November 30, 2007  We are greatly blessed by volunteers who join us each week at The Street Church.  Men and women from different churches, youth groups, and other people wanting to get involved make a tremendous impact on the less fortunate.  Volunteers prepare and serve dinners, collect and distribute clothing, lead worship, evangelize, pray for others, and more.  Many of our volunteers hear about this work through their church or friends, visit an event or two, and then are hooked!  We want volunteers to interact with the broad group of people we serve because it gets them excited about real ministry opportunities and making a difference in someone else’s life.  Volunteers are challenged to practice their faith and Bible lessons as people share their lives with them.  Perhaps God created us with an inherent need to serve others and that’s why Jesus told us it's more blessed to give than to receive.  Sometimes we lose sight that all Jesus did – like placing the needs of others above our own - was not only for our benefit, but also for our example.  God has blessed us with great people that serve selflessly and truly further the cause of Jesus Christ. 

November 23, 2007  On Thanksgiving we gathered on a clear, cold afternoon at Antlers Park in the downtown area.  Volunteers from several churches kindly provided a traditional dinner of turkey, potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, corn bread, cake and more.  Earlier in the week we delivered most of the food items to homes throughout the city where families prepared them for our dinner together.  We were blessed by volunteers who served at the park and delivered additional dinners to motels, by Jeannette Adelmann’s beautiful singing, and of course the company of our friends who joined us.  Above all, we’re blessed by God who continues to do ‘above all that we ask or think’ (Ephesians 3:20).  Just two weeks ago we were discussing Thanksgiving when First United Methodist Church called asking if we wanted food to serve the poor.  They gave us ninety five large food boxes – an answer to prayer and we are very grateful.  Elsewhere, we visited campsites in the early morning and found men and women in very severe conditions.  Most of the homeless, who for one reason or another cannot stay at the city’s only shelter, don't have clothing and gear to survive the winter.  But we serve an awesome God and are confident He will defend the poor and provide for every need.

October 31, 2007 Tonight we held a dinner at the park, inviting the poor to enjoy a good meal and fellowship on this Reformation Day.  Men and women received prayer and items donated by local churches to protect against the cold temperatures.  Those in need are very thankful for a blanket or heavy coat.  Campsites where many live are routinely swept and gear taken so we advise our friends to be vigilant.  It is always uphill for the homeless.  A man joined us for dinner who is very much a loner and known to search trash containers for food.  Just seeing this man was an answer to prayer but when we asked his name, he said he didn’t have one and slipped away.  Jesus knows his name. Three blocks away, hundreds of young people poured into the streets for what was billed ‘Wicked Wednesday’ – promising “more hell [and] more booze than ever.”   As Christians we have a serious responsibility to share the gospel with others regardless of their social class.  We set up a table with Bibles and tracts next to the club and until it closed distributed gospel literature to people as they entered and left the building.   

October 17, 2007 After the Sunday church and dinner, we opened the van and handed out items to our friends.  Giving priority to those with the least, we gave away clothing and gear to weary men and women.  We learned that some standing in line were just teenagers who could no longer stay at home.  A couple lives in that car over there, this one just lost her apartment, many stay outside day labor sites… Snow on the mountains and frost on the morning ground remind us that the next few months will be especially hard for those on our streets.  We contacted several churches about collecting cold weather gear: tents, sleeping bags, blankets, coats, and other items that will reduce the threat of hypothermia and frost bite.  We thank God for the congregations that have answered the call and provided the first round of gear and heavy clothing.  Among them is a small church with just 23 members.  They blessed our friends with more than forty sleeping bags and many other articles.  Meanwhile some of our larger churches have begun clothing drives and we have already gathered much from them.  Winters are long in Colorado and we know it will be an ongoing effort to offer clothing, gear and encouragement.

