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Just a reminder: there is Prayer Meeting this Saturday at 7:00 PM @ The Meeting Place. It’s a great time of drawing near to God together!
This Sunday will have an international theme:
- We’ll praise our global God together
- Peter & Lydia will give a testimony about their year-long honeymoon in Thailand
- Our International Mission Team will be giving updates on Immanuel’s 6 partners in the gospel around the world
- Long-time Immanuel missionaries to Taiwan – George and Marlys McFall – will be with us
- George will be preaching on “Great Fruit from Bold Evangelism (1Thess. 1:1 – 2:6)” in both services
- From 10:20 – 10:50 AM George will be giving a presentation on his latest work in global mapping
- There will be authentic, home-made snacks from around the world
See you then!
Howdy,
I’m Kevin. Tricia and I have been married for more than 30 years, and I still feel like the luckiest guy alive!! We moved here from Waco, Texas, in 2006. (Michael, our son, soon realized we had left – found out where we had gone and joined us in 2007.)
We moved here to work in inner-city schools. I teach at a small Christian high school on the north side of downtown. Most of the kids at our school are considered at-risk. This means they are usually no longer on track to graduate with the kids they started high school with. Many have spent time away from school for whatever reason and now want to finish and actually graduate. Teaching and working with high school kids is usually fun. It has never felt like a ‘job’ and is rarely boring.
I got involved in education after finishing a degree in something unrelated (Laboratory Science). Our church started a school and no one could understand the chemistry book, much less teach it. So they asked me, and that is how the journey began. I was working evening shift at a hospital so I taught one class in the mornings. Soon the Lord led me into this field full-time and I worked at the hospital part-time.
I used to be concerned about making an impact on the kids. I no longer spend much time thinking about that. One reason is because I teach out of a need/desire to serve the Lord and the results are really his department. I am responsible to obey – the fruit may or may not develop in the 2-3 years I am with these kids. It may not show up for a long time. I am not in this for their benefit – I am in this because it is what God has asked of me.
The main role I have is to model Christianity. The kids I teach are not terribly interested in education. They are almost all from difficult situations and almost all have had some exposure to religion. The thing most of them do not have is consistent, caring adults (especially men) who do what is best for them, hold them accountable, and encourage them to work towards a better future. I often think of the Scripture in Galatians: “Let us work for the good of all, especially for those of the family of faith.” Many of our kids don’t profess Christ, many who do seem to live a very different life than what I would consider ‘Christian’. I don’t judge them. I love them and try to live out my faith in front of them. Every year (sometimes every week) I spend significant time in prayer asking God to give me a love for these kids. It seems he is faithful to always give us one or two ‘special ones’ who keep me on my knees.
In the 3 years I have taught at this school, I have been impressed with the number of former students who have stopped in and told the staff how much the school helped them. Many are now living productive lives and love the Lord. Not all the stories have happy endings, but I know that the Lord will reach many of the kids who come through our school.
TTFN
This Sunday there will be a presentation on human trafficking from Phil, Tracy, and Charles between the two services (10:20–10:50 AM).
Freedom Sunday is an idea organized by the Not For Sale campaign.
Aloha, Immanuel! My name is Daniel and I hail from Pearl City (a suburb adjacent to Pearl Harbor), Hawaii. I have attended IBC since February 2008 and joined the mission as a member that December. My primary vocation is a college student. I’m currently finishing up my junior year at Moody Bible Institute, where I’m majoring in Urban Ministry.
A few nights ago, my roommate and I were up late, at our desks, immersed in homework. With sleepy, bloodshot eyes I turned away from my glowing computer screen, looked at my roommate, smiled and said, “Dude, we’ve got it made.” Without hesitation, he smiled back in sincere agreement and replied, “We do have it made!” Despite countless hours spent in the library, late night papers, and daunting due dates, I love being a student! I should qualify that: I love being a Bible college student! I’m endlessly amazed that I get to read Bible commentaries and write papers on the theology of salvation for homework.
In my urban ministry classes, I learn about spiritual and social needs found in cities (basically the same kind of stuff that’s discussed in our IBC Membership Booklet). I am being taught how to minister to people in light issues like urbanization, gentrification, race, poverty, and social injustices. Through these classes, and the mission of IBC, God has instilled within me a passion and appreciation for cities. Sometime after Moody I am planning to study Hawaiian history and teach at a college in the city of Honolulu—where I hope to live and be a part of a church with a mission similar to Immanuel’s. But that’s all down the road.
I believe that I can glorify God in my present vocation by being a diligent student—approaching my classes with a grateful attitude, putting forth my best effort. I can also glorify God through my friendships. While I am submerged in a community of believers, I can still find opportunities to remind my friends and peers here on campus about the beauty of the gospel. This is always a need because, like in any Christian community, the gospel easily moves from being the good news to just a lifeless topic among others.
Two years ago I began working with Campus Crusade (Cru) as a Student leader at LoyolaUniversity. I was introduced to Cru through Amanda and Kira, who used to attend IBC. I consider this my secondary vocation. Every Thursday night I lead an upperclassmen guys Bible study with about 7 Loyola students on their campus in Rogers Park. I’ve enjoyed growing in my faith with these guys and seeing them take big steps in their faith. I’ve also discovered how crucial campus ministry is. Many of the students in our Cru group are aiming to become nurses, doctors, teachers, and lawyers. I am excited to think of how they will someday be witnesses in these professional realms.
While I love my vocations, I am prone to approach them indifferently. Accordingly, I am so thankful to God that, through our church, he keeps me rooted in the gospel—giving my vocations a worthy purpose. I imagine that amidst any future vocations God has in store, my union with Christ will always allow me to say, “I’ve got it made.”
Have you ever thought it would be fun to learn how to run a sound board? Would you be interested in maybe helping out at church that way?
Ryan Anderson has graciously agreed to show us how best to use The Meeting Place’s sound system. If you currently run it or would like to be equipped to do so, please come to The Meeting Place this Friday at 7:30 PM.
Contact Adam Smith (times_of_grace) with questions…
2453 W Grenshaw St. Unit 1 — Near Western and Roosevelt
3 Bedrooms (1 master suite)
2 1/2 Bath
Two living levels
In-house washer/dryer
1 indoor parking space
Up-to-date appliances
Built-in ethernet network
asking for $1300 + utilities per month
contact mrhobinlee
Don’t forget: there’s Prayer Meeting tonight.
Prayer Meeting is now on Saturday nights, every other week, at The Meeting Place, starting at 7:00 PM. Anyone can come, any time!
The Elixir
By George Herbert
Teach me, my God and King,
In all things Thee to see,
And what I do in anything
To do it as for Thee.
Not rudely, as a beast
To run into an action;
But still to make Thee prepossest
And give it his perfection.
A man that looks on glass
On it may stay his eye,
Or if he pleaseth, through it pass,
And then the heaven espy.
All may of Thee partake
Nothing can be so mean
Which with his tincture, ‘for Thy sake,’
Will not grow bright and clean.
A servant with this clause
Makes drudgery divine;
Who sweeps a room, as for Thy laws,
Makes that and the action fine.
This is the famous stone
That turneth all to gold,
For that which God doth touch and own
Cannot for less be told.
Does anyone need a corner computer desk? We have a nice one that we need to get rid of and would be happy to let you have it. It’s in great shape and has a shelf for a printer.
Let me know if you’re interested!
lindsey.avink
Immanuel Blog 