WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.640 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:19.839 --> 00:00:24.239 Good morning, Awakening! You can find your seat. 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:30.559 If we haven't met, my name is Ashley. 00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:32.479 I'm one of the pastors here. 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:35.119 And we are in, oh thanks, Brittany. 00:00:36.560 --> 00:00:45.520 We are in week two of our series Love Local, where we're talking about how to love and serve the people around us. 00:00:45.759 --> 00:00:49.679 This week we're focusing on loving our local community. 00:00:50.000 --> 00:01:06.480 Regardless of your political leaning, regardless of whether you are lamenting or anxious or maybe celebrating after this election, we can all agree on this, that our world is deeply broken. 00:01:07.680 --> 00:01:16.480 And we all have this deep belief that something isn't quite right in our country and in our world and that it needs to be fixed. 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:25.120 Here in America, we've been taught to believe that the answer to all of these problems is within the government and who we vote into power. 00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:28.000 Now, who becomes the president, that is important. 00:01:28.239 --> 00:01:31.280 The policies that they put in place, that is important. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:35.840 However, we've misplaced our ultimate hope. 00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:49.760 And every four years, we end up putting too much hope into whoever might be elected into that office, believing that they will be the one to bring about the change that we desperately want to see. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:57.760 As followers of Jesus, we actually have a much higher and more certain hope for the world. 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:09.599 This certain hope that we need to embrace as followers of Jesus, as his church, is that the true restoration of the world comes from God. 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:12.639 That's why Jesus came to earth. 00:02:12.960 --> 00:02:22.159 He came to redeem fallen humanity so that the world could be restored to the goodness that God created it with. 00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:26.159 Jesus came to set the wrong thing right. 00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:35.360 So this morning we're gonna see how God's way of bringing this restoration into the world is through his people, through us. 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:43.439 Every one of us is created to be part of bringing this restoration into the world, every one of us. 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:47.759 And it starts right here in loving your local community. 00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:55.680 Ephesians 2, 8 and 9 says this for it is by grace you have been saved through faith. 00:02:55.919 --> 00:03:12.000 This is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast, for we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 00:03:12.319 --> 00:03:13.759 Jesus saved us. 00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:20.719 This was God's gift for us by his generous mercy and grace. 00:03:20.960 --> 00:03:24.159 We're saved through our faith, not by works. 00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:28.639 We can't do anything to earn our place in God's kingdom. 00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:31.199 The works that we do, they don't save us. 00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:34.719 Only faith in Jesus saves us. 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:40.240 But while we were saved by faith, we were created for good works. 00:03:40.560 --> 00:03:45.520 God has good works for us to do while we are here on earth. 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:48.639 He prepared them in advance for us. 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:50.879 So what are these good works? 00:03:51.199 --> 00:03:53.919 Micah 6, 6 through 8. 00:03:54.159 --> 00:03:56.159 We're gonna jump down to verse 8. 00:03:56.400 --> 00:04:00.319 It says, He has shown you what is good. 00:04:00.560 --> 00:04:03.439 And what does the Lord require of you? 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:10.319 To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:25.120 In the time of the prophet Micah, the people were doing religious things, burnt offerings, fasting, bowing down, but they were passing by people who were in need in order to focus on their religious practices. 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:26.800 So Micah was saying this. 00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:29.120 He says, God has already shown you what's good. 00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:32.879 He already showed you the good works that you're supposed to be doing. 00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:40.639 Here's what God's telling you to do: to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with him. 00:04:41.360 --> 00:04:43.920 This message is the same for us today. 00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:56.879 We can show up for church, we can read our Bible, we can take communion, but without these good works, we aren't fully embracing the life that God has created us for. 00:04:57.360 --> 00:05:01.040 God is calling us to something more, to something deeper. 00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:04.480 So what does the Lord require of us? 00:05:04.879 --> 00:05:08.240 He says this to walk humbly with him. 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:13.279 This is referring to our relationship with God, being connected to him. 00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:24.399 This includes all those spiritual practices that we do, gathering with the church, worshiping him through singing, through raising our hands, reading scripture, prayer. 