Phoenix Prayer – Silence is battle

The need remains. Jesus, the solution remains. The mission remains.

I think 6 months have passed since the last prayer update. Several factors contribute to my silence. In part, it has been a season of confusion, with little movement. I’ve not seen the next steps as clearly. Faith has been harder to come by. I have not known what to communicate, not known what to report, not known what to ask for. I have felt concern about asking for prayers for specific things when God is not displaying those requests as visibly answered. Additionally, I am not yet one who is good at communicating

This is the great stage of persisting in a calling. This is what comes after vision and before that which is visible. This is gestation. This is battle for a beachhead with it’s incurred losses. This is the slow work of maturing leaders. I need your prayers.

Currently it appears that Jesus may be doing something in the following lives of those around us. Pray for them. Pray for us that we can be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Bonnie, Neffi, and Kenny, high school students, in a weekly discussion group begun by Candace who are exploring together the bigger story.

Pepe and Kristina who are drawn to Jesus and yet are orbiting at a distance.

Christian and Eunice

Jorge

Thanks to those of you who have asked.

Jeff

Ministry Opportunity – Galveston Believers Need Help

(The following email was received from Steve Atkerson and Mike Indest of NTRF.  Please help if you can.)

Galveston Believers Need Help
Thursday, September 25, 2008

Several families, totaling 35 people, called us and we at this time are providing shelter for them in our homes.

They have lost everything and need help

Steve Atkerson (Atlanta): The letter below is from Paul Gonzales, a house church planter who has started churches in Galveston and San Antonio. Believers from the now destroyed Galveston churches are living with folks in the San Antonio churches. They have lost everything and need help. 100% of what you give will go to the needy; none will be used for overhead or administration.

Mike Indest (New Orleans): Steve and I have talked with Paul as well as some of his references and we are confident that any donations will be well spent in helping the members of the two house churches in Galveston. On a more personal note, I now have the opportunity to minister to the Body of Christ in much the same fashion as we were ministered to by you folks after Katrina. I know full well how much our folks appreciated and were touched by your generosity and I look forward to helping these folks. Having experienced the ministry of the body in receiving, I look forward to giving to the same body. When one member suffers, the whole body suffers. When one member rejoices, the whole body rejoices. I rejoice to be a part of this effort.

Paul Gonzales (San Antonio): My name is Paul Gonzales, leading a house church group in San Antonio called Mt. Moriah Church. Two weeks ago Hurricane Ike hit Galveston Island. Most of the 60,000 residents evacuated and fled to many parts of Texas to avoid the storm. About 25,000 either drove or were bused here to San Antonio and are staying in different shelters provided by FEMA.

Several families, totaling 35 people, called us and we at this time are providing shelter for them in our homes. These 35 brethren are members of two house churches I had planted when I was living in Galveston in 2003. They’ve lost everything and their homes are in ruins.

The storm has passed and the rebuilding has started. We are requesting help for these 35 brethren to start the rebuilding process. We need help for food, clothing, replacing beds and furniture, tearing down walls damaged by water, turning on utilities water, gas, electricity, etc.

Please send donations to:

Mt. Moriah Church
606 S. San Horacio
San Antonio, Texas 78237

Thank you,
Paul Gonzales
paulmyssfc@yahoo.com

“At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.”

- 2 Corinthians 8:14-15

Steve Atkerson & Mike Indest
NTRF & Fellowship of Believers

Ministry Opportunity – Houston

Brothers and sisters, 
It was Joy to meet some of you last Saturday.   I want to pray and consider some of the areas in which we can move forward together and I eagerly look forward to our walk together.But that is not the purpose for my email today.

I am probably stretching the relational mileage right out of the box here, but I had a call yesterday from a Brazilian Evangelist Friend who lives in Houston. So I thought I would give you folks the first right of refusal to help here. Carlos is a good man. He travels full time for the Lord and helps encourage a number of churches and leaders. I met him when he held a hospitality  job at a hotel where I attended a meeting several years ago. I have found his life to be in order and his family precious. His call was in nature  a first in all of our years of friendship because he asked for financial assistance. It seems the Gov. trucks had much less than enough for everyone. All they gave out were MREs, and yogurt. No ice, and four small bottles of water each. All is a turmoil for him and his family and 2 million are still w/o electricity.

