Mission Accomplished and Continuing

On the final day of the Urban Plunge, we had the special opportunity to give a mission report at church. During the 10am worship service, everyone on the mission team shared something about our week of service. It was motivating to hear different perspectives on what we accomplished. Though we have completed our mission, our service continues as together we seek to keep working to help the community.

Lending a Helping Hand

We had another great day of service today. It is always a blessing to be able to serve with David Heaton and The Other Carpenter. Our group worked hard as we did home repair for an elderly woman named Ms. Suzie who had recently been in the hospital. Our tasks included taking out old windows and putting in new ones. We also put in a new floor in the kitchen and put up dry wall for a bathroom. Another special part of the day was getting to know several of the kids in the neighborhood and spending time with them.
From our worksite it was on a Phillies Game. We had a really fun time eating hotdogs and cheering on the Phillies, even though they lost by one run in extra innings!
To wrap up the day we enjoyed gelato at Capogiro's downtown. It was recently noted as the "best ice cream in the world" according to National Geographic. We would definitely agree!
In reflecting on the day, we thought about how even though our Urban Plunge service week is coming to an end, our work continues. We read Phillipians 4:13, "He who started a good work in you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ." We will each in our own way seek to live out the work that God is doing in our lives as we share our gifts and time, whether in Philadelphia or wherever we find ourselves.

Serving in the City

Today was a great full day of service. Despite a wet morning, we were not slowed down at The Salvation Army of West Philadelphia. We were given an enthusiastic orientation by our host Enboys Tony. Once we got to work in the food pantry, we sorted dozens boxes of donated food to be given to nearby residents in need. We also organized closets and mopped floors. There was never a dull moment! Everyone is our group was inspired by the amazing ministry and staff of The Salvation Army and we won't soon forget our new friends there.
To enjoy the rest of our day, we had delicious burgers and milkshakes at the recently opened Shake Shack in Center City. Finally, we walked to the Franklin Institute to watch the new Batman movie on opening day at the IMAX theater. It was a very full and fulfilling day.
In reflecting on the our service, we talked about what our work means to us and the community we served. We focused on Phillipians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," as we discussed where our gifts and abilities come from. Our mission team is working very well together and is excited for another great day of service tomorrow.

The Plunge Begins

We are off to a great start to the Urban Plunge. This afternoon we gathered at BMPC, loaded up the van, said a prayer, played a few games and hit the road. But we didn't go to far before we stopped and had a great time doing some team building at the Wynnewood Lanes bowling alley. It was a very fun way to start our time together. When we arrived in downtown Philly at the Russell Byers Charter School, we were greeted by the Principal/CEO Drew Smith who welcomed us and gave us a tour. After getting settled we spent some time reflecting on what it means to service others and on our theme verse: "Never tire of doing what is good" -2 Thessalonians 3:13. We are looking forward to putting our faith into action this week!

Preparing for the Plunge!

Tomorrow we head downtown for the BMPC Urban Plunge 2012. Our group is staying at the Russell Byers Charter School (www.byerschool.org), a terrific school with excellent facilities who is graciously hosting us. We have some great service projects and fun activities planned to enjoy together. As we prepare for our service, we welcome prayers for a safe and meaningful time. Stay tuned for pictures and details of what we are up to.