00:05:24.879 --> 00:05:27.839 It's remaining connected to God. 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:33.759 And when we're connected to him, we see what he desires for the world. 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:40.639 It's also keeping this sober recognition that all that we have comes from God. 00:05:41.120 --> 00:05:44.240 This is a humble posture for us to take. 00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:46.399 This walk humbly. 00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:50.560 Everything that we have, we have because of God. 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:57.680 At the end of his life, King David, one of the people with the most money and resources in his time, prayed this. 00:05:57.920 --> 00:06:05.600 He said, But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to give as generously as this? 00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:11.839 Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:14.399 Everything comes from God. 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:23.120 And this awareness makes space for generosity in our lives with our time, our money, our energy, our possessions. 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:35.839 Tim Keller in his book Generous Justice wrote this a lack of generosity refuses to acknowledge that your assets are not really yours, but God's. 00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:46.800 When we walk humbly with God, we become generous people because we are connected to him and we recognize that all that we have belongs to him. 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:55.519 The call to walk humbly is about our relationship with God, which leads to how we interact with people. 00:06:55.839 --> 00:06:58.240 Next is to love mercy. 00:06:58.959 --> 00:07:02.160 This is about our heart posture toward other people. 00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:05.600 God created people in his image. 00:07:05.920 --> 00:07:21.920 Every person, every person, whether they follow Jesus or not, whether they have the same political views as you or not, whether they are kind to you or not, every person carries the image of God in their being. 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:37.759 When we talk poorly about someone behind their back, when we post something about those people, when we call somebody names, we're disparaging and detracting from the image of God innate within them. 00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:42.319 Instead, our worldview needs to be one of compassion. 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:52.000 Over and over again throughout the gospels, we read about Jesus seeing people who had a need and being moved by compassion. 00:07:52.399 --> 00:07:59.439 Now, compassion is having concern for the suffering of others and then being moved to action. 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:08.639 As we have a merciful view of people, we affirm the image of God in them, and we can have compassion for them. 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:11.839 So that brings us to act justly. 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:14.639 The action behind the concern. 00:08:15.199 --> 00:08:17.920 This is restorative justice. 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:27.120 Bible Project defines restorative justice as seeking out vulnerable people who are being taken advantage of and helping them. 00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:36.159 These are the good works that God has created us for, to bring restorative justice to the world. 00:08:36.879 --> 00:08:42.399 Scripture shows us four marginalized people groups needing this mercy and justice. 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:46.159 And Bible scholars call this the quartet of the vulnerable. 00:08:46.320 --> 00:08:51.919 This includes the immigrant, the widow, the orphan, and the poor. 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:57.360 Zechariah 7, 9 and 10 says, This is what the Lord Almighty said. 00:08:57.759 --> 00:09:03.120 Administer true justice, show mercy and compassion to one another. 00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:09.120 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:14.879 These are the vulnerable people, often being taken advantage of, who need help. 00:09:15.200 --> 00:09:26.240 So as we act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God, this quartet of the vulnerable gives us a framework of who we are to serve. 00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:29.120 God has created us for this work. 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:34.799 And like Micah prophesied to his community, James in the New Testament also wrote on this. 00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:42.000 He wrote, What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? 00:09:42.320 --> 00:09:44.559 Can such faith save them? 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:48.960 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:57.039 If one of you says to them, Go in peace, keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 00:09:57.600 --> 00:10:03.840 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 00:10:04.799 --> 00:10:06.639 We aren't saved by these good works. 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:08.080 Jesus saved us. 00:10:08.639 --> 00:10:16.320 But our faith isn't fully activated without the good work of meeting the needs of the people around us. 00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:21.279 This is what brings about the change that our world needs. 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:32.320 This is where it starts, by God's people working to bring restorative justice to their local communities by seeking out vulnerable people and helping them. 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:36.799 So now I'm actually gonna invite up a few people from our church. 