Something incredible happened last Sunday on the South Side of Chicago. You could smell it from miles around. On the corner of 102nd Place and State Street a strange group of people got together, started a fire, and shared a meal.
OK, so it was just a BBQ. But as the charcoal glowed and the burgers and hot dogs sizzled, 100 people who don’t usually get together unless forced to get together shared a meal-
Urban and suburban dwellers,
Homeowners, renters, and homeless,
Black and white,
Democrats and republicans,
Cop and criminal
(Seriously-the Chicago Police Department’s Mounted Patrol rode into Roseland to let neighborhood children pet their horses. As one police officer held his horse by the bridle, he asked a local drug dealer-not a Walgreen’s pharmacist-to help him lift neighborhood kids up into the saddle. For an hour the cop and the criminal worked together and put smiles on children’s faces.)
Watching this scene unfold I was reminded of when I first came to Roseland Christian Ministries as a college intern eight years ago. On any given day a diverse group of people could get together for fellowship or to feed hungry people or to fight an injustice-all under the banner of God’s Kingdom. This experience, seeing God at work in the lives of people on the South Side of Chicago, was the closest thing to a conversion experience I ever had. My life was changed and God’s people in Roseland nudged me along and encouraged me to attend seminary.
I know that our faith experiences are not one size fits all. But I want to invite you to come out to Roseland Christian Ministries and see for yourself a glimpse of God’s Kingdom in the city. There is a multitude of ways for you to connect to RCM and any of these options will give you that vision for God’s work here:
· Sign up to tutor a child one night a week at our Women and Children’s Shelter
· Get a small group together to cook dinner at either our Drop-In Center or our Women and Children’s Shelter
· Help transform a boarded up house into a home for a family-we’re always looking for skilled trades people.
· Join us on a Sunday Morning for a Worship Service at Roseland Christian Reformed Church (11:00AM)
· Place the clients and staff of Roseland Christian Ministries on your prayer list
· Partner with us financially and support a program here at Roseland Christian Ministries
Peace,
Joe Huizenga
P.S. Please feel free to call me on my cell phone (708) 224-1234 or respond by email to joehuizenga@yahoo.com if you have an interest in partnering with Roseland Christian Ministries. |
