For those stopping by, here is our 2019 Summer Park BBQ Ministry slide video . . . enjoy
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Park Preaching: God has already started bringing His salvation to His Mountain, to the Hill7/26/2019 Before the hot dogs, a little Park Preaching: “Innocent people get caught up in our sin. Everyone here knows what “sin” is, right? It’s our mistakes. It’s our evil. It’s our decisions to not do good. I don’t have to explain this, right, you all know what sin is?” Plenty of hands up. I continue: Well, it’s also part of our nature. It’s our bent. And, you all know innocent people, too many times, reap the results, the consequences of our sin. How many here admit their sins hurt and have hurt other people? (Hands up.) So, you know what I am talking about. God has something for you—and for you who have been hurt by the sins of others.
Well, here in Isaiah 25, God has something for those who had reaped the results of sin and rebellion against God. Especially the innocent, who had to share in the punishment, the exile, when God dealt with their sin. There would be a time when God would make a feast for all peoples on His mountain. (Strange, it seems every time God does something to heal and forgive and restore His people, it’s over food—do you wonder why CPC in The Hill does so many things related to food!) God promises that “he will swallow up” the “covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations.” And what is this “covering,” this “veil”? It is death. For, Isaiah tells us in the next line: he “will swallow up death forever.” This is the end of sin. We, right here in the Hill, have seen too much death. We know this covering because we have seen it. This is the veil that hangs over us: Death. Death from violence. Death from bad (sinful) decisions. Senseless. Needless. Death. God promises he will take this away. And we hear, “the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces.” Tears are what we feel when the results of sin hit us, our sins, the sins of others, the sin that infests our lives and community: tears from fatherless homes, tears from lose of loved ones, tears because life is hard and lonely. God will wipe away those tears. And, God will take away “the reproach of his people.” We all know what shame is, do we not? Anyone here felt shame, shame because of what you have done? (Believe it or not, plenty of hands went up all around, even from a few of the men.) Shame because of what has been done to you? (Again, hands up.) Well, God promises to take this reproach—the marks of sin—from you. Here’s that promise, on that day, after all our waiting and wandering, God will save us. He will bring us salvation. “Let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation,” Isaiah writes. You see, though, God has already begun removing the veil of death. He has already begun wiping away the tears. He has already taken away your shame. Because Jesus has already paid the debt we owe. Jesus has already remedied the sin that separates us from God and from one another. Jesus, God’s Son, has already died on that cross to take away your shame, to take away sin and death’s reproach. All you need is receive this gift of salvation, the forgiveness of sins. God has already brought salvation to His mountain, to this Hill. And, God has provided a place, a church, to find strength, be encouraged, discover hope, find a family . . . the place to be assured that God has brought this salvation to you, that he is wiping away your tears and has taken away your shame . . .
I am so very grateful to the many people who empowered me to serve and minister to those that live in the Hill community of New Haven, Connecticut. I get that not everyone can uproot, change vocation, or relocate into the proximity of neighbors who live in neighborhoods like the Hill. So for some, God’s plan is to reallocate and relocate their own resources to support the likes of people such as my wife, Lisa, and me in a neighborhood like the Hill, ministering in, with, and through a church like Christ Presbyterian Church in The Hill. The generosity of friends, family, and some we’ve just met and some we haven’t met yet–all have empowered me to pastor a church and a community in a place called the Hill. The Hill is actually a famous neighborhood that few people outside know about–well, at least famous for its place in American and New Haven’s history. The Hill, however, is more infamously known as “Sodom's Hill.” Yet in the early history of New Haven, the Trowbridge neighborhood (where Lisa and I actually have an apartment) was designated as a suburb–yes, that is correct, a suburb. Back in early American history, the wealthy and affluent settled in city-centers, that is, urban living. As the immigrants and the poor increased in New Haven, the bottom-demographics were moved to new quarters in the sub-urban regions of the City. Think walking, horse, and horse and buggy as the primary modes of travel, so suburbs were basically the outer districts of the urban area. In fact, if you dig down, now, under the sidewalks and tar of the roads around Trowbridge Square (where our apartment in the Hill is located), you’d find the old trolley