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:44.000 We have a panel this morning, and these three are already doing this good work, and they're gonna share that with you. 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:51.279 They've been serving vulnerable people in our community through awakenings partnerships with local organizations. 00:10:51.759 --> 00:11:01.440 So we've asked them to come and share with our church, with you this morning, both what they're doing to love their local community and how you can be a part of it. 00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:02.399 Can we thank them? 00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:04.240 Can we welcome them to the stage? 00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:14.159 So I have up here with me Brian, Tomas, and Melissa. 00:11:14.799 --> 00:11:18.480 So we're I want them to introduce themselves to you. 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:26.639 And so would you each describe the ministry that you're a part of and how it's bringing restorative justice to our community? 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:28.159 Good morning, Awakening. 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:29.600 Thank you for having us up here. 00:11:29.919 --> 00:11:30.960 My name is Brian. 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:33.600 I'm our local outreach coordinator here at Awakening. 00:11:33.679 --> 00:11:38.240 Uh, some of the things that I oversee, I am our liaison with Del Mar. 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:51.120 Uh, we're able to help them in a myriad of different ways, whether it's uh rent, whether it is with college applications, college application fees, whether it's backpacks, uh, we support our teachers here, we get to love on our teachers. 00:11:51.279 --> 00:11:53.919 Um that's kind of the little bit of what I do with Del Mar. 00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:56.639 Uh I'm also our city team liaison. 00:11:56.879 --> 00:11:58.639 Uh we partner with them for a lot of different things. 00:11:58.720 --> 00:12:00.639 Uh Coat Drive is one of them. 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:04.000 And we also, I'm the contact here for maintenance for moms. 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:08.960 Uh, that's a nonprofit that some of our uh congregants here work for. 00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:18.799 Um it's an amazing organization that is a resource for uh ultra-low-income uh single mothers to get um their cars repaired. 00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:29.440 Uh as you can imagine, if you're a single mom, you're on your own, you're trying to get to probably one, if not two jobs, get your kids to high school, junior, and high, uh, different places like that that are around the San Jose area. 00:12:29.679 --> 00:12:32.639 It's really hard if you don't have a car, uh, if you don't have a car that works. 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:54.159 So maintenance for moms uh as this uh group of women that they support, uh, they contact with uh local uh uh mechanics who are vetted, who are trustworthy, who do good work, um, and they're able to subsidize the work to get these moms uh back up on their feet, get cars at work, good quality condition, and gets them uh to and from their jobs, get the kids to school. 00:12:54.240 --> 00:13:05.919 Um so as far as it relates to social justice, it um all the things that I'm a part of here help those most vulnerable members of our community, uh, and that's how I get to spend my day. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:07.360 So that's what I get to do. 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:11.360 Hi everybody, my name is Tomas. 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:20.080 Um I am the co-coordinator, I guess, for the food drive that we host every other week um in partnership with Citite Team. 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:25.919 And I'm gonna look at my phone because I have the numbers for you, um, thanks to Brian. 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:37.600 But in the last uh fiscal year, um we served about a hundred sorry, we serve every week, every other week we serve about 105 families um with dry goods, dairy items, and produce. 00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:45.039 Last fiscal year we served 2,324 families, which is about 93,000 pounds of food in one year. 00:13:45.120 --> 00:13:46.639 And that's just us. 00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:56.399 Um as for the bigger picture of things, um I found awakening because of this. 00:13:56.720 --> 00:14:04.960 I am not one to put my time and energy into a church that isn't putting their money where their mouth is. 00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:12.320 And so I'm very proud to be doing this work um alongside alongside Brian and City team. 00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:38.080 Um but as the bigger picture of things of of loving justice and bringing mercy to our community, I think every other week we get this opportunity to extend a hand of love and care in a very busy individualistic um expensive American society and especially in the Silicon Valley. 00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:52.080 And what I tell my friends a lot is um the the um part of the Lord's prayer that we always stick with um as on earth as it is in heaven, that just sticks to me every other week. 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:57.279 And we have the power to bring God's love every other week. 00:14:57.600 --> 00:14:59.600 Forget every other week, every day. 00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:04.960 And um it's in our hands to do that. 00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:12.399 And I I truly believe that to my heart and um to the core of my being, and we just need to prioritize it. 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:17.440 So can you hear me? 