Church Under The Bridge...Mustard Tree Ministries

I've been wanting to go worship under the bridge (the Walnut Street Bridge).  I was able to go today!  On one hand, it's kinda sad that the homeless ministry is now homeless, that they have no particular building to call their own.  On the other hand, their ministry continues-- lunches are still being prepared during the week and given out, on Wednesdays now; dinners and Bible Study are still being shared, on Thursdays now; they are still meeting to worship, under the walking bridge now in the ampitheater seating.  Many churches come together to provide food and help for each of these three opportunities.

Today, under the bridge, it was Signal Crest UMC bringing the breakfast food.  They typically do the 2nd Sunday and for them, it's an outreach ministry called "2nd Sundays". 

I arrived around 10:30am and folks were already gathering and eating.  It was a good time of fellowship with those serving as well as with those who had come to hear the message.

As Pastor Barry had spoken at a Sunday School class prior to coming, he came in a little after 11am.

There were about 24 people there (+ the pastor), though I think a few more came in during the service.  We started off with some singing, led by Joseph on the guitar.  "Victory in Jesus", "I Saw the Light", and "Holy, Holy, Holy". 

Afterwards, the offering was taken up in a plastic grocery bag.  Pastor Barry asked someone to call him and remind him to bring the offering plate next time.  I don't know why.  I thought it was kinda cool.  [Since he had also forgotten the communion cup and juice, we didn't share communion, though someone had remembered the bread.   That's okay.  We had shared in other aspects of worship and fellowship.  I guess we could have dipped the bread in the milk or the water.]

Throughout the morning there was a pleasant breeze blowing which definitely helped keep the heat from being intolerable. 

The message came from Romans 12:1-2. Here are some of Barry's words and my thoughts from the message: Are we hungry for God?  What does it mean to be hungry for God?  Sometimes we just want to give parts of our lives to God and not all.  We need to make life-style changes in order to be a living sacrifice.  The only way to work through our faults is to give them to God, to surrender and to let God work within us.  Do we really want to be filled with the Spirit of God?  The Spirit isn't all happy, feel-good, warm fuzzy feelings.  The Spirit of Jesus is pure.  Do we really want to let go of those things that don't make us pure?  Whatever it is that isn't of God, are we willing to let go of it in order to be filled?  The Spirit is: gentle, wise, loving, sacrificial, humble.  God wants to transform us into a new person by changing the way we think.  Do we only want happiness from time to time or joy that lasts, no matter what happens to us? 

During the message, Barry wanted to show that in order to fill something up, you first have to empty it.  So, he grabbed a water bottle out of the cooler as his illustration.  Being full, it doesn't have room for anything else, but once you've dumped some of the water out, then it has room.  Just as if we are full of ourselves, we don't have room for the Holy Spirit.  We must first empty ourselves in order to be filled.  But, what if we're only willing to empty a little bit of ourselves and then allow just a little bit of the Holy Spirit in?  Barry demonstrated this by adding some whole milk to the partially empty water bottle.  The result?  One nasty looking milk bottle, thinner than any skim milk I've ever drank.  (Though I didn't taste this stuff!) 

When Barry got out his water bottle from the cooler, he realized he hadn't offered folks water, so for a few minutes there were water bottles being tossed into the congregation like peanuts at a ballgame.  I must say that for the most part there were excellent throws and catches.  As I was sitting on the row closest to Barry and the cooler, I received quite a baptismal sprinkling from all of those tossed bottles flying through the air.

What is my life filled with? (For those that the hanging preposition might bother--- With what is my life filled?)  What in my life is taking up space that God could better use?  Am I serious about getting rid of the junk in my life in order to allow God more space?  Am I offering God my best?  Do I want God to truly and completely fill me or do I really want to guard some areas for my own control?

These are some of the thoughts I was challenged with today at worship.  Maybe there is something here that speaks to you, challenges you.

I enjoyed worshipping under the bridge today!  It was a great time of fellowship and worship!

I hope I'm not living a milky/watery substance in my faith journey.  I know there are areas for improvement and growth.  I pray that God will continue to mold me, make me, shape me, break me.... whatever is needed.  I pray that I will continually be open and willing to be emptied of self and willing to be filled by God.

Blessings on your journey! 

~Debra