car tracks; for this suburb was the trolley-hub to catch a ride to West or East Haven or even downtown New Haven. Ironically there is a little hill (again think horse and walking hill) to get up to Trowbridge, thus, the naming of our Hill community: “We’re going up the hill to catch a trolley” . . . “going up the Hill to walk home” . . . became over time, “We’re going to the Hill” . . . “We live in the Hill . . .” And as this small district settled with immigrants and the indigent of that day, it became dense as a very impoverished, poor suburb of New Haven, eventually being saddled with the nickname “Sodom's Hill.” My supporters empower me to minister in this messy and hurting, but beautiful community, relocating their financial blessings to help the gospel to be planted in the heart of the Hill, changing lives, and lifting them and their neighbors above its unsavory nickname. To many, the Hill community is an uncool place. Planting and growing a church in the midst of an urban (aka old suburban), under-resourced, minority-populated (51% Hispanic; 39% Black) neighborhood is crazy, yet absolutely needed: 43% unemployment; nearly 85% of Hill residents live in subsidized housing; and, 70% of New Haven’s parole population is resident in the Hill. This neighborhood needs a gospel-centered, community-focused church in its midst. My financial partners empower me to empower our congregation to focus on the community. And, I am so proud (in every right sense of that word) that is exactly what CPC in The Hill is known for: being a church that is for its neighborhood, one that is present, many times outside its building’s walls, serving its community. The presence of CPC in The Hill helps to ameliorate the cliché that address is destiny. And, by God’s grace and the power of the gospel, we see lives changing, which will cause this community to flourish. Outside support allows me to spend time pastoring amidst this very poor and hurting neighborhood, and, as well, to be involved in the community, like as a member of the Hill Management Team and by showing up, literally, everywhere in the Hill. And, such outside support ensures I can continue sharing the gospel and, even, as it so happens, just outside my apartment door do some regular street pastoral counseling. God certainly has prepared me for this ministry, theologically, as well as, socially and vocationally. I like calling it now, “My-Lived-Out-Theology.”
I had always thought these past 20 years were God’s seminary-training for me. I've written on this (i.e., social action, church, and evangelism), articles, even a book, and in some way that has been self-preparation for this ministry, as well. I continue to be humbled by my call to the Hill. Humbled more so that people, friends, churches (a few churches anyway) support, especially financially and materially, our gospel work here in the Hill. I am so grateful to those who give of their own resources so I am empowered to serve and, as some in the Hill refer to me, to be the pastor of the Hill. Although I have yet to reach 100% of our fundraising needs, still because of the generosity of others, I have the ability to do this full time. And, trust me, it takes full time. This allows me to be where I need to be when I need to be there; not just hospital visits or at a kitchen table or a church activity, but out my front door to counsel those, who, almost as if they are waiting for me, need a word or a prayer from the Pastor, to show up at town and community meetings, and simply to be visible in the needed places of Hill life. I will find out this coming week regarding our FY20 budget (our fiscal year is 9/1–8/31), whether it was approved or modified. Yes, I am a little worried this year--our church does grow and will grow mostly with the same population that lacks resources, and more people means more resources needed to minister. We are a church that has become well known so our outreach activities (especially ones related to food!) increase in people served; thus, our need for our own resources to increase. The FY20 budget reflected a mere 6% increase; but without hitting our fundraising goal (so far) for FY19 (43k and currently at 83%), I am not sure where we stand (next week I will). A vision budget would include the funds to help obtain someone dedicated to reaching Hill teenagers and, as well, funds to help people in our congregation to start businesses and to start our own coffee shop, our own food co-op here in the Hill. But these must wait until more outside brothers and sisters see this vision as well. Nonetheless, I am blessed to be in a place where I can minister the gospel, demonstrating what loving one’s neighbor looks like in an under-resourced neighborhood; to be a pastor to the people of the Hill; to disciple a church to be a model of God’s kingdom; and, to be present in such a way to multiple opportunities for Hill men and women, Hill children, boys and girls, Hill young people, teenagers so they may find eternal life and a new life in the Hill. I am grateful that others give out of their own resources so that I am empowered to be a pastor in the Hill. If you'd like to know more how you can help, email me at [email protected].
