Celebration

     In December of last year our little group of 12 adults and 4 children, who have been meeting in homes for over four years together, felt led to get out of our comfort zones, and  attempt to give away some of the blessings that God has given to us. One couple had been ministering in a low income housing project for about six years. The Lord led us to build on that faithful sowing. For each of  the past five months we have dedicated one Sunday to these celebrations. The reasons for this are many. One is to provide a physical illustration of the unity of the Body that Jesus prayed for in John 17. God has provided relationship with a small Brazilian church, students from a nearby Christian college, people who live in the area, and brethren from all around the region. Now we all are partnering together. The people in our group have taken on more responsibility in preparation and also in ministry. God has provided a place for people who are part of his family but temporarily out of regular fellowship. He has also allowed for public gifts from different parts of His body to function.
     Yesterday we had at least 125 people present, which is about ten times the size of our group. Our brother Matt preached, there was translation into Portuguese, our brother Bill, aka "The Grillmaster," & his family cooked up the burgers and hot dogs, with a few vegan burgers thrown in, and the saints encouraged one another. "And let us consider One Another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some but exhorting (encouraging) ONE ANOTHER, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." ( Hebrews 10:24-25 NKJV)