Even though the temperatures have dropped below -40, we are dedicated to going out and helping our neighbors. There were a couple of Saturday mornings that came just after a blizzard so there was plenty of snow to shovel. We talked with some of the people who were brave enough to open their doors on those cold days and chat with us for a bit.

Come and help out at Adopt-A-Block this Saturday. It is lots of fun and I think the cold snap is finished, at least for a while. Don’t forget to dress warm and bring your shovels.

We had some great conversations with people and talked about Christmas plans. This year we were able to deliver Christmas cookies to the homes on the blocks and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Many people were very grateful for the Cookies and appreciative of everything Church of the Rock has done for them over the years.

We even received a few thank you cards that people sent, wanting to show their thanks and appreciation.

Made any New Years Resolutions yet? Why not make coming out to Adopt-A-Block one of them! Come and join us this Saturday! Don’t forget to dress warm and bring your shovels.

We have continued to connect with our neighbors as we talk with them and see what kind of needs they are having and how we can try to meet them. Mostly we are shoveling snow and getting opportunities to pray for people.

One weekend we were out, a random man saw our group and asked how he could get baptized! One of our group members told him that he could contact one of the Pastors at the Church for more information on Baptism. Through further conversations with this man, the Pastor discovered that it was actually a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that he needed first, so the man accepted Jesus as his personal Savior!

There are many other stories as well, where God has been answering the prayers of the community as we simply go out and show them God’s amazing Love. It is truly amazing to see God at work!

Come and join us in all that God is doing and share in the excitement!! Don’t forget to dress warm and bring your shovels.

There were still plenty of yards to rake this month, but at this point it would seem that we have cleaned up most of them. It has been great being able to help our neighbors out and see how thankful they are as our groups show the love of Christ by good deeds.

We were able to hand out some fliers to the blocks, informing the people of more specific areas in which we are willing to help them out with. Also leaving them an email address for them to ask specific requests. This way we can find out what our neighbors needs really are and do the best to meet those needs.

October was a good month with tons of raking!! Soon enough we will be bringing our shovels to help clear snow.  Come on out and join in on the fun!

The month of September has been really amazing! The weather is warm for fall and everything looks so beautiful with all the fall colored leaves.

The majority of the work in fall always consists of raking leaves, so it has been nice to have the extra hands come and help out as there are plenty of leaves that fall on the two blocks.

There has been a lot happening this month with people moving in and out, lots of people answering their doors and wanting to chat which is nice. We were able to pray for a lady who almost had a friend of hers pass away in her arms, but has thankfully recovered. Another lady gave us a praise report from her doctor that told her she has 100% full mobility in her hips after being prayed for! Had a conversation with a man about how Jesus came to earth to die for our sins and that our good works don’t actually save us. Shared with a young mother that we do Adopt-A-Block because Jesus has shown us so much love that we want to share that love with other people by helping them out.

All in all it was a fantastic month for Adopt-A-Block. God is doing some great things in the hearts and lives of our neighbors. Come on out and join in on the fun!

The month of August has been a great time to finish off the Summer. There have been several people that joined in helping once a month with Adopt-A-Block and the weather has been beautiful!

August has been a bit slow in connecting with people as many are still on vacation or out at the cabin but for those that have stayed home, we were able to connect with and help out in several different ways. Many lawns got cut and we were able to help some people beautify their gardens by pulling weeds. No matter if we are able to help or not, people are always appreciative of our willingness to be there for them and help them out.

Thanks to everyone who came to help out during the Summer! We look forward and are excited for what God has in store for our neighbors this year. Won’t you come and join us?

Many people were away this weekend but the group managed to mow a few lawns and pull some weeds. Chatted with some people about Summer plans and what they have been up to.

Just a heads up to those of you who read the Adopt A Block Blog. We will be changing the frequency of the Blog updates from weekly to monthly. So rather than getting updated on what has been happening each week, we will be updating everyone on the things God is doing on a monthly basis. Another added feature is that the Blog will be also posted on the Church of the Rock’s main Website page under Latest News and Events which is exciting and will hopefully get Adopt A Block a little more exposure!

If there are any questions/concerns about the new changes or maybe you are interested in joining us for a Saturday, feel free to stop by the church on Saturday morning or give the Church office a call @ 261-0070.

