The Joy and Beauty of Community

I have come to relish in the joy and treasure the beauty of the community that has grown here at Barberry.

I can go outside at just about any hour of any day and run into someone I know. All I have to do is go outside with a football and I can almost guarantee that there is someone i can toss a ball around with.

I went outside yesterday even after I got home from work and started doing just this. Within 5 minutes there were 6 other kids and a handful of adults tossing around a football and just having a great time together. Over the course of the hour that ensued 3 other adults walked by with whom I would step away from the game and just chat and catch up.

I am amazed at how all of this has grown within 6 months with the infusion of God's love compelling us to live in love and compassion.

Used PC Wanted:

We are trying to track down a used PC for a resident here at Barberry. Anyone looking to unload an XP/100Gig HD/1Gig RAM/2+Ghz/128+ Graphics Card/DVD/CD-RW?

His budget is a couple hundred. We're keeping a keen eye on Craigslist as well. Contact david.knepprath@gmail.com if you have any leads.

It just occurred to me that we could post these kind of want ads more often. What do ya'll think?

Anticipation for Summer and Excited by Involvement

It's been far to long.

• Last Sunday we had our first outside community meal since last summer! Playing "500" with a bunch of middle schoolers until dark, face painting with little kids, chatting with my neighbors, loving, laughing, and living life to the fullest! It was a blast. I envision this summer being the most amazing summer of my life (Alright, getting married in June plays a large part in that one :P)
• Community involvement with the local churches has been phenomenal! I am blown away by every group of brothers and sisters in Christ that host meals. They are so full of love and compassion. Every week I will step back and almost tear up at the site of my neighbors being drenched in God's love.
• We had the opportunity to host 2 mission trips in the last couple months. It is so exhilarating to share an in depth explanation of our mission philosophy and involve them tangible in the patchwork of ministry that occurs here. But the awesome part is seeing young people be excited by and inspired by such a real and tangible example of living out Jesus calling on our life.

Easter tomorrow! It is my prayer the deep significance of the day will be magnified to our community by our actions and they would know the power of God's love!

Brief Update

As previously noted, the past two months of 2009 have been full of wonder and amazement as God continues to reveal His work, glory, and guidance for Barberry. Because of the open hearts, two Bible studies have been started - a group Bible study and a one-on-one. These Bible studies have yielded to much interesting discussion with both believers and non. We've also been able to go to Clear Creek Community church with Mandie, our dear sister who will be baptized this upcoming Sunday (pictures are definitely to come)! Mandie also inspired a Women's Scrapbooking group to start - although we've only met twice (because we meet once a month), the times have been blessed and the group is growing.

As God continues working in our hearts and in the people around us, we are constantly reminded that prayer is very important and that all of our strength comes from Him. Please pray for Barberry - for us. Specifically so the Lord will continue guiding and giving His wisdom and revelation. As we continue on in these Bible studies, very interesting and difficult questions will continue to rise - many of which we are learning about ourselves in our walks. It is refreshing to hear the questions and thoughts of people who have not lived in the culture of the church all their lives. Please pray so the Lord will give us wisdom and boldness when answering the difficult questions we may have become numb to.

Also for the residents, please pray so hearts will continue to be softened. There is a woman I've met who has encountered a lot of death in the past two months. Two of her close friends died, one of which was a suicide. She came to a meal once and was eager to get involved, but since the deaths of her friends, her and her husband have stayed in their apartment. My prayer is that they will be comforted and their hearts will be softened to receive Christ's love.

Thanks so much for everyone who has been supporting Barberry in both prayer and time.

A little catching up!

As the World around us becomes more and more a place of fear and no hope, I thought I would share some of the ways we are still seeing HOPE in Barberry. I am continually reminded of the words of Jesus " the harvest is ready, but the workers are few." It seems this is still true today! Over the last month we have watched as God has opened doors to show is love and also to teach of His grace and Mercy.....the reason we are here. We have been able to go to the next step in our desire for reaching our neighbors and that is having them into our homes and being real with them so Lord willing they will trust us and more so TRUST in our savior. Praise God with one lady this has happened. Not of anything we have done, but by the Grace of God. Praise God that he allowed ladies to meet with her, prayer with her, have Bible studies with her and as a result of workers being faithful we now have a sister in Christ!
How does this relate to the verse of "few workers"? There is an opportunity for believers everywhere of all ages to make an impact in their neighborhood all you have to do is reach out...actually be the worker. It is easy for us to stay at home and forget about our neighbor who is hurting, in need of hope. As our world continues to nose dive into a depression or whatever may happen Christians must become workers who are ready to go! Ask God were you need to go? Be willing to do what he says, and remember the words spoken to Joshua in chapter 1 BE STRONG AND VERY COURAGEOUS!
Blessings my friends!

A Lot of Firsts!

As mentioned by Josh in the previous post, we had our first homicide - double homicide in fact (Article 1 & 2). It was a stark reminder of the brokenness of the world around us, and an evern deeper reminder of the need for God's love and redemption in each of our lives. This event also caused quite a commotion for all of us, and provide some very healthy dialog during our weekly community meal; which brings us to some more positive firsts.

We had our first community meal that was prepared by one of the residents. But this is not just any resident - this resident is an authentic Cuban chef. He prepared a pork and vegetable soup. Everyone unanimously loved the meal! Yes everyone, which leads me to our next first.

The community meal was the first to have such a diverse sampling of residents. Mexicans, Americans, Cubans, African Americans, Russians, and beyond I'm sure. But it was not only diverse in culture, but equally diverse in age. Everything age group was accounted for from infant to grandparents.

Also, props to my (Metropolitan Family Services) supervisor at Davis Elementary who baked up 40+ bags of cookies to hand out to residents when we went door to door with invitations to the community meal. The arctic blast delayed bags from being handed out until after Christmas, but after the homicide it was a much needed warm gesture of love.

Our final first was the Womans Scrapbooking Club that Elena is leading up. There are many residents that are interested and is an awesome opportunity for connecting, sharing life, loving each other, and building community! The plan is for it to be the first Sunday afternoon of each month.

A reality check!

As the year starting winding down and the anticipations for a new year and new adventure began to build an event took place that caused for a serious reality check in my life. As you may have seen on the news at around 8:00pm 12-31-08 a man was shot and killed at Barberry Village apt. This is the place we have chosen to make our home. A place were we ask others to come and serve the Lord, and his children on a weekly basis. Why do we do this? Well, it is so that some day lord willing we will no longer hear of Rockwood being the ghetto, the place were it is common place for a man to be shot! Last night as I stood at the police tape unable to drive my car out of our complex because it would cross the crime scene I was reminded, I am not here to sleep, eat and be merry. I am at Barberry because people need Jesus and they need to learn his love for life. I do not know what the next month may hold or what the dynamics of our meal this Sunday will be in lew of this murder but, I do know that Christ died for that man regardless of what his life style was! I pray that we can show an example of Christ to our neighbors and be a witness in this un-certain time.