September 26, 2007 A few veterans meet at a downtown coffee shop on Monday nights and share memories from their years serving in the military.  The group meeting now represents three branches of service, and three wars: Vietnam, Desert Storm, and the war against terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The group encourages each other, prays for each other, and shares advice when needed.  The men drink coffee and testify to God’s faithfulness, from a prisoner of war camp in Hanoi to the streets of Baghdad.  Literature written exclusively for combat veterans is available to the group.  The informative brochures and newsletters are provided by Point Man Ministries which reaches out to veterans and their families in more than 36 states and 6 countries around the world.  The Street Church is authorized by Point Man to represent this ministry and to serve as an ‘outpost’ in Colorado Springs.  As one of the nation’s largest military centers with an increasing burden on our local troops, we realize the importance of holding regular, Christian meetings to encourage others who have served.  The Veterans Administration estimates that one third of the homeless in our country have served in the armed services.  Like countless others before them, the men and women of our military share a genuine camaraderie that will last their entire lives.

September 20, 2007 Sometimes the homeless are targeted for punishment for no other reason than being poor.  This week another man was severely beaten when he, having no other place to go, slept under the same pavilion where he attended church and dinner with us just a few hours earlier.  Marvin came into town Sunday morning and was spending his first night in the Springs.  Three men armed with sticks attacked Marvin as he slept, fracturing his face and tearing a gash in his head that required more than thirty stitches.  Fortunately, some people witnessed the attack and were able to give police enough information leading to their arrests.  Despite what some voiced in the media, Marvin is not an alcoholic, drug user, or a bum.  The fact is, he's a Christian and has been sober for 17 years.  When we visited with Marvin, he spoke gently and said he didn’t understand why he was beaten.  He told how his first thought was for the others sleeping under the pavilion, how God must have saved him by providing immediate help, and how his head was still spinning two days after the attack.  Then Marvin forgave the men who did this and boarded a bus for another state. 

August 31, 2007 People often ask where our church is located and we usually answer by saying, “You’re already there.”  The church after all is not a building or address but the ekklesia or called out assembly of the body of Christ.  We can find the church meeting everywhere: in elaborate buildings, storefronts, renovated theaters, in homes and open fields.  We believe in our case the Lord wants us to take the church to the streets of our city where those who won’t attend more traditional services will have a place to worship, fellowship, and hear the scriptures.  For several months we have enjoyed church meetings in a city park where many of our friends can walk to on Sunday nights.  It’s a beautiful three and a half acres with tall trees and a nice pavilion.  During our meetings people can be themselves, hear a sermon, and fellowship over dinner.  There clearly are challenges to assembling as we do in the open-air, namely the weather and lack of conveniences.  But we find these apparent disadvantages are actually benefits helping us to keep the focus on Jesus, and to build authentic relationships with the poor He has called us to serve.  

August 10, 2007 Last week we added a late-night ministry, called Night Watch.  It is an exciting time where we walk the streets and come alongside men and women with blankets, hygiene items, gospel tracts, and friendship.  It is also a sobering time.  We found homeless people sleeping in parks, alleys, in doorways, on church steps and other places in the downtown area.  In one park, a lot of men and women gather at night because they feel safer in a larger group.  A gang of young people has been attacking the homeless and they prey on those who go it alone.  We have one shelter and some of our friends ration the time they can spent there, choosing to wait for the colder weather before trying to get indoors.  David, a homeless man with a heart for the Lord, joined us on our first night out and was a great blessing to others we met.  We leave some material support, offer prayer, and strive to present Jesus to this forgotten group in our city.  What a mighty God we serve who is ever in pursuit of those who are hurting on our streets.  Night Watch begins around 11pm and lasts several hours.

July 29, 2007 Students from two local churches were a great blessing to us and others last week.  First, high school students from Springs Community Church provided an outdoor dinner and live music to dozens of motel residents and homeless on the south end of the city.  They did a tremendous job of being the hands of Jesus and offering respite to men and women who are accustomed to hardship.  Students from First United Methodist Church donned backpacks and distributed hygiene bags they had prepared to the poor in two parks, a day labor, and a campsite where some teenagers live.  We are thankful for these students and their leaders who conveyed the gospel to many in our city in a way that will be remembered.  They are our future pastors, teachers, and ministers who are already seeing our neighbors more like Jesus.  One hundred fifty people joined tonight’s church and dinner where we continued the series on the Beatitudes.  We finished the week by moving into a home on the south end of the city, closer to our employment at Fort Carson and our friends on the street.

