Blessings In South Bronx

Matthew 5

There are blessings in the Bronx of New York City. One of them is by way of Kirstin and her friends. I want you to send donations to assist them in a project of ministry that is worth supporting. Kirstin Edwards grew up on the outskirts of Philly. She always had an interest in attending New York University, because of her love for inner city kids. Why not Philly? Well, it was to close to home, and of course, there is just something about the city that never sleeps - New York City. When she first came to NYC, she lived for eight months in Manhattan, and then decided to move to South Bronx. Her friends read a book named "Irresistible Revolution", and then read the book of Matthew in the Bible and thought: "What if we give this way - unconditionally."

I came to know of them in the most unusual way. A group of college students from South Carolina, my home state, came to New York for a week on a mission trip through the Wesley Foundation - campus ministry of the United Methodist Church. They work out of Metropolitan Community United Methodist Church in Harlem, NY where I am the senior pastor. One of the projects in urban ministry that they undertook was to do cleaning in a local church, which is across the street from where Kristin lives with three friends. Connie, who is one of the neighbors, ran into the college students from South Carolina during their clean up time at the local church. When she informed Kirstin of the new contact, the next week Kirstin was in my office with a plan for sincere ministry in a church facility that is in dire need of repair. Within two weeks, we held the prayer vigil in front of the local church in the South Bronx and reclaimed the area and the facilities for God.

We want you to join us in prayer, and also in the work of repair. Kirstin and friends have had a professional to inspect the facilities and provide an estimate of monies needed to repair the local church. We are going to need $500,000.00 dollars. I know we are going to receive the funds, and I believe that you are going to be a donor. What I don't know is who all the donors will be. Help me. Send in your comments with information concerning yourself as you mail your donations to: "A House On Beekman", 321 Beekman Avenue, Apt 2, Bronx, NY 10454. c/o Kirstin Edwards.I know, you want to know the name of the church, more about it, and why I am motivated to be involved, right?

Well, I am going to want you to reach your on conclusion about the involvement, so that you, too, may become involved. However, as for me it is just the right thing to do for what I do, when I sense a call from God. God called me from the luxury of living in Greenville, South Carolina, the beloved city of my birth to serve the people of God in Harlem, NY at a church in need of revitalization and reengineering among other things. I came on December 1, 2003, and we are moving along at turtle pace, but moving toward our desirables. I believe that one way to help your self is to help others. So, when the college students came with an urgent call to ministry in the Bronx, it became a good means for us to help ourselves by helping another church that is in worst condition then our facilities. We are not far behind, but we are moving ahead. Being Christians we cannot forge ahead and leave others crying to come along with us behind. You can find out about Metropolitan Community United Methodist Church, 1975 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10035 online, if you desire.

However, this is not directly about us, it is about Kirsten and the people of God helping the children of God in the South Bronx. So, google Kirsten Edwards on facebook, then read the words of Kirstin and view the damage that has been done to the facilities. In addition, get in touch with these motivated students, who coming out of the comfort of living with means, in order to provide means for others to have the opportunities they have been privileged to live. Beyond the means of living in comfort is their desire for the children to know life in Christ. Check it out!

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us and save all children. Amen.