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:18.879 Good morning. 00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:29.360 My name is Melissa, and I've been here at Awakening for about eight years, and recently I stepped into a volunteer role with an amazing nonprofit called Foster the City. 00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:54.320 Um, may have heard about this organization, and what we do at Foster the City is we are empowering local churches to um open their homes for either being foster parents or for folks in the church to come alongside as what we call support friends, and the support friends' role is to support the foster families. 00:15:54.639 --> 00:16:02.720 So, uh practical way that that looks is the support friend team will provide, I would say, many ways. 00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:08.399 We can provide for them emotionally, physical needs, spiritual needs through prayer. 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:15.200 We can do things like making meals, transporting the kiddos, um, potentially even some childcare. 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:18.240 So um, so it's twofold, right? 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:33.519 It's it's to um bring the burden to the heart of the church to open their homes if they're able to become foster parents and then to have those support friends around them to help enable them to keep up the great work that they're doing. 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:44.799 Because as we know, not everybody is able to open their home and be a foster parent, but we can all support them in some way, whether that be right financially, emotionally, or spiritually. 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:54.399 So that's a little bit about foster the city and um what what awakening is doing with this incredible nonprofit. 00:16:55.360 --> 00:16:59.600 So each of you had a starting point in the ministries that you're serving with. 00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:05.119 Each of you have been serving for a while, whether a long time or a short time, but you each had a starting point. 00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:09.440 So, what inspired you to be a part of that ministry initially? 00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:13.119 I took kind of a funny path to get to where I am. 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:18.079 Um for 16 years, I was a police officer over in uh in the city of Santa Cruz. 00:17:18.319 --> 00:17:19.119 I loved that job. 00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:20.640 I thought it was very important. 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:23.279 Um, God gave me uh, I thought was a gift. 00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:27.680 Um I was a detective, I did some, did a lot of investigations, a lot of talking to people. 00:17:27.839 --> 00:17:34.480 And one of the things that I remember from when I was first hired was one of the questions was, well, why do you want to be a police officer? 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:39.279 And the the standard answer that you give is, Well, I want to help my community. 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:41.599 And well, what does that mean to you? 00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:49.279 Well, in certain circumstances, like when you're being a police officer, you're keeping people safe, you're uh make sure people are following the rules and things like that. 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:52.480 Um, but there's not a lot of good that comes back from that. 00:17:52.640 --> 00:18:00.880 Um, so when that that career ended, um, and I was finding myself with a lot of extra free time, um, I was unsure of what I was gonna do. 00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:04.480 Uh I was asking God, you know, show me what to do, show me what to do. 00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:07.039 Is it does it look like this, does it look like that? 00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:13.759 And God brought me back to you still want to take care of your community, you still want to serve your community, how does that look? 00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:18.480 Um, and for me that looks like being the local outreach coordinator with awakening. 00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:24.640 Uh so instead of pulling people over, writing tickets, taking people to jail, um, all that sort of stuff. 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:26.559 Um still important and it happens. 00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:32.559 Um I get to I just get to lavish uh awakening's generosity on our community. 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:44.079 Uh so when you guys give and you partner with us, I get to hand out coats, I get to uh get volunteers where they need to be, I get to uh work one-on-one with high-risk Del Mar students. 00:18:44.240 --> 00:18:52.960 Um it definitely doesn't look like what I thought it was gonna look like, uh, but this is an amazing thing, and I wouldn't give this up for for anything else. 00:18:55.119 --> 00:19:00.160 Uh for me, I think it started in um kind of the pandemic. 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:04.480 Um that part was a crucial time for me. 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:11.200 Um and then that aside, you know, my faith, um obviously this is our calling. 00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:17.599 Um, the the Bible has 2,000 verses about helping the poor, helping the vulnerable. 00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:22.400 And I don't think we live that out completely as a church, if I'm being honest with you. 00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:28.720 Um one thing that really a little bit radicalized me was the the Bible project. 