An Algonquin Neighbor's Reflections on the Solidarity Food Challenge

I am writing down some thoughts about the last week that I hope will be cathartic for me. I use to journal daily and at the time it was very therapeutic, but I haven’t done so in 6 years or so. This week’s challenge was the most spiritual thing I have done in years.

When I first started this exercise, I thought it would re-open a compassionate side of me that has been closed for a while. I knew it was closed and could see that I felt less compassion at different levels for some time, but I didn’t know why and didn’t know what to do to reawaken compassion. More pointedly, I didn’t know if I even wanted to.

I really thought going into this that I would be hungry a majority of the day. In reality I wasn’t hungry very often and when I was I was close to mealtime or close to bedtime. In that sense it was much easier than other fasts I have attempted. Those who know me know that I like simplicity, I don’t like cooking and that food preferences don’t often occupy my thoughts. What does occupy my thoughts is good nutrition, for me and my children. I was very concerned about Lydia getting enough nutrition to perform well and safely on the track team and with her riding lessons. I wondered if the children who grow up in impoverished areas are aware of what good nutrition is. If their mothers think about vitamins and minerals or if they are only consumed with worry about getting water and any food.

On Tuesday I forgot my lunch at work. I had a hard time concentrating on teaching my student and had word finding problems. But I also knew that at home within a few hours I could have a piece of tortilla to stave off hunger until dinner. I wondered what the woman in Africa does when she skips a meal. Can she keep working? Does she have an option to snack? I know I’ll never fully appreciate their challenges because I do have resources. I am different.

By Thursday, my workouts were getting lame. I was supposed to run a 30 min interval run. I did intervals, but they were walk run instead of run sprint intervals. I thought about the woman who was walking 10 miles barefoot to get water that morning. Did she have less energy than I? After her 20 mile round trip walk, did she have sore muscles from carrying the water on her head? How were her post work out recovery meals?

This week at work, we had 3 days in a row of additional food, from meetings, venders and celebrations. I did not participate in any of it. I decided that I should talk to my co-workers about what I was doing so they understood why I was passing on the food. It helped me stay the course knowing that others were watching me. I had many conversations about world poverty, what our responsibilities are and are not, what others can do to help, what we have tried in the past to do, how we have been burned trying to help others, etc., etc. A whiff of old passion stirred in me. I felt alive talking about poverty, compassion and interventions. I had everyone’s attention because I was the one limiting my consumption. Most of what I heard bothered me because it revolved around judgmentalism upon those who are “rich”. People think of themselves as exempt because someone else has more resources than them. But it’s all perspective. We have more than someone else, Others have more than us. I tried to make the point that all we can do is to change ourselves to become more generous, more aware, more compassionate. That it’s all about grace, not judgment. I think it was in vain.

After the week was over, I reflected on why I have been out of the “missionary” loop for so long. What has changed me from a charged up, optimistic, Jesus has the power to change you type of person to a cynical, skeptical and less reliant upon Jesus type person? I don’t have the answers yet, but my heart is still searching. I am once again hopeful that I will one day be the person that I wanted to be before... Before life taught me lessons of cynicism and complacency.

Lord hear our prayer,

Michele

CARS - Intern

We have an intern that is serving with us here at the CARS Ministry for two months beginning in June. He is a wonderful 19 year old from N/W Iowa who attends a WCA church there. He has been raised by a single Mother and his Grandfather who was big in his life just passed away.

He has done a year of automotive studies and his church have taken an offering to get him here. I am needing a home that will take him in and look after him for the two months duration of his internship.

Our shop is in Elgin but he has his own transport so any area would be considered. He is hoping to be with a family with kids his own age but that's not that important...just food and a bed would work.

Please call me if you know of someone who could help.

Thanks,

Warren Young
Willow Creek CARS Ministry
Phone (224) 512-2374
wyoung@willowcreek.org

Post - Solidarity Food Challenge

Sleepy Hollow Neighbor - Day Care info and opinions

Hi neighbors, I am hoping you can help me. I thought you might be able to help me or direct me to someone who could help us. I am having a difficult time trying to find the right preschool for my children.

I want it to be Christian based, relatively close to our home, and reasonably priced. Do you know of a good pre-school or have any recommendations. We live in Sleepy Hollow.

Thanks for any help.

