Some Osoyoos History

The Aboriginal People roamed the Okanagan Valley for centuries. They stopped at Spotted Lake above Osoyoos, for physical and spiritual healing. They made Osoyoos a favourite meeting place, and they named our town "Sooyoos" a Native Okanagan word meaning the “narrows of the lake” or “meeting place”.

The narrows afforded a natural crossing, so that, even before the days of the brigades, there was a junction at this point of important trails. Osoyoos Lake is British Columbia’s warmest lake and it crosses the border into the United States. Osoyoos, a version of that word, is pronounced: O-sue-use.

The "O" prefix is not indigenous in origin and was attached by settler-promoters wanting to harmonize the name with other O-names in the Okanagan region (Oliver, Omak, Oroville, Okanagan).

In the 1800’s, Osoyoos was merely a rest stop for fur traders seeking a better route for sending their furs back to Europe.

The extension of the Canadian Pacific Railway to the town in December of 1945 gave orchardists and producers a better way to market their produce.

The first school opened in 1917. There were six pupils.

In 1946, Osoyoos was incorporated as a Village and the railway arrived. Rail service was discontinued a number of years ago, but the Village has grown to be a Town.

In the early 1950's, immigrants from Portugal settled in the South Okanagan. Over the years they proved themselves expert orchardists, proudly making their mark as successful growers of fruit and vegetables and vital members in the community. In recent years, more land has been cleared to make way for vineyards, and the orchards are being redeveloped by an enthusiastic Indo-Canadian Community.

Osoyoos Indian Band The Osoyoos Indian Band has lived for thousands of years in the desert, harvesting fish, roots, berries, and wildlife for food and clothing. Today, over 400 people live on 32,000 acres of Osoyoos Indian Reserve land and have continued their resourceful ways. The band also regularly holds ceremonies at Spotted Lake that it owns and values for its healing properties. One must be creative in order to live life in the desert, and the Osoyoos Indian Band is a living proof of how this can be achieved.

John Carmichael Haynes In the mid-19th Century, the settlement of Osoyoos was born. Haynes had decided to make Osoyoos home after riding on horseback through the area and being struck by Lake Osoyoos' beauty. He is credited with being the first non-Native settler of Osoyoos as well as its first colonial officer and judge. While he did not build a hotel or restaurant, he and a partner did establish cattle ranches to feed nearby mining camps. Osoyoos’ commercial fruit-growing industry was born when an engineer purchased some of Haynes’ land and planted 30 acres of plums, apricots, apples, and other fruit in 1907. Soon after, the Irrigation Canal was built to supply local orchards with water so that crops could be reliably grown. Haynes Point Provincial Park and the Haynes Point Wetlands Trail are named after Haynes in honour of his importance to Osoyoos’ establishment as a community.

Osoyoos is home to Canada’s only official desert.

Fruit production remains a major industry, but Osoyoos has grown into a hot tourist destination since its first hotel was established in the 1920’s. Osoyoos today has retained its agricultural heritage. The ideal climate has resulted in the area producing a variety of fruits, vegetables and vineyards, catering to the early seasonal markets. The climate also has attracted many visitors who flock to the area beaches to enjoy the warm waters of Osoyoos Lake.

Never Before

Never before in our life time have we been aware of such devastating news and medical epidemics. Wide range food shortages, record high fuel prices, and natural disasters of floods, earthquakes, cyclones, tornados and volcanic eruptions, housing defaults, and foreclosures are reported daily. Food prices have fuelled riots in Haiti, Cameroon, Egypt, Mexico, Philippines, Indonesia and Ivory Coast. And most recently the earthquake in Japan. Looking at all this, one cannot help but wonder “What in the world is going on?”

We at the Gathering Place believe that it is of the utmost importance to be in right relationship with Almighty God. I know churches can let you down, and certainly Christians can let you down, but the Word of God is Rock Solid. The Bible can be trusted as the one source of reliable information about the meaning of the events of our day and what those events tell us about our hope for the future. The lyrics of an old country music song written by Roy Acuff and Odell McLeod (recorded by Hank Williams) say it all.

There’s a mighty battle coming and it’s well now on its way.
It’ll be fought at Armageddon, it shall be a sad, sad day.
In the book of Revelation, words in chapter sixteen say:
There’ll be gathered there great armies for that battle on that day.

All the way from the gates of Eden to the battle of Armageddon
There’s been troubles and tribulation, there’ll be sorrow and despair.
He has said “ye not be troubled for these things shall come to pass.”
Then your life will be eternal when you dwell with him at last.