Thanks to all of those who have been following the Blog and keeping updated on what God has been doing in the lives of the people we serve in our community!

We managed to talk to a few people who wanted their lawns mowed. One woman was very thankful that we were there to mow her lawn as their lawn mower had just died half way through cutting their grass. We were able to finish it for them. She asked if we took donations and it was a great opportunity to share with her that we are not doing this for donations but rather to show the people of this community, God’s love! We got to explain to another family what the Adopt-A-Block group does for the community and they said their family was going to check out the church on Sunday.

We are continually meeting new people as some move away and others move in. It’s great to be able to do something nice for people who totally do not expect it. Come and join us this Saturday if you haven’t already!

One of the people on the blocks were getting ready to build a fence so we were able to help move a bunch of the fence panels into his yard for him. We had a great time talking with him and getting to know him better. Others on the block asked if would let them know the next time we are bringing the trailer around to pick up garbage.

Everyone is really appreciative with what Church of the Rock and the Adopt-A-Block team does for them and their community. Come and check it out some time!

We had a great day this past Saturday.  We had a little bigger group and as such, were able to accomplish a lot.  We had three lawnmowers going at once (sometimes all on the same lawn) and we mowed a lot of lawns.  We also brought a trailer along to load up garbage that people from the community were unable to get rid of on their own.

People were so appreciative of our willingness to haul away their unwanted junk for them.  It  is always so rewarding to see the looks of shock, and appreciation on peoples faces when we do something like this.

If you have never come out to AAB before, or have not come for a long time, maybe it is time for you to come check it out.  It is such a rewarding ministry to be a part of!

On Saturday, there were just two of us that went out to the blocks. We left the lawn mowers at the Church and headed out with garbage bags instead. It was a beautiful morning.

There was not much that we were able to do but we managed to weed a few flower beds and talk to people that we haven’t talked to in a while. One lady had injured her back and was not able to plant the flowers we handed out for free last week, so she asked if we would be able to do it for her. We said sure and planted the flowers, afterwards we asked if we could pray for her back and she agreed. God miraculously healed her back completely! We could tell that God touched her in a significant way as she began to open up and share more of her life story with us.

It was truly amazing to see God heal her and have her open up to us so that we now have a deeper relationship with more people on the two blocks.

Come and be a part of the amazing things that God is doing in the lives of our neighbors.

This Saturday there were three people that made it out to Adopt-A-Block. They went out and of course the rain continued to make it difficult for the group to mow any lawns.

The group knocked on doors and asked people if there was anything they needed help with. There were several people who answered the door and we were able to chat with them. Some were renovating their house and said they would love extra hands to help weed their garden. Another asked if we could help load branches from his backyard into his truck after he had cut a few trees down.

It was a great Saturday regardless of the rain as we continued to keep in touch with our neighbors and lend them a helping hand. Come and join us this Saturday, I hear the weather will be getting better

There was a really large group of people that came to help out with Adopt-A-Block this past Saturday. Our plans were to mow a bunch of the lawns that needed cutting but then it began to rain and put a stop to our plans.

So instead, we brought a number of flowers with us from the Church and gave them away for free to anyone on the block that wanted them. Many of the residents were blown away that we were giving them flowers for free. It felt great to be able to bless the residents in that way.

Never underestimate the power of free flowers! Come and join us this Saturday as we continue to bless our neighbors with acts of kindness.

There were plenty of lawns to cut with there being so much rain and not many opportunities in the last few weeks to cut them. We were able to cut plenty of yards and even help one person learn how to use the lawn mower so he could cut his own grass. Many people were home that morning and along with the beautiful weather, we were able to to have several great conversations.

Come on out this Saturday and meet some of our neighbors that could be joining us for lunch after the Sunday morning service.

There were several people that asked to have their lawns mowed as it has been raining a lot lately and the grass is growing like crazy. Many people also asked when our group was bringing the trailer around because there are plenty of things they are wanting to get rid of.

Come on out this Saturday or next as it would be a great opportunity to show love to our city during Love Winnipeg!

The group handed out flyers to the Church’s Basketball camp that is going on in August as well as free nail files to all the mothers for a mothers day gift. Many of the mothers were appreciative for the thoughtful gift.

Hopefully next Saturday the weather will cooperate and we can get out there to mow some lawns. Come on out to Adopt-A-Block!

