Bash'11

Today I attended the WCA Leadership Summit, held as a satellite venue on the Grace Covenant Campus. While walking down the hall I ran into Jennifer, one of the amazing volunteers from last weekend's Bash!

She attends Grace Covenant. I'm not sure how she got hooked up w/ Bash but the stories she shared today were unforgettable, as have so many of your stories been!

I'll confess, I didn't have a lot of time to see the "God moments" b/c I ended up dealing w/ issues that came up . . . . but to hear the stories of those who served, those are the "goosebump" stories that remind me of the vastness and greatness of God's love!

Today Jennifer shared that after she prayed w/ the little boy she had put shoes on his feet, he grabbed her hands and said, "Let us pray . . . Dear God, thank you for ALL these people who were so kind to share their stuff with us. Thank you for all the fun things we get to do here. Thank you for the food. Thank you for the school supplies. This is just the best day ever God so thank you SO MUCH!"

NOW . . . if that wasn't the voice of Christ nudging OUR hearts . . . I don't know what was or IS! To have the one being served then take it upon himself to share prayers of gratitude and blessings on those who are serving . . . . it is a reminder that amazing things happen . . . LOVE happens, when we work together in a common purpose and mission!

2700+ Kids were served!!!!
Over 500 haircuts!!!

AND I already have at least 10 emails from folks saying, "I would LOVE to serve on the vision team for this event in 2012!" THAT is the BEST NEWS EVER to my ears!!!! What started as 4 people around a table in a restaurant in 2010 . . . . that went to a team of 20 in 2011 and transposed to over 750 volunteers . . . . will now be UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!

Last week when Leslie said in the video "I'm ready to start working on Bash'12 tomorrow!" I thought "ARE YOU CRAZY??????" But honestly, after worship on Sunday @ West . . . I was ready to get started immediately!


In fact - Bash'11 IS NOT DONE!!!!!

WC was contacted by an organization in Statesville, associated w/ the Statesville Housing Authority. They are hosting a Bash in one week and asked if we had any left over supplies!

Here are the God things in that conversation and circumstances:
- We actually had supplies left OVER for the first time ever!!!! HOW we don't know . . . short of a miracle. BUT we do. AND we will be donating those to the Statesville Kids!

-I asked what the organizational structure is for this Bash b/c I wanted to make sure that the kids actually receive the items! They are SO similar to the way we are doing it and I asked her if she would like to partner with us for next year so we could actually serve the entire county - not just one little part! SHE READILY AGREED!!!!!

You see - she attends The Cove, which is one of our partners! Her vision is the same as the Bash'10 and Bash'11 vision . . . so now we will begin working together to ensure that for Bash'12 we don't have to turn ANYONE away!!!! ALL ISS schools will hopefully be able to be served!!!!

IRONIC that happens today as I listen to leaders declare we need to have BOLD vision and we need to "DO SOMETHING!"

It is an honor and privilege to be a pastor at a church where folks are NEVER afraid to DO SOMETHING!!!!!!!!

I can't wait to see where God takes this over the next year! Thank you for YOUR support of the Bash!!!!

Grace and Peace,
Andrea

Is the Thunder REALLY all that necessary?

It really did seem like things were moving a little too smoothly!

Yes there were the normal kinks . . . we needed more supplies, we needed more money, we needed more hair cut people . . and EACH time we needed something more - God provided.

In fact, it made the Charlotte Observer last Sunday (I found this out today) that one of the businesses helping with the event said, "I think they bit off more than they can chew."

Well, our human selves may have bitten off more than we can chew but what that lady did not seem to remember is that we are not in this whole "Bash'11" thing alone! God is a LOT bigger than we are and as a volunteer shared this morning as we had the first of many "crisis points" of the day . . . God never "bites off" more than God can chew!

It did seem like if it "could" go wrong - it DID go wrong this morning . . . grill issues, charcoal issues, water issues, forklift issues, generator issues (that was the biggest!!!!!) . . . and each time we turned around something else was wrong!

However, the most amazing thing was and is that at every turn where there was a problem - God was also working w/ us to provide solutions. And the solutions were far bigger and better than the original one each time!!!!!

I guess the final straw came for me when I got an email chastising us for not "qualifying the children" so we could make sure we were helping only the poor! The individual was disgusted with the way we went about it, felt we were misadvertising, etc. The email left me greatly, greatly unsettled!

Yet - there was God again! Which is why the blog is called, "Its those things again." Those things - are GOD things!!!! God really does not ever let us fall . . . .

As soon as I read the email that stung pretty badly . .. there was one from a new West family -
"I really enjoyed Sunday’s message and as I sat there thought about how incredibly lucky to have such a passionate and talented woman helping me in my faith. I hope life hasn’t hit your blind side too hard this week."

I don't know what tomorrow will bring . . . . but as I sit in my office and hear the thunder outside I am reminded of the Mercy Me song, "Bring the Rain." It's all good - b/c really - the fact that we have:


Bash’11 has collected over $15,000 from area churches and business organizations . . .
Bash’11 has over 550 DIFFERENT people being the hands and feet of Christ . . .
Bash’11 will serve over 3000 students in our local community with either school supplies, shoes, and haircuts . .. or for many – all 3!
Bash’11 has 45+ different people to come cut hair on a church property . . . .less than ideal “salon” circumstances . . .
Bash’11 will show folks in our community what it means to show love and generosity in the name of Christ.


ALL that is a God thing!!!!

So . . . go ahead . . . and let it rain!