Turn the pages of your Bible, in St. Matthew you will see,
Start with chapter twenty-four and read from one to thirty-three.
In our Savior’s blessed words He said on earth, He prophesied,
For he spoke of this great battle that is coming by and by.

There’ll be nation against nation, there’ll be war and rumor of war.
There’ll be great signs in heaven, in the sun, the moon, the stars.
Oh, the hearts of men shall fail them, there’ll be gnashing of the teeth.
Those who seek it will receive it, mercy at the Savior’s feet.

A message of hope from “That” Church in Osoyoos, The Gathering Place. www.thegatheringplace-osoyoos.com

ABLE MEN

Today, we're going to talk about men. However, this doesn't mean our sisters should tune out, they might learn something.

Average Christian congregations in Canada will draw an adult congregation that is 61% female and 39% male. About 24% of married women attend without their husbands. Sadly, the majority of men, who actually show up for services are there in body only. Their hearts just aren't in it. In general women are the participators, men the spectators. Thankfully this is not the case with our fellowship - we must ensure that it stays that way.

Consider that our faith was founded by a man and his twelve male disciples. So why do Christian churches around the world experience a chronic shortage of males? Why are church-going men so hesitant to really live out their faith, when men of other religions willingly die for their faith?

Interestingly many churches don't mind having more women than men. After all, women are the key to having a smooth running congregation. Women keep the activity machine going, they sing in the choir, care for the children, teach the classes, cook for the potlucks and serve on the committees.

But over the long term, a lack of men, real men will doom a congregation. If you want a healthy church for the long haul it's been proven, you have to attract men. Jesus' strategy still works today. But there's one little problem. Men don’t like going to church. Quite a few men go to church only to keep their wives, mothers or girlfriends happy.

Churches around the world are short on men. No other major religion suffers from a shortage of males. In the Islamic world, men are openly, publicly, unashamedly religious. Of the world's major religions, only Christianity has a consistent, nagging shortage of real men.

The Old Testament shows that two entire nations were taken into captivity because the men turned their backs on God. But, there was one group of men that proved their faith. I Chronicles 9:10 Of the priests: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, and Jachin… v13 and their brethren - 1760 they were found to be able men for the work of the service of the house of God.

God called and is still calling able men to serve Him.
The problem is, it's getting harder and harder to find men who’ stand against the cultural norm and say, "as for me and my house, we will serve God."

God is still looking for able men who will put on the armor of God, take up the sword of the spirit, and fight the good fight of faith.

There are four attributes of a man of God. These four points can also be attributed to women, but I'm focusing more from the male perspective.

Availability:

God is looking for Available, able men. It doesn't matter what abilities you possess, if you're not available to God, you're useless to the cause.

Isaiah 6:8 I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I send me."

Isaiah gave himself completely to God, and completely to His cause. It was a ready response – "here I am, send me." It was a faithful response. He didn't specify where or when, he just wanted to be sent to do the work of the Lord here.

We often look at men like Isaiah, Abraham, Moses, David, Paul and many others as men with tremendous abilities. But the truth is, they were men, just like you and me.

They were ordinary men who made themselves available for Almighty God. God then did amazing things through them. What it is, is a matter of commitment, being there, being available and being committed to what God wants you to do.

So many today are not available. Men in society have put up the "Do Not Disturb" sign when it comes to their church attendance.

Far too many things going on, they just don't have the time to serve God and His people.

So I have to ask, "Do you have too many irons in the fire? Are you too busy? Do you feel like you can't catch up?

I Kings 18:19-21 Elijah was told to go and present himself to Ahab. And he knew it wasn't a safe thing to do, but he made himself available anyway. He did so and set up this challenge with the prophets of Baal. But there were others that day that sat on the sidelines, as spectators waiting to see what would happen. So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. And Elijah came to all the people… not just the prophets, but to all the people there of Israel, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him."
But the people answered him not a word…nothing.

Nobody stepped up, Elijah was alone. Elijah was man enough to stand alone, but the rest were unavailable. Elijah was looking for someone from the nation of Israel man enough to stand up with him. He said, "Is anyone available? Are there any more men that will stand with me against Baal?" But no one would.

2. Dependability (Dependable Able men)

In the Apostle Paul's time, a steward would completely run a property for the owner. These steward's were to be faithful, and dependable. I Corinthians 4:1 consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God….. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

You got to like it when, someone says, "I'll be there." and they are. When they say, "I'll do it" and they get it done.
We like dependable people. People who are faithful to their word. One day Christ will say to His servants, "I knew I could depend on you, thank you for being faithful and dependable."

3. Mobility

Mobile, able men. Men were not created to sit on their spiritual recliners, but rather to actively live and share the good news of the gospel of the kingdom. If we want to do God's work, we have to participate.

