The building in itself is a miracle as over the years it has been placed under lots of heat from the city. Pastor Curtis recalled a time when he was told that the building was in violation of 7 pages of code violations. Those violations seemed to miraculously disintegrate after a San Diego High School art teacher made a wrong turn late one night and stumbled upon the building. The teacher prayed over the last standing building on the surrounding city blocks and felt called to start creating. Bringing his class down, the students worked side by side with homeless patrons to create the beautiful mosaic that appears to line the building to this day. Gleaming in the shine of the sun, the artwork made entirely from donated materials, mostly old ceramic china and mirrors provide a perfect portrayal of the light of Christ that is shining through the work of many volunteers. The mosaic, where Jesus appears in a pair of tennis shoes surrounded by lambs, contains an infinite amount of symbolism. Pastor Curtis reported that the piece actually contains a wisdom tooth in its structure, provided by one of the students.

The mission is a non-denominational evangelical ministry that invites churches to step into their facilities to prepare a meal and provide a gospel message for the patrons. Pastor Curtis explained the miracle of labor the mission has received from fellow homeless volunteers who have filled in the gaps so that their brothers and sisters are able to receive hot meals free of cost. All volunteers that work to provide the other services for the mission such as distributing donated clothing, blankets, and sanitary supplies are supplemented by the blessing of shelter that the building provides in its upper flat. A sort of dormitory style of living, the staff and residents are joyful with hopeful aspirations of seeking further education as one man reported he plans to someday go on to “UC Berkeley to study computers”.

The mission offers a chance for people to see the “reality of God’s work feeding people’s needs”. A typical night’s service at God’s Extended Hand begins after patrons make a quick stop by the “Cart Valet” located near the backside of the building. Receiving their clothes pin, the ingenious system allows for the safety of these peoples lively possessions so that they are able to enter and eat, free of worry. Tired and worn faces fill the room but a significant change on their face is seen as many pipe up at the sound of familiar songs such as “Lord I Lift Your Name on High”. Engaging in singing and prayer, the patrons are brought into an uplifted state prepared to enter into the spirit of sharing in a blessed meal with one another. As Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor” and at Extended Hand of God it is easy to see this ever-standing truth.

Pastor Curtis invites and highly encourages all to come down to share and witness the beauty of God’s blessings where families are fed and warmed. He also sends out a friendly warning that a “cold winter is in sight” as the mission has received an overwhelmingly generous supply of blankets this year and it is “just like God” to bless his people through comforting their needs.

Here’s a Recap of just a few projects that took place this weekend:

“Stand Down” an outreach event sponsored by Harbor Presbyterian, was just one of the events held this past weekend with over 300 volunteers. Volunteers worked diligently to feed, shower, and comfort the needs of over 300 homeless, many of whom were veterans.  The event lasted 3 days, and its title was a reference to the terms definition of relaxation from a state of readiness or alert.

The spirit of aiding those without a home continued to spread as another 85 volunteers involved with The Mission of Nazarene Church in El Cajon prepared and served dinner for their local homeless as well.  And even more hungry were fed as over 800 people from Maranatha Chapel in Rancho Bernardo held a food packing party. The party was a real hit, as the group of volunteers packed 205,000 fully nutritious meals to be sent to Haiti.

Another 75 volunteers from Solana Beach Presbyterian took part in the “Don’t Dump Downstream” project.  Venturing around La Jolla and the University City area, these volunteers labored by stenciling storm drains, playing a significant part in helping to keep San Diego’s water clean.

Finally, a group of another 75 were also sent out to Carlsbad State Beach where they took part in a campground clean up. Keeping our city clean is important and through the labor of these volunteers San Diego gets to continue to stay the beautiful place that it is.

God’s grace is shining through the work of all the volunteers as they supply the labor needed to help refresh and revive    the life of San Diego!  Keep up the service San Diego!

Emeritus Assisted living, Memory Care, and Nursing Home

“Save us Dave!” exclaimed Jerry the guitarists enthusiastically as song time concluded and Dave stepped up to share the word. The message was a study and reflection of James Ch.2 Verse 1-13. Today’s lesson was a reminder of the importance of showing courtesy, compassion, and consistency to all people. Hope and faith were restored as Dave reminded them that God shows no partiality in love and judgment. He also explained the safety, comfort, and true freedom that come with faith and giving oneself to Jesus. A cool breath of fresh air blew across the room as Dave ended his lesson with the sentiment that “Mercy triumphs over judgment”.

Jim and Lita (volunteers)

The visitors to Emeritus, the assisted living, memory, and nursing home in Carmel Valley, on this special Wednesday included Jerry, Jim, Dave, and Lita, a group from Horizon Christian Fellowship. However, this was not just one special Wednesday. The gathering happens to be a weekly even. The elderly ministry and outreach is an area of service that Jim explained had been praying about for decades until it finally came into being. Jim shared the heartwarming experience he encounters each time he hears the joyful sing along of hymns. He explained the most incredible part of the entire experience was the fact that most residents suffer from Alzheimer’s and short term memory loss causing many barriers to communicating. These barriers however, seem to be non-existent when it comes to singing and families are consistently uplifted as they watch their grandmothers, grandfathers, mothers, and fathers participate. The Horizon elderly ministry gives us just another glimpse into the light of God’s love being shown through his followers who are truly showing compassion for all people!

