fellowship north speaks

More news from Taido about the Honduras trip!

Today was our first day of working the medical brigade and it has been a long one! It started with morning devotions at 6am. Erin McGhee shared great thoughts from Jeremiah and 2 Corinthians. Breakfast was at 6:15 and we were sitting on a school bus by 7:00. The drive to the brigade site was probably 1 ½ hours away and on our way there we would pick up the various other translators and medical staff that would be helping throughout the day. We arrived at the church hosting the clinic and began to set up. The pastor and several of the church members were there to help facilitate the day.

After some introductions and prayer, work began in earnest. Several of our team members were working in the evangelism stations and for some it was their first time to both share and lead people to Christ. Several other team member worked in the children’s ministry area singing, playing, sharing their faith, then washing their hair – which one WGO staff likes to call “upside-down feet washing.” A couple other people stayed busy working the pharmacy which is really just several trunks filled with medications and vitamins. Everything was well labeled and so dispensing the meds was fairly efficient. Mark and Rob assisted with the dental stations today and lots of cavities were filled and teeth pulled. Debbie, Rebekah, and Julie worked the medical station today (and will be every  day).

It is hard really to describe all that went on. The experience is fairly overwhelming. People were waiting in a long line as we arrived and people were sent away without being seen at the end of the day. The accessibility of medical care we have back home is a luxury that these Hondurans simply don’t have.

Well like I said, we’re all pretty worn out, but very grateful to be here. I’m running out of words to describe the day. So maybe a few pictures can fill in the gaps left by my lack of words…
___________________
Taido Chino

Filed under: Uncategorized

We got a short note from Taido this evening and thought we would share it with you (Rancho Ebenezer is an orphanage supported by World Gospel Outreach; the team visited it today):

Howdy friends,

Just wanted you to know we’ve had a great day. Our day was spent traveling to Rancho Ebenezer and having some time there. Some of the team played soccer with the kids. We heard about the ministry that they carry out there to children. Lunch and then a tour of the facility that was cut short by a rainstorm that sort of forced us off the mountain.
A big “highlight” of the day was our bus (we are being transported in a school bus) breaking down on our way to the Ranch. It wasn’t at all dangerous, just a little inconvenient. They dispatched some vans from the Ranch and they not only brought us there but also had to drive us all the way back to the Mission House (about a 2 hour ride).
When we got home, we loaded up the cargo truck for our first day on brigade tomorrow. We’ll be heading to our first of two days at a church in the area.
Hope you are all well!

___________________
Taido Chino

Filed under: Uncategorized

For nearly 8 years now, we at Fellowship North have been involved with Kenya Relief, an organization built up from the ground by a man many of us know and love from his days as an Elder here at FN, Steve James. We’ve become very connected with the community of Migori in Southwest Kenya in more ways than we could ever have imagined. We help orphans, widows, and local churches; we support education in the community; we provide clean water; and we’ve sponsored missionaries from our own congregation, most recently, Michael and Sandy Boultinghouse.

We have also taken many different types of mission trips over these years. So, you may be wondering why you haven’t heard much about Kenya Relief in the recent past. This is largely due to the fact that, for various reasons, it has simply not been good timing to take mission trips focused on helping teachers and pastors, which are the kinds of trips we do best. We are confident that things are in place that will open those doors again and Fellowship North folks will be headed back to East Africa soon.

We are excited about many of the things going on in Migori. God has moved in dramatic ways to enable Kenya Relief to build a real hospital on land that has been secured next door to the present clinic. This is a huge project that will provide significantly more for the community than has been possible until now. God is good! This also means, however, that the present focus of Kenya Relief is on medical things which is keeping us on the sidelines for the time being. For those of you who are steadily sponsoring children in the orphanage, we want to say thank you! Let’s all keep Kenya in our prayers and watch as His plans unfold.

Filed under: Uncategorized

My church hosts this class once or twice a year called Talk It Out.  And I want to invite you to be a part of it.

It’s a class for anyone who wants to learn more about race issues inside and outside of the church.

The provided reading and listening material alone is worth the effort to participate in the class, but nothing can take the place of the unrehearsed, impromptu but guided discussions you will have face to face with someone who is different from you.

To say that hearing a brother or sister alongside whom I now worship tell a story from his or her own experience is eye-opening is to grossly understate the experience.  It is heart opening.  It is nothing short of life changing.  It is the fuel we need in our souls to stay hard on the path of seeing the church become a reconciled body of Christ.

Each Talk It Out class is as different as the people who attend it.  The memories you take from a simple gathering together with others for a meager four sessions are greatly varied but consistently meaningful.

For me, the moment I remember most vividly was learning that it is common practice today in some neighborhoods that if you are an African American trying to sell your home, you would be asked by a realtor to you hide all evidence that black people live in your house. 

Really?

Put away your family photos.  Take down art that might seem ethnic.

Really?

For some reason, it was this experience that stayed with me even longer than stories of growing up in segregated schools.  I think the reason for this is that it happened just recently.  In my lifetime, in the day I (we) live in, right now, people don’t want to buy a house because the race of the owner is different from their own.  Because this story happened right across from me and I could not alleviate its pain or take it away, I was ultimately most moved by it.  Even now as I remember her telling it, I feel the sting of how much I hated its truth.  I cringe.  It was something I wanted to look away from.