In everything we do, God living in us – should be seen.

We have to be about our Father's business. Growing, learning and developing in the grace of God. As Peter told us in II Peter 3:18 "but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…"

Reader's Digest recently asked, "What has six eyes and cannot see?" The winning answer – three men in a house with dirty laundry, with overflowing trash cans and a sink full of dirty dishes.

Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem…then He continues… and (but also) in all Judea and Samaria, and…you shall be witnesses of me…to the end of the earth.

Three verses later we read…. Men of Galilee why do you stand gazing up into heaven? Acts 1:11

With the power of the Holy Spirit, we can be actively mobilized as men in God's church. We can be witnesses of His way of life to all corners of the globe.

4. Stability

We are in a spiritual warfare, the world is falling all around us, unless we stand fast, we may fall with it.
How many members of the church have you seen over the years that have not been able to stand for the faith once delivered to them?

How many have become entangled again in the yoke of bondage, overcome by their own human efforts?
I Corinthians 16:13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

The Modern King James Version puts it this way: Watch, stand fast in the faith, be men, be strong.

God is looking for stability in His congregations. Looking for stable, able men. There is strength and stability that comes from us working together in God's church. Every man needs a band of brothers, friends. And we need strong friendships in the faith. Jesus began His ministry by assembling a team of men.

Men need a band of brothers standing around them.

Why should we be more involved?
Why should we stand fast?
Why should we present a stable foundation in the congregation and in our homes?

Here's one reason – Children with involved fathers are more confident and less anxious in unfamiliar settings, better able to deal with frustration, better able to gain a sense of independence, more likely to become compassionate adults. Children with involved fathers are more likely to have higher self-esteem, more likely to even have a higher grade point average and more sociable. That's in the family, but the same thing can happen in the congregation.

It makes for a more stable congregation when you have stable men involved. God is looking for available, dependable, mobile, stable, able men to stand up, to stand firm, to do His work.

Will you be that man?
Will you be the one who will put on the armor of God?
Will you take up the sword of the spirit, and fight the good fight of faith.
Will you be an able man for the house of God?
Ephesians 6:10-13 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Will you be an able man in the house of God?

8 of 8 An Angel in Queens

An Angel in Queens: Every weekday, Jorge Munoz starts his shift at 5:15 a.m. He drives a school bus, picking up elementary schoolchildren at a bus stop and dropping them off at a few schools on Long Island in New York. As part of his regular route home, he passes a food factory.
Something always bothered him: "These guys, they were throwing away a lot of food." One day in 2004, Munoz couldn't stand seeing good food go to waste. He pulled over and asked if they would give him the goods. He knew some families having trouble. Two weeks later, he got some food and gave it to about 10 families that didn't have food. Only two people in those families had a job."
The food he received from the factory turned out to be a one-time thing. Munoz scrambled to continue helping the hungry families. He collected small food donations from local businesses, but those weren't enough. He started to use money from his own salary to buy food, brown-bag meals, and handed them out to eight day laborers, three times a week.
The eight soon tripled to 24. A few months later, Munoz and his mother started cooking meals for 45 people in his shoe-box-sized apartment. The economy worsened, and the hungry population grew. More than half of his weekly salary of $700 went to buy food, drinks and packaging.
The act: For the past six and a half years, Munoz has been delivering home-cooked meals every night out of his white Toyota pickup. He has missed only one night, when a snowstorm shut down all lines of transportation. These days, about 140 people -- many of them homeless, jobless immigrants -- line up some times stretching nearly one block.
His makeshift meal program has turned into a well-oiled nonprofit called An Angel in Queens. A handful of volunteers, including his mother and sister, begin prepping the food around 1:30 p.m. When Munoz returns from his day shift, he switches gears from bus driver to good Samaritan, with a 10-minute break for coffee in between.
The volunteers have learned to work in a tight space, shuffling past each other in the apartment turned soup kitchen. The kitchen and living room look more like food pantries, stacked with crates of small juice cartons, produce bags, and trays of hot food. There's always the smell of onions cooking in oil, beans, and meat, but the menu changes nightly, ranging from ham and cheese sandwiches to beans, rice, and chicken. The family multiplies whatever they're having for dinner by 140.
Munoz attributes his motives to "God. God and my mom. My mom since my childhood teach me to share, and that's what we are doing here."
And he shares the family spirit with every person who receives a meal. "They feel like a part of the family. Most of them, they are alone. I got my mom, my sister, my nephew, my friends, a lot of members of my family are out here. But they are alone. But at least they feel like they have a small family taking care of them."
The ripple: Munoz's generosity has been contagious, and his friends and the community have chipped in. "A couple of times a week, I go to collect food from my friends. Some buy extra oil and rice. Other friends, some have restaurants tell me to go pick up extra food they cook," Munoz says. "Whatever I don't have, I go to stores to pick up." In June of 2008 a couple of volunteers helped him set up his website and nonprofit.
Soon word about An Angel in Queens spread through local, national, and international media. The blogosphere blasted his message. His selfless act has been featured in the New York Times, CNN, Univision, and Telemundo. That coverage has inspired the global community to reach out with support: monetary donations, appliances, food, drinks and lots of thanks.
Munoz has received personal recognition as well. Renowned chef Jamie Oliver featured him on his cooking show, "Jamie's American Road Trip." He also got a presidential nod. Munoz, his mother, sister, and nephew visited President Barack Obama at the White House in August and received the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second-highest civilian honor behind the Medal of Freedom.
His biggest reward comes from those he serves. "You have to see their faces, when they smile, that's the way I get paid," Munoz says. "When they smile, I thanks God, this guy got something to eat tonight."