There is one Walmart open which will receive customer credit from anywhere and can be designated in Carlos’ name.

My family will be giving $100. for him and I am asking you as the church in Phoenix to consider joining us in support of this brother who has asked. If you want to receive a deductible receipt, we have the capacity to offer this and send the money to him.  If you would like to contact him directly and get a sense of the issues, I will vouch for him and his number is 832-578-2837. If you would like to combine your gift with ours-no problem, just tell me how much and I will advance that to him ASAP. Then please mail your check to AMFB, Inc, P.O. Box 42177 Phoenix, AZ 85085. If you would like to give into  the voucher access at Walmart here’s the info

Pay to: Carlos Moreira, 8506 Robindell Dr. Houston TX 77074   Please designate the Walmart by Westheimer. They will give you a number which you will need to call Carlos and give to him. This provides him store credit only to buy perishables for his babies since they have no electricity.

They say you never know your friends till you go to work together. We look forward to going to work and getting to know you all better along the way.

“As you you’ve done it unto the least of these……………………”

Yours in His grip,

Rick Schmidt
rick@amfb.org

PS I spoke to Carlos that you might be calling- He told me that he is caring for 5 families around him that are in worse condition than him.

East Valley Prayer – Reminder

Title:		East Valley Prayer
Date:		Wednesday September 17, 2008
Time:		7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Repeats:		This event repeats every other week.
Location:		Meeting at Coffee Rush, Gilbert and Baseline, Gilbert, AZ
Notes:		Every other Wednesday, get together with other house churches in the East Valley to pray. Call Larry at 602-524-9400 for more information and directions.

Saturday Morning – Reminder

Thanks very much to those who have committed to meet this Saturday morning at 10AM at the Durango Grill in Phoenix.  For a map of the location, see here.

This is a reminder to those that have not RSVP’d.  

If you believe that the house churches in this city can make a difference if we work together; if you believe that we need to get out of our houses and impact people where they are; if you have a vision for your fellowship larger than the group itself; and if you want to share that vision with others, join us Saturday morning and share that vision with us.  You just might find that God has planted that same vision in some other fellowships around the valley.

Don’t forget that there will be coffee and donuts and I will have copies of “Man in the Mirror” to give out.

Please email me to let me know if you plan to come.  And if you don’t plan to come, please let me know why.

ljoh3106@cox.net

Ministry Opportunity – Urgent Request

(For anyone not on Mike Ricker’s mailing list.  Please contact Mike for more information.  See the bottom of the email for contact information.)

Folks,
 
First of all Kim and I want to express our deepest thanks and gratitude for your servants’ hearts!  We thank God for each one of you!
 
We have THREE main things to cover in this local Prodigal’s Home update… all three are important so please read the entire note.
 
Thing 1: Sunday, September 14
Kim and I are leaving town Thursday afternoon (9/11/08) returning on Sunday afternoon (9/14/08).  We’re heading up to the Mogollon Rim for some time together and some rest.  I believe we should work from a position of rest… not rest from our work.  The problem is I have not been following this advice very well over the last several months.  I ask for your prayers I may return to this posture.
 
We need to do some logistical planning for this week.  Each week there is a significant amount of preparation needed for Sunday morning.  Here’s what we need help with this week:
 
Beverages, Bananas & Lunches
·         Purchase 12 gallons whole milk
·         Purchase OJ concentrate for 12 gallons  of juice (we have the empty containers)
·         Purchase sack lunch supplies and make sack lunches (including transportation of lunches to El Gran Taco)
·         Purchase Gatorade and prepare using 5-gallon Igloo containers
·         Purchase 200 lbs of ice (40-Milk, 40-OJ, 60-Water, 20-Gatorade, 40-Evap Coolers)
·         Purchase 60 lbs of bananas
·         Pickup hygiene kits & socks (from our home)
·         Mike Kienzlen will bring water when he arrives but there is about 6-8 cases in the storage container now.
 
