Wow! Presence + Outreach = Huge Fun!

We've started Presence, a gathering of people primarily from our DSSM school and from our Vineyard family, that meets every second Saturday, and every last Thursday night. 

When we gather, we seek to encourage the people who attend by giving personal encouraging words and to worship together giving honor and glory to our King.

This past Saturday was off the chart. After sharing a short teaching we paired up to pray for one another. I then asked people to look around the room and see if there was someone who they felt needed encouragement or needed a specific word. I also mentioned it was ok if someone received more then one word of encouragement. My friend Liz received five encouragements that were all saying the same from five different people.

We then worshipped and leaned into Presence. 

After worship we broke up into two teams the head to University of Dayton area and to Fairfield Commons Mall. Every person who jotted a note on their Treasure Hunt sheet met and encouraged the person they noted on their sheet. We also gave each team $40.

Guy with green hat: He was encouraged that his hands were given to him as a craftsman and creativity was being released upon his life. He openly wept. It seems he was discouraged. His profession? A mechanic and a wood worker.

Family: Encouraged that God cared for them. The lady ran out the door of Burger King to thank the team for praying for her and her family. She wept as she explained they had no money and the meal being paid for meant so much for her. 

Russian: Julia, who is a Russian transplant to the USA, noted on her paper, guy on crutches, knee. Her group saw the man go into a shop next to Burger King. They ran over to the guy and Julia began to speak to the man. He noticed her accent, then asked, "What is you accent?" She said, "Russian." He lit up like a light bulb. He exclaimed, I love Russia!" He had traveled many times to her country and.... pause for effect... spoke Russian. They had a great conversation and she prayed for his knee. The odds of this happening is like a bizillian to one.

Girl in baseball cap with hair pulled through the cap wearing a pink shirt: Yep.

Mother with stoller with dogs: No dogs, just a stroller with puppy dogs as part of the decoration.

A family suddenly had Slupries spilled on their just purchased clothing: the $40 went a long way to help repair the dissapointment and all the people received accurate words of encouragement.

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Huge day. Huge fun. Awesome Jesus!