7 of 8 Secret Agent L

Secret Agent L: By day, blogger Laura Miller, 32, worked as an administrative assistant at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her busy workload -- booking schedules, managing projects, and fielding inquiries from students and the public -- didn't allow much time for another important thing she neglected on her to-do list: good will.
The Secret Agent L idea blossomed in July 2009, after she asked one of her blog readers, whom she had befriended, what she wanted for her birthday. Her friend replied, "Don't send me anything; just do a random act of kindness for someone else." Caught up in the excitement, Miller even made Secret Agent L business cards with her blog address on it.
Mission No. 1. Miller attached a homemade business card with thick green ribbon to her first gift, a stem of lavender hydrangea, and left it on a stranger's windshield wiper. The first blog "Unleash the kindness" said Today we start to unleash anonymous acts of kindness and day-brightening all over Pittsburgh.
The act: Her gifts, about $5 to $10 each, fit her admin salary: coffee gift cards, a roll of quarters wrapped in pink and green ribbons at a Laundromat, sunflower bouquets at graves of fallen soldiers on Memorial Day, colourful cards filled with inspirational quotes in public parks and bathrooms.
The first three weeks she carried out and blogged about her mission every day, signing her entries Secret Agent L.
Quickly, words of appreciation filled her inbox. Nearly a month into the project, though, she realized that giving every day would bust her budget. She called for backup and encouraged readers to execute their own secret missions across America.
The ripple: She received a few responses at first, then dozens. Soon, Miller recruited more than 80 worldwide secret agents in Canada, Denmark, Germany, England, Japan, and Mongolia. The clandestine acts were both creative and practical. One agent gathered a note, a coupon, and enough cash to buy a bag of diapers, then left the items at an diaper-changing station in a public bathroom.
Miller blogged about her drop-offs and Affiliate Agents' good deeds. A local Pittsburgh TV news station featured the secret project. Then other TV networks, bloggers, and websites helped her message go viral at Kirtsy.com, the Huffington Post, Reader's Digest, CNN, and Fox News.
These days, Miller receives about 1,000 daily blog hits, and she's received more than 2,500 email testimonies about these simple, thoughtful, inexpensive gestures. Nathan in Pittsburgh emailed, "I sat down on the park bench next to the package and read the words on the front of the envelope over and again: "For you! Yes ... you!" But, surely, it couldn't have been for me. Why would it be? But then, what if it was...? I was touched by this random act of kindness. Just when I was losing hope in myself and life's purpose, something like this comes along."
George from Massachusetts wrote about finding a card in a restroom on top of Mount Everett, the fifth highest peak in Massachusetts. "When I first opened the card, I was overwhelmed -- I sat there and cried, wondering how did you know, how wonderful it was that you thought to leave that card for me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
Exactly one year after Secret Agent L launched her project, she revealed her identity. "I saw the positive response the project was getting. I wanted to get out in the community as a real person to see what I could do to spread kindness," said Miller. So far, she and her Associate Agents have completed more than 300 missions. "How easy it is to pay attention to the people around you," Miller says. "Imagine what 2 to 3 minutes could do to brighten someone else's day. It's the easiest and simplest thing to do."

