Friday, September 23, 2005
God Working in This Effort Today
I wanted to pass along some occurrences today that illustrate God at work in this project. They have encouraged me and I hope they do you too.
Tammany Oaks has asked for help getting an Audio Visual system up and running (AV for short). My first utilitarian/overly practical assessment was that this request seemed almost frivolous (sorry Tod ;-) But, thinking about it, there are around 100 people from across the country worshipping there nightly. Let me tell you it has to take some major inspiration to volunteer to "muck out" someone's house. Without a sound system and projection it's difficult for everyone to have the words to unfamiliar songs or hear the message.
And, given the following, this side project is obviously very important to Him.
While I asked for the engineered specs for the system that Tammany had designed (these things cost tens of thousands of dollars), I hadn't had time to scrounge for the second hand stuff I thought practical to obtain this week as an interim solution. I got an email, however, from a week 4 team member, Mike Benidetti from Delaware. Not only does he have access to a used sound board, amp and speakers, but he feels called to lead a mission effort much like the one we have running; full time after his last hatchling leaves the nest next spring. Tomorrow, he's setting me up with the gear he has and showing me how to hook it up in Mandeville. And he's nearly arranged for a moving van to take equipment and supplies we have to go down!
So, except for speaker wire, Microphones and 1/4 inch cords, the Audio portion is taken care of. Anyone have a couple to donate?
Right after hanging up the phone from arranging this with Mike, I got an email from David Taylor from WORD Fellowship in Centreville Michigan asking how he could help with the AV solution. He is among 4 members of that Mennonite church (the diversity of this Christian effort absolutely inspires me) who will be coincidentally (right!) at Tammany Oaks volunteering this coming week with me and the rest of our team. David offered a PC and two monitors to project lyrics and verses on Tammany Oak's screen and is bringing them with him.
David (from Michigan!) found the new link on the Tammany Oak's Recovery Blog pointing to this blog and emailed me to see what help we needed to get them an AV solution. He found Tammany Oak's blog in his web search to find somewhere to physically pitch in and help.
Now while I don't expect a long throw lens (hint hint) I'm still expecting a 2000 lumen projector to materialize before we leave on Sunday, though that's my timing. He usually picks his own. You see, God appears to want this to happen and I'm trusting he'll use me where I can help and he'll provide where I can't. My part is writing this to let you know of the remaining need. His will be to draw the right person to the effort who can provide. And, while He's at it, I fully expect the wireless G network adapter and extra video card I'll need to complete the solution with Dave's PC ;-)
A quote from "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" by Stephen King keeps ringing in my head today describing God as a closing pitcher working for the save. "...It's God's nature to come on in the bottom of the ninth, .... Especially when the bases are loaded and there's only one out." A friend of mine, Larry Chiounard, once explained this phenomenon using the Lords Prayer. "Give us this day our daily bread". Not tomorrow's bread, not yesterday's bread, not bread for the next month. He provides what we need for today, today. And tomorrow he'll provide what we need then.
In this effort we get to be the bread. God is providing us to the people of Louisiana and missive devastated by the storm. They are coming into Tammany Oaks and being found by our workers in the bottom of the ninth in their lives. And we're the save. It's such a pleasure to serve Him with you. I thank God for all of you.
John McGuire
Tammany Oaks has asked for help getting an Audio Visual system up and running (AV for short). My first utilitarian/overly practical assessment was that this request seemed almost frivolous (sorry Tod ;-) But, thinking about it, there are around 100 people from across the country worshipping there nightly. Let me tell you it has to take some major inspiration to volunteer to "muck out" someone's house. Without a sound system and projection it's difficult for everyone to have the words to unfamiliar songs or hear the message.
And, given the following, this side project is obviously very important to Him.
While I asked for the engineered specs for the system that Tammany had designed (these things cost tens of thousands of dollars), I hadn't had time to scrounge for the second hand stuff I thought practical to obtain this week as an interim solution. I got an email, however, from a week 4 team member, Mike Benidetti from Delaware. Not only does he have access to a used sound board, amp and speakers, but he feels called to lead a mission effort much like the one we have running; full time after his last hatchling leaves the nest next spring. Tomorrow, he's setting me up with the gear he has and showing me how to hook it up in Mandeville. And he's nearly arranged for a moving van to take equipment and supplies we have to go down!
So, except for speaker wire, Microphones and 1/4 inch cords, the Audio portion is taken care of. Anyone have a couple to donate?
Right after hanging up the phone from arranging this with Mike, I got an email from David Taylor from WORD Fellowship in Centreville Michigan asking how he could help with the AV solution. He is among 4 members of that Mennonite church (the diversity of this Christian effort absolutely inspires me) who will be coincidentally (right!) at Tammany Oaks volunteering this coming week with me and the rest of our team. David offered a PC and two monitors to project lyrics and verses on Tammany Oak's screen and is bringing them with him.
David (from Michigan!) found the new link on the Tammany Oak's Recovery Blog pointing to this blog and emailed me to see what help we needed to get them an AV solution. He found Tammany Oak's blog in his web search to find somewhere to physically pitch in and help.
Now while I don't expect a long throw lens (hint hint) I'm still expecting a 2000 lumen projector to materialize before we leave on Sunday, though that's my timing. He usually picks his own. You see, God appears to want this to happen and I'm trusting he'll use me where I can help and he'll provide where I can't. My part is writing this to let you know of the remaining need. His will be to draw the right person to the effort who can provide. And, while He's at it, I fully expect the wireless G network adapter and extra video card I'll need to complete the solution with Dave's PC ;-)
A quote from "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" by Stephen King keeps ringing in my head today describing God as a closing pitcher working for the save. "...It's God's nature to come on in the bottom of the ninth, .... Especially when the bases are loaded and there's only one out." A friend of mine, Larry Chiounard, once explained this phenomenon using the Lords Prayer. "Give us this day our daily bread". Not tomorrow's bread, not yesterday's bread, not bread for the next month. He provides what we need for today, today. And tomorrow he'll provide what we need then.
In this effort we get to be the bread. God is providing us to the people of Louisiana and missive devastated by the storm. They are coming into Tammany Oaks and being found by our workers in the bottom of the ninth in their lives. And we're the save. It's such a pleasure to serve Him with you. I thank God for all of you.
John McGuire
# posted by John McGuire @ 5:00 PM 
