It's Time to Upgrade to SLM 3.0!

Last Monday night the final softball game of the season was being played. Honestly I was quite happy it was our last game! At 49 years old my body was sore and hurting from playing and practicing a sport that is better suited for younger people. Shiloh Softball is a great example of the heart of the ministry. The team is a group of misfits, people from a variety of ethnicities, mostly made up of folks that get overlooked in life. In a 10 game season we had lost the first eight games until last week when we had an offensive outburst and hung on for dear life to win the second-to-last game. Now, going into our last game, we were minus a few of our regular starters, but we had enough people to play.

The game went back and forth until we found ourselves in the bottom of the 7^th (final inning in softball rules) … down by a run. We scratched out a run to tie the game. And then, with two outs, a young man was on first—I’ve known him since he was a teenager who was a gang leader that brought 30 unwanted young people to the church I was on staff with at the time. He is now 30 himself, been a chain smoker for half of his life, has a ponytail that goes down to his butt and a life story of survival through abuse and neglect many would tremble to hear about. He is a societal misfit that loves God and loves to help his neighbor—few, if any, traditional churches would want him in their service let alone trust him with any responsibility …

At the plate was the oldest member of our team. He has a pacemaker keeping his weak heart running, bad knees, and he stepped to the plate already having popped out twice during the game. He is a father of a misfit teen who loves SLM. His family has been ravaged by the pain of addiction and the damage it does, and yet he’s the kind of man who loves to help reach out to those misfits who need to know: God loves them no matter what. On the sidelines the rest of the misfits shouted out encouragement to him. He smacked the first pitch he saw and sent a laser shot down the left field line. From first, the tall, lanky pied piper of misfits himself, ran as fast as his diminished capacity lungs would allow. Without hesitation I waved him around third to home plate … he hit the plate less than a second before the throw from the outfield made it to the defender. “SAFE!—SAFE!” shouted the umpire. The group of misfits, a collection of neglected, ignored, judged and abused people, swarmed home plate to celebrate the unlikely victory over a more talented opponent.

I fought back tears as I watched my lovable misfits in their moment of joy. Tears? No one cries in softball! Yes, tears. There on that dry dusty field, a snapshot of the heart of God through the ministry of SLM was being played out. In the past few months this ministry has been mocked, accused, abandoned and judged—starting with me as the fearless leader of the misfits. Yet through it all, this small group of people have found a way to stay together and to become a family more united than ever. Through the difficulties of this summer a group of people have not lost sight of the purpose of this ministry, a ministry that will now evolve and flourish.

Shiloh’s Lighthouse is changing. A renewed focus that returns us to our roots has come about and it is time for an upgrade to Shiloh’s Lighthouse 3.0. What will Shiloh’s Lighthouse version 3.0 be, you ask? Well you’ll just have to wait for that answer unless you live in the Saginaw area and want to be at our Community Center this Sunday for the unveiling that will happen during our morning fellowship time. I can tell you that this Sunday we will serve breakfast starting at 10 AM. Following the meal we’ll have a great time of spirited praise and worship music, and then I will tell all the folks there all about SLM 3.0. If you’re not in the area no worries—next week I’ll put out a blog detailing the changes that are happening. 

I can give you a hint about the content of version 3.0 … I dare to open the doors of this ministry to _________ and let them know God loves them and has a plan for their life. I’ll be filling in the blank this Sunday and in the weeks to come as Shiloh’s Lighthouse Ministry 3.0 kicks into high gear. Grab a misfit or two, keep your fancy clothes on their hangers, and come enjoy the food, worship and fellowship this Sunday.

Keep the faith …

PD

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The Best Twenty Dollars You'll Ever Spend!

Welcome back! 

We had a great weekend here at SLM and hope you all did as well. Starting with a Friday evening, open-to-the-public, Taco Dinner (SLM is becoming famous county-wide for these monthly $6-a-heaping-full-plate of delectable culinary delights meals) at which our facility was jammed to capacity for several hours, raising some much needed funds, to a spirit-filled Saturday evening intercessory prayer session, to a Sunday morning service with a Praise and Worship music session that was deep and joyous,

followed by a strong and inspiring sermon delivered by Pastor Dana, and all that followed with ...