In Christ,
Molly at: molly_quinn5@hotmail.com

Shoji's Solidarity Food Challenge Journey

Last night I thought I would be passed out by now with my fears of having health issues around not eating enough. But God is giving me a strength beyond myself and showing me that He is enough and teaching me so much. I have anxiety around food when I am not able to eat at the right times because it has gotten me hospitalized once before because of the medications I was taking. But God is healing all those negative beliefs and giving me more freedom and faith.

2 Corinthians 4:7-18 was right on last night for me. "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So, the death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

What an awesome experience we are partaking in! We won't even see the full eternal impact right now!

Solidarity Challenge Day 3

Solidarity Challenge Day 2

Solidarity Challenge Day 1

Dancing Under the Stars - Dundee Crown

Who: Dundee Crown Neighbors & Friends
What: Ballroom “Dancing Under the Stars”
When: May 18, 2008 Time: 4:00-8:00 pm
Where: Activity Center at Willow Creek in South Barrington

Calling all Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers wanna-be’s (or not)! Please join us for our first ever Dundee Crown Neighborhood Ballroom Dance!

Join our hosts Rob and Mary Stevens who have been going to Willow since the 1970’s. They love the church and they happen to live in your neighborhood. They have two small children that they adore, but also love any excuse to get out on a date night.

We hope you’ll join us and invite your neighbors and friends on Sunday, May 18th, 2008. Take the hand of your partner and get ready for a romantic night full of fun, adventure and great food as we “Dance Under the Stars”. We have even hired professional ballroom dance instructors (who happen to be married), so both the ladies AND the gents will benefit greatly from easy step-by step instructions. We will be learning the Waltz and Swing, both of which are the more “simpler” dance styles to learn. We will also have a wonderful, buffet-style dinner to look forward too.

The cost is $20/couple and we will meet in the Activity Center (Gym) at Willow Creek in South Barrington. Space is limited, so watch for an evite to come your way. This will be an unforgettable night! Volunteers needed so please e-mail any questions or to get an evite if you didn't get one: marystevens57@msn.com

Additional Details:

* Dancing Attire – Ladies, dress slacks or dresses; Guys, shirt and slacks. (NO Gym Shoes. Please wear shoes with slick bottoms.)
* Please arrive at 4:00 p.m. ~ lessons begin promptly at 4:15 p.m.

Dundee Crown Area Baptism

Congratulations to Mary Comeaux of Algonquin on her Baptism last Wednesday night at Willow Creek Church. I did a their Baby Dedication last fall and Mary and I talked about her getting baptized. She really wanted to do it but was a little nervous about doing it in front of all the people at New Community. This was a huge step for Mary in identifying with Christ and growing in her faith. Way to go Mary!!

Mary and her husband Richard have two beautiful children and are neighbors of the Idsteins.

Carpentersville - Captain Frank Irwin Serving in Iraq

The Irwin’s would love your prayers as Frank is serving our country in Iraq. This is Frank’s second tour of duty there. Carolyn and the kids (Iain & Shirley) have a great neighborhood community around them but miss their husband and Dad very much!

Please Pray for:
Frank's safety
Courage and endurance for all of us
That the tour would be shorter than last time which was 14 months
To learn and to be used by God during this difficult time
Wisdom for me as I navigate this with the kids
That Frank would be able to connect with all of us despite the distance and circumstances

If you would like to send a note of encouragement you can reach Carolyn at: irwinc@willowcreek.org

If you would like to send Frank a note sent it:

Captain Frank Irwin
B Company
Task Force Odin
COB Speicher
APOE 09393

Reasons for World Hunger and Poverty

At our last all Neighborhood dinner one we came up with a list of reasons we thought the world struggled with hunger. I’ve condensed it and this is the list we came up with:

Corruption, Politics, War
Distribution of Wealth & World Apathy
Too many people for the amount of land
Land not Fertile
Natural Disasters (Drought, Floods, Earthquakes, etc.)
Lack of Infrastructure (Roads, irrigation, transportation, etc.)
Lack of Education
Sickness and Disease
Cost of Food increasing
Land Management - Land is converted from food crops to Bio-fuel crops.
Climate Change
Poverty Trap

Here are some of the top reasons I found in some research (The End of Poverty - by Jeffrey Sachs, on my bookshelf lower left). You may have also heard Nancy Beach’s message this weekend that had some great information on this topic.

