What is Your Calling?

Every follower of Jesus should have a sense of their calling. Every person who has decided to live for Jesus has also decided to live "LIKE" Him. We have decided that our personal plans and goals are not as important as doing what Jesus would have us do. We are all on a journey attempting to go where He would have us go, love others like He would have us love, and serve whomever he would want us to help. The real question is: Are you available and willing to go? Are you looking for opportunities to plug yourself into the lives of others? "Jesus people" are not called to live isolative and withdrawing lives avoiding contact with people that are different than us or don't believe like us. We are not on this earth to simply hang out with a few friendly people that are like minded and make us feel comfortable. Churches were not meant to be social clubs but training camps for the deployed Army of God. Jesus did not hang out exclusively in his home town or even in Jerusalem with a select group of agreeable buddies! This is not what Jesus did! Our calling should be the same as Jesus' Calling and is clearly described in Luke chapter four. He went to his home town and met with his family and old friends on the Sabbath day. He stood up and read from the scroll of Isaiah which read: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me,  because he has anointed me  to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners  and recovery of sight for the blind,

to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

This is also our calling! We are called to proclaim good news to the poor, to help the poor and connect personally with the poor. We are called to proclaim freedom for prisoners. We are called to help and support those who are enslaved to all kinds of addictions and dysfunctions. We are called to proclaim recovery of sight for the blind. We are called to not only help the physically blind but those who lives are blinded by hatred, sadness, depression, self blame and an accusing heart. Many are blinded by the struggles of life and have blamed God. We are here to remove the blindness! Lastly, we are here to set the oppressed free. Those oppressed by misery, spiritual oppression, and personal addictions are to be set free by the power and love of Jesus. 

This is our calling and anything other than these pursuits is a spiritual distraction. Let us seek our calling in the Kingdom of God and run the race marked out for us. Let is follow Jesus as our example who perfected the race and finished it so wonderfully. "On your mark... get set....Go!

Greater things are yet to come. Greater things are still to be done in this city!

Gina Cartwright Baptized into Jesus

Last Sunday, January 22nd Gina Cartwright decided to commit her life to follow Jesus. She was baptized by her father Gene Cartwright who was baptized into Jesus just two years ago. Gina has been active with the Ekklesia youth group and helps with the worship team periodically. Gina is an awesome leader and example to her friends at school and on her soccer team. 

New Severe Weather Shelter in Port Orchard Opens Thursday Night!

The Department of Emergency Management (DEM) has over 50 trained volunteers in South Kitsap ready to go as the Severe Weather Shelter opens for the first time on Thursday night, January 26th at the United Methodist Church. A group will be there to set up at 5:00pm and will await possible clients who will arrive after 6pm. It is the DEM's desire to open the shelter for any night when the temperature dips below 32 degrees or when experience more than 2 inches of rain.  It will be opened and volunteers mobilized for all future nights as the need arrises. 

There will be another training for those unable to register for the first session on Thursday evening, February 2nd from 6pm until 9pm. It will also be held at the Port Orchard United Methodist Church. In order to attend all volunteers will need to register on the DEMs web site shown below. 

register at www.kitsapdem.org/classes.aspx

They will provide you with a downloadable application which will require you to provide your social security number for a background check. Bring your application to the volunteer training on Thursday evening, Feb.  

Major Blanket Donation For the Shelter

Last week Tim received a call from the Harrison Hospital warehouse annex in Bremerton that a large quantity of linens were available for donation to our new shelter. Upon arrival we were given 10+ bags of Hospital blankets there were used for patients following baths. There were more than 200 blankets among the many donation bags. We are so blessed by these gifts and fully expect more donations to come in. As of this week the Shelter fund managed by the First Lutheran Church in Port Orchard has received $2600.00 to pay for the many purchases that are yet to come. We are presently considering the purchase of special mattresses that are covered in plastic and will help with our sanitizing procedures after each Shelter night is over. Donations are being received and coordinated at the First Lutheran Church. Their web site has a place you may donate to help purchase the needed items.  http://www.firstlutheranpo.com

Donated hospital blankets for the Shelter