BEACH REACH

SUCH AS I HAVE MINISTRY

The service attitude is getting passed around and this time it started with the youth! Future Quest was held to celebrate the difference these young people are making in their communities. Groups of students from over 45 churches gathered and listened to speakers, went to workshops, and participated in various community service projects. An estimated 2,200 youth came out to share in the pumped up energy and fun as they enjoyed activities like paintball, jumpies, and concerts. The youth also had a chance to participate in their very own rendition of American idol…Future Quest Idol. All activities were made possible by the generosity of over 400 volunteers who helped run the entire thing from barbequing, building skate ramps, to praying for the ministering to students.

So, what exactly was getting these youth fired up? Youth who attended the event received information explaining what San Diego CityFest was all about. On lookers were amazed by the passion and excitement that shone through the crowd of youth as they cheered for the Livin It experience soon to come! The theme of Future Quest was “Altars”, and students were asked to look inside themselves and question, “Why are we here?” “What can I bring to the Altar?” These insights and inspirations provided just the stimulant to put these serving attitudes into immediate use as the event held 4 outreach projects for the youth to take part that Saturday. One of the outreaches involved going out to Downtown San Diego to minister to the homeless and urban poor. The outreaches really served to open the eyes of youth to the needs in San Diego and hopefully, spark a chain reaction of service among young people to come help to revive the city.

NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN UP

The event was a huge success. The participation, action, and energy shown by the youth left many inspired, encouraged, and equipped to seek God, walk by faith, and step out in serving God. We hope that Future Quest will not only trigger action to recruit more young volunteers for the festival but also extend far beyond the boundaries of the festival. Megan, a San Diego CityFest team member explains it best, “I’m hoping since the kids heard the word and then put it to action right away, it will be more relevant to them. I’m hoping by being involved in things such as Future Quest, or the Season of Service the kids won’t graduate from the church when they graduate high school, but they will see what it means to be a part of the universal church instead of a youth group.” Major thanks to all who participated, volunteered, and helped bring Future Quest together. We hope to see many returning faces at the up and coming festival!

A group of six young adults from St. Marks United Methodist Church could not resist the opportunity to travel to the land of “no worries, mon!” as they embarked on a journey where they were able to serve far beyond their local community in a place called Balaclava, Jamaica. With the support of their families, friends, and church families they were off to be put to use where it was needed. Entering the project without complete knowledge of what exact use they were to be made of, they arrived without expectations, and left in utter surprise of the power of the spirit that worked through them throughout the entire week.

The Jamaican team shares in a photo with the energetic 6th grade class that is due to celebrate their promotion from primary school!

The adventure began as they literally took to the hills of Jamaica, walking alongside the local Roses Valley Baptist Church minister. The nervous San Diegan group trudged through rugged terrain and heat to make special home visits to shut-ins (mostly elders suffering from different illnesses and disabilities) where they were asked to give their testimonies. This word “testimony” frightened the timid group at first, but they soon realized that these people likewise did not have any expectations. Together, they shared in the simple comfort and joys that came from entering in fellowship with one another. One particular woman was so excited just at the sight of the group approaching, she sang all the way until they arrived on her porch steps!

In the afternoons, the group spent time with the local primary school taking part in classroom activities and outdoor fun. The young adults were amazed by the well-mannered and knowledgeable students as they engaged in bible trivia, devotional time, and crafts with the elementary school students. The children’s spirits left an everlasting mark in all of the groups’ hearts. Saying goodbye to the children was most challenging for the San Diegans; one member shared that in her goodbyes one particular girl asked “Excuse me miss, when is your birthday?” after answering, the girl sweetly responded “I will pray for you on that day miss.”

children from the Roses Valley Primary School crowd around excited by the sight of a "football"

One day out of the group’s week agenda included a day spent in a place called Missions of Charity, a group care home. The miraculous story behind this home was very special, the care was entirely provided by the humble charity of 3 Indian nuns. Members of the home ranged from disabled elders to young adults suffering from mental illnesses. It was a tough place to be, especially after hearing that residents were not their by choice, rather they had been left completely abandoned by their families or picked up after being homeless. Once again, the group was surprised at the joy that came from their experiences and time spent with the people at this home. They interacted by playing music, reading, drawing, feeding, and just sitting in comfort and community with the people. One San Diegan explained his incredible experience and the warmth he felt after he spent an hour spoon feeding an elderly man who was both deaf and blind. He was especially touched by the fact that not only did they share in this time together but they also shared the same name.

