Two weeks ago we commissioned a team of nine people to travel to tornado-ravaged community of Madison, Alabama.  After driving 700 miles, they rolled up their sleeves and began to work. (Bill looks like he’s having a bit too much fun, doesn’t he?)  The impact of their serving was felt acutely by one single mom.

This mother of two kids had been through a recent divorce, and the financial impact left her in a very bad place.  Unable to pay all her bills, she was facing foreclosure on her home.  Then the tornados ripped through her neighborhood, destroying the home she was fighting to save.  Hope was nowhere to be seen.

But a local church sprang into action.  Their volunteers started repairing the roof, replacing the siding, and paying the cost of it.  Our team came alongside this church to help with interior and exterior painting, as well as installing a new floor.  Each night the team would share dinner, stories, and a passage from God’s Word.  At one of these dinners the single mom showed up.  And despite being painfully shy, she told her story, and poured out her heart of gratitude.

The impact on our team was amazing!  Some of the guys talked to Jim Glass, the team leader.  They wanted to call their bosses back in DC and say they were taking another week off!  They realize that by helping out with their manual labor, they were igniting HOPE in a life where hope had been washed away.  What an incredible demonstration of the power of God working through his church!

So thank you to all of you who helped support this team, with your finances and your prayers.  Together we’re igniting the HOPE of Christ in our city, nation, and world.  If you want to hear more stories of how God is changing lives, then be sure to join us this Sunday for a Baptism Celebration event!

-Pastor Mark

P.S. This week will be the last Sunday in our series, “Marriage That Works.”  We’ll discover why “Two Halves Don’t Make a Whole” and how to build an enduring and healthy marriage.