All is quiet for now…

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It’s just after 2am here and all is finally quiet! Today has been a long, but satisfying day for everyone here at Ripon SERVE. Today was the final day for the work sites, and for each group, it was a day to look back at all the work done this week. In addition, today was the final day for groups to do their servant evangelism projects. This week groups built a picnic table, purchased a new sandbox, purchased a new Bible for a man at the Mission, and there were more projects done than just written here. In addition, today saw the completion of the kitchen remodeling at the Sierra Salem house and the completion of the makeovers in the rooms at the Homeless Shelter. What an experience to see how these projects came together in 4 days, and now that work done will benefit others in the future.

Tonight we joined together with many of the work site coordinators for our final dinner and time of worship. Paul led us in worship and Pastor Dave closed out his series of talks. Then we had a chance for sharing, and we heard many examples of how God worked and showed himself in various ways this week. What better way to end our time together than hearing of God’s faithfulness throughout the week!

We already have groups heading for the airport at 3:30 AM this morning, so this place will be emptying out quickly over the next few hours. Please continue to pray for traveling mercies for all the groups as they head home tomorrow via planes, trains and automobiles! Tomorrow morning we will begin the process of cleaning up, but we will be remembering all the good times we’ve had over the week. We are thankful for the way God’s Hand has been on this SERVE project, and we pray that He will continue to work in the lives of those we came in contact with this week. We leave you with our group picture from Sunday morning. Have a great night! 🙂

Thursday comes to a close

Here are the pictures from Wednesday.

Here the pictures from Thursday.

Sorry for not posting much in the last 24 hours, but this post will be a big one! We have many topics to cover, so here we go! After a good night of sleep, the group still woke up a little sluggish this morning. It’s hard to get out bed after a huge day at the ocean! But after breakfast and quiet time, the groups were off again to their work sites. As we are approaching the end of the week, the projects are beginning to take shape and in some cases, come to a close. However, today was still a full day with much work to be done!

One twist for today was that the small groups have been challenged this week to do a special project of whatever kind they see fit. It could be something they do for one person or a group of people. In addition, the Host Team is giving them $25 to help with the project, and they are free to contribute more if they see fit. We have already started to hear about some of these special projects. Here’s an example of one:

In addition, this morning the groups made some summer emergency kits to hand out to people. These kits include items such as sunscreen, tissues, hard candy, wet wipes and lip balm. So we also heard some stories tonight of the experience students had with handing out these kits to the people they encountered during the day. Once again, the groups have had to step out of their comfort zones for the week. One leader remarked that he couldn’t imagine that he would have walked around the block outside the Mission in Stockton today after seeing the setting on Monday. The beautiful thing about serving others is that it forces you to stretch a little more each time. We are seeing evidence of this each and every day this week!

Tonight Pastor Dave challenged the students to see how the role of Christ in their lives plays such a big part in what they do each and every day. He offered the opportunity for those who wanted to come forward and make a commitment to Christ. He used the concept of clocking into work as making your commitment to serve Christ. Pastor Dave had a time clock sitting in the front for those who wanted to come and clock in for Christ. Many people came forward to either commit their lives to Christ for the first time or make a re-commitment. It was a blessing to see the young people makes this pledge in their lives!

Tomorrow marks the last day for the work sites. It will be a sad day as many people have made such a connection to the various work sites, but it will also be a joyous day as they will see all the work they have accomplished! It will make for an exciting day! Have a great night!

A long day…

Our trip to and from Santa Cruz today was great! We left this morning on two coach buses and left the driving to our bus drivers! There are so many things to do at Santa Cruz, that the whole day can be filled very quickly. After dinner on the beach, it was time to load up and head for Ripon. Everyone arrived back home safe and sound, and it was a beautiful day with a lot of sun! A few people arrived back home with rosier parts of their bodies than when they left, but nothing to serious. Tonight we had a time of worship and reflection, and now sleep is much needed and welcome to everyone!

Tonight the webmaster is still needing some pictures from today, but please check back tomorrow for pictures from the trip to Santa Cruz! Have a good night!

Our Night at the Mission

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We are back home safe and sound tonight after a wonderful night at the Mission. Today was our second day of work, and everyone had another great day on the work sites. The small groups are beginning to bond together and that makes for greater experiences on the work sites. Our projects are in full swing, and the groups are beginning to see the progress they are making at the sites. They are also witnessing the change they are making in people’s lives.

Tonight we had the amazing opportunity of having our worship and small group time at the Mission. Our worship time was filled with singing and testimonies from some of residents at the Mission. What an experience to hear how God has worked in the lives of people! After the service, the small groups met through out the various parts of the Missions. Within a few minutes, some of the children from the Mission discovered how many willing people were around for playing. The sounds of singing, laughing and screams of joy filled the courtyard of the Mission. You can see some of the fellowship that occurred in the pictures. What a wonderful scene to end our day with!

Now as sleep is near, thoughts of the beach are bouncing around in everyone’s head. The group will be heading to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk tomorrow for the day away. They will have the opportunity to hit the beach or browse the boardwalk. If you would like to know more about the boardwalk, here’s the link to their website: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It will be a great day of fun, sun and relaxation! Have a great night!