Poverty Trap - all a person’s income is put toward food and a person can’t save.
Geography - Land locked countries, poor natural resourcesGeopolitics - Political turmoil, etc.
Inability to advance Technology
Lack of Infrastructure (Roads, irrigation, transportation)
Economic failure
Distribution of wealth and world apathy

As you can see many of your answers are right in-line with what some of the experts are finding. You all are really aware! It has been a very exciting weekend at the church, I am looking forward next week to identifying with the poor by participating in the 5 day solidarity challenge and then making an immediate impact by serving at the Dundee Crown - Feed my Starving Children event May 3rd-4th.

Reflections on our Area Dinner Last Night

Last night we had our all area neighborhood dinner. It was really great to connect with you and see you there! And the food was probably a bit of a surprise for many of you attending. Last night we got into the world of someone who does have enough food to eat. We replicated the “Feed My Starving Children” (brown rice and vegetables) food and everyone was limited to about one cup and there was only water to drink. We then spent the night talking about world hunger and many of the issues surrounding this topic.

I would love to hear how it affected you. What kind of impact did it make? What kind of feelings did it invoke? Did you learn anything?

I am sure many of you took it in stride, you saw this as a warm up for next week when Pastor Bill Hybels has challenged us all participate in the Five–Day Solidarity Challenge, April 21–25. Eating only foods like: Rice and beans, oatmeal or cream of wheat, vegetables and little bits of chicken or fish. It will be a big challenge but I am looking forward to it and seeing how it affects me.

Maybe some of you had a bad day yesterday and coming to the dinner did not quite meet your expectations. My daughter Priya said, “Mom, this is not a party like we had last time, there are no desserts!” Then she came to realize that there was only rice to eat and water to drink! At about 6:15pm, I am sure some of you heard her in the back of the room throwing a royal fit because she “does not like just rice and begetables” (she doesn’t always say her v’s). And you should have seen the look on her face when I told her the cookies were made with dirt (see “dirt cookies”). She thought I was completely out of my mind. I love children because you can pretty much tell exactly how they are feeling. Maybe you can identify with Priya, you had a long hard day and this was not exactly what you were expecting and internally you had a little fit.

Maybe some of you were not really aware of some of the facts about hunger in our world. I will be honest, I had no idea it was such a big problem until I read the book, “The End of Poverty” by Jeffrey Sachs. It is a insightful book that I would encourage you to read. I had no idea that about 2.7 billion people in our world live on $2 a day or less. 2.7 billion people is nearly half of the world’s population! That is just nuts! Then to find out that the things that keep people from food are not overly complex. Things like roads, transportation of food, and irrigation are solvable problems.

I am excited that Willow Creek Church is identifying with those suffering around our world. I am even more excited that we are taking steps to make a real difference. I am stunned that over 700 people have signed up for our “Feed My Starving Children” event in the Dundee Crown Area! This is such an awesome community to be part of.

Whatever feelings this night invokes for you, I challenge you to ask God what he is trying to show you in all this? What is he teaching you? Those questions are why we engage in spiritual disciplines and sacrifice on behalf of others. For in this God often speaks.

Knock, Knock... Mormons are at the Door!

I have talked to a number of people in our area who have encountered Mormons coming to their door. Have you had a similar experience? Have you known that feeling that creeps up when you see them coming with their white shirt, dark coats, ties, and name badges?

Recently I met with two Mormon missionaries at my house at least 5 or 6 times over a span of about 3 months. It was very interesting and I really learned a lot about the Mormon faith. How would you like to have a couple of insights and next steps to make you feel more comfortable and confident the next time they come knocking?

Proper Perspective
A great way to show Christ in us and give hospitality is to have them sit down and give them something to drink. Even listening to their presentation for a few minutes is fine. But keep in mind, you will probably not change a Mormon’s mind about their faith but you can change their minds about Christians. Be Nice!

Preparation
Maybe you’re uncomfortable inviting them inside because you’re intimidated and not prepared to handle what they’re going to say. Or you might just be too busy. The first time they came to my house I was busy with kids and was not prepared to talk with them, so I just chatted for 2 minutes and then asked to make an appointment to talk at a later time. If you are interested in talking to them more, make sure you prepare. If you really don’t want to talk with them feel free to tell them you are secure in your own faith as a follower of Jesus Christ and are not interested in talking further, but be very hospitable yet firm.