I did not know it at the time, but the part of Talk It Out that I needed was a tangible understanding that I don’t have to live with these kinds of common insults because I am white.  I will not ever have to explain to my children that I’m taking their pictures down because someone won’t want to buy our house if they see them.

There is a name for this collection of concerns that I don’t carry with me every day of my life.  This not having to think about race.  It is called white privilege.  I didn’t earn it and I can’t give it back, but it is as real as the chair I am sitting in.

Because I have it, I can look away.  I can turn my head. I can choose to not listen to the stories.  I can try to pretend that there is no such thing as racism in America.

But this mission, this most worthy journey of all people being reconciled in Christ Jesus, calls me to keep looking.  To keep listening.  To stop pretending.

________________________________________

Today’s post is by Alison Chino – she blogs here and twitters here. Married to Taido and mom to Cole, Mary Polly, Ben, and Simon, she loves cooking, reading, yoga, and travelling.

Filed under: Uncategorized

This Christmas season at FN, we’ve decided to join into the Advent Conspiracy – a movement to spend our Christmas season more meaningfully by choosing to give more, spend less, love all, and worship fully. We look forward with excitement to a different kind of December.

As a part of celebrating this way together, we’ve asked several people to write about each week’s topic here on our blog. They might choose to tell a story, pass along an idea, or reflect on something meaningful. And we’d like for you to join in too: share your reactions, plans, or experiences in the comments. Or, if you post on your own blog, leave a link in the comments. Post pictures to our Facebook wall. Tweet us @fellowshipnorth. Let’s use our online space as a community – one that will conspire together this Christmas season!

Here’s to Christmas – it can still change the world.

Filed under: Uncategorized

Melia Mason has joined us as our new adult ministries coordinator, which means she helps people get connected here at Fellowship North. From new members to small groups to season-of-life specific ministries, she supports the people and processes that help move someone from ‘just visiting’ to becoming deeply rooted in the life of our church. This is no simple task; Fellowship North tries to provide many different ways for people to join into small groups and discipleship.

Melia knows what it’s like firsthand to come into FN brand new and to move through the process of getting connected. She, along with her husband Russell, and their kids, Josh (10), A.J. (7), and Jon Jon (3), began coming to Fellowship North almost 4 years ago when Russell became part of the worship leading team. At that point, they knew only a handful of people here. Over time they have continued to involve themselves more deeply in the church, and Melia is thrilled to be returning to work (she wanted to stay at home with her kids while they were little) by taking this position.

I asked her what she’s most excited about in her new job, and she said “being on the forefront of something I’ve had a lifelong passion about. Our mission statement, especially racial issues – just feeling like I can contribute in a positive way. This is an area where Russell and I have always said: ‘God, we are willing to be used in that way.’”

We are so excited to welcome Melia to our staff. Next time you see her, be sure to say hello! She’s definitely a ‘people person’ who would love to visit with you!

Filed under: Uncategorized

Only 39 days till vbX!  Here’s what Berit Kimrey has to say about it …

“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” Psalm 25:4-5

Have I mentioned LATELY how much i love vbs? I mean, really REALLY love it? Love the anticipation of the kids and the leaders alike. Love the planning, strategizing, begging, pleading. Love the setup and tear down. Loved watching my oldest son attend his first “big vbs” and love knowing that this year, it’s my younger son’s turn. Love even the stress and worry because God always brings it all together….

What’s so great about vbs anyway? Maybe it’s the food. Maybe it’s the silliness. Maybe it’s the slime. Yes, all of those are important – but there’s something even better. And it’s a secret … well, really, its two secrets:

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE KIDS.

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” – Proverbs 22:5-7

AND

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE VOLUNTEERS.

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. – Ephesians 6: 7-8

Is anything more precious than watching a child recall the story from the day before? Watching these kids – all of them – combine in grade units to out scream one another? Watching the sea of hands sing and praise – likening it to a rock concert? And as awesome as the kids are, the adults who willingly choose to work and shepherd them through – they’re amazing. It’s amazing to see unity through these groups – whether it’s marching like soldiers, wearing the same bandana, or just holding hands and leading the timid from place to place. I see God every single day, multiple times in the faces of our volunteers.

But I digress…THIS YEAR vbX is gonna be EVEN COOLER! MORE FUN! (didja catch that? vbX – vacation bible EXPERIENCE!)

How?

First HOW – it’s only 3 days plus a kick-off PARTY. And who doesn’t like to party? Who doesn’t like bounce houses?

More HOWS: this year’s theme is cool – don’t believe me? Click here for the music. The stories are awesome. The drama is funny. The stations are more fun (free time, slime zone, game shows and more).

vbX: It’s all about outreach, love, service. It’s all about skits, music, lessons, games, food, fun, and worship. It’s all about learning new motions to catchy tunes, learning lessons from the Bible (it’s all true). The worship songs are already starting to sink into my head—and I know I’ll hear them lifted by sweet voices, voices dancing to glorify HIM.

Now here’s the thing – will you join us? Join us to make it not just your average, run-of-the-mill VBS but vacation bible EXPERIENCE? Contact Jennifer Holsted or Melany Shelton. You KNOW YOU WANT TO: Stop by the table in the lobby this Sunday – come join the EXPERIENCE!

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” – Frederick Douglass

Filed under: Uncategorized