July 15, 2007  Rain didn’t affect our enthusiasm at the Independence Day Celebration held July 4^th at one of the downtown parks.  There were no complaints from anyone who attended the event, but a lot of comments were made that showed gratitude to the Lord and for our country.  Jeannette sang and blessed everyone.  Over 140 men and women came out this Sunday to hear great worship music by the ‘Sonflowerz’, to listen to the message based on the Beatitudes, and to enjoy a hot dinner served by kind volunteers.  We prayed for more people to come to the church and dinner and, as with all things, the Lord provided.  Our friends from the street are helpful in setting up the service and attentive to the Bible message. It is always exciting to see what the Lord is doing.  During the week, we spoke at church services, visited motels where drugs and alcohol are common, a hospital where a homeless friend is recovering, and responded to calls from the shelter.  In a more comfortable part of the city, an older woman sat on the curb holding a sign asking for food.  As the city grows, we can expect more people like her will need help.

June 24, 2007 At a motel on the south end, we were giving away care packages in the parking lot when the police arrived in five cars.  A helicopter circled overhead while two suspects were searched and one was taken away.  It’s a scene becoming more common in our growing city.  Later we saw some men in the park and stopped to visit.  They were among one hundred people at the church service held there last weekend who were encouraged by the word and fellowship.  We talked a lot and prayed.  Thomas and Max went to their knees when they prayed and spoke tenderly about their Savior, Jesus.  So often, people who are on the street are saved and really love the Lord.  Elsewhere last weekend a home church surprised us with a cargo van in excellent condition that is definitely an answer to prayer.  We are very thankful as the van will help a lot in carrying items to the poor.  Another church invited us to use their kitchen to prepare the Sunday meals.  We didn’t mention our need for a vehicle or an industrial kitchen, and this shows us how God does provide all our needs (Philippians 4:19).  We finished our first six months as we started: confident and excited about the things of God. 

June 11, 2007 At least ninety men and women joined us in the park last night for church.  There were more teenagers than previous weeks, a few curious who came to see what was going on, and many that were visiting for the first time.  Our friends from the street are often on the move and relationships can be fleeting.  We really love the people God connects us with whether it’s for a long time or not.  After announcements and prayer, we offered a concise sermon as people followed the text in their handouts.  Next, hot meals carefully prepared throughout the afternoon were served.  The preaching and dinners have been very well received.  A woman dressed for the streets joined us and said she enjoyed the service.  A married couple, clean and educated, disclosed they had some setbacks and came to church after a friend invited them.  A father and his son shared how they recently became homeless after their truck and belongings were stolen while traveling to another jobsite.  Three other events during the week – two outreaches and a prayer walk – took us to other parks, campsites, and motels where we visited with friends and encouraged each other.  We trust the Lord will build up this group of people, created in His image, and work incredibly through them.   

May 31, 2007 "I know I'm too dirty to hug. I live under a bridge." The same man offered us a small bag of coins and said he wanted to help the poor. We declined, assured him the offer meant a lot and gave him a hug. It was Pentecost Sunday and we gathered at one of the city parks for a few hours of recreation and fellowship. About 70 men and women enjoyed a dinner complete with dessert and seconds. Volunteers called it a privilege to serve, provided great worship before and during the meal, and preached the gospel. Free Bibles and gospel tracts, hygiene items, and an assortment of clothing were available under the pavilion. Around the park we played football, soccer, badminton, and just talked. It was a great day and confirmed that God wants to marry the church to our less fortunate neighbors. We are very encouraged after praying for specific needs that God connected us with the right people.

May 23, 2007 Robert is a good friend we met more than a year ago. Coming from a troubled past that included drug addiction and prison, he's grown so much since making Jesus Christ his Lord. Today he is free from drugs, surrounds himself with healthy people, encourages others, and is a strong Christian witness. A lot of people gave up on Robert but the Lord did not. God rewards those that diligently seek him (Hebrews 11). We're proud of you, Robert. We schedule four to five events during the week that allow us to share the gospel. Each requires a good amount of work to prepare, especially the Sunday church and dinner. Each is an incredible blessing as we see what the Lord is doing in the lives of people on the street. On days with no events scheduled, we connect with other believers and address individual needs. There is food to buy, clothing to sort, donations to pick up, etc. God blessed us with employment that provides all of our needs while giving us the majority of the day to focus on ministry. Elsewhere this week, we visited a pastor in Kansas and had a great time hearing his heart for others.

