Thank you!Thank you to the 50 servants who deep cleaned at Century, Kellogg, and John Adams public schools on December 17, 2011. We'll see you on Saturday, June 16, for CareFest 2012! |
CareFest Report…Showing the love of Jesus to Rochester
A year ago, God gave His people a vision for a citywide, multiple church outreach of good works—servant evangelism without strings—to our community. On June 10, over 1600 Christians from about 25 area churches made that vision a reality.
We served about 60 sites, painting, cleaning, repairing, and landscaping. Organizations served included the Boys & Girls Club, public schools, city parks, New Life Family Services crisis pregnancy center, Crossroads College, Casa de Paz (Hispanic outreach center), Friendship Place (outreach center), a foster home for the elderly, a Christian daycare, and a needy single woman from a local church.
The work was diverse: window washing to pouring concrete, picking up litter to backhoe-loader work. Eleven electricians brought new light to a dingy Boys & Girls Club. At Quarry Hill, five chainsaws sang in unison (sometimes) as volunteers removed buckthorn. At times, the tasks seemed overwhelming… then came the reinforcements.
Throughout the day, the Holy Spirit’s superintendence was clear to all as one leader phoned the logistics coordinator for ten reinforcements, only to have another leader spontaneously call five minutes later with ten available. Project site leaders remarked that God’s work was evident by the fact that many projects involved believers from a variety of churches who had never before met, yet they worked together seamlessly with amazing productivity.
The feedback from all the organizations we served was overwhelmingly positive as all planned tasks (and a few extras) were accomplished with excellence! |
The feedback from all the organizations we served was overwhelmingly positive as all planned tasks (and a few extras) were accomplished with excellence! Community organization leaders said that the quality of work was better than that of the pros we pay. They remarked of the diligence and joy we displayed. They were amazed with our youth who served with great attitudes alongside the adults. One school janitor wept as he couldn’t believe how his school was transformed before his eyes.
Many organization leaders remarked that, in light of budget cuts and tight staffing, much of this work could not have been accomplished for two to three years!
Rochester Mayor Ardell F. Brede called CareFest, The Million Dollar Day for our city. One Christian leader, said that June 10, 2006 was the most spiritually significant day in our city in twenty-five years.
Who would have thought that hard work all day would be so rewarding?
Our prayer and plans are to use the experiences of June 10 to create ongoing community service opportunities through which the love of Jesus can be shared with our actions and, through the relationships established, providing occasions to share Jesus also with words.
Mark your calendars for June 16, 2007, as we anticipate next year’s CareFest!
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. – Mark 10:45
CareFest 2011 Photo Album
CareFest 2011 Recap
2011 CareFest Recap
by Pastor Larry Orth, CareFest Coordinator
CareFest 2011...becoming His masterpiece!
On a brisk February Sunday evening, a group of Zumbro Valley community leaders and residents gathered to brainstorm possible solutions to jumpstart their rebuilding process. Five months earlier, the flood of the century had devastated their community; government resources were scarce and buyouts were uncertain. The sea of volunteers that had come to their immediate aid had all but dried up and hope had faded. Many families had lost everything and dozens remained homeless.
That evening, the Lord began to move among His people. CareFest leaders sensed God’s call to get involved and, within a month, a two-phased event was planned. According to Lutheran Social Services relief coordinator Craig Richardt, new life was injected into the whole relief process. “Before CareFest showed up, volunteer and financial support had really diminished. I could feel the urgency that if something didn’t happen soon, the relief efforts would die and there was a lot left to do [$1.3 million].” He continued, “CareFest was the ‘shot in the arm’ that was needed to bring renewed awareness of the ongoing needs of the flooded region. CareFest brought a new level of credibility and trust to encourage other organizations to rally alongside the relief efforts. For example, United Way, Rochester Builders, and Salvation Army released designated flood recovery funds to us because they knew the money would be leveraged to do the most good for the victims. Immediately we started to build momentum and strength for a long term recovery process.”
Read more...Prayer Requests
- Pray that God will reveal the specific projects He wants us to do in our community for His greatest glory.
- Pray that God will raise up the specific leaders and skills we need to accomplish the projects.
- Pray that God will help leaders define each project’s human, equipment, and supply needs; for good communication and good relationships between project leaders and ministry recipients.
- Pray that God's people will respond to the call to serve in faith and perseverance, that God will guide the process of matching workers with projects, and that God will meet all our needs.
- Pray that God will guide our leaders in their planning, site preparation, resource allocation, and carrying out excellent work at each site.
- Pray that all the final details will culminate in the best possible CareFest. Pray for good weather, safety, and for Holy Spirit superintendence of each project to the glory of Jesus.
- Pray that many will come to know the Lord as Savior through CareFest as they experience His saving and restoring hope.