00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:30.960 I'm glad you brought um a piece of that. 00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:34.880 I have a friend in uh Oregon who works for the Bible Project. 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:48.720 I'm very proud of her, and uh they worked on a uh video about justice, and so I encourage you all to look that up, um, the Bible project um in-depth five-minute video um about justice. 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:59.680 Um the other thing, just how I was raised, um, my parents, my family, um, they prioritized other people um and their community. 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:12.880 Um and then as I reflected on um Ashley's question about just ministry in general, I part of me wants to challenge the use of that word. 00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:19.200 I don't think that what I do is a part of a ministry. 00:20:19.359 --> 00:20:21.200 I think it's just being in community. 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:22.480 Period. 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:25.680 Like this is what community should look like. 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:35.839 I think when we look at ministry, we think of like this extra step or this strategic plan that needs to go in place where there's an agenda behind it. 00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:39.359 I think this should be just what you do. 00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:46.880 This should be your your sixth sense, six sixth sense or whatever number it is after that. 00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:56.640 It should be a part of your being, um, not just because God calls us to it, but uh because it's what's right. 00:20:59.920 --> 00:21:03.599 So um a couple of months ago, I don't know who was here. 00:21:03.759 --> 00:21:12.960 There was a gal from Foster the City who delivered the message, and I don't know uh who else's hearts were like, you know, bumping out of their chests that day, but mine was. 00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:20.240 So I decided to go to the booth afterwards and learn a little bit more about Foster the City, and that hit me. 00:21:20.319 --> 00:21:24.000 It was like, oh yeah, you were a CASA a couple of years ago. 00:21:24.160 --> 00:21:27.759 So um I did a different volunteer opportunity a couple of years ago. 00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:39.119 It's called a court-appointed special advocate, and um I had the privilege of supporting these two sweet boys who were in foster care for quite a few years. 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:46.960 Um, when they were going through the system, going, I would um go to court and I would speak to the judge on their behalf. 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:50.640 I would work with the um just the the system, right? 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:54.160 Santa Clara County system that these children were in. 00:21:54.400 --> 00:22:07.680 And I was just as someone in their lives for a couple of years, I would spend time with them every Every week and just support them and be consistent because foster kids often get put from home to home, right? 00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:09.680 And it's very, very traumatic for them. 00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:14.880 And so the goal was to have a person in their life to do fun things with and to watch out for them. 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:20.079 So it was very interesting because it had been a while since I had completed that role. 00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:24.319 And then I'm sitting here in church, and this this woman is talking about foster the city. 00:22:24.400 --> 00:22:27.920 And I, you know, um, we probably a lot of you have had that experience, right? 00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:32.640 We're like, wow, I I really feel like this is something that I could get involved with. 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:40.559 So that's I I look back thinking about how God uses previous things in our lives, right? 00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:43.599 And the way He's um softened our hearts, right? 00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:45.200 And then there's this something else. 00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:49.119 This woman comes up and talks about this, and I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, right? 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:56.960 So I knew in that moment that that I was uniquely gifted and able to step into this role. 00:22:57.119 --> 00:23:04.720 And it wasn't just because of what I'd done in the past, but it sure um strengthened me in thinking through, yeah, I I can do this, I got this. 00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:07.039 Can you explain what CASA is? 00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:07.599 Oh, yeah. 00:23:07.839 --> 00:23:17.680 CASA, the court-appointed special advocate, is um it's a program, it's a nonprofit, and we we help kids who are in the foster system. 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:27.839 So um so, like I was saying earlier, it has to be just basically being a position where you're supporting them and you're you're going to the court with them. 00:23:28.079 --> 00:23:30.559 So it was a volunteer opportunity. 00:23:31.440 --> 00:23:31.839 Yeah, okay. 00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:32.640 You just said. 00:23:37.119 --> 00:23:52.880 So you all kind of talked about how the ministry that you're doing now, what you're a part of right now, wasn't the start for you, that this has been something that you've been passionate about and wanting to do for a long time, and that you've stepped into that in different ways in your life. 00:23:53.039 --> 00:24:03.759 And I love Tomas, what you were saying about how this is meant to be our entire lives, not just a thing that we do, but something that we live out all the time. 00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:08.079 So, would you guys talk about you all have full lives? 