6 of 8 Phoebe's Food Bank

Phoebe’s Food Bank: Five-year-old Phoebe Russell asked her mother “Why do the homeless live that way?” In Phoebe's city, San Francisco, the homeless population ranges between 6,200 and 15,000.
Phoebe's mother, explained about hunger and homelessness. That led to another question: "Who helps them?"
Phoebe also took this question to her preschool teacher, Kathleen Albert. I explained to her some people don't have homes and jobs; some people have really bad things happen to them." Phoebe was determined to help.
Her family would often take cans to the grocery store and recycle them for cash. She asked her parents, "We collect cans at home -- can we do that for the food bank?" Her goal: $1,000 in two months when the school year ended.
Phoebe also recruited her preschool class in her new project. Albert didn't think it could be done. "At five cents a can, one thousand dollars.. A bit unrealistic. But Phoebe was adamant.
The act: Albert and the classmates were onboard. Phoebe spent her recess crafting a handwritten letter and sent them to 150 friends and family members. In neatly written, oversized letters, she wrote: "My charity project is to raise lots of money for the food bank. They need money. Please give me your soda cans."
Phoebe's enthusiasm was infectious. People dropped off checks, cash, and cans at Phoebe's classroom door. The first couple of weeks, a few bags filled with cans showed up. Over the next few weeks, thousands of cans poured in. Once a week for two months, Phoebe counted every single bill and coin herself. She stowed the cash in a box she decorated with shiny star stickers and hand-drawn flowers, dollar signs, and the words: "Phoebe's Project. SF Food Bank." A local columnist got wind of the project and wrote about her effort. Word of mouth also carried her message.
"I've never seen so many cans in my life," Albert said. "People would leave them at the preschool door; others put cash in the mailbox.
The ripple: By the two-month deadline, just before summer break, Phoebe nearly quadrupled her goal, raising more than $3,700, equalling 18,000 meals. A social networking site devoted to inspiring stories posted an online video about Phoebe's project, and it went viral. Six months later, the total reached $20,202, or about 80,000 meals. The video was submitted to Tyson Foods' Hunger Relief Challenge, which led to a donation of 15 tons of chicken, bringing it up to 120,000 meals.
Phoebe's determination to feed the hungry created a "Yes, we can" preschool campaign.
Phoebe, now 7, is in first grade, and her family and friends volunteer at the San Francisco Food Bank. Perhaps more importantly, she inspires her preschool protégés and fellow classmates to pay it forward. Three students at her former preschool raised more than $5,300. That makes a total of more than 135,000 meals served in her community. "It makes me feel good," she says politely.
Her first question -- "Why do the homeless live that way?" -- may never have a good answer. That second one -- "Who helps them?" -- she answered on her own.

5 of 8 Wonder Capes

Wonder Capes: Like many superheroes, Amy Pankratz a stay-at-home mother from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, discovered her powers by accident. One cold winter day, her then four-year-old daughter Isabella said, "Mommy, I want a superhero cape." Pankratz says, "I told her OK." But then she couldn't find capes for little girls at the store, so she sewed her own. Months later, when Isabella fell ill with a double virus and had to be hospitalized, the power of the cape multiplied and transformed into Wonder Capes.
The act: During a brief hospital stay, her daughter begged Pankratz to pack her pink princess cape. "On the third day, Isabella asked if she could wear it in the hallway. Pankratz says. Kids with IV poles looked on in awe. "That's when Isabella put the cape on another hospitalized child." Every other pediatric patient on that hospital floor wanted to soar through the halls. Pankratz started creating, sewing, and donating customized superhero capes: more than 4,000 and counting.
This mom has full days but at night she sews capes. It takes her three or four hours to customize a cape, she considers each child and gives their capes a special blessing. "I read their stories, think about them, their hobbies, favorite colors; I pray over them," she says. "If, even for a moment, the cape brings some relief, comfort, and hope to them, it's worth it,"
The ripple: The Wonder Capes project inspired Angie Kappenman, a mother from Madison, South Dakota. "The cape made [my son] Nicholas feel strong. He’d fly through the hospital halls to receive his treatments.” The cape inspired the Kappenhams' backpack donation program, Stay Strong, Carry On, at the local hospital. The backpacks include coloring books, toys, and activities and can be used as organizational tool for the formidable amount of hospital paperwork.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation, Children's Miracle Network, and St. Baldrick's Hospital are teaming up with the supermom to give her special capes to sick, injured, or disabled children and their siblings around the world.