We were able to mow eight lawns in total for the people that we got to talk to. We got to have some conversations with some of the people on the blocks and picked up some garbage off their lawns. Once again we had people wanting to donate to the Church and we just explained that we are not doing these acts of kindness for donations, but simply want to bless the people in our community.

Do you find yourself bored on Saturday mornings? Not sure exactly what you want to do? Well, have I got the answer for you! Come on out to Adopt-A-Block and have some fun with us.

There were several people who asked about us hauling a bunch of their junk away with the trailer.  Sadly enough we are not able to take the trailer out with us every Saturday, but we let them know that we will be bringing the trailer around the blocks soon and we can take their junk then.

Come and join us this Saturday as we have loads of fun talking to our neighbors and helping them meet their needs.

There were about three houses on the two blocks where we were able to meet some new people who had never had us knock on their door before. We were able to connect with them for a bit and were glad that we had stopped by to lend a helping hand.

It’s always exciting to see what God has for us each and every Saturday. Why don’t you come out with us and see what Adopt-A-Block is all about?

The two talked to people who answered their doors and were able to get rid of a table for someone who wanted it gone.

Come and join us this Saturday!

There were a number of people that answered their doors that we had not noticed meeting before. Even going out every Saturday, we still manage to meet new people which is always nice to see. People chatted with us and one person offered to help us dispose of our garbage bags each week if we needed.

Join us this Saturday! Bring your friends or family to serve the community as a community.

It was a bit of a cloudy morning for Adopt-A-Block but there was a good number of people out to help. We split off into 5 groups which really helped the morning fly by.

We brought garbage bags and picked up some scattered litter as well as raked a few lawns. We were able to help people and they were grateful. Our group talked to a few people who opened their doors and invited them out to the Easter Services.

Come and join us this Saturday!

The sun came out from behind the clouds as we were able to talk to several people about the Church’s Easter egg hunt and FREE pancake breakfast that is happening on Saturday, April 7th. Many people were excited about it. Our group raked a number of lawns and picked up garbage along the way. A couple of us were able to talk to a woman and her daughter about inviting her out to Junior Youth on Wednesday nights. The young girl was very excited to come and check it out. We were also able to pray with another woman who was actually looking for us that morning as her one son was in the hospital for Cystic Fibrosis. She was grateful that we were able to be there for her and pray with her.

Come and join us this Saturday for Adopt-A-Block and who knows, there might even be some pancakes leftover after were done!!

There were plenty of yards to rake as leaves and dead grass were exposed with the melting of the snow. The group talked to several people and helped them out as they filled two truck loads full of garbage bags. One person had asked us to haul away an old couch but we said we would have to get it another time as the truck was filled with garbage bags.

Come on out this Saturday as we help our neighbors with raking and garbage clean-up. Bring your rakes and Christ-like attitude!

So instead of shoveling snow this weekend, the group headed out with gloves and garbage bags to clean up all the garbage that had been covered over by the snow. There seemed to be quite a bit of garbage picked up as the group was able to fill 5 garbage bags full! There was not much going on this weekend in regards to connecting with people but we still had a good time cleaning up the blocks.

Come on out and join us this weekend! Who knows what the weather will bring and what we will be doing. Could be anything from shoveling snow to picking up garbage or even mowing lawns. Ok, maybe not mowing lawns yet.

It’s always nice when the sun is out shining because it makes it that much easier for people to want to open their doors and chat for a while. We shoveled a number of walkways and had some good conversations with people. We talked to a lady about Church and asked if she had ever been out to Church of the Rock. She said she had visited a while back so we gave her another invitation to check it out again sometime if she wanted to.

Now that the sun is out and shining and the weather will be warming up, there will be much more opportunities to talk with people. Come and join us one Saturday and get to know your neighbors.

Even though there was plenty of snow to shovel, God opened the doors for us to connect with people. The group was privileged to be able to pray for a man who was recovering from a surgery. Someone talked with a Christian guy about his faith journey and how he has gotten closer with the Lord over the last two years! One of the neighbors inquired about Promise Keepers that was being held at the Church the following weekend.

Praise God for allowing our Church to still be able to connect with people in the aftermath of a snow storm! Come and share in the excitement of showing Gods love to people this Saturday. Don’t forget to dress for the cold.

It looks like we may actually have some snow this week as we head into the blocks.  If you have not come out for a while, come check us out and bring a shovel with you.  We always have a great time.