00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:14.240 So, would you talk a little bit about what this practically looks like in your life to serve locally? 00:24:16.240 --> 00:24:21.279 I had the pleasure of um working with a group of Del Mar College seniors. 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:23.200 Uh, they're in something called an avid program. 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:24.799 There's about 40 of them. 00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:38.480 Uh they are students that are uh they're high achieving, uh, but they come from um a little bit of a tougher socioeconomic uh background, to where they qualify for awakening to pay for their college application fees. 00:24:38.559 --> 00:24:42.880 Um so that's something that I got to go do over the course of three or four days. 00:24:43.039 --> 00:24:48.400 Um if you guys know college or high school seniors, they're not always like the most on it with every last little detail. 00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:51.440 And the college application process is uh not easy. 00:24:51.599 --> 00:25:02.400 Um so it was it was being in the classroom and it was listening to them um go through all of their their fee waivers and talking to them about, oh, well, there's you know, how many people do you have in your house? 00:25:02.559 --> 00:25:07.519 Well, I've got this person and this person and this person and this person and this person and this person and this person. 00:25:07.599 --> 00:25:19.519 Um when you come to find out a lot of these people they live in multiple multiple generational homes, um, which you know provides a lot of different challenges, and just getting to talk to them, um, hearing their hopes and their dreams for lack of a better term. 00:25:19.599 --> 00:25:24.079 Um, some kids are going into microbiology, they're going into uh business management. 00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:32.319 Uh I mean, gosh, I I think I wrote out over 40 different majors that these kids were applying for, and they weren't they weren't easy things. 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:40.480 Um so it was getting to talk to them one-on-one, look them in the eye, tell them congratulations when I was able to get their applications put through, submitted. 00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:44.720 I've already heard that some of them have been accepted to several of the colleges so far. 00:25:45.119 --> 00:25:58.160 Um it's just it's amazing that I got to do that and be with them and just to see them one-on-one and talk to them and listen to them and have them even ask questions about awakening. 00:25:58.240 --> 00:26:01.759 Uh, I had one student ask me, oh, you there's a church that meets here? 00:26:01.920 --> 00:26:05.039 And I went, and I'm thinking, well, yeah, we meet here, but they don't know it. 00:26:05.200 --> 00:26:07.200 Uh they're here Monday through Friday and they leave. 00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:09.519 They're not here Sunday mornings, they don't see us setting up. 00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:12.720 So she was asking me questions about, well, do you guys read the Old Testament? 00:26:12.799 --> 00:26:13.920 Is it the New Testament? 00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:15.200 What do you guys believe in? 00:26:15.359 --> 00:26:21.680 And it was just this really cool moment of, you know, she's asking questions, so I got to answer them in the middle of public school. 00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:22.960 Uh, so that was really fun. 00:26:23.039 --> 00:26:30.319 Uh so I guess that's what it looks like for me uh practically is meeting them where they are and being able to get back. 00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:32.799 I'm gonna jump in here really quick. 00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:36.240 Last Sunday, Brian has been working on this for a couple of weeks. 00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:41.519 He's been over here multiple times working with these seniors on this application process. 00:26:41.759 --> 00:26:54.000 Last week, I was out at our kids' check-in in the front, just waiting for church to start, greeting people as they were coming in, and one of our greeters out at the parking lot ran over to me and said, Ashley, you're on staff here. 00:26:54.079 --> 00:26:54.960 Can you come help me? 00:26:55.039 --> 00:27:00.480 There's somebody who wants to talk to somebody on staff talking about avid and college applications. 00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:01.680 Can you come talk to him? 00:27:01.759 --> 00:27:02.960 And I said, sure. 00:27:03.200 --> 00:27:10.960 And so this dad gets out of his car and says, I don't know who to say thank you to, but I need to say thank you to somebody. 00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:18.559 My daughter came home this week and told me that Awakening had paid for two of her college applications. 00:27:18.720 --> 00:27:24.960 And I was just floored by what your church does for our community here at Del Mar. 00:27:25.200 --> 00:27:31.920 He said, My kids have gone here for eight years, and we have just been blessed over and over and over again. 00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:33.680 Thank you so much. 00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:34.960 So, church, thank you. 00:27:35.119 --> 00:27:40.720 Thank you for your giving because you guys make that possible for us to be able to do these types of things. 00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:43.119 Okay, go ahead. 00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:53.440 I'm just thankful to be a part of this church that has such a connection with Del Mar. 00:27:53.920 --> 00:28:01.519 There are so many religious institutions out there that raise millions upon millions of dollars for a building. 