From: Muriel Luedeman
IIAW Good News and Great Story about Our Beloveds! February 8
Dear, Initiative and Unity Center Family,
Because of severe cold, there will be no Meal Prep for the Beloveds or Neighborhood Clean Up this Saturday, February 13th.Also, the Unity Center Clean Out project was completed last Saturday. The dumpster was filled and all things that needed to go away went away.YEEHAW! Praise Him!
Thank you to all volunteers who helped with the meal prep and dumpster work.
The Sermon Center at Truman and Noland Road, is open during daytime hours as a warming center Monday - Thursday 8am - 8pm, through Thursday, February 11th. Hours may change according to weather conditions and resources available. Sermon Center makes hotel room vouchers available for those without transportation. The Independence Police will escort them to the hotel.
The phone number is 816-325-7370. Please pray that warming center hours will be extended so our Beloveds can stay warm.
The Initiative is making preparations to open the Unity Center as a nighttime warming center. We have cots and volunteer staff on hand to serve this need. Pray that we will find favor with the city officials to open the warming center. The IIAW Leadership Team cannot answer when it will open. We must have the city inspection first. Every time we get ready to have a walk through, it's cancelled. In the team's spiritual experience, when God is ready, NOTHING can stop it. If He is not ready, or WE are not ready, then HE keeps the door closed till the appropriate time. The enemy is not to blame, because God is the one who orders OUR steps, so we stay faithful to what we do have. The vision has not changed - LOVE NEVER FAILS.
Our next monthly IIAW meeting is Tuesday, February 23rd, 6:30pm at the Unity Center.If your church would like to host the meeting, please let me know by Friday, February 19th. Muriel Luedeman, 816-726-8425,mur620@gmail.com. It is helpful to have a level entry and large enough space for social distancing.
The First Fruits Prayer Group change jar for the Unity Center windows is filling up again. $83 so far, with 15 days to go before the monthly IIAW meeting! One prayer group member found a $20 bill in a vest pocket and decided it should go into the jar. PRAISE GOD for multiplying our found, fun funds!
The next meal prep will be scheduled for February 20th or 28th. Watch for an IIAW volunteer notice.
A BEAUTIFUL, ENCOURAGING STORY!
In the last email, Cheri Tharp gave guidelines regarding serving the needs of our Beloveds, which are necessarily strict to give wise and safe service. I felt as I was writing them down to send, how challenging it is to offer compassionate service to our Beloveds. The Holy Spirit gave Jerry Newton an experience that we all can learn from and show what we CAN do to help.
Jerry often receives instructions from the Holy Spirit. A couple of days ago, he was given a word from the Lord that he should go to the Hy-Vee gas station on 23rd street, and give a word of encouragement to someone. He thought it was one of the staff he knew there. When he entered the store, he learned the person he was going to talk to was not working that day. He decided to buy himself a drink and noticed a woman at the checkout counter weeping and shivering. She didn't look like a usual homeless vagrant Beloved. She was wearing a dress and not bundled well for the weather. Jerry approached her,"Are you hungry?" "Yes."she said timidly."Go pick out whatever you want and I will take care of it for you." "Really?" "Yes".She picked up two sandwiches. While she was occupied, Jerry received another word from the Lord."Give her your coat."He went out to his car, where he pulled out a long windbreaker. He said that he didn't put it there intentionally, just there conveniently. It wasn't very bulky but it would help a little. He took it into the store and asked the woman if she was cold and wanted the coat. She took it and thanked him. The store clerk behind the counter saw what was happening, and thanked Jerry as well. Jerry just said, tearing up, that he was just trying to be the hands and feet of Jesus. He went away blessed as much as the woman.
Jerry's wife, Loretta, told me about this experience and I asked Jerry this morning at Prayer Group to tell me about it himself. Later, as I was praying about what I should send out in this email, the Lord impressed upon me that Jerry's experience is an example of how Our Savior would have us all approach our service to our Beloveds. He will work according to our abilities and resources in a custom fit way. Sometimes we are prompted to have certain things handy with us in our cars, so we are ready when the need appears. Jesus will show us ways to help Him do His work through us compassionately, wisely, and safely. Jerry knew he was on God's Divine Errand when he entered the store. He didn't just assume her needs. He didn't try to force her to take his help, though he could see she was cold and probably hungry. He approached her with questions that preserved her dignity. He didn't think about praying for her. He didn't receive word to do so, or he would have asked. Sometimes praying with the person is not appropriate.
May this experience bless and encourage you as you pray for ways to reach out to our Beloveds. I will share other experiences that build our skills and confidence in this wonderful realm of service. God calls us into "on-the-job" training that we all can learn from. If you have encounters of this kind, please email them to me to share with the Initiative team so we all may be edified. Remember, this is our primary daily Divine Concern, serving the "least of these". Let's get real good at it, real fast!
Thank you for taking the time to read these messages. I try to make them as short, as possible. Go with God.
Muriel Luedeman
816-726-8425
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