A Different View of God
One card they try to play is that they are like any other Christian denomination, but then I asked them why they were talking to me because I am already a Christian. I think they see themselves as the real Christians and the rest of us are in need of correction, but they are not really open to correction themselves. They are not another Christian denomination; Mormonism was started because no other church was acceptable to God, according to Joseph Smith (founder of the Mormon faith) and what he claims God told him. Denominations might choose to declare their distinctives, but the issues that divide them are less serious than the very different claims of Mormonism. One very clear example: Mormons believe many gods exist in the universe (Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit are separate beings; and God the Father also had a father, who had a father, etc.). Since the very beginning of Christianity, Christians have believed in one God (who had no beginning, no parentage, no partner, and who was not a human first before he became a god). The Trinity is not three gods with one purpose; it is three Persons co-existing in one Godhead. Students of Mormonism have pointed out that technically, Mormons seem to be closer to Greek mythology (with its multiple, human-like gods) than Christianity with our one and only one God. Mormons use much Christian terminology in their belief system, but mean very different things once you unpack the beliefs.

Propaganda
What it all came do to for the Mormon missionaries and their beliefs was a matter of blind faith. They just believe without questioning. I told them one of the things I really love about the true Christian faith is that it is both Faith and Reason (Acts 17 - Paul reasons with the Greek non-believers). When my Mormon friends were pushed on many of Mormonism's odd beliefs or differences between Mormonism and the Bible, like the Trinity, the three-ness in one Godhead - they just ignored it and said it didn’t really mean that. And they just went into the "I believe in Mormonism because I just believe" mode. Not really helpful, because we could all say that about our faith and then there would be no real dialogue.

Questions To Ask Mormons - Take the ball and start asking them questions about Mormonism be genuinely interested in their story but try to get them off their standard pitch. Things like:

1. “Are you really open to other truths and alternate points of view?” Unfortunately, I the guys I met with were not really open. When I asked them if they would change their beliefs they said “no”.

2. “Have you ever thought about changing your beliefs? Why or why not?” After all, they go door to door asking you to change your beliefs but are they willing to do the same?

3. “What areas of the Mormon faith do you struggle with?”
The missionaries I met with said they did not struggle with anything in their beliefs. That does not seem authentic to have absolutely no questions or struggles with faith. That sounds like blindness.

4. “If I don’t agree with your beliefs are you going to stop coming?” Unfortunately, after about 5 or 6 meetings, the Mormons that came to my house stopped meeting me because I wouldn’t believe as they did.

5. “Why should I believe the Mormon writings as scripture?” Again, they just believe because they believe. They say God gave Joseph Smith these writings and that is it. That is so different than our Bible (see “The Historical Reliability of the Gospels” - by Craig Blomberg).

6. “What do you think about the Trinity?” Mormons don’t believe in the Trinity, they believe in many gods. That is not the Christian faith. I have a great illustration you can use to show them the difference; it is called the “play-dough” illustration.

If you ever have more interest or need more help give me an email. I have actually met five or six Mormon Missionaries in the area and know a couple by name. You can tell them you attend Willow Creek Church and Ryan Boldt is the area pastor for your area. I will gladly come over and help you talk with them. I have other resources as well, if you need them.

A great next step in getting more familiar with the Bible and why we have confidence in it is our Biblical Literacy Classes. We even have trainers in the neighborhood that will train people in our area. See the blog entry below (Mar. 24th) about Biblical Literacy!

Ryan

Neighborhood Care & Prayer

If you need someone to pray with you and help you discern life's hard circumstances, we have a team of people that will talk to you and pray for you! Just email me with any requests.
rboldt@willowcreek.org

If you want to join our Prayer team let me know.

Special Area Dinner - Weds. April 16th

We are having an all Dundee Crown Dinner on Wednesday April 16th here at Willow Creek. This will be a Special dinner that will help you experience and learn all about the Global Impact we are going to have as an area through "Feed my Starving Children!" It is family friendly and it will be fun!

I sent everyone an evite, if you did not get the evite be sure to check your junk mail folders or just check your evite account. If you still have trouble email me at: rboldt@willowcreek.org

$5 donatation to cover cost of food suggested.