January Vision Column

From the Pastor’s Desk

Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” And he said, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” (Mark 4:1-9)

This month Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church is planting some seeds. These seeds are in the form of an $8000 grant from the Self Development of People program of the Presbyterian Church USA. You may remember that we contribute to this program every year on Palm Sunday in the One Great Hour of Sharing.

This grant will be used to start a new business that will be operated by the poor and homeless in our community who attend our Sunday evening worship service. Under the direction of Dirk Lowther a business is being started that will employ the homeless on the streets of Eagle Rock to manufacture lighted safety vest. They will take the bright orange or green safety vests that you see people wearing when working outside at night. The idea is to improve these vests by sowing LED lights to them. This will make them more than just reflective. They will literally glow!

Our hope is that the poor and homeless in the community will take advantage of this program to learn marketable skills and behavior and earn some money from hard work rather than a handout. They will learn have to manufacture and sell something that is really needed and thus find a way to work themselves out of poverty.

All of this was made possible by you who have contributed to the One Great Hour of Sharing and support this church’s ministry to the poor of the community. Now, if you know of anyone who works, walks or bikes outside at night please let then know that a lighted safety vest is available. Just see Dirk for details. Help us to nurture the seeds we have planted.

Blessings,

Pastor Jeff