00:28:01.680 --> 00:28:05.200 Not to say that Awakening doesn't deserve a building. 00:28:05.519 --> 00:28:11.680 But I came from one that literally had this fortress and was like, we need another building. 00:28:11.839 --> 00:28:14.079 And I was like, no, you don't. 00:28:15.039 --> 00:28:23.039 And you you guys just putting your time and money again where where it means the most and giving this opportunity to share, it's just fantastic. 00:28:23.119 --> 00:28:24.319 I know we're running out of time. 00:28:24.559 --> 00:28:32.400 Um, but um to answer your question quickly, um, serving locally, I think it looks like so many things. 00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:37.440 I think it looks like going to your other other local nonprofits events. 00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:40.720 There's gonna be a ton of events in the next two months for the giving season. 00:28:40.960 --> 00:28:45.119 It looks like going to their education events, learning about what they're doing. 00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:48.640 Um, it means voting locally, paying attention. 00:28:48.799 --> 00:28:52.240 You know how many people voted for the president and not locally? 00:28:52.799 --> 00:28:55.920 Who said, Oh, I don't care about these California props? 00:28:56.400 --> 00:28:56.960 Hello. 00:28:58.240 --> 00:29:03.440 That is an injustice that irks me to my core. 00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:06.000 And so it it looks like that. 00:29:06.160 --> 00:29:12.319 Uh, it looks like education, it looks like um this, it looks like giving your time, it looks like giving your money. 00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:28.160 Um, so I I guess to answer the question, I just want to challenge everyone to think about more ways that you can serve, that you can seek equity within your community because there are way more opportunities than you actually think. 00:29:28.799 --> 00:29:29.440 Yeah. 00:29:30.160 --> 00:29:52.319 So, what serving locally looks like here for me and and practically with foster the city is so my role as an advocate, so I am helping get uh other support friends trained and ready and understanding their role, and I'm helping coordinate with the foster family for those acts of service that the support friends do. 00:29:52.960 --> 00:30:00.480 So in terms of being a support friend, what that looks like practically is two times a month. 00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:05.200 That's all it takes, is just two times a month, and only one time a month to physically be present. 00:30:05.519 --> 00:30:16.960 So, example would be once a month bringing a meal, once a month going to the grocery store, once a month helping out with transportation, and then the other time of the month is more virtual, right? 00:30:17.119 --> 00:30:25.680 So praying, calling, um, listening, listening to the foster family and just being there to love on them and support them. 00:30:25.839 --> 00:30:31.519 So that's the practical matter of what this ministry does, and it is extremely flexible. 00:30:31.599 --> 00:30:34.640 I think we could all meet that ability, right? 00:30:34.799 --> 00:30:37.680 Twice just twice a month to come alongside. 00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:41.519 Um, so there's there's so much flexibility and and opportunity there. 00:30:41.680 --> 00:30:45.359 And with so many service opportunities, they are pretty flexible. 00:30:45.599 --> 00:30:57.680 So just encouraging everybody to um think through their schedule and their their daily routine and how we could all um fit in serving someone else in that. 00:30:58.319 --> 00:30:59.920 Yeah, that's awesome. 00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:03.359 So I'm gonna wrap us up. 00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:08.400 Sometimes we hear these messages and we get excited about serving. 00:31:08.480 --> 00:31:12.240 Like Melissa, you talked about that when Kylie came from Foster the City. 00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:16.640 You felt that excitement and you took a step to just go out to the table outside. 00:31:16.799 --> 00:31:26.079 So sometimes we get excited about serving and all the things that we could potentially do, but then we get home after church and we begin to feel these hesitations, right? 00:31:26.319 --> 00:31:31.359 Maybe our life feels too full and we freak out about how am I even gonna fit this in my life? 00:31:31.519 --> 00:31:36.400 Or we get afraid of what am I gonna experience when I'm actually out there doing this work. 00:31:36.559 --> 00:31:56.000 So would each of you, in just one sentence, I know you prepared probably more than that, but in one sentence, would you give our church or what would you say to somebody who's feeling passionate about becoming an active participant of bringing this restorative justice to our community, but they're nervous or hesitant to take their first step? 00:31:58.559 --> 00:31:59.680 One sentence. 00:32:00.559 --> 00:32:02.000 I'm gonna fudge just a little bit. 00:32:02.160 --> 00:32:05.440 Um, maintenance for moms has a uh big ask right now. 00:32:05.519 --> 00:32:10.240 Uh, they are trying to provide uh desserts for about 40 different families. 00:32:10.640 --> 00:32:20.400 If you bake, if you think you can bake, if you have a daughter like I do that is an amazing baker, um please sign up out at the table or through your QR code. 00:32:20.640 --> 00:32:25.200 They are looking for homemade desserts for about eight people for Thanksgiving. 00:32:26.480 --> 00:32:29.920 Crack a recipe book, do the internet thing, I know we can do it. 00:32:30.079 --> 00:32:32.400 Let's blow them out and give them more than they need. 00:32:32.720 --> 00:32:36.400 Forty recipe 40 desserts for people, a family of eight. 00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:37.359 That would be awesome. 00:32:40.480 --> 00:32:42.160 Yeah, you're not getting a sentence. 