Good night from Ripon

The clock has just struck midnight here in Ripon and a few of us are still up burning the midnight oil. After the first day of work, many were eager to get to bed early, as morning will be here soon. Today’s weather was a bit of out the ordinary as the air was rather humid. The Central Valley in California normally sees mostly dry heat during the summer, so when a little humidity strikes, we feel it! However, the sun was out early and it was a great day for working.

Tomorrow will begin with our groups switching up their work sites and getting a taste of something different for Tuesday. Variety is good in a week like this, because it allows for the groups to experience different things each day. A person might be painting one day and planting trees the next! It also gives the groups a chance to experience the different work site settings. These changes force the groups to grow and adapt, and also just keeps the week more interesting. As well, our worship setting will change tomorrow as we travel to the Gospel Rescue Mission for our nightly gathering. We will be worshiping with the those who call the Mission home, and it will definitely add a new dimension to our nightly worship! Oh, tomorrow promises to be an exciting day with so many unknown outcomes! We continue to trust God as we jump into tomorrow with both feet! Have a great night!

Our work is done…for today!

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Our first day of work is in the books! Everyone has arrived back home safe and sound with stories and memories to share with each other. This is going to be just a short post for now, but just wanted everyone to know that the pictures from today are up! Also you are seeing some additional boxes above. These are short video clips from some of the SERVE participants reflecting on today’s events. You can expect to see more of these during the rest of the week! Talk to you later tonight!

A day of fun in the sun

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A fun day was had by all as we relaxed by the pool. A family from one of our supporting churches graciously allowed us to use their backyard setting and pool for the afternoon. While the drive took a while, the results were totally worth it! After a lot of fun and sun, we came back to a wonderful dinner. This evening, we have a wonderful time of worship and praise to our King. Pastor Dave continue his talks tonight as he probed deeper into our theme for the week.

Now everyone is relaxing and waiting for sleep to arrive. Tomorrow is a big day as the groups will begin their first day on the various work sites. It will be an exciting day for everyone as they see the work sites for the first time and see the work they will be doing this week. The groups will be rotating work sites on a daily basis, so everyone will get to see the different work sites we are supporting this week. Anticipation for tomorrow morning is beginning to mount and it will be an exciting first day! Have a great night!

A morning of worship to our God

We just finished our worship service this morning.  The church was filled with members from many of the local CRC churches.  We raised our voices in worship and Pastor Al brought us a sermon on what is truly God’s will for our lives.  After the service, the SERVE group had the opportunity to meet and greet their prayer partners over cookies and coffee.

Now we are approaching lunch, and this afternoon will be spent relaxing around a beautiful pool in the country.  Be sure to check back this evening for more pictures and highlights from the day!  Have a great Sunday! 🙂

Off to the races…

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Ripon SERVE 2007 is off to a running start! All of our participants have arrived safe and sound in Ripon, CA, and the only sound that can be heard at this late hour is the silence of almost everyone sleeping. The teams arrived to a beautiful day here in California, with temperatures in the 90s this afternoon and 60s this evening. Upon arriving at Almond Valley, they were greeted by a team of volunteers who handed out the SERVE basics, pointed them in the direction of their living quarters and even took their mug shot for the camera!

After gathering for our first meal of burritos and taquitos, everyone ventured outside for the giant mixer game! You’ll see in the pictures various games of teamwork, racing and in some cases…utter confusion! Ultimately, it gave the participants a chance to get to know each other and begin building bonds for the week.

Upon completion of the mixer games, we gathered together for our first worship time. After lifting our voices and praises to God, Pastor Dave gave us his first talk. He shared about his life growing up and gave us a peek into his family. If you have been following the website, you’ll remember that Dave and his wife just had another baby in the last week!

Tomorrow morning, the group will be gathering for worship along with the members of Almond Valley CRC. It will be a full house, as this SERVE team is commissioned during the service. Following that, the group will get a chance to meet their prayer partners for the week. These are volunteers who will be praying for each SERVE participants during the week. It will be a great time of fellowship for all involved!

As this post draws to a close, just a reminder that you are able to send email messages to those here at the Ripon SERVE project. Just click the link to the right of this point or send your messages to riponserve@gmail.com. Your messages will be printed out and delivered to the person’s mailbox each morning!

Good night from California!

Starting off on the right foot…

A prayer service was held last night here at Almond Valley CRC as we began to prepare for the start of SERVE.  As a Host Team, we gathered together with around 50 people from our supporting churches to celebrate the beginning of our SERVE project and to offer prayer for the project.  After splitting into groups, prayers were offered for the various aspects of the week.  What better way to start off this project then in prayer to our Father!

Tonight many volunteers came together to move furniture, hang decorations, and see the planning of the Host Team come together!!  Now it would be great if we could just post some pictures of all the hard work that has been done today, but that would ruin the surprise for all those arriving on Saturday!!  In fact, we have some anxious servants flying in already on Friday night!  Please pray for safety as our teams from across the United States and Canada begin their journeys to California.  A few teams are driving as this entry is being typed, so we just pray for traveling mercies for all our participants this week.

The countdown has begun, so check back here as we get closer to the start of Ripon SERVE 2007!