We went out and were able to shovel a few sidewalks. Talked to the courageous people who opened their door on a cold morning. People are blessed at the sacrifice we are willing to make when we show up on their doorstep in the morning for them, especially when it’s cold outside.

Come on out this Saturday! Don’t forget to bundle up.

We were able to shovel a few walkways for people as we chatted about the beautiful morning. One group helped a lady change a light bulb that had burnt out. Another group was able to share the vision of Adopt-A-Block for that community. Where we would love to have enough volunteers to one day take care of all four blocks in that area. The woman was greatful that our Church adopted her block and was able to help her out.

Come on out this Saturday to hear for yourself, what our Church is doing in people’s lives.

As the weather gets colder outside we get less opportunities to chat with people which is understandable. People are still really thankful for the fact that we come out every Saturday to show them God’s love. I believe that people are impacted by the way we are there for them, even if we don’t get the chance to talk with them for very long.

Come and join us at Adopt A Block this Saturday. It’s a great time of fellowship as we gather together to show God’s love.

The group was able to talk to some people and see how their weeks have been. One lady asked for prayer as she was having an open house that day to try and sell her side by side. It still surprises me to see how welcoming people are to receive prayer as we ask for God’s help.

Come and join us at Adopt A Block this Saturday. There are always more people out there wanting and needing people to pray for them.

It was a little colder than we have been used to outside, so we tried to keep our conversations a little shorter. We were able to shovel quite a few walkways and see how people’s weeks have been. There was an opportunity to pray for a guy and his girlfriend’s friend, then invited them out to church.

Come and join us at Adopt A Block this Saturday. The more the merrier!

It has just recently snowed a few days before so we were able to shovel several people’s sidewalks. We chatted with people about their Christmas and New Years and everyone shared how they were enjoying this winters weather so far. Many people were thankful for the Vinetarta’s Baking we had delivered before the Christmas break.

Come and join us at Adopt A Block this Saturday. Make it a New Years resolution to get out and love your neighbor!

We handed out the Vinetarta’s to each house on the blocks and were able to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. We even received some gifts ourselves as people showed their appreciation for what Adopt-A-Block does every Saturday. The Church also received a few letters in the mail from people wanting to share their thanks.

To the people we talked to, we were able to personally invite them out to the Church’s Christmas Eve service and many people seemed interested. We had an opportunity to pray for the Hindu man and his wife as they are leaving sometime soon for India. He updated us that he is recovering well from his surgery and acknowledged that God answered our prayers.

There will be no Adopt-A-Block this Saturday, Dec 24th as it is Christmas Eve and many people will be spending time with family. So enjoy the peace and good will towards men that Christ brings this season. Have a Merry Christmas!

It was still a good time as we were able to continue making connections with people  on the blocks. We let people know that next week is our yearly Christmas Baking Delivery. This year we will be delivering Vinatarta’s, a very tasty Icelandic Christmas Cake that have been so graciously donated to the Church for us to hand out at Adopt-A-Block.

This is an exceptionally fun time of year to go door to door handing out Christmas Baking to show people God’s love. So come on out and share in the gift of giving. After all it is far better to give than to receive.

This will also be the last Saturday for Adopt-A-Block, until it returns again in January for the New Year!

Even though there were not too many sidewalks to shovel, we were able to still have some meaningful conversations with people. The Hindu believing man who received prayer last week said he was appreciative for our prayers for him during his time of recovery. There was another man who had opened up about what was going on in his life and his families lives. We were able to pray for him and did our best to encourage him during this difficult time for him and his family.

Join us this Saturday to shovel some snow and share in what God is doing in the lives of those we serve.  Don’t forget to Dress warm…. Brrrrrr….

Right away we talked with a lady who was visiting and asked for prayer for her shoulder and arm. The Hindu believing man took a huge step by allowing us to pray for him as he has just had heart surgery. The group was also able to talk to two ladies about Religions and Mormonism as they let us know they have just joined the Mormon church. We were able to pray for their spiritual journey after talking with them.

Join us this Saturday as we get to see what surprises God has for us next week! Dress warm.

There were quite a few sidewalks to shovel but they went quick as there is only a thin layer of fluffy snow so far. We had opportunities to talk with people although they don’t last as long when the temperature gets colder. One woman asked for prayer for her son who is going through a difficult time. The same woman also let us know that 2 years ago we prayed for her other son who was heavy into drinking and he has been sober ever since. Praise God!