You’ll need to have a truck to pick up three large (165 qt) coolers and the four  5-gallon Igloos from our home by Wednesday (9/10/08).  We’ll provide the debit card to purchase these supplies.
 
Coffee
Pick up the coffee urns and 5-gallon beverage containers (4 each of the urns and beverage containers) along with the sugar, creamer, and stir sticks  from our house by Wednesday (9/10/08).
We’ll give you the details on how to complete all this in a timely manner but essentially you prepare the urns the night before… get up at 3:30 a.m. and plug them in… at 4:20 the first batch will complete brewing… by 4:45 you’ll have them into the beverage containers with the second batch ready to start.  By 5:30 a.m. the second batch is complete… it’ll take another 30 minutes to empty the urns, get them cleaned, and get the beverage containers into your vehicle.  Start the trip down to El Gran Taco by 6:00 a.m. so the guys doing setup can have some hot coffee (this is important!).
 
Setup
James Morgensen will coordinate the setup and teardown Sunday.  He’ll be at El Gran Taco at 6:00 a.m.  We normally have 4-5 people there by 6:00 or so to unload the storage container and prepare for the tent/tarps to be setup.  We need help with this…. There is a lot to the setup each week.  Where we have been having a few challenges is with teardown… It takes a minimum of 10 people to move the tent frames to the back lot at El Gran Taco.
 
Donuts
Coordinate with Justin Miller (623-256-9662 or Justin@JustinLMiller.com) on picking up donuts, pastries, and bagels from the Dunkin Donuts at 67th Ave & Beardsley on Saturday night. A big thanks to Justin Miller for making this  huge score at the Dunkin Donuts at 67th Ave & Beardsley.  This store just reopened and didn’t have any groups picking up the “day old” product.  Previously, Mike & Maureen Alianza were getting product from several different stores… now this one store is providing ALL we need.  What a gift!
 
 
THING 2: AFTER BURNER
One thing we don’t get to do very often is simply hang out with the folks called to serve in this ministry.  Beginning Sunday, September 21, and again every six weeks or so, we’ll meet after teardown inside El Gran Taco to share a meal, give updates on the ministry, discuss any “business”, and pray for the ministry, those we serve, and for each other.
 
As a note… all who serve are welcome to attend this gathering.  It is my intention to invite those who are living outdoors to be part of this gathering as well… folks like Dennis, Tom L., among others who regularly and consistently serve this community of faith.
 
 
THING 3: BREATHE
It’s some advice I should take myself.  But seriously, right at this moment take 5 seconds… close your eyes… inhale deeply… hold it for just a second… and then exhale.  Really… do this right now.  It’ll only take .0000578% of your day.  It’s easy to get caught up in the “busyness” of life.    It can also be difficult serving where so much pain and hopelessness exist.  Often we ask ourselves what God is calling us to do with our lives.  I think it may be as simply as what God says through one of the ancient prophets “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).  This is how I see Jesus living his life.
 
I have the great blessing of being able to simply sit and chat with folks on Sundays.  I hear so many who say they are so grateful for what is happening here on Sunday mornings.  They feel loved and cared for.  As you walk around with donuts or bananas or a burrito… or pour juice or milk… or hand out sack lunches or take the time to listen to people’s stories; know they are grateful for the love being shown them through your care and compassion.
 
And as you prepare to arrive in the morning or leave after the work of the day sit quietly for a moment and breathe.  Feel the Holy Spirit entering into you through your breathing and know the pleasure God takes in you.
 
 
Grace & Peace,
 
Mike
Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong. That is your oath.
 
Mike Ricker
cell: 602.478.2378
fax: 602.513.7093
e-mail: mikericker@cox.net
Skype: mike.ricker
Windows Live Messenger: mikericker@cox.net