4 of 8 Operation Beautiful

Operation Beautiful: Caitlin Boyle was writing environmental compliance documents for a land developer. But writing legal docs and analyzing the development's environmental impact from the confines of her home office was too technical for her taste -- and too solitary. The 25-year-old yearned to do something more creative and self-directed, and wanted to connect with people on a more personal level.
Boyle was taking night classes, hoping for a career change, and on one "really bad day" felt completely overwhelmed by work and school. Boyle realized that her own self-image was holding her back: "I thought I wasn't smart enough to go to work and take night classes at the same time. I'm going to fail my chemistry final. I'm bad at math and can't do this. I was suffering from negative self-talk," she admits.
The act: So what's a woman to do? Brighten up someone else's day. She scribbled "You Are Beautiful" on a piece of paper, posted the note in the ladies' room at Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida, took a photo, and blogged about the moment. She wrote, "If this little blog only does one productive thing, I hope it helps readers realize how truly toxic negative self-talk is -- it hurts you emotionally, spiritually, and physically."
In three days, 75 notes with photos of people posting their own messages flooded her inbox. On the fourth day, Boyle launched her site, Operation Beautiful.
The ripple: The viral message has inspired tens of thousands of anonymous, positive notes, posted in public spots: bathroom mirrors, libraries, hospitals, and gyms. Boyle blogs six days a week, sharing stories with heartfelt messages of hope. Her favourite is from a gym: "Scales measure weight, not worth." Others include "This is not a trick mirror, you look this awesome" and "Take a diet from your negative thoughts, fill yourself with positive ones."
Boyle's mission has touched girls on every continent except Antarctica, sparking impassioned online discussions on the notions of beauty. A girl headed to the roof of a parking garage spotted a note: "If there's no you, someone else will be as alone as you feel now. Turn around. Operationbeautiful.com"
She turned around and called a friend to pick her up. The friend wrote this email to Boyle: "Thank you so much for starting this project. She’ll never admit it, but she owes her life to this project."
Boyle's positive message continues to multiply: "The Today Show," "The Early Show," the Oprah Winfrey Network, and many other mediums are spreading the compassion. As for her career, Boyle is literally writing the next chapter of her professional life. She continues to blog for a living and has been commissioned to write a book, appropriately titled "Operation Beautiful: Transforming the Way You See Yourself One Post-It Note at a Time." "It created a circle of random acts of kindness, proving you're never alone, you can change a life and you can do something nice for strangers," says Boyle.

3 of 8 KIDSWING

KidSwing: Ben Sater was 3 years old when he received his first surgery for trigger finger. When he was 10, he had surgery on three other fingers at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, an orthopaedic facility that treats about 40,000 patients yearly, at no charge.
"He thought we forgot to pay the hospital bill after his treatments," chuckles his mother. She explained that the hospital relies on the generosity of donations. “I was more confused than amazed," Ben recalls. "I didn't understand how this huge hospital could run on donations and charity events, so I wanted to give back." He later pledged to himself that he’d donate a million dollars to the Dallas hospital before going to college.
Despite his big thinking, his initial attempts to raise money were modest: car washes and lemonade stands. Sater's parents inspired him to think a little bigger.
The act: Golf enthusiasts, Ben and his father came up with the idea of holding a children's charity golf tournament at the sprawling courses of Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas, Texas. They formed two committees, adults and children. Kids aged 7 to 18 were asked to raise $100 to participate.
The tournament became so popular that organizers added another at the Stonebridge Ranch Country Club in McKinney, Texas.
The ripple: Local golf professional Cameron Doan was inspired by Sater's efforts and organized KidSwing to continue the charity fundraiser. In the fourth year, the number of kids who took a swing on the green tripled. The running total: just over $500,000.
In July 2010, KidSwing surpassed the goal, with $1,026,000, plus change. From his dorm room, Sater's still in awe of the journey. "I can't really explain how I got to this day. I was just a 10-year-old kid with an average GPA. I just wanted to do something simple to give back."

ARK Part 2 of 8

Daily Ocean: For as long as Sara Bayles could remember, she's loved the ocean. When she took a trip to the big island of Hawaii, Bayles leapt at the chance to swim with the sea turtles and spinner dolphins in the warm Pacific waters. After her trip, though, she was taken aback at the contrast between the stunning Hawaiian sunsets and the Santa Monica beach, where birds pecked at plastic bags and rubbish was strewn along the sand.

After more research, she was shocked to discover the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an area in the Pacific Ocean where the currents swirl together, collecting about 10 million tons of trash.
Of her home beaches, she says, "I saw so much trash on the beach and thought, What could I do?"

The act: In between book writing and teaching art for a local nonprofit, 34-year-old Bayles set a goal: pick up trash for 20 minutes a day for 365 (non-consecutive) days.
Collecting, weighing, and blogging findings on her website, the Daily Ocean. Every blog includes a tally: garbage weight and a countdown to day 365.

The ripple: More than 165 days along, Bayles has collected more than 665 pounds of junk. Across the country, Danielle Richardet started collecting cigarette butts in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, for 20 minutes at a time and posting the results on her own blog. She writes: We all impact each other. Sometimes we don't even know we've made a difference in someone's life.

Abby's Lemonade

Eight-year-old Abby Enck frequently accompanied her 6-year-old brother, Cameron, born with cerebral palsy, to Lutheran General Children's Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois. Abby noticed that the other pediatric patients liked to color, but many of the crayons were broken. She wanted to buy a few new 24-count boxes of crayons. Her parents agreed to match any number she could buy herself.

The act: Abby, with help from a friend, decided to raise the money through a lemonade sale. Abby loved the idea of creating bottled-water lemonade kits with a packet and homemade tag. Her slogan: "When life gives you lemons, color!"

In that first summer selling to her Chicago neighbors, she raised enough money to buy 18 boxes of crayons and donated 36 to the hospital. This summer Abby gave 1,000 crayon boxes.

The ripple: Abby assembled 52 water-bottle lemonade kits and recruited family and friends to sell them for $1 each. The local press publicized Abby's efforts, and the response was sweet.
Abby exceeded her goal, raising a total of $551. She and her parents purchased 1,009 boxes of crayons,140 boxes of markers and 125 boxes of colored pencils.

Educational magazine Weekly Reader wrote about Abby's project, sharing her message and method with more than 250,000 teachers and 8 million students from pre-kindergarten to grade 12. Other children in the community, including Abby's Brownie troop, are brainstorming ways to give next summer.

An important life lesson: "Everyone can make a difference," Her mom has learned from Abby too, saying, "Children don't see the obstacles. Adults create obstacles that stop them from achieving their goals."

Changing Your World

This past Sunday morning we talked about Changing our world – “What man is a man who doesn’t change for the better the world he lives in?”

Changing the world starts with one simple act. Everyday acts, things so simple that we could easily contribute. Everyone, after all, has the power to give kindness.

We talked about people who saw an injustice or a void or someone down-and-out who needed a little help. Micah 6:8 He hath shown you, O man, what is good; and what the LORD requires of you, but to do justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

If their stories which will follow in future postings inspire you, let God know that you are willing to take action and encourage others. Who knows your ripple of kindness might become a wave of change.

2011 - Time To Build An ARK

On Sunday, January 16th, 2011 we will kick off our “Time to build an ARK” campaign. We've ordered 250 ARK cards for our church to distribute throughout the community! How does it work? You do an anonymous Act of Random Kindness and leave your ARK card behind to let them know how much you care! The card encourages the receiver of your kindness to "pay it forward" and do an act of kindness for someone else in the community.

Here are some ideas on how you can use your ARK cards: pay for the meal of the person behind you in a drive through and ask the cashier to give them your ARK card, tape the exact change for a snack or soda on a vending machine along with your ARK card, leave some baked goods on your co-workers desk along with the ARK card, send some money to someone you know who really needs it, etc.

The possibilities are endless! You can post your ARK adventure on our blog.

If You Have A Prayer Request

Please e-mail your prayer request to Jan at dewarjm@hotmail.com

THE DOORS

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos

Pulpit Series Volume 20 Issue 6 April 11, 2010

The “I ams” of Christ. 

John 8:12             I am the light of the world:

John 6:35             I am the bread of life:

John 10:11            I am the good shepherd:

John 14:6               I am the way, the truth, the life:

John 15:1               I am the true vine

Then there is John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in,he shall be saved.

Jesus compares Himself to a door….. Even a child knows what a door is. 

Privacy Doors, Security Doors, Safety Doors and Fire Control Doors.  There are Trap Doors, Garden Doors, Doggy Doors, re Dutch, French and Australian Doors.  There are Stable Doors, Saloon Doors, Blind Doors as well as Disguised Doors, Barn Doors, Garage Doors, Single and Double Doors,. Some doors are Louvered, Flush or Molded.  There are Wicket Doors, Bypass and Bi-fold Doors, Glass Doors, Wooden Doors, Hinged Doors, Sliding, Swing and Pocket Doors.  There are Folding Doors aka Accordion Doors, Rotating Doors or Revolving Doors. Not to be confused with The Doors led by Jim Morrison selling over 75 million albums worldwide.  There are Butterfly Doors, and Up-and-over Doors  There are Car Doors, House Doors, Store Doors and Door Stores.  Door Knobs, Door Hinges, Door Locks, Door Stops, and Door Latches. There are Exterior and Interior Doors, Patio Doors, Pocket Doors and the very useful Refrigerator Door. 

A door can be open or closed, let us in or keep us out.  It is said that behind closed doors we find shelter, security and rest. 

When Jesus says, “I am the Door” He means an entrance. 