So come on out this Saturday and dress appropriately for the weather. Don’t forget your shovels!

Even though there was not a lot of work needed to be done, it gave the group more time to be able to have conversations with people. It’s nice to be able to spend our time getting to know the people we are serving and build relationships with them.

Join us this Saturday as we continue to serve our neighbors with acts of kindness and good conversations. Bring your Shovels and dress for the weather!

There were still a few lawns that needed raking so we cleaned up the last of them as the snow is now here. As the season changes to Winter, we will now be able to bless people by shoveling their steps and walkways. You would be surprised how shocked people are that we are willing to be out in the cold to serve them. Just another way to show people God’s selfless love.

Come on out and enjoy the snow while it’s not too cold. Bring your shovels just in case and remember to bundle up for the weather.

The group continued to rake leaves as the last of them are finally falling to the ground. A man who owns a few of the buildings asked if he could give us a donation or Tim’s gift cards because he was thankful for all the work we have been doing on his properties. We were able to share that the purpose of Adopt-A-Block is to show God’s love to people and God’s love is totally free. Another guy was puzzled that we were willing to rake his yard for free.

So come and join us this next week as we continue to give God’s love away for free.

We were able to meet a few new people and explain to them what we were doing. One guy was thankful for what we were doing and asked if next time he could possibly join us. The Hindu believing man chatted with us again and we were able to leave the Book of Hope with him that he could read to help further answer some of his questions.

Come out and join us next week! Bring your friends, family or even Home Group to share in a good time of serving others together.

One person was able to have a lengthy conversation with a man who has not been attending church for quite some time but was considering on changing and possibly coming to check out Church of the Rock. We were able to rake the Hindu believing man’s lawn which was nice and also talked with his wife for a bit. Every little act of service helps plant another seed into someone’s life.

Come out and join us. After all it could be you who has a part in inviting someone out to Church.

We had about 10 people out this last week which was a blessing as there were plenty of lawns to rake. The weather was nice which gave us opportunities to chat with a few people.

There were a few people who were very appreciative as they were unable to get around to raking up all their leaves. People were even playing music and taking requests. There’s something about music that seems to make working that much more enjoyable. We chatted once again with the Hindu believing man and he has no desire at the moment of making any change, yet he is continually astonished by our acts of kindness we show him every week.

Come on out, be a blessing to some one in need and let God astonish people through your acts of kindness!

As we raked peoples lawns we were able to pray for a woman who will be going on a three week missions trip. There were more discussions with the Hindu believing man as God is continuing to sow seeds into his life.

I am sure there will be more leaves to rake this coming week and definitely more opportunities to show people God’s love in action. Come and join us!

It was a beautiful sunny fall morning as six of us headed out to the two blocks. One of the once-a-month volunteers brought his young daughter out to help and without any fear or hesitation began knocking on doors and talking to people. So awesome to see!

We raked and mowed a few lawns while we caught up with our neighbors. We were able to meet and lend a hand to a new couple who had just had a newborn baby. Further conversations happened with the Hindu believing man about some more of the same topics as he shared his thoughts on a granddaughter who had killed her grandmother here in Winnipeg. He talked about how she deserved to be in jail and that she would probably learn how to do worse things in there. We were able to share with him that what she really needed was forgiveness, and that she has yet to experience God’s love in her life. There was an opportunity to pray for a woman’s son who had graduated and was struggling to look for work.

So God is doing great things and even using a little girl to show us all how simple and easy it can be to belong to the Kingdom of God and show love to our neighbors. Come out this Saturday and bring your rakes!

It was a cloudy morning on Saturday but there were still many opportunities to show love to our neighbors. There were five of us but we were able to do some lawn maintenance and clean-up around the two blocks. We were able to have conversations with some people but one conversation really stood out.

One person stopped to have a lengthy conversation about Religion and made it clear that he believed in Hinduism. He talked about his beliefs on Heaven and how to get there as we were able to share what the Bible says about Heaven. The man listened as we shared the good news that Jesus chose to come to earth, die on a cross for our sins, and rose from the grave so that we can all have a right relationship with God the Father. The man’s eyes welled up with tears from hearing the Gospