The church has no walls.  We believe that.  And seeing is believing.  Here’s what I recently saw in the life of, Sooky, a mom from Seneca Creek.  She sent out the following email to friends who are interested in serving with their entire families:

Coming on Sunday, Feb 24th:  2 sessions hosted by Whole Foods in Kentlands to make lunches for local women’s homeless shelter, Rainbow Place:  2pm to 3pm and from 3:30pm to 4:30pm.  Parents and kids ages 5 and up.  The Director of the shelter will be there to give a talk.  Sign up today:  http://vols.pt/Rap4zJ

We will be collecting travel-size toiletry items (soap, shampoo, toothpaste, lotion, etc.) for the ladies at Rainbow Place as well as size Large and Extra Large women’s sweatpants.  We will also be collecting cash donations for Whole Foods’ “Whole Planet Foundation,” a group born out of Whole Foods Market’s desire to give back and combat persistent problems like world poverty and hunger…WPF’s goal is poverty alleviation through microcredit in communities that supply Whole Foods Market stores with products.  We can fight homelessness in our backyard and abroad!

At your service,

Sooky McFadden and Sherry Dunda, KidServe Volunteer Coordinators

kidserve@yahoo.com , 301-208-xxxx

“Kids partnering with parents to serve”

 Then I got the follow up email this week after the event:

[after thanking those who served]…In case you weren’t able to make it, here are some discussions questions for your family at home:

1. How much food does your family throw away in one day?  Keep a log of all you put in the trash.  Talk about what you think about your log.
2. Start a family journal of thanks and write in it daily.  Take time to read over the journal together at the end of the week.
3. When you see a homeless person asking for money or food, how do you feel?  What do you do and why?  If you do give, does it matter to you what they do with the money?
4. What do you think is the most difficult part of being homeless?  What do you think homeless people miss the most?

NEXT EVENT: Sunday, March 10, 2013 at the Kentlands Clubhouse, 485 Tschiffely Square Road.  2pm to 3pm.  Sign up now!  We’ll be making stationary for U.S. troops to send home to their loved ones for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day and we’ll be preparing care packages to send them.  List of requested donations are posted on our sign up link: http://vols.pt/oS8Qt7

Check out our Facebook page for more pictures: http://www.facebook.com/pages/KidServe/303722629685066?ref=ts&fref=ts

Wow!  Those questions REALLY made me stop and think.  And Sooky’s actions are making a difference for others while showing her kids the value of serving.

This is what happens when the church is not defined by the walls of a building.  This is what happens when someone follows the example of the little boy in John 6 who offered his loaves and fish to Jesus (see podcast from Feb 10^th).  This is what happens when someone takes Jesus’ example of washing the disciples’ feet and puts it into a 21^st century context (see podcast from Feb 17^th).  This is what happens when someone stays connected to the vine (see last week’s podcast).  This is what happens when God gets loose in someone’s life, and they decide to live out their faith in the real world.

What could happen if God got loose in your life?

-Pastor Mark