We are a teaching church . . . so others tell us. This mattered today. This morning it mattered here at CPC in The Hill and for the Hill. Not that anyone was aware. But that’s okay. They didn’t need to be. But I did. Need to be aware, that is. I’m a shepherd. I am the watcher on the wall (to use Game of Thrones lingo). A watchman on the wall (to use Ezekiel lingo). My text this morning was Ephesians 4:11-16. A full message, that was intentionally sprinkled with a call for people, especially men, to step up to be trained as teachers and some as overseers (trained at elders of the flock, which makes them shepherds). At one point I honed in on 4:14:
I told flock and the guests present, one of the reasons we need trained teachers of the word (which is how I read Christ's gifts in vv. 11-13) is to protect the flock (v. 14). My illustration (and bringing my point, this word to bear on life in the Hill) was a moment . . . one of those moments. Last night there was a shooting here in the Hill; someone was shot while sitting in a car. Shot. (Died later Sunday afternoon.) I sadly mentioned this at that moment in my message. I said: “This is tragedy. Horrible. And, I can't tell you if that man had a faithful shepherd in his life. I can't. I hope he did. But I can't. I hope he was ready to meet his Maker. I don't know. We have too much of this going on in the Hill. This is another reason we need trained teachers in our midst, at CPC in The Hill. And, it is not as if I can protect you (or anyone) from such danger as this; protect you from this kind of evil here in the Hill. This is not the protection I can give you. I don't know if that man had a shepherd that protected him for eternal life. He needed that yesterday, late last night. This is not a judgment on that person; we don't know his eternal state. But, it's that kind of shepherd that will protect you for eternal life. I can ensure you of one thing: we must understand, as horrible as this incident was, it isn't the real or finally tragedy. What we have here in this text would have changed the outcome, perhaps the outcome of that man's day, but surely his eternal outcome. Because sheep die without a shepherd. Equipping, really (as I have shown from verse 12, perfecting the church to move toward the fulness of Christ matters. To prepare sheep for eternal life. This is why we need trained shepherds and overseers, teachers, in the Hill.” The need for shepherds, teachers, faithful to the word and faithful to train, is for eternal life. We need the life of the gospel to be so foundational to our church and it’s ministry. I will be that kind of shepherd, faithful to the ministry of the Word. This is the kind of shepherds you want as a pastor. This should be your prayer, that God would help (especially the men) to step up. This is what we and, even, the Hill needs. CPC in The Hill is a teaching church. Of course, most churches would claim this, and I get that. Yet, when someone tells Maxine, John, or me “CPC in The Hill is a teaching church,” what they mean is that on a Sunday morning or at Wednesday Ladies Bible Study, the Bible is taught in such a way that people get it, see it, hear it, understand it. This morning we had a wonderful, new lady join us for morning service (a friend, brought by a regular, Amen?). I asked her after the service, “Did you feel built up in your faith this morning?” Her response is a good summary of what I think people mean when they tell us, CPC in The Hill is a teaching church. “Yes I did,” she replied. “You explained the Bible so I saw how it fit. This doesn't always happen at church.” I can preach at them. Sure. I can even turn up the volume. I can even give a good, orderly, two or three point, written out, expository sermon (I do this for the most part when I speak elsewhere). I am far from a great preacher, for sure. But I have two goals in my style of teaching a text (call it “preaching a sermon” if you are more conformable with that):
I am not necessarily the best preacher they'll hear. I certainly hope not. And, will this (what I teach/preach) be the best they hear on a Sunday morning at CPC in The Hill? O, please not even close. And, for sure, sometimes it can be a little messy of a sermon. But, they will hear the Word, see the Word from that text, and discover how it works into their lives and the life of our community. Will they get it (grasp it, fully understand it) every Sunday. Probably not. But over time. They will. I am confident of that. I already see that happening. And, they tell me so. So, I will receive that word with joy, a lot of humility, and gratitude: CPC in The Hill is a teaching church.