00:32:42.400 --> 00:32:46.400 Um the this just came to mind. 00:32:46.559 --> 00:32:55.519 The um I I don't know the details behind the uh toy drive or that we're doing on Awakening for this Christmas season. 00:32:55.680 --> 00:33:08.240 But if you can bring um anything extra in the second or third week of December, um as a part of our food drive, we will have a bunch of um toys for families to also take. 00:33:08.480 --> 00:33:10.880 And those run out in five minutes. 00:33:11.119 --> 00:33:22.000 I would love to give these families 20 minutes of their time and to have you know maybe each one of those families go away with with something other than food. 00:33:22.240 --> 00:33:47.599 Um and then just to actually answer your question, um the uh thing that I want that I the thing that I think all of us could walk away from today in other aspects of our lives, because I know we're so busy and we can't give all the time or we can't give all the money, but just ask yourself, is this helping someone who is less fortunate than me? 00:33:47.759 --> 00:34:04.640 I think if we answer ask ourselves that question when we're leaving Walmart, when we're busy in our day, when we see an email come in from a nonprofit that's asking for money this this Christmas season, I think that would lead to a lot more good that is needed. 00:34:04.880 --> 00:34:13.599 Um and just to leave you with one more thing, the opposite the opposite of poverty is justice, and God calls us to enact that justice. 00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:16.400 So, do it. 00:34:18.000 --> 00:34:26.960 And to piggyback off on what we were talking about last week, everybody in this room has unique gifts and talents that were given to you. 00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:30.320 You are blessed by God with those gifts and talents. 00:34:30.480 --> 00:34:43.920 And so I would just encourage you to continue pondering through that um what we talked about last week and think about how you are uniquely gifted and how you can use that and you can give back to our community. 00:34:44.079 --> 00:34:49.519 It won't feel like work, and you will find the time because it'll come from your heart. 00:34:49.920 --> 00:35:00.159 So that's my encouragement is just to lean into how God created you and how special you are and how you can share that goodness with our community. 00:35:00.800 --> 00:35:02.400 Oh, Melissa, thank you. 00:35:02.480 --> 00:35:04.639 What a perfect ending to this. 00:35:06.239 --> 00:35:08.000 Yeah, can we thank them? 00:35:11.039 --> 00:35:20.239 Church, let's thank them for being up here and sharing with us today, but also for the work that they're doing to lead our church in this restorative justice ministry. 00:35:20.320 --> 00:35:22.159 Can we thank them like really big? 00:35:29.199 --> 00:35:38.239 For all three of them, this act of restorative justice has been an act of generosity that has flown out of their relationship with God. 00:35:38.400 --> 00:35:45.440 They're the picture of what it looks like to walk humbly with God, to love mercy, and to act justly. 00:35:45.679 --> 00:35:47.199 So here's our challenge, church. 00:35:47.360 --> 00:35:48.079 You heard it. 00:35:48.400 --> 00:35:49.840 He said, do something. 00:35:50.000 --> 00:35:51.039 So that is our challenge. 00:35:51.119 --> 00:35:57.119 I want you to take out this tiny, tiny card that was on your seat, and you're gonna scan that QR code. 00:35:57.280 --> 00:36:01.360 We have a whole bunch of different ways that you can step into this. 00:36:01.679 --> 00:36:06.960 And our challenge for you between now and Christmas is to do one thing. 00:36:07.119 --> 00:36:08.719 You're gonna scan this code. 00:36:08.880 --> 00:36:10.800 These are the options that are on there. 00:36:11.039 --> 00:36:16.320 Serving at a food pantry with Tomas, joining a Foster the City interest meeting. 00:36:16.480 --> 00:36:33.360 The interest meeting isn't even a commitment, it's just exploring what it looks like to serve with Foster the City, to donate a baked dessert like Brian was talking about, and then City Team has a ton of other projects that you could go to City Team downtown and help them do. 00:36:33.599 --> 00:36:40.079 So scan this, find something that you can do between now and Christmas and awakening. 00:36:40.159 --> 00:36:48.880 If we all do this together, the way that God is unleashing his restorative justice in our local community will be incredible. 00:36:49.199 --> 00:36:50.960 Church, would you stand with me? 00:36:51.119 --> 00:36:56.320 We're gonna pray, and I'm gonna pray this prayer of King David over us. 00:37:04.719 --> 00:37:05.760 Let's pray. 00:37:06.079 --> 00:37:13.599 Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our Father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. 00:37:13.920 --> 00:37:24.960 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. 00:37:25.199 --> 00:37:27.119 Yo, is the kingdom. 00:37:27.440 --> 00:37:30.880 You are exalted as head over all. 00:37:31.119 --> 00:37:33.280 Wealth and honor come from you. 00:37:33.519 --> 00:37:35.920 You are the ruler of all things. 00:37:36.159 --> 00:37:42.239 In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. 00:37:42.480 --> 00:37:47.360 Now, our God, we give you thanks and praise your glorious name. 00:37:47.679 --> 00:37:55.679 But who am I, and who is awakening that we should be able to give as generously as this? 00:37:56.159 --> 00:38:02.000 Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 00:38:02.159 --> 00:38:09.199 Lord, would you unleash your restorative justice on this community through this church this season? 00:38:09.360 --> 00:38:10.159 God thanks. 00:38:10.239 --> 00:38:13.519 And Jesus, may all this be done in your name. 00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:14.480 Amen. 00:38:15.920 --> 00:38:18.239 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:38:18.400 --> 00:38:22.800 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:38:22.960 --> 00:38:25.039 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:38:25.280 --> 00:38:31.199 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.com slash card.