They Would Rather Work

Today I only went to the church building for about an hour, and that was to carry Claire to the Spring Bible School. I spent the day doing some things I needed to catch up on, and of course there are never enough hours in the day to do all we would like to do. Margaret spent much of the day helping out at the dining hall. I did go to Ocean Springs and enjoy a lunch with Al Sturgeon, Cornel Johnson, and Trent Bryant. Our 'preachers meetings' are mostly fellowship times where we talk and eat. Several of our Coastal preachers have developed a rich friendship. We enjoy being together, and that's a blessing. Someone was missing today. Actually several someones (but I won't name names!), but a special someone to me. Roger Mills is ending his second term as preaching minister for the Rodenberg Church of Christ in Biloxi. It hurts me to see Roger move, because I've wasted so many opportunities to learn from this wonderful Christian gentleman. I really cannot ennumerate all the ways that Roger has blessed my life. He is a true lover of the Church and Christ and all people. Roger was a hurricane victim twice. He was in Homestead, Florida when Hurricane Andrew decimated that town. He was in Biloxi when the now infamous Katrina came ashore. In his mid-70's, Roger is still a soul winner. He has slowed a bit, his diabetes and other health problems are taking their toll on his body. But his smile has never faded, and his youthful humor has not diminished. His beautiful Thelma has her own health problems. I'm very happy that Roger was the speaker for our last Coastwide Worship Service last year. It was a shining moment for him. And now they are moving to Florence, Alabama. No one can blame them, but we will all miss them. Roger has called me more than once to inquire about how I am doing and to pray with me. We have cried over the phone together, and in prayer, more than once. If I live thirty more years, I hope I will be a lot like Roger Mills. He would rather work for Jesus than anything else in the world. And now the Rodenberg Church of Christ in Biloxi is in need of your earnest prayers. Shaken by Katrina, left without a minister, and the leaders are tired. Looking at the images of Biloxi, I'm wondering what courageous soul will be willing to move into the area. The small struggling church needs a strong, loving, supportive, and patient family to come and work with them. It will have to be someone who would rather work than find peace and quiet sequestered away in an office. The teens from Southern Acres Christian Church will eat breakfast in the morning, make one last visit to an invalid man they have been helping, then head over to Gulf Shores, Alabama for some recreation. After that, they are scheduled to begin the long journey home. I promise I heard some of them say that they would rather stay and work than go to the beach. These are teenagers, some of whom did not want to go on a "mission trip" to begin with. Their hearts have been broken by the Spirit, who has created within them a love for others that now drives their thoughts. Several of them mentioned wanting to come back again to work. I've heard that before. I've seen it happen. This group is so expressive of their love, and I am thankful for their manner. They gave our congregation $2900.00 tonight, and we were just in awe at their gift. Jeff Campbell is one of our 'regulars' ... for lack of a better term. He is from Michigan. He was instrumental in acquiring the dining hall for us. He was recently immersed into Jesus Christ and has been a super helpful man around the building. He oversees our tools distribution and keeps up with supplies. Since we feed and house Jeff, his needs are few, but he does have needs. He is currently needing a sponsor to help him with $50 a week (or a few sponsors). This is so that he can continue to do volunteer work for the Central Church. In the picture is Jeff with David Kilbern, the night that David baptized Jeff. Let me know if this is something you would like to do. He would rather do volunteer work for us, than to get a job outside the church. For now, that is a very useful thing for the progress of the effort. Thanks to Chris Lockhart for bringing over a deep freeze for us today, paid for by someone somewhere. We continue to be humbled and suprised at the details God continues to work out in our lives. A few jumping off spots here: Danny Dodd's blog post today about connecting is very good - with wonderful remarks about our work here. Jim Martin doesn't mention our work here ... in so many words ... but his thoughts on the Messy Church fit us like an old familiar glove.