The Church Goes Where People Gather 

Wherever the people of Port Orchard gather in large numbers, the Church should also be present. Whatever the occasion... Summer festivals, Car Shows, Farmer's Markets, Back to School Fairs, Community Trunk or Treats, Thanksgiving festivals and Christmas pageants... These are all wonderful opportunities for the Church to be present and connect with thousands of local residents. Isn't this where you would have found Jesus during his ministry? He didn't spend most of his time with religious people but with the crowds and in the population centers of Judea and Galilee. He  would have sought out places where crowds could be found or where they could find him. This is why last weekend's community Trunk or Treat and Ghost Train events were so important. These events created crowds of thousands of local residents and a vital opportunity for the Church to be out among the people. The Church should not be known for where their building is located but by what they are doing in the community! Let us look for opportunities to connect and be present whenever these events occur. Let us truly be the Salt and Light for Port Orchard. 

A look at the long line of people waiting for a ride on the miniature train.

Ekklesia to Develop a new Severe Weather Shelter for the Homeless

Over the next several weeks Ekklesia volunteers will be partnering with several other local churches and the Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management (DEM) to develop our own South Kitsap Severe Weather Shelter. There are presently four locations in other places in the county that open up Severe Weather Shelters whenever the DEM determines the weather conditions warrant such a mobilization. There has not been a Shelter location for South Kitsap in several years. So, at a community meeting at City Hall two weeks ago, Port Orchard Mayor Putannsuu asked for faith community leaders to develop such a shelter. Tim Blair with Ekklesia Church and Chris Nolte of Elam Lutheran agreed to head up the project. We are hoping to secure a site within a few weeks and then develop a corp of volunteers from many churches that would staff the shelter. Last year the DEM mobilized the shelters for only 18 nights. So, this ministry would not require constant work throughout the winter months but only on those nights when the DEM mobilizes our crews. Let us pray for this opportunity to serve the most needy in our community!

Postal Food Drive 

10,640 lbs Collected! 

Ekklesia volunteers worked last Saturday at the food bank unloading Postal Delivery trucks loaded with donated food and boxing the food inside the new storage building. During the three hour project we received and boxed 10,640 lbs of food for the food bank! It was such a blessing to know that all that food would go to people who really needed it. Thank for all the hard work!

Waite family boxing food inside the storage building