May 14, 2007 We enjoyed a busy week and a great weekend. We were invited to speak at a house church on the north side and had a great time in worship with two dozen men and women. There we made some new friends and were able to speak at length about opportunities to serve others. The next day we distributed clothing at the soup kitchen and just enjoyed the weather and being with our friends. The weather has been much nicer and some without homes remarked how better the days have been recently. We heard testimonies from a few who found jobs or were able to get off the street. On Sunday morning we spoke at a church that has been very receptive to going to the poor. We are excited about working with them later this month. The Lord blessed our Sunday night church with about 100 men and women in attendance. Preaching focused on the importance of God's Word, and then we enjoyed a good dinner together. The people who come to church take care of almost all the setting up, serving and cleaning up. The balance of the week found us picking up donations, responding to individual needs, and visiting campsites. The Lord is good and provides all of our needs.

April 25, 2007 Our small team prayed before walking the downtown area and asked the Lord to direct our steps.  We met a lot of people on the streets, offered sack lunches, prayer, and someone to listen. The young men who joined us were preparing for an overseas mission trip and had a great time.  An elderly woman quietly spoke with us about Jesus and without being told, asked the men about one of the countries they were soon to visit.  A few days later (and minutes after we gave away the last sleeping bag) Chris and Amanda called us to pick up clothing and sleeping bags they gathered for the poor.  This couple was homeless just four months ago and now they want to help other people on the street.  They love Jesus and are quick to give Him the praise.  Elsewhere, an average of 70 men and women are hearing the gospel and enjoying a hot meal each Sunday, more people are contacting us for/to help, and hundreds of pounds in donations were received this month.  The Bible shows us that Jesus went to the hurting day and night.  As God provides, we will continue to take the church to the poor, homeless, and unwanted in our city. 

April 12, 2007  In just an hour on Palm Sunday, twenty men were found on the streets and invited to our church service.  We had a simple meal, a great time in fellowship and in sharing truths from the Bible.  There is something about an outdoor meeting, under God’s cover, that is pure and intriguing.  It was an encouraging step in taking the church to the streets of our city and we are preparing for forty to attend next time.  We continue to see a tremendous mission field in our city that is in need of laborers.  Midway through Passion Week, the weather turned.  It was a cold Easter with light snow and sub freezing temperatures.  Still, more than 120 people from the streets and 15 volunteers joined us for Easter@Antlers – a downtown event that included lots of food, giveaways, and preaching.  The men and women who came out had a great time and we were glad to keep the event as scheduled.  Mark and others from the shelter helped a lot in preparing the food and cleaning up afterwards.  The balance of the week was spent on outreaches, a donation drive, and building relationships with other churches.  

March 31, 2007  The rain and colder temperatures last weekend didn’t change the plight of the homeless, or the enthusiasm of our volunteers.  Joshua brought a large tarp to the outreach and a few people helped set up a covering to protect our friends and donations against the rain.  It’s important to go where the poor are and to keep our commitments.  Many people visited from the nearby soup kitchen and received essentials – clothing, hygiene items, Bibles - that were kindly donated by others.  We know a woman who lives on the street and was marking her birthday in a few days.  She is much younger than she looks, but nonetheless a beautiful person.  We celebrated her birthday with a nice meal at a local restaurant, a modest gift, and gave her a motel room for the night where she could enjoy some semblance of normalcy.  When told by another woman that she is precious to Jesus, our friend said, “It’s been awhile since I heard I’m worth anything.”  Many others in our city are feeling the same way as this woman.  We sometimes assume every poor person will take advantage of us.  Instead, we should consider what Jesus said concerning the poor and assume they represent Him (Matthew 25).  

