A while back I attended a course which is held annually called “The Leadership Summit” with a few other staff members. There were quite a few speakers who shared a number of valuable points, and many things stood out to me. Of all the inspirational and motivating speakers, one in particular caught my attention – he was hard to miss!
Harvey Carey is the Senior Pastor of Citadel of Faith Covenant Church in Detroit, Michigan. He is a very animated and dynamic speaker, and his congregation is “committed to providing real solutions for people and communities in distress.”
Harvey communicated many things about the love of God and the transforming truths of His word. Of all the inspirational statements he made though, one thing stood out to me the most and has been stuck in my mind. He said, “you have to get out of the huddle!”
His illustration went something like this…
Imagine you have tickets to a football game, you’ve paid a big price for them, you’re sitting in a front row seat, and then the players just stay in their huddle talking about what they are going to do but never do it. You wouldn’t be very satisfied with your game experience. If this happened, you’d probably get upset and perhaps ask for your money back. The point of a football game is not to stand there and talk about what you’re going to do, but to go out and do it – the point is to play the game.
Harvey went on to explain that he feels this is what’s happening with our churches today. We’re getting together to huddle but we’re not actually going out and playing the game. We talk about God’s love for humanity but we don’t go out and share it with the world around us. We gather together and talk about all the great things He has done for us, but keep Him to ourselves in our church buildings. We huddle on Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and we even have a mid week huddle. Meanwhile God’s sitting on the sidelines in His front row seat saying, “hey, I paid a big price for you, and all you’re going to do is stand there together in a huddle?!”
Maybe we can relate this to the organizations and agencies that work with poverty and homelessness in our city too. Obviously the planning part is important and needs to be done, but maybe we spend too much time planning what we’ll do to combat the effects of poverty and not enough time actually doing it. Maybe this is also what our government does.
I have two huddles to get out of; the church services huddle and the non-profit charity planning huddle.
Where do you huddle? What huddles do you need to get out of?
Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Under the Radar
Often the issues surrounding poverty and homelessness, and the people struggling with these issues, go unnoticed. For most of us, for much of the time, it’s just not on our radar.
Siloam Mission's Under the Radar is designed to change the way you view domestic poverty and to help you understand that there is something you can do to make a difference. It is our hope that you will become more aware of the hurt in our city and that this will motivate you to make change happen. Our desire is to help create optimistic, solution-based advocates for change. We want to bring homelessness to the forefront by encouraging participants to learn more about related topics and by allowing them to serve in the places, and with the people, who are often under the radar of our society.
Under the Radar is a new three-fold program of Siloam Mission with a Youth Summer Camp, Mission Teams, and Workshops for adults.
Check it out online at www.siloam.ca/undertheradar!
Siloam Mission's Under the Radar is designed to change the way you view domestic poverty and to help you understand that there is something you can do to make a difference. It is our hope that you will become more aware of the hurt in our city and that this will motivate you to make change happen. Our desire is to help create optimistic, solution-based advocates for change. We want to bring homelessness to the forefront by encouraging participants to learn more about related topics and by allowing them to serve in the places, and with the people, who are often under the radar of our society.
Under the Radar is a new three-fold program of Siloam Mission with a Youth Summer Camp, Mission Teams, and Workshops for adults.
Check it out online at www.siloam.ca/undertheradar!
Monday, September 21, 2009
New Programs at Siloam Mission!
We have three new and exciting programs coming up at Siloam Mission; Summer Youth Camp, Missions Teams, and Workshops.
The Summer Youth Camp is designed specifically for youth groups to allow students aged 14 to 18 to confront their thoughts about poverty and homelessness while serving their neighbors. For youth pastors and leaders, this is a fun and educational opportunity to help students learn more about domestic poverty.
Our Missions Teams can be catered to a high school team, church group, college or university team, community group, or business group. Bring your group to Siloam Mission for a multi-day inner-city experience and learn from hands on projects and serving opportunities.
If you’re simply interested in learning more about a particular topic relating to poverty and homelessness in Winnipeg, then join us for our workshops for adults. They’ll be held on weekday evenings once a month at Siloam Mission.
For more information on these educational programs, contact me at 204.956.4344.
Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator
P.S. On Tuesday September 29, 2009 at 12 noon, we’re hosting a luncheon for pastors and youth leaders to learn more about these exciting new programs. To join us for lunch, call us to RSVP.
The Summer Youth Camp is designed specifically for youth groups to allow students aged 14 to 18 to confront their thoughts about poverty and homelessness while serving their neighbors. For youth pastors and leaders, this is a fun and educational opportunity to help students learn more about domestic poverty.
Our Missions Teams can be catered to a high school team, church group, college or university team, community group, or business group. Bring your group to Siloam Mission for a multi-day inner-city experience and learn from hands on projects and serving opportunities.
If you’re simply interested in learning more about a particular topic relating to poverty and homelessness in Winnipeg, then join us for our workshops for adults. They’ll be held on weekday evenings once a month at Siloam Mission.
For more information on these educational programs, contact me at 204.956.4344.
Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator
P.S. On Tuesday September 29, 2009 at 12 noon, we’re hosting a luncheon for pastors and youth leaders to learn more about these exciting new programs. To join us for lunch, call us to RSVP.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
sj101 Day a Success
Thank you to all 31 participants who joined us at Siloam Mission on August 29, 2009 for our sj101 day. It is great to see that Winnipeggers are interested in learning more about poverty and homelessness in our city and discovering how they can make a difference.
With a variety of different sessions and activities, we had very informative day. Time was spent at Siloam Mission volunteering and touring the facility, participating in educational topical sessions, and learning about a couple other agencies in Winnipeg’s inner city.
It is our hope that each person involved has been encouraged to continue searching for optimistic solutions and feels inspired to advocate on behalf of those who experience poverty and homelessness in our city.
Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator
With a variety of different sessions and activities, we had very informative day. Time was spent at Siloam Mission volunteering and touring the facility, participating in educational topical sessions, and learning about a couple other agencies in Winnipeg’s inner city.
It is our hope that each person involved has been encouraged to continue searching for optimistic solutions and feels inspired to advocate on behalf of those who experience poverty and homelessness in our city.
Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
This Saturday!
This Saturday, August 29, is our sj101 day for adults.
It’s a day long event designed to help people on their continuing journey of becoming optimistic, solution-based advocates for domestic social justice. sj101 is an investigative learning experience encouraging participants to confront their thoughts about poverty and homelessness in Winnipeg.
We have 28 people registered and we think it’s shaping up to be a great day!
Keep an eye out for news about upcoming exciting service and educational programs to get involved in at Siloam Mission.
Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator
It’s a day long event designed to help people on their continuing journey of becoming optimistic, solution-based advocates for domestic social justice. sj101 is an investigative learning experience encouraging participants to confront their thoughts about poverty and homelessness in Winnipeg.
We have 28 people registered and we think it’s shaping up to be a great day!
Keep an eye out for news about upcoming exciting service and educational programs to get involved in at Siloam Mission.
Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Youth Week Cancelled for This Year
Unfortunately we did not go ahead with the high school sj101 camp this week. We’re currently re-evaluating the program and will be presenting something again in the near future.
Stay tuned for details of exciting upcoming educational and service programs – we’ll be presenting some great opportunities to get involved!
We will be going ahead with the day sj101 for adults (18 years and up) on Saturday August 29, from 8am – 5pm. For details on this event click on the link below.
Thank you for your interest in the work of Siloam Mission and thank you for caring about our neighbours who are experiencing poverty and homelessness in Winnipeg.
Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator
http://www.siloam.ca/sj101/daysj101.htm
Stay tuned for details of exciting upcoming educational and service programs – we’ll be presenting some great opportunities to get involved!
We will be going ahead with the day sj101 for adults (18 years and up) on Saturday August 29, from 8am – 5pm. For details on this event click on the link below.
Thank you for your interest in the work of Siloam Mission and thank you for caring about our neighbours who are experiencing poverty and homelessness in Winnipeg.
Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator
http://www.siloam.ca/sj101/daysj101.htm
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Unexpected Gifts
Last week I was in Calgary visiting the Mustard Seed, which is an organization similar to Siloam Mission as it works to alleviate the hardships of homelessness and poverty.
One evening I was walking along one of the downtown streets and I came across a man with a large shopping cart filled with many little treasures. He stopped me and I thought he was about to ask for spare change, but he was attempting something else. He offered me a gift.
He had an old squash racket that he had found on the street and asked if I would like it. I suggested he should keep it because it was his. However, he told me he really had no use for it and would like me to have it. So I accepted.
The racket sits in my apartment now because I don't play squash. It's not about the use of the item though; rather it’s about where it came from. Besides, perhaps it gives me a reason to learn the sport.
We just recently sent out our summer newsletter entitled "Unexpected Gifts". The theme reflects the idea that we often have low expectations of our neighbours who live on the streets. We think that because they are experiencing poverty and homelessness, they must have nothing to offer. Often, the things we receive from people who are homeless (whether it be material or otherwise) are unexpected. We assume they have nothing of value to give. It's during moments like the one described above that we realize how wrong we are.
Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator
One evening I was walking along one of the downtown streets and I came across a man with a large shopping cart filled with many little treasures. He stopped me and I thought he was about to ask for spare change, but he was attempting something else. He offered me a gift.
He had an old squash racket that he had found on the street and asked if I would like it. I suggested he should keep it because it was his. However, he told me he really had no use for it and would like me to have it. So I accepted.
The racket sits in my apartment now because I don't play squash. It's not about the use of the item though; rather it’s about where it came from. Besides, perhaps it gives me a reason to learn the sport.
We just recently sent out our summer newsletter entitled "Unexpected Gifts". The theme reflects the idea that we often have low expectations of our neighbours who live on the streets. We think that because they are experiencing poverty and homelessness, they must have nothing to offer. Often, the things we receive from people who are homeless (whether it be material or otherwise) are unexpected. We assume they have nothing of value to give. It's during moments like the one described above that we realize how wrong we are.
Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator
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