“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth,
will draw all people to myself.”
John 12:32
Jesus is calling His people to himself, I mean, literally. Last week we had a new friend come by, hear the word preached, accepted the call into to Jesus, was baptized then and there… repenting of a sinful life, and wanted healing from addiction… so off to rehab he went with just the clothes on his back. Had we not been outside, He would not have heard the call.
Last Week’s Update…stay connected!
Logistics
Served: ~90
Last week's leaders: Bryan
Next week's leaders: Bryan, Geoff
Next week's preacher: Carley Lofton, recently graduated from Upper Room School of Ministry and currently pursuing a BA in Biblical and Theological Studies. She has a strong call to awaken the Western Church. Pray for her as she brings a word from the Lord for us.
Looking Ahead
We will have the youth group from Covenant Presbyterian Church (EPC) or better known as “The Barn”.
The Chinese American Baptist Church will be helping prep and load at storage as they do each 3rd Saturday of the month.
Service
Phewph... the day started CRAZY but as we have come to understand that is birth-pangs of God doing a thing among us that day! We loaded up in record time thanks to a volunteer who “happens” to own a small organizing company and two other very Jesus-loving friends. A shout-out to Daryl, owner of the Chick-fil-A who gave us a huge discount on 100 cookies that we snatched up quick! Please thank the Lord for him in your prayers, he supplies us with sweet tea and ice in the warmer months.
We rolled in after traffic to 20 Hartford Project youth, not the 12 who originally signed up, so the set up was FAST! The Hartford Project is a ministry designed to bridge the Urban and Suburban family of God through youth summer weeks., They have been alongside us for a long time since we do that year-round. They brought the sandwiches and the ‘fire.’ We worshipped hard and had a non-stop Holy Ghost dance Party at the end of the service. Eric prayed us in, Franklin read first, then Will, and two of the THP kids. Then Curtis rolled in. He was supposed to sing at the funeral last Friday where there was a shooting and stabbing. Many of you know Curtis as the big quiet guy with the huge smile, but he is a giant among the families in the city. He is the definition of a “person of peace”.
I preached on the sheep knowing the voice of the shepherd and when I gave an invitation to follow the voice of God, several came up to surrender their wills and two came for baptism. Both were new, Maria and Luis. Luis is in the picture with me. He was in tears, honest tears.
While we (they) were eating and Big Sam was holding a worship party, I notice the freshly baptized Luis holding his service sheet so I asked him if I could help him find a service he needed.... "yes, it says if today is your day to get clean, we can help. I want to get clean please."
So Benson and I called the Access Line and they had three spaces open. I left while Benson kept helping when he called me saying Luis needed three changes of clothes to be admitted to rehab at Blue Hills... I had just finised unloading the van.
So I asked Luis what his size and favorite color were while he was on the phone with Br Benson and he choked up because he was getting doused in love.
But wait..Benson had gotten him on the bus and I was praying he would make it to rehab... and the VERY SECOND I pulled into a parking spot at Blue HIlls I saw him walking toward the door. "I went to the wrong one, they pointed me over here". So I handed him his clothes, held him tight and prayed and sent him off to get free from crack... I told him I was proud of him and he had that look and said "I got to, this life is no good".
Had we not been outside, Luis would never have come into the Kingdom.
Love to you all,
b
From the Community Churches
“Here's the story I'll tell my friends when they come to worship, and punctuate it with Hallelujahs: Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers; give glory, you sons of Jacob; adore him, you daughters of Israel. He has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around.”
Psalm 22:22 (The Message Translation)
We are always getting into something at The Street Church Collective but this month we have some extra-fun stuff pouring “Jesus-juice” on our already raging love for Him! This past Sunday Night I got to share with the youth group at The Barn about Jesus’ love and the formation of The Street Church. It is a little rowdy when I mix Jesus and teenagers together and God showed up!
Mary and I were with the Community Church at Brookdale in the Memory Unit. We sang and sang and sang and Albert kept adding in “Hallelujah!” which got everyone praising Jesus!
Mary, Eileen, Andrea and I were at River Ridge in Avon… up on the “third floor”… a place we have never been to before. Folks kept showing up from both directions and it was a lively, Spirit-filled day with several new folks… like Bob. He grew up in Middlefield and was married for 63 years. His wife died four years ago and today he was simply feeling lonely and homeless, missing all that he knew. God promised “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3) and he was all about his business today…
And I would also like to share a little story about God being made known through you all…
I workout at Planet Fitness in Bloomfield. Everyone knows I am a street pastor and passionate about Jesus. One of the managers has wanted to join us and this morning as I was headed back to my truck to leave she drove up and rolled down her window…
“Good morning Pastor! I had a class Saturday but I drove past you all downtown. You could feel the power of God in that space!” Yes, I told her, yes you can.
God is being made famous by a little church on the sidewalk. That is the leavening work of The Kingdom
The Clairbridge Community Church @ Brookdale
The Community Church at Brookdale
The Community Church at Brookdale/Chatfield
The Clairbridge Community Church @ Brookdale/Chatfield
The Farmington Station Community Church
The Gables Community Church
The River Ridge Community Church
The West Hartford Health and Rehab Community Church
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visit our website thestreetchurch.org to learn more
or feel free to contact us at
admin@thestreetchurch.org
Bryan
Street Church Administrator & Volunteer Coordinator
(860) 578-2961 TEXT ONLY
bryan@thestreetchurch.org