For Such is the Kingdom of God

Ascension's first VBS program is just about wrapping up and we are very excited. We had some extra help in our efforts thanks to a planned visit from our partner church, Crossroads Community Church (PCA) in Fishers, IN. Their youth pastor brought a large contingent of his teenagers who were very instrumental in our lessons, crafts and activities. It has been great to have them here during this busy week.

The program had a large number of children sign up, more than half of whom had no affiliation with our church. A number of parents expressed interest in our church as a result. With so many families with small children living in this part of Queens, our ability to offer quality Children's ministries is crucial in Ascension Church's planned growth. It's all we can do to praise God for the wonderful work He has done through our VBS program this week and what that will mean for us as we move on.

Our midwestern brothers and sisters also had an opportunity to experience another aspect of missions in Queens this evening (Thursday). We set up a table near a playground in a local park and distributed free bottled water (it was a hot day), and water for dogs as people often walk their pets in the park. We also had some books, Bibles and church literature at the table. Many great conversations were had through this venue and some good connections were made.

The rest of us handed our tracts and church info at surface exits for a major subway terminus in Forest Hills. Many great interactions were had by this exercise as well. Our Indiana friends were very excited to participate in this hands-on opportunity to minister to people in Queens this way. It was great. We've been pretty busy this week.

Change in my status: As most of you know, my work at Ascension was made possible through my participation in the Church Planting Fellows Program through Redeemer Presbyterian Church. Under the program, Redeemer paid me a stipened which accounted for 75 percent of my income this past year allowing me to work here as an Intern full-time with the additional help of some generous partners like some of you. The Fellows program is now over and the stipened is gone. What this means is that beginning next week I will become a part-time intern instead of a full-time one and will need to find full-time work elsewhere. The plan is to raise additional funds through my existing supporters and additional supporters so that I can eventually return to full-time status in the church. Because Ascension Presbyterian Church is new and small, it doesn't have enough money to pay me a salary. I ask those of you who currently partner with me to prayerfully consider increasing your gifts. I also ask that if you know anyone who might be interested in my work here, that you would put them in touch with me.

There is another change you need to know about. Your checks should continue to be mailed to me at home: 83-44 Lefferts Blvd. Apt. 3C; Kew Gardens, NY 11415. You should now make out checks to Ascension Church (the word Presbyterian is ono on the church's account at the bank) and continue to put my name on the memo line. Don't worry if you have already made out a check to Redeemer. They will be calculating funds for me and summing up the total this month.

Please continue to pray for my work in the church and also for me as I look for a full-time job.

Short Comments this Week

I need to keep this brief because I'm swamped with preparations for our Vacation Bible School program next week. I do want to update you on a few things I mentioned last week.

As, I mentioned, I had my first exposure to the New York City comedy scene on Tuesday night at the New York Comedy Club. Several people I invited came, most of whom were connected with my own church or me connections through Redeemer Presbyterian Church. I was up near the middle of the evening and was far and away, the cleanest comic of the evening... and I don't mean that I showered before I came. All the other guys filled their material with various forms of vulgarity. They couldn't figure out why so many people in the crowd weren't laughing. They didn't know, of course, that my friends were church-goers. Go figure.

I went over pretty well. Got a few laughs. The guys at the club invited me back this coming Tuesday but because of our VBS program at church, I declined. I'll be playing there the following Thursday though. I think it's good for people to see that you don't need to dig up the dirt in order to be funny.

Please pray for my random job search and our VBS program next week. I gotta go for now.

The Party's Over... The Comedy Continues

Well, the Church Planting Fellows Program has come to an end. We had our last meeting with Tim Keller two weeks ago and the Lord has various directions in ministry lined up for each of us. Fuji Kim (at the left in the picture, taken by Irene Lee of Redeemer's staff) will be heading back home to Philadelphia, PA to plant a Pan-Asian church there. Martijn Horsman (next to Fuji) will return to the Netherlands to plant a church in Amsterdam. Tim Keller is in the middle of the photo. Al Taylor is looking to plant a non-denominational church in Harlem with the help of Redeemer's Church Planting Center and Infinity Church in The Bronx. Reyn Cabinte was sick on the last day we met and isn't pictured. He's going to begin the process of planting a church in Washington Heights (Manhattan).

And then there's me. As most of you know, I'm sticking it out with Ascension Presbyterian Church for a while until I feel clearly called to plant a church in another part of the city (preferrably in Queens). I still have a lot to learn before that time comes.

Because the Fellows program is over, I will now be only a part time church planting intern because Ascension Church doesn't have the financial resources that Redeemer has, the stipened, which accounted for 75% of my income this past year, is gone. I'll still need to raise additional funds and keep the donations coming from those of you who've been sending support. Beginning in August, support checks should continue to be mailed to my home address, but should now be made out to Ascension Church instead of Redeemer. Continue to put my name on the memo line.

So now the search is on for outside work. I've managed to piece together a few odd jobs in much the same way I did when I was in Seminary. One of the most exciting gigs comes up this Tuesday night. I will take the stage at the New York Comedy Club. That's right folks, I'm the Jerry Seinfeld of church planting. I've never played a New York crowd. My material went over well in Beaver Falls, PA and Jackson, MS, but New Yorker's are a tough bunch. I'll let you know next week how everything turns out. At the very least, I will be paid handsomely considering they only want seven minutes of schtick.

Playing Pastor

For the next two weeks I get to play "de facto" pastor as Micahel and his family disappear to take a vacation and celebrate their wedding anneversary. Well, at least that's how it feels. I'm not even ordained yet, so I'm not a real pastor yet (I'm tempted to say that I play one on TV), but if I'm not willing to step up to the plate in the pastor's absense, I might want to reconsider my own call. Well, hey, it's Summer here, things are a bit out of the ordinary, people appear and disappear all the time. Why not the pastor? Michael is one of the hardest working people I know and he deserves to take a break.

He's off to the City by the Bay, San Francisco and I hope he has a great time. Meanwhile, I'll be back here holding down the fort, working with some of the people who've volunteered to help us with our VBS program which we've scheduled for the last week in July. VBS will be my last full-time responsibility as an Intern because beginning in August, I'll be working a full-time job to pay the bills so I can continue to work part-time for the church. I know it sounds complicated, but God has put me here and I'm happy with whatever that ends up looking like.