As a member of the San Diego CityFest team and also this Jamaican team, I felt inspired to share my thoughts and stories from this incredible experience. The mission trip opened my eyes to many new things and I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to take part in such wonderful work. I was able to meet and share with such a loving community all while serving others! The experiences that came from serving the people of Balaclava, Jamaica changed my life and it is my hope now that these stories will inspire others to serve. The benefits and joy that come from service are endless, so start now and join in the celebration of the Season of Service beginning right here in your very own community of San Diego!

Honoring the lives of Chelsea and Amber, youth were invited to participate themselves in the event’s activities by taking their own skateboards and hitting the ramps. The positive influence provided by the professional athletes presented new ideas and challenges to motivate youth to get involved in their communities. Event organizers are hopeful that words from athletes such as professional skateboarder Brian Sumner, professional surfers Bryan Jennings and Matt Beacham, and NFL player Marlon McCree will provide just the stimulant to put these teens into action!

“The Cause”, with its action packed message, just goes to show that fun, energy, and empowerment create a mixture of success that can provide just the momentum needed to push teens to make a difference in their community.

Bryan Jennings explains, “I felt it was important to serve through the Cause event because my heart broke for Chelsea and Amber’s families like many others here in San Diego. This was a small way to let the families know that we care and that God’s family cares about what has happened to them and we are praying for God to comfort them as they move forward with their lives. As the chairman of the Livin It Alliance team and a native San Diegan I am excited to see many lives impacted in San Diego through the CityFest!  I grew up in La Jolla, California, so I really want to see people here impacted with the Gospel”.

The Season of Service greatly appreciates all of those individuals who have stepped forward to be a part of this incredible cause! Come check out more of this lively action at the Livin It and family fun zone all taking place this September at the CityFest festival!

A little bit of paint can go a long way!

Here are a few words from Pastor Markus Watson on the day:

“It’s amazing that in less than three hours, a little over 100 of us worked together to make a huge impact on our neighborhood by cleaning up the alley behind our church.
If you weren’t able to make it, you need to drive down the alley sometime soon.  No more potholes.  A repaired fence for one of the homeowners.  Clean paint on various sections of the alley. And no more weeds!  What an improvement!”

Can you imagine if every church in San Diego just did one project like this?  There are over 400 churches involved in the Season of Service so far… Imagine the possibility!

For more pictures from the day, visit Northminster’s photo gallery:  http://northminstersandiego.com/photoGallery/index.php?spgmGal=2010%20-%20Worship%20SERVICE%20Day

These four smiley Girl Scouts stand honored as they bridged and shared helpful tips about healthy living with their community!

the Girl Scouts  and community organizations worked to provide resources to help kids and parents learn how to eat better, be more active, and lead healthier lives! At the same time, the giddy girls celebrated their progression to the next level of scouting by processing across the Market Creek Bridge to the Jacobs Center Lawn. While the scouts participated in the traditional bridging ceremony, the entire community was invited to also participate in this free event where they were able to enjoy crafts, music, play games, receive health and wellness information, and learn about a wide variety of Girl Scouts projects.

The goal of the Healthy Families expo was to bring families together by promoting creative ways to achieve healthier living. Lifestyle changes including good eating habits and daily physical activity were introduced. Many parents were shocked as they learned of the various high sugars and fat content found in many fast and snack foods! Tastings of fresh season fruit and vegetables were available for families along with the distribution of cookbooks containing healthy eating recipes. The event drew people from all ethnic groups as they received blood pressure testing, vision testing, and even yoga instruction!  The event also had a physician on hand screening people for glaucoma where several individuals were diagnosed for the very first time encouraging parents to seek out recommended visits to specialist for their children.

The girls were honored as they were able to share in this great promotion and provide community service to families in the area. The event provided a fun way for the entire community from youth to adults to partake in an innovative design created to help families transform their lifestyles so that they may lead healthier lives and feel their very best!

Many thanks to the community and Girl Scouts for making this event possible and bringing the spirit of good health to the Season of Service! The Girl Scouts will continue to share their joy and enthusiasm with CityFest making an appearance at the festival September 11, 2010!

Here’s what the directors have to say:

“We are excited to work together with such a distinguished volunteer organization such as Volunteer San Diego.  They bring expertise and quality to meeting the needs throughout San Diego County.”  Chris McFarland – Director, San Diego CityFest with Luis Palau

“We are so pleased to work with CityFest and Luis Palau to inspire even more people to change our community for the better. Their leadership and relationships in the faith community are critical ingredients in the success of our entire community.” Sue Carter – Executive Director, Volunteer San Diego

Here’s to creating lasting change in San Diego!

The family owned motor company located in Carlsbad, CA has been serving the San Diego community since 1975.  President and Co-Owner Bill Hoehn saw joining the Season of Service as an extension of that commitment to the county.  Son-in-law Josh Sherman led the group, and they worked alongside no less than 100 additional volunteers to make the day a huge success.

Mayor Sanders had commented earlier in the Season of Service that “The community gets stronger when they see people taking care of each other.”  Hoehn’s participation will hopefully be the fuel to ignite other businesses to serve as well!