Harvest Fest
Sep 27, 2010 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
I’m super excited about the Harvest Fest happening this Friday at Riv. There’s going to be live music and food and the whole deal is a benefit for the Compassion stuff Riv is doing.
Here’s the details. Hope to see you there.
When? Friday, October 1 at Riv’s Holt Venue (3585 Willoughby Road, Holt, MI 48842). Doors open at 6:30 pm and the event begins at 7:00 pm.
How Much? Tickets are $10/person or $25/family (which includes food and beverages). 25% of profits will directly benefit the Lansing Area AIDS Network, and the balance will benefit Compassion at Riv and its partnering organizations (Rebuilding Together Ingham County, Shared Pregnancy Women’s Center, The Holt Area Community Food Bank, Christ Lutheran Church Soup Kitchen, The Riv Meals Team, and Riv’s Thanksgiving Food & Christmas Gifts Projects).
Hit up Compassion.RivChurch.com for more info.
Tags: compassion, riverview, social justice
Awesome Story
Sep 13, 2010 Sacrificial Followers
A few weeks ago, our weekly handout dealy at Riv featured a story from Brittany Jozwiak about what God has done in her life. For those of you who didn’t get a chance to read it, I wanted to post it here. It’s so cool to read stuff like this!
I first got involved at Riverview when I was a freshman at Michigan State three years ago. After committing my life to Christ in high school, I was worried about what that would look like while I was away at college. I had been praying for months before coming to State that I would find a way to serve and a solid place to help me grow in Him. Through a few people who were willing to invest in me, I got involved with the Young Life ministry and was invited by some juniors who were active leaders to come to church with them.
Riverview was unlike any other church I had been to — and was what I had been looking for. The sermons challenged me to answer hard questions about my life and the worship music helped me praise God when I didn’t have my own words to express. God had really heard my prayers and laid out His plans for me.
My life before knowing God was normal. I had two great parents, a brother, and was for the most part a “good person.” I went to church regularly with my family, but I had no idea that God loved me. My aunt, when I was fourteen, asked me to come with her to a Bible study and drove a half an hour out of her way to and from the church where it was held just to take me. There wasn’t really a single moment when everything changed, but I started to realize that God was filling the void in me I didn’t know could be full. Since then, God has challenged me daily to test His faithfulness and love so that I could know that He is real and personal. I wrestled with depression and anxiety for two years, and when I finally decided to give up control to Jesus, the worry and pain slowly disappeared. I’ve been free of that for three years now.
When I first came to Michigan State, I was studying to prepare for medical school. It took two years for me to figure out that although I wanted to help people, this wasn’t the way I was supposed to do it. When I was honest with myself, all I really wanted was to be around people and love them through service. I switched my major to Community Relations, and my friends now affectionately call me the “volunteer major.” I became involved with the agency LAAN (the Lansing Area AIDS Network) through Riverview. I spend about twelve hours each week helping at the reception desk and in the food pantry, and learning about the needs of people who live with HIV and AIDS. Riv’s Compassion Ministry gave me the opening to volunteer there and I have grown so much because of it.
I’ve had the opportunity to have some amazing conversations with clients (all of whom are HIV positive or living with AIDS) and get to know their stories. The best part is seeing them come to the office for their next appointment and having them remember my name or recall my voice on the phone, with a friendly hello and update about their lives. Some will come and volunteer their time as well, and to work alongside them and be considered trustworthy to know their deepest regrets and struggles is a humbling feeling. It’s made me realize that you don’t have to know what to say or be anything extraordinary. Just being there and listening is more than someone could ask for.
If you are searching to know God deeper, go out and meet broken people where they are. It’s helped me see the way God looks at me, and how, despite where I’ve been, I am still lovely in His eyes. Riv’s Compassion Ministry is a great place to look for opportunities. They work with a number of different populations in need that you may feel a pull toward serving. If you are interested in helping LAAN, just go to their website, LAANOnline.org. They are always looking for people to volunteer to drive clients who cannot use or afford transportation or who are willing to help out at the front desk or in the food pantry.
Tags: compassion, social justice, suffering
Social Justice
Mar 23, 2010 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
Last week I did a little radio interview on the topic of Social Justice, which is a term getting a lot of play these days thanks to Glenn Beck and a few comments he had on the subject recently.
Here’s what I shared on that interview, in a nutshell.
A Historical Perspective
The term “Social Justice” has been around for a long time. In fact, it was part of the Federalist Papers drafted by Alexander Hamilton. In this particular instance, Hamilton was concerned about the “atrocious breaches of moral obligation and social justice” that might turn one state against another.
In the 1800′s, the term was used to fight for the abolition of slavery.
In the early 1900′s the term began to take on a different meaning, attached to a “social Gospel” that relegated our need for salvation to secondary importance behind taking care of the poor.
Over time, some communist nations suggested that Social Justice could only come about with the elimination of private property and the nationalization of industry.
These days, when younger people talk about Social Justice, they often talk about not just caring for the poor and needy, but helping the oppressed (think forced labor and sex slavery) as well as responding to systemic racism and other societal ills.
Why did I give the big history lesson? To show that words have meanings and those meanings change depending on lips that utter them and the time and place in history.
A Biblical Perspective
Tim Keller, who pastors a church in New York City talks about how the Bible treats the words “justice” and “mercy” and how modern people of different political persuasions react differently to them.
