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Working Together in Harmony
by Kirsten Whitehead
August 2008
Helping to build the playground at Kelly Park in Ballston Spa was a very inspiring process. It was a community wide project. The whole community got to reach out together. Relationships were built as well as the playground. Twenty-three volunteers from Hope Church put in one hundred and forty-two hours in five days from May 27-June 1st. Hope Church was one of five groups who contributed over one hundred and twenty hours; therefore, Hope Church will be listed on the sign as "distinguished volunteer." Kevin Crouth would like to thank anyone who was involved.
When I first came, it was on a Tuesday. The place was humming like bees. I joined up with the Martz's and we took sponge mops and shellacked the boards in an assembly-line fashion.
Saturday I came back and the playground was almost finished. This time I drilled holes in boards that would be part of a fence around the playground. The energy was high. There are great people in Ballston Spa who care.
Seriously, you will be surprised when (if) you see it. I never imagined it would be as big as it is. Feel welcome to visit. It is located next to the Ballston Spa swimming pool on Ralph Street.
Backstretch Update
by Julie Cobello
February 2008
"Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do your best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious-the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly, things to praise, not things to curse."
--Philippians 4:8
This is the biggest motivator for change that I know of. When we set our minds and hearts on the things that concern God, He will give us opportunity to change things for the better. I have already spoken to you of the racetrack work that Rick and I were involved in last summer. Now I will update you on the things that are going forward.
Since the fall, I have the opportunity to go on staff with B.E.S.T. {Backstretch Employees Service Team} as the year-round presence in Saratoga. This affords me the chance to be more "official" and to have more of an impact on the lives of the workers on the backstretch.
We have three major projects we are starting this year. We have received a grant from the Alfred Z. Soloman foundation to establish a dental clinic. We are also in the process of setting up a communication center so the workers can have on-track access to their families back at home. This will help to alleviate some of the loneliness and isolation that they feel. This in turn will help to stop the cycle of alcoholism and addiction that is prevalent with the workers.
The final project is an attempt to return to the workers some of the dignity that God instills in them in his Word. This is a major attempt to start the process of providing them with platform beds. These will be easy to assemble and easy to move. It will get their mattresses up off the floor and provide them with storage underneath. A group of people working together would be able to complete a number in a weekend. The plan is currently being developed by Greg Roberts' CAD class at Ballston Spa High School. As soon as it is completed, the track carpenters will assemble a prototype and we will be off and running. We will approach the local lumberyards about getting materials at reduced cost. We will also be approaching local civic organizations about fund raising opportunities. Then we will approach local men's groups, boy scout troops, civic organizations, clubs and any other group that might be interested to help build the beds and arrange the delivery to the track. We are very excited about this project and feel that it is a perfect opportunity to get the community involved. In the end, we will need 1100 beds. I am more concerned with the 6-month workers than the shorter term 6-week workers. So it will be on a first come, first serve basis. As we receive them, we will distribute them.
We will continue to collect clothing and blankets for our clothing closet. We will need volunteers to help with this to enable me to spend more time in the backstretch. I will be enrolling the workers for the health benefits that they are entitled to for the time that they are here. This involves education and relationship building. They are not aware of the medical system that we have in this country. With some questionable legal status, they are fearful of being in the "system." One of the biggest questions that I am asked is surrounding the immigration issue. It is a very difficult and involved process, with a long history of abuse. I will not get on any soapbox, but if anyone is interested, I will share what I have learned so far. Whatever you feel about that issue, they are here and they are people. They have the same needs, feelings and fears that any of us have. As children of God, I see Christ in them every day. Hopefully, they see a little of Christ in us.
In closing, if anyone is interested in helping there are plenty of opportunities. We need volunteers to collect and distribute clothing, to help serve at a welcome event we will be having in May and then again in July. We also will be hoping to start a children's program. The communication center will need people to monitor the stations and help to get people to know how it will work. We also need people to help with building and delivering the beds. Of course there is always opportunity for Spanish speakers to help interpret and to just visit with people. We are having an organizational meeting at the library Caffe on Jan. 28 at 7:30. Call for more information or if you just want to talk. Be praying for me, my language studies are going slowly. Also, there are a few other organizations who are also involved on the backstretch. We are trying to navigate the ropes of territorial issues and find a place for everyone to do their work. Since this work takes me into a world of non-Christians, I ask for prayer that I will be light in the darkness that points not to me but to Christ, who has allowed me the privilege of serving him this way. "Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies." (Phil 4: 8f. The Message.)
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Three and a Half Decades
by Jim and Terry Cornick
August 2008
Between the two of us, we have served about three and a half decades as a deacon/deaconess. That's a lot of time.....that's a lot of phone calls to make looking/begging/asking for help...that's a lot of praying for folks in need....that's just plain a lot of service. So when it came time for our mandatory year off this year, we were not going to object. Rest is good.
When Rae asked if we would write an article about the subject of longevity and perspective, we wondered...what could we say.....the current Diaconal Ministries Committee is working hard, the Board of Deacons is watching over the Church finances and building, and there you have it. The wheels are moving forward very nicely without us. What's to say?
But when Rae and I were talking at RIVERFEST about getting an article in, the words that spontaneously spilled out of Terry's mouth (they tend to do that) were these, " Over all these years.....these decades we've served, the needs of people have not changed. Folks still need help with the purchase of groceries because there is nothing to put on the table in two hours, they are still behind on their rent and are facing eviction tomorrow, their cars still break down, their power is going to get shut off that very hour and the list goes on." It reminded us of this verse in Ecclesiastes 1:9, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."
Not all the needs are last-minute requests. Those are and were largely from the community. But still.......the needs of our Church Family, like the community, have not changed either. Meals are still needed, rides to doctor visits, etc. are still necessary, financial aid for heat and lights and groceries and car repairs will be ongoing especially in light of our current economy. We will always need to visit with folks who need to know they are loved and this list, too, goes on. And again, Eccles. 1:9 applies.
One of our joys is serving His people....bringing relief to difficult times....comfort to hurting friends and community.....walking and working along side others to share the burden......loving others in His Name. The years have flown by so quickly and to Him it's a fleeting moment. The needs are all so temporary, but they feel so eternal at the time.
We want to leave a legacy for our children and their children. We want them to see what service for Christ looks like and hopefully they will want to emulate that, if we have done it well. Oh how we pray we have done it well. Will we have spurred them on to love and good deeds? Will they say we have been faithful to the cause of Christ? Will they say, "Remember how Dad and Mom or Gramma and Papa always used to take care of folks?" We will leave a legacy. The question is.......What kind of legacy will we leave to them?
Find Us Faithful
by Steve Green
We're pilgrims on the journey
Of the narrow road
And those who've gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to
God's sustaining grace
Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives
Chorus:
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift though all we've left behind
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find.
Three and a Half Decades....it's a long time to keep plugging away, trying to make a difference, hoping we've made a difference. When our year off is up, we'll be back at it-if you'll allow us. We'll continue to strive to be a blessing in His Kingdom and a testimony to our family. Mostly......We live for the day we will hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things." *THAT* will be music to our ears!
Lovingly Continuing in His Service,
Jim and Terry Cornick
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