March 17, 2007  Several of us walked the streets the other night and visited one person after another who brought the scriptures to life and personified the teachings of Jesus.  Men and women appeared from old motels, liquor stores and seemingly nowhere to share with us sketches from their lives.  They talked about family, work, struggles, and where they would be staying that night.  Some people we encounter on the streets are Christians and, despite being homeless, are usually encouraging and quick to thank God for providing basic needs.  There is an incredible mission field here in our own city.  Without special qualifications, high costs or vacation time, ordinary Christians can be vessels for God to impact the lives of our less fortunate neighbors.  At the soup kitchen today, we were blessed by Joe – a man who doesn’t have a home but insisted on giving to The Street Church to help the poor.  Young students helped at the outreach today, while across town a church gave us several hundred pounds of very good clothing.  Thank God for stirring people to help others.  We always experience powerful ministry in our own backyard where God has placed us.  The warmer months will bring more people to the streets in Colorado Springs and more opportunities to find and present ‘Jesus in our city’.

March 4, 2007  It was a great two weeks visiting people on the street, holding outreaches, and connecting with others.  We received calls from people needing clothing and from a family requesting prayer at their home.  God continues to meet every need.  We are very encouraged by the relationships the Lord is building and the growing number of people who want to get involved.  A woman came to distribute clothes she collected and was clearly moved.  She found her calling, she said, and wants to further serve the poor.  David is a homeless veteran we met two nights ago under a bridge.  With a few blankets between him and sub-freezing temperatures, he told us how he arrived at this point in his life and how he never thought he would be in this situation.  David thought about ending his life a few days earlier and said that no one would even know.  He wouldn’t end his life though, he said, because the Lord doesn’t want that.  We returned with a new coat a family recently donated and gave it to David, with a warm hat and a business card to call us anytime.  After a time of fellowship, three men held hands under the dark bridge and prayed to God for each other.  David is a smart man who, judging from our conversation is in a situation he neither planned nor wants.

February 19, 2007  Men and women near the soup kitchen claimed thirty coats, sweaters, and shirts almost as soon as we set up the clothing racks.  New socks and underwear were offered, towels and linen, gospel tracts, and business cards for anyone wanting to contact us later.  The clothing was very good quality and part of a generous donation from the staff at Elliot-Barry.  We learned some lessons from the outreach and are looking forward to the next time we can connect like this.  The Bible directs us to work while it is day.  The next morning we hiked south and found several more campsites and the owners.  Most were living in very austere sites with hardly any cover from the weather and a few had established slightly better conditions.  We left behind a couple of coats and several hand/body warmers.  More importantly, we pray at each site and entrust the people to the Lord’s care.  James is a bright, personable man who stays clear of drugs.  He didn’t plan on being homeless a few weeks ago but the weather hindered his employment as a roofer and his ability to make ends meet.  Pray for James and the other men and women in similar situations. God bless you. 

February 12, 2007  Minutes after we prayed and started on our route, Randy emerged from under a bridge and we approached each other. We talked about being homeless, about alcohol, and Jesus. He gave us an artifact he found under the bridge and we gave him some items that seemed to encourage him. Temperatures were unusually warm this weekend. The small group sitting in the park consisted of five men, one woman, and a small pipe that just saw its last hit. Here and across the street were people we met last week and it was easy to strike up conversations. They remembered us and appreciated the gifts we offered them from our backpacks. Each received a bag containing socks, energy bars, a nice selection of hygiene items, a gospel tract and business cards should they want to call us for anything.  Joe was happy to tell us he's saved and would give his gospel tract to someone who is not. Two nights earlier, we delivered similar bags and knit caps to several people standing outside the shelter. We were greeted like old friends that made us very glad to be there. A young woman who had been homeless for four years joined us and was a great help.  The Lord blessed us this week with good friends and caring people.