“No other church does this.” I’ve heard this a number times at events and meetings over the years I have been in the Hill as pastor of CPC in The Hill. If one thing stands out over these years, thus far, I find it rather amazing the ability our Hill church has to connect with its community. I have come to truly appreciate our core group here at Christ Presbyterian Church in The Hill. This small group of people five years ago, a little confused, hurt, skeptical, yet still discipled well (thanks Pastor Tolivar!) to be a family and be focused on loving their neighbors, moved forward in confidence that Christ was still in their midst. Our congregation has been able to maintain its weekly Sunday worship, its discipleship and its Ladies' Bible study, and, as well, sustained its impact on the community through multiple events and activities throughout the year. Almost without fail, at a community event or activity, someone would approach me to say they appreciate how we “get into the neighborhood and love on the people.” Christ Presbyterian Church in The Hill has maintained and even strengthened its connection to its neighborhood, the Hill community of New Haven, CT. The summer “In His Midst” park BBQ ministry sees, now, between 65-85 people each week at Trowbridge Square Park, for hot dogs and hamburgers, a park sermon, prayer, and some neighborly fellowship. On the last evening in August, we pass out 100 backpacks (that's to the Beacon Bikers) and some school supplies to all the kids. To celebrate the end of summer and the beginning of school, the Hill Church hosted a neighborhood sidewalk BBQ down the street from our place of worship at the home of one of our members. All our neighbors are invited. We sent letters to all the summer soccer camp families, went up and down the street inviting everyone sitting on their porches and front steps, and told people walking by on the sidewalk to join us. In the end we saw easily over 120 people stop by—they eat, we talk, share our stories and listened to theirs, and shared the love of Jesus with our neighbors. Of course other churches to what we do. The reason, perhaps, that we stand out and people says this is because we through ourselves with intention into our community. We show up a lot. Everyone we can. Starting the first Wednesday in July, we'll be back at Trowbridge Square Park with our grill, loving on our park neighbors. Donations to help this Summer's Park BBQ would be greatly appreciated >> 2019 CPC in The Hill Summer Park BBQ Ministry Fundraiser
During the Summer, CPC in The Hill brings a grill and homemade dishes, along with fruit, salads, and cookies, each Wednesday evening to a nearby park—and offers a meal to anyone who is there, or walking by, or the neighbors. A wide range of people are there: Families, single moms with their kids, a few dads with kids, too, teens (plenty of teens), and many people whose lives are broken, hurting, and struggling with addictions. There are a number of homeless as well, for whom this is their only meal for the day—perhaps for even a few days. Now we can average 65-70 people and on a few evenings up to 85-90, even 100+, throughout the quick two hours in the park. My audience for the message can be 3x my Sunday morning's. 2019 CPC in The Hill Summer Park BBQ Ministry Fundraiser One year, Isaiah 66 was my theme for my park preaching. The good people in the park help me out. I explain the verses, then I lift my arm and point to the sky, and I say: If God’s throne is in . . . “heaven” (they all yell out) and the earth is God’s . . . “footstool” (they announce), then God’s feet are firmly planted in the . . . “Hill” (they shout loudly). Our ministries in the community seek to show that God cares about The Hill and that our desire is to find ways to help our community to flourish. Please consider helping us ensure we have the resources for this summer's (2019) BBQ Park ministry: 2019 CPC in The Hill Summer Park BBQ Ministry Fundraise |
Wasted Blogger, Chip M. AndersonI am the pastor and church planter for Christ Presbyterian Church in The Hill; a flawed practitioner of Wasted Evangelism. I am learning about Wasted Evangelism through my experience in The Hill and through the good people of CPC in The Hill. Archives
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