need housing units.
We recently had a very nice visit from some folks from Phoenix who are the overseers of this ministry for the conference. By the end of this month we will have a newly remodeled fellowship hall, thanks to them and a team from Jackson Michigan that is coming down next week. And we’re getting new heating units for the Sanctuary building. Soon we will be able to convert the main building back into classrooms and offices. Praise the LORD! But the two existing housing units in the back, which are unusable at this time, are destined for the bull dozer. And they need to be replaced.
It was suggested that we ask for donations so that we can get some nice double-wides. But, I have never felt comfortable with asking for money. I kind of feel that that is the LORD’s business. Someone once coined the “cute” saying “The LORD’s will, the LORD’s bill”. I guess I think that if someone is supposed to give to our ministry, the Spirit will move them to do so, without my urging.
And we are trying to lease out some of our extra land, so that there is more money coming in. One of the problems with preaching good news to the poor - Isaiah 61:1 - is that there isn’t that much money in the offering basket.
I’ve been sending out monthly news letters (if you want to receive one, email me your snail mail address - artandme@juno.com) but I try not to exaggerate what we are doing, or specifically ask for funds. We invested in an online travel business, planning on using the commission we received to help support our ministry - but it turned out to be sort of a pyramid thing, probably not the wisest move - fortunately we invested in our name with our money, not the churches. If you want to check it out - http://www.ytbtravel.com/psalm1810 We also produced some C Ds. Which we though we might be able to offer for donations. But to be honest, they donations are not pouring in.
The real reason I am writing this post this morning is to express in words, for myself as well as for anyone who cares to read it, just why we need housing units. Is buying a few housing units really a wise use of the LORD’s resources?
Over the past year there have been at least three specific cases of us having to turn away people in need of temporary shelter. One was a woman whose son had been trying to find a job and housing in Phoenix. He was in the process of getting together enough to bring her there, but she had been evicted and was living in her car while she waited for him to send the funds. Another was a young man - an aids victim - who had a bus ticket to Albuquerque for treatment in a hospital there, but had no place to spend the night before the bus left. Praise God we had enough funds at that time to put him up in a small motel for the night. Most recently was a young man named Michael. When dealing with people in crisis, one needs to count on discernment. Pastor Art is pretty good at that, especially with his years of experience working at a homeless shelter in New York. It nice to be able to offer a safe and comfortable bed to those in need - after all, Hebrews 13:2 says not to neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
But there are other reasons we need housing units. In the past, housing was available for the pastor, the caretakers, visiting speakers, and visiting mission teams. When the team comes from Michigan next week, they will be staying in dorms at the United Methodist run Navajo Prep School, since we have no place to put up 30 guests. It would be great to have a Men’s and Women’s unit - two three bedroom double wides.
And one of our plans is to sponsor teaching seminars and retreats for the pastors and ministry teams of some of the small churches on the Rez. With the nice “new” fellowship hall, and the main building set up as classrooms again, all we would need is a place to house them.
And it would have saved our recent guests from Arizona, two groups who brought donations of clothes, toys, and school supplies, some money if we had a place for them to stay.
2Kings 4:8-11 and Matt 10:11-13 are the verses I found this morning about providing shelter for prophets and apostles. I always look for scriptures to support something that I think “would be nice.”
We are striving to be more than a church. This ministry was set up 56 years ago to be a mission to the Navajo - the Dine‘ . It may not be a mission in the traditional sense of the word, but we will be more than a place that 20 people come to worship and fellowship. We already are more. We will share what we have. We will grow up disciples. This place will be restored (Isaiah 61:4) all to the glory of God, and for His purpose!
If you do feel led, you can sent donations to The Free Methodist Church at Farmington, PO Box 6132, Farmington, NM 87499. We’ll send you one of our CD’s if you ask.
Well, I’ve got work to do, errands to run, prayers to pray. Thanks for taking the time to read these posts. May God bless You! May God bless us everyone!
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