An entrance to what?  The Kingdom of God.  By going through Him, we are brought into shelter, security and rest. 

Lets look at few important doors in scripture. 

· Door on the ark.  This was a door of judgement.   A door that God Himself shut.  Revelation 3:7 ... Jesus opens and no man can shut, He closes and no man can open....

The ark Noah was commanded to build is a type of salvation and shelter.  It is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The way into the ark was a door; there was only one door. 

To be saved people had to enter through that door. There was no other way!   Impossible to pull a B&E

That door was kept open along time

I Peter 3:20

While God kept the door open, Noah preached  II Peter 2:5

Those who believed and entered were kept safe (8).

The Lord God shut the door!  They also were spared seeing the judgement scene, one window far above eye level.

Those who didn’t enter were shut out, no amount of weeping, begging, pleading or knocking could open the Door. 

So God provided a place of salvation in the ark, all they had to do was go in through the one door!  It was their choice.

Only those who have entered in through Christ will be saved.

There is also a door of deliverance.  The death angel was to pass through Eygpt, slaying every first born.  Exodus 12

God however provided a plan of redemption; the Children of God were required to kill a spotless lamb. The head of the family took the blood of that lamb and marked the top and two side posts of that door.

The door was to be blood marked!

The night came, death was everywhere, the horror and the wailing must have been incredible!  But behind each blood marked door was deliverance! 

He who said He is the Door died for our sins and it is His blood that marks the door of our redemtion!

The Door of the Tabernacle: The place of Israel’s worship was enclosed in fine white linen.  The white linen wall shut the people out, however there was a door in that white linen wall.  It was a hanging of blue, purple scarlet and fine twined linen.   This door too speaks of Christ...

When hanging on the cross Jesus cried “It is finished!”  that heavy veil was ripped in two...an entrance was made! 

Christ being the door now became the veil through which we must pass into the holy of holies! 

Hebrews 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

“By me if any man enter in he shall be saved!”  Did you hear that?  “Anyone” 

That’s you; that’s me!   “Anyone!”   

The door will not always remain open.  

Matthew 25:1-13...they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: the door was shut.  

Then came the other bridesmaids, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he said, I don’t know you.

The Bridegroom is coming sooner than you think.  Only those having entered in by the blood marked door will be ready.

Luke 13:23-28 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When the master has shut the door.  You begin  knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us; and he will say, I do not know you.. Then you will say, We ate and drank in your presence, you taught in our streets. But he will say, I tell you, I don’t know you....

The word “Know” here refers to intimatcy. 

BE WARNED

Don’t waste your oppurtunity to enter!  

How awful to know that you could’ve gone in but neglected to enter.. dare you neglect so great a salvation!

Jesus according to Ephesians 2:18 is our only means of access!   

Those in Noah’s day must have knocked - they must have cried, “Open up, save us!”  

Think of the near future when thousands will again find themselves shut out!  Having neglected the only Door which for such a long time has stood open to them.

Then it will be shut, they will be forever outside, lost!

If you have not yet done so - enter while the Door is still open before you..... who knows how soon for you that door will be shut?

John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.



It Is Our Time

Everything to do with the Church must be up-to-date and living, meeting the present needs of the hour. David ministered to his Generation, Mosses ministered to his generation - and we must do the same - David is dead, Mosses is dead, Gideon, Samson, the three Hebrews—they are gone, silent and still—but we live - it is our hour to minister! It is our hour to proclaim the Gospel!

Sing With Me

THE SPLENDER OF THE KINGS
CLOTHED IN MAJESTY
LET ALL THE EARTH REJOICE
ALL THE EARTH REJOICE
 
HE WRAPS HIMSELF IN LIGHT
AND DARKNESS TRIES TO HIDE
AND TREMBLES AT HIS VOICE
TREMBLES AT HIS VOICE
 
HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD
SING WITH ME
HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD
AND ALL WILL SEE HOW GREAT
HOW GREAT, IS OUR GOD 

Radical

As transformed followers of Jesus, we can offer hope and help to a needy world. We can speak to issues of society, we can lift the state of the poor, we can penetrate our world with light and salt, and we can transform society.

We believe that radically transformed followers of Jesus can make a significant impact on society and bring life-giving hope and wholeness where there is despair and brokenness.

Food for thought

One of the reasons churches in North America have trouble guiding people about money is that the church’s economy is built on consumerism. If churches see themselves as suppliers of religious goods and services and their congregants as consumers, then offerings are ‘payment.’

Unity in the forecast...

I just returned from our second meeting concerning the upcoming joint churches celebration May 16th at 10:30 at the Sonora Community Centre.... Go God!