In the Bible, these terms are often used in a nearly interchangeable way. All of God’s people (both in the Old Testament and the New Testament) are called to be most merciful and just. God is described as both merciful and just. They seem to be two-sides of the same coin.
People who are politically liberal tend to cringe when the word “mercy” is used. They think it’s paternalistic and patronizing to those in need.
People who are politically conservative tend to cringe when the world “justice” is used. They think it implies an obligation for them to care for the poor when they should pull themselves up by their bootstraps.
The Bible is much more nuanced and complex in its treatment of Justice and Mercy. We are called to do both.
In fact, the word “do” is significant.
When God’s people asked him what he wanted from them in the book of Micah, he responded:
“To do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
Jesus said the same thing, when he criticized the religious elite for
“Ignoring the important parts of the law: justice, mercy, and faith.” (Matthew 23:23)
All throughout the Bible, God’s people have been able to point to their socially just actions as evidence that they follow him. Our “love for our neighbor” is a barometer of our love for God.
A Political Perspective
The radio host asked me what I thought government’s role was in all of this. I told him I didn’t know. However, I do know one thing: if Christians and the Church would get off of our butts and take care of the poor in our country the way God has called us to, the government wouldn’t have to.
Tags: social justice
Matt Carter
Jan 28, 2009 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
“Social justice without the Gospel is no different than the Peace Corp.”
Churches fall into a few camps:
1) Apathetic toward their city
2) Animosity toward their city
3) Imitating their city
4) For the city
Tags: social justice
Quote of the Day
Aug 13, 2007 Quotes, Uncategorized Hodge Podge
.:temperature:. Freezing
.:podcast:. Coverville 346: Album Cover: Duran Duran’s Rio by Brian Ibbott
From It’s Not That Easy Being Green:
A sweeping, but by and large true, generalization is that during the era of the ‘60’s we Christians got many of the moral issues right (e.g., sexuality) but many of the social justice issues wrong (e.g., racism). Today, I see the pendulum swinging in the opposite, and equally erroneous, direction. We are getting social justice issues right, but moral issues wrong. Younger evangelicals are rightfully working against racism and the spread of the AIDS pandemic, but increasingly throwing sexual restraint to the wind. Our moral compass must point true north on all issues, not simply a select few.
- James E White
Tags: social justice
Blog of the Week: Protest4
Jul 4, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
.:mood:. Mad at my computer
.:noise:. My harddrive failing
Blog Name
Protest4
Blog Author
A grassroots coalition of people fighting against human trafficking.
What is this blog about?
From the “about” page:
Human-trafficking causes slavery. Protest4 exists because millions are silenced through this injustice. Protest4 is one point at which we can unite our voices and actions on their behalf in the protest for a more just world.
Protest4 is a global network of activists, tricksters, cultural creatives, and entrepreneurs, working in collaboration for justice. The first issue we’re picking off the ‘hit-list’ is human-trafficking…
Protest4 began almost by accident in early 2005. It grew out of a conference aimed at raising awareness on the issue of human-trafficking. Significantly, the conference was held in the church building in London used by the early abolitionists (Wilberforce and friends) to lobby government and end slavery within the British Empire. Protest4 now has hubs in the USA, the UK and most recently Denmark. We aim to continue the tradition of bringing about change through informing political and social attitudes.
Our medium is art and language. Art humanises and breaks out beyond the capitalist calculus of profit before people. Language describes another world. We will interact with politicians, the media, and the perpetrators of injustice in a way that will undo any logic which enslaves.
Why do I read it?
I was at a conference once where John Piper was speaking. I remember one of the things he said really stuck out for me. He said that he goes out and looks at all the world’s injustices and pain on a regular basis. This means everything from watching the videos of beheadings online to viewing pictures of partial birth abortion. He does this to remind himself about the consequences of sin and why we so desperately need Jesus.
Human trafficking / Sex slavery is one of these injustices. I read about it on a regular basis to remind myself of why the world needs Jesus.
Tags: social justice
International Justice Mission
Oct 6, 2006 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
//MOOD: Good
//ITUNES: Nothing Is Good Enough from the album “Bachelor No. 2 (Or The Last Remains Of The Dodo)” by Aimee Mann
So cool. Marrianne (who goes to Riverview) is going to serve with a group called International Justice Mission. You can check out her blog here. It sounds like an amazing mission. Here’s part of a letter she sent me:
Let me explain a little bit more about IJM to give you a clearer picture of what I will be doing; IJM is a non-profit organization comprised of attorneys, law enforcement officials and social workers which works in countries all over the world to stop human rights abuses such as sex trafficking, modern day slavery, un-prosecuted rape and illegal land seizure. IJM seeks to bring justice to the victims of these abhorrent practices in an effective and systematic manner. IJM partners with host country’s government and law enforcement to investigate trafficking and slavery rings. IJM investigators gather information and work with the local authorities to rescue individual victims of oppression. Then, IJM lawyers bring cases against the perpetrators in order to ensure the end of an exploitative cycle. Once this is done, the social work staff seeks to provide victims with the proper connections to resources to help rehabilitate them socially, psychologically and financially and to prepare them for re-entry into their society.
If this kind of stuff sounds cool to you, you can contact her to see how you can help. I know she is still raising her support.
Her organization reminds me of Protest4, an organization that is going after sex trafficking, as well.
Tags: social justice