February 5, 2007  The Lord brought The Street Church through the first month of 2007, and our first full month as a ministry, with increased blessings. In January, we held scheduled prayer walks and several outreaches but most of our efforts were unplanned. Our team visited the poor and forgotten on the streets, under bridges, at the shelter, soup kitchen, and jail. We practiced a little brotherly love by giving away items to counter the winter conditions, along with some encouragement. We confirmed the necessity of going to people, and connected much better this way. We learned again how important it is to acknowledge a person on the street as someone created in the image of God – that giving away items is secondary. We tried to see Jesus in each hurting person and hoped they in return would see a glimpse of Him. The Lord brought us workers - men and women - who have experienced real hardship and understand what our friends are going through. He joined us with people who really went the extra mile to get the ministry started. It was a great first month and we are so looking forward to what the Lord is doing each day.

January 27, 2007  Last night we offered cold weather items and seats inside a warm vehicle to the homeless men gathered behind the VA clinic. These twenty men appeared from nowhere for the hot meal served by the Salvation Army that would keep them through the night. One man sat against the building, rocking back and forth with a small duffel bag next to him, and finally joined the others in line. The men were hardly prepared for January camping in Colorado. Today's outreach began with prayer for the people we would see. The clothing Karen generously donated was distributed to people who needed it most. Boxcar and Becky accepted some items from our packs as they told us about others on the street, and how their gear had recently been stolen. We left hats, scarves, bottled water and rat pellets at campsites. Joshua visited two hard-to-reach sites and had a great time starting new friendships. They didn’t ask him for anything but maybe next time we would have some propane cylinders and candles for warmth. We can’t carry enough in our packs and identified where to start a static outreach to help more people.

January 20, 2007  More snow fell today but fortunately the temperature stayed in the 30s. It’s a break for the homeless who have endured brutal weather in December and January. During the morning outreach we walked a different course, leaving some items at a campsite. Hats, gloves, scarves, socks, bottled water, fast food gift cards and disposable hand/body warmers are small tokens that help present the gospel. Soon we found Ron, who had been drinking, staggering across a busy street. On the sidewalk he wept about some failures in his life and backsliding from the Lord. We shared some truths from God’s word, that we all struggle and God does not give up on us. It was a powerful moment orchestrated by the Lord for each one’s benefit. We drove to Ron’s home – a storage unit he rents for $50/month – where he secured a change of clothes and his Bible. We agreed to go to a place where he can get sober and stayed with him until he was settled. Near the post office, a middle-aged man was asking for help and encouraged to move along by two police officers. Another man in the downtown area pushed a shopping cart holding his camping gear. We are finding more people on our streets who are hurting.

January 11, 2007  Prayer Walks cover troubled areas in our city and connect unseen battles (Ephesians 6) with visible street life. Tonight we prayed on Nevada Avenue, checked on a campsite, and visited a friend in a rundown motel room who was contemplating his next move. He had made it through Viet Nam and has since been locked in a long battle with alcohol. The Lord is faithful and brought encouragement and peace to that man. Jesus cannot pass by someone who calls on Him. Praying on our streets is not unlike an army contending for land and people. No wonder the Bible is full of military analogies – since there is a very real war being fought around us all the time. We hope to see Christians contend day and night for our streets in prayer. The result will be less sin and loss; more godliness and blessings. Check our calendar and join us for an exciting time of prayer and street ministry.

January 1, 2007  Brenda and I began the New Year at the World Prayer Center. It was a great time with a lot of people in attendance, worshiping and petitioning through midnight. We donned our backpacks this afternoon and headed downtown to visit some friends. At one of the bridges we left some new socks, scarves and hand/body warmers. The temperature tonight will fall below freezing so our friends will be able to stay at the shelter from 9pm to 7 in the morning. Close to the soup kitchen, Chris, a homeless man in his fifties, carried all his belongings in a small shopping stroller and mentioned how construction at one of the bridges has forced him to find another place to live. He will stay out tonight, somewhere, declining to go to the shelter. Another man, younger and initially thought to be homeless, was found dead at Chris' former bridge the day after Christmas. Later we met Chief who, with the help of his friends, slowly moved his wheelchair along a snow packed sidewalk. We talked about his accident, his time in the military, and some other things. Nevada Avenue was spotted tonight with street people –invisible to most of us but infinitely loved by God. We scouted a well-lit parking lot that may serve as a good outreach location. We're excited what the Lord will do in 2007.