... more great food!

Yes, we do so love to enjoy each other's company over a sumptuous meal, and every 2nd Sunday of each month we have a Fellowship Pot-Luck Dinner after the service. And no, we're not all fat, but we are full of love and compassion for our brothers and sisters and filled with the spiritual joy of "Seeing all people through the eyes of Jesus."

And we reach out to the community, sponsoring programs like the Shiloh's Boxing Club

--a haven for young--often 'at-risk'--people to come together and train under the tutelage of volunteering, skilled and experienced, real men who care. These youngsters are afforded the opportunity to learn, through discipline and structure, not only how to grow strong mentally and physically, but also what it means to be a well-rounded, complete, spiritually and emotionally grounded adult--the likes of which we desperately need much more of in this day and age, hmm?

Our youth group, called "Freed Youth"--a program we are in the process of building--will take in teenagers looking for meaning in life and, oftentimes in need of adult mentoring and positive-life-building direction. These kids--many of whom would be considered 'undesirables' by a great deal of contemporary churches--will not be 'beaten over the head' with Bible-thumping messages of condemnation and threats of hell-fire and damnation over their shameful and sinful ways. No. They will be, of course, taught from The Word and shown the Way of Salvation through the Love of Christ, but mainly ... they will get loved on. They'll get hugged, appreciated, and shown what it means to have and be accepted and loved by, a real family--something that so many youngsters these days do not have in the blood-relative, traditional familial sense.

We have a women's group, called "Seekers of His Heart." Every week, women come together to fellowship, share and support each other with their life challenges, and rejoice in each other's achievements. They worship, pray, and provide the comfort of 'extended family' love and comeraderie.

The "X-Men" (The 'X' stand for 'Christ') - another new start up program, is where some of our grounded, senior adult, mentoring men get together with younger men and counsel them--not just in words, but also in leading by example--on what it means to be a whole, well-rounded, productive, and responsible man ... taking your place in society as a leader of, and provider for, your family, and an example for others on what it means to 'Walk Your Talk' in the Way of Christ.

Shiloh's Lighthouse is small, by comparison to many churches, in terms of members. Yet we do all this, and give to the best of our abilities to the community. But we want to do much, much more. Soup kitchen for the hungry - clothes pantry for the needy - emergency money fund for those facing sudden fiscally threatening challenges - student tutoring after-school programs to assist young people in getting good grades and diplomas - job-finding assistance - home care for the disabled elderly who can't afford the help they need ... these are just some of the ideas that we wish to bring to fruition in order to save and revitalize our neighborhoods, the community, and eventually our country and the entire planet.

So I am closing this post with the presentation of an opportunity for any and all who are reading this. A chance to receive the blessing that comes from giving. If you are in a position to afford a (minimum) $20-per-month pledge, I would exhort you to CLICK HERE - and go to our main website where you will have the opportunity support this growing group and its programs.

Twenty dollars

Can you think of a better way to spend a twenty-spot? And think also of how easy it is to blow--without even consciously trying--twenty dollars ...

A couple fast-food meals. A six-pack of beer and a pack of smokes. One ticket to a movie with a small soda (can't even squeeze in a small popcorn on that little of a budget these days). The amount of gas wasted driving repeatedly during the month to the convenience store (or wherever) down the street when you could easily (and also feel good about yourself because it's healthy) walk. Those chocolate Twinkies you eat and know you shouldn't (wink). Playing the lottery - and always losing!

I could go on and on, but you get the point. Take the same twenty dollars you could easily blow, wasted on unnecessary 'stuff' - and instead ... give - sow into the work of God, and plant seeds in the spiritual garden we at SLM are cultivating ... with the help of good and caring people like you ...


... people who care, who wish to give out to others, who love all of our brothers and sisters--whether lost, confused, black, red, yellow, white, wealthy, poor, whatever, it matters not--and who are committed to "Seeing all people through the eyes of Jesus."

To make your pledge and/or donation, please CLICK HERE, and God Bless You!

Thanks for being here today, and blog back in again soon. You will always find messages of good news and spiritually uplifitng content here at the SLM Blog.

~~~~~

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