Compassion Thursday; Muvunyi needs you
Most Compassion kids are young. Meet Muvunyi, a 19 year old young man from Rwanda.
In his home, Muvunyi helps by carrying water, gathering firewood and caring for animals. He lives with his mother. His mother is sometimes employed as a farmer. There are 3 children in the family.
Soccer, volleyball and playing ball games are Muvunyi’s favorite activities. In high school his performance is average and he also regularly attends church activities and choir.
Your love and support will help Muvunyi to receive the assistance he needs to develop his potential. Please pray for him.
This child lives in an AIDS affected area. In Africa, the disease has impacted the entire continent, creating a generation of orphans and vulnerable children. God can use you to help ease the pain of a child in desperate need.
For information on sponsoring Muvunyi, click here.
Goodbye exchange
Last Sunday the leaders off MCC verbalized what God has been leading us to for the last couple of years. Exchange has joined forces with the morning community (EPIC) of Maryland Community Church. No longer will we carry the titles of EPIC or exchange. We are now Maryland Community Church, a community of people following Christ and serving in his cause.
Why? Because we believe that together we can be better.
What does that mean for exchange? The Sunday gathering will look very much the same. We will gain the addition of Dr Vince when it comes to helping our personal spiritual formation. Vince will be teaching some classes and is already exploring some cutting-edge ways to help our personal spiritual walk (stay tuned for details). I will continue to teach on Sunday nights and will begin to teach more in the AM gathering.
I talked about all of this at our last official exchange gathering, Vince talked about it at the last official Epic gathering. You can listen here.
A detailed document on the change is here.
Am I excited? More than you know. I believe that we are going to see God do some amazing things as we all join together, follow him, and serve in his cause. Will you join us?
Compassion Thursday – Haiti
I find myself moved to tears with the situation in Haiti. My daughter, Mariah, and a high school team are scheduled to be in Haiti in July. Though I have yet to visit Haiti I have spent a considerable amount of time in the 3rd world and know the challenges when things are normal. I cannot simply get my head around the disaster. If your like me you wonder, “Sure, but what can I do?”
As you know, I am a huge fan of Compassion International. They have a strong presence in Haiti. They are asking for donations for their efforts, as they work with over 6000 children there.
If you can’t give, would you join hundreds of us in praying for Haiti. The eyes of the world are turned to the poorest nation in the western hemisphere. I am praying that the church will rise up. My hope is that in years to come, an old man will sit on the beach with his grandson and say “The earthquake of 2010 changed where I lived and whom I lived with. Then God came along. He changed my life.”
You can donate here.
Compassion Thursday. Samir Needs You
I used to feel like I couldn’t change the world. I was wrong. I can change the world. I can change the world for one child. So can you. For $38 you can change the world of Samir. Click here for all the details and be a world changer.
Samir lives with in Columbia, South America with his father and his mother. He is responsible for running errands. His father is employed and his mother is employed. There are 2 children in the family.
Playing with cars, hide-and-seek and playing group games are Samir’s favorite activities. In kindergarten his performance is average and he also regularly attends church activities.
Because of your sponsorship, Samir will have new opportunities to learn and grow physically, mentally, and spiritually. Thank you for your concern and prayers.
For more info on changing the world of Samir, click here.
Take the Blame
The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” – Gen 3:12
Passing blame. A game we have been playing for centuries. When I am busted for my actions, it is always the fault of someone else. My parents raised me that way, everybody is doing it, I had no choice, my teacher doesn’t like me, blah, blah, blah.
Take responsibility for your actions.
If a ruler’s anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great errors to rest. – Eyck 10:4
Suck it up. Admit fault. Ask forgiveness. Make the change.
We are responsible for our own actions.
photo by Chris Owens
Brit Hume to Tiger: Turn to Christianity
Everybody has an opinion on the Tiger Woods deal. However, these 55 seconds may say it best. Props to Hume for manning up and speaking his faith both confidence and manners.
How do I know what God wants me to do?
1"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God[a]; trust also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4You know the way to the place where I am going."
5Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. – Jn 14
I want to know (1) Where I am going and (2) how to get there. Is that asking too much? That may be fine, but it is the wrong way to go about life. Jesus says to follow him. He offers some instruction about where I am to go and how to get there, but the major focus is on following him. I want the GPS. I want to dial in the coordinates and make turn-by-turn moves. Jesus wants to sit with me as we drive somewhere. Along the way he wants to talk, listen, learn, stop to take in the scenery, enjoy a meal, breathe the air, and let me know I am not the jacked-up mess that I feel like many days.
How many times have we asked God to show us the way? Show me the way to my future, my major, my spouse, my career, my job, my location. Just point me in the direction, just show me the way.
Maybe Jesus just shakes his head and says "I am the way." And that is all the direction that we need.
Follow the Way. It’s all that matters
photo by Jimmy Joe
I love my church because . . .
Next week our MCC staff will be involved in some strategic planning sessions. I want to start those sessions by encourage them. Will you help me do that? I am looking for some quick stories that I can share with them. Tell me how MCC, EPIC, Exchange, Crash, Chix, Berean Brothers, RTown, Crosswalk, Crosswired, Artreach, our staff, your small group, etc has impacted your walk with Christ.
Send me a quick note. You can email me on facebook or at longyear@mccth.org.
I love my church because . . .
My Inspiration for the Week
Take a lesson from this guy. Check out the facial expressions.
Be yourself and let go.
(Thanks Shawn)
This Christmas, adopt Damari
It’s Thursday, which means we feature a child from Compassion International. This week we feature Damari from Peru. To learn all about her, click here.
The greatest Christmas present she could get would be for you to be her sponsor.
About
Welcome to resonate!
My name is Scot Longyear and I'm the Lead Pastor of eXchange, a community of people following Christ and serving in His cause. We are a part of Maryland Community Church where I serve as the Sr Associate Pastor, a fancy title which, when translated, means “he who goes to many meetings.”
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