Participating in the Divine Glory

It's amazing the way the house already calls us to shift expectations and reservations, to confront, to trust, to communicate, to let go of control, to give in a costly way - well before we've even gotten into the house together! I like M.Scott Peck's following reflections on community. He says,

When I am with a group of human beings committed to hanging in there through both the agony and the joy of community, I have a dim sense that I am participating in a phenomenon for which there is only one word. I almost hesitate to use it. The word is "glory"

In all the chaos and shifting and trusting and communicating that goes on, perhaps this is precisely how it is actually supposed to be, that this is what it really means to reflect the image of God most powerfully - in community, with one another, for better, for worse, in the good times and the bad. And I reckon we'll come out better for it too.

April Fools

After weeks of negotiating, praying and planning we have officially been approved to move into the White House on April 1st – Fittingly, I think, April Fools. It seemed foolish right from the beginning to check the house out, foolish to offer so much less than they were asking for, foolish to think we’d find enough “fools” to fill house and foolish to place justice and community before individual security and comfort -at least that’s what we’ve often been told along the way. It’s still pretty surreal to think about how this has all come about but to be honest I prefer thinking about why it has all come about. I’m convinced that we are called to be part of Christ's answer to the real cries of a community's heart as we seek solidarity with the poor and powerless. I think God is all about helping us to see needs and well as recognising, within ourselves and beyond, abilities. That’s why we will open our homes and commit to supporting young people by feeding them, giving them our time and ensuring their safety. That’s why we will advocate for homeless young people. And that’s why we’ll probably ask for your help along the way.

Maybe you can help us out with things like:
Prayer
Meals
A Filing Cabinet
Locks for doors
Furniture and Electrical Stuff (Bunk or single beds, couches, tables and chairs, desks, computers, wardrobes and cupboards, chest freezer)
Household linen (Single bed sheets, pillows, pillow cases, quilts, quilt covers, blankets, towels, tea towels)
Our impending and imposing $10,000 bond
Or perhaps you’d like to help out in an ongoing way with financial donations that would specifically contribute towards the rent and food of the young people in our place.

If you want to get involved in the life of the house some how just let us know. We’ve never thought that we could/should do any of this alone and we want people to be involved in the house.

Thanks for everyone who has already shown such amazing support and encouragement.

Peace and courage from the house.

Remember

To the daring ones who hear the voice, who hunger for adventure and find rest in following,
It seems like so long ago, those days when we started paying attention to the stirrings God had placed on our hearts.
I think it’s because God has done so much in that time.
He has challenged us to greater depths of faith and openness to his Spirit within us.
He has brought together like hearts.
He has dared us to orient our lives around his heart, his purposes, his kingdom.
He has been shaping us and forming a living hope within us, preparing our hearts like a master chef prepares for a banquet.
The invitations have been sent out. The guests are at the door.
There is a sense of excitement, but also, if we are really honest, some nerves.
And why wouldn’t there be?
We are all-too human,
with our all-too human vulnerabilities,
with our all-too human fears.
Fear is a funny thing. Fear can make us do unusual things, or even worse, nothing at all.
It seems silly to think that we would allow fear to call the shots, particularly after everything we’ve learned.
But that’s because we forget.
We forget so easily who is running the show, who brought us all together.
We remember the part about how we can’t achieve a whole lot but forget the most important bit:
He who calls us is faithful.
He goes before us, calling us out into wide open spaces.
We are vulnerable, but he is a strength made known in weakness.

Remember, remember, remember.

Be fearless.
Laugh at impossibilities.
Pray at all times.
Be fully persuaded that he has the power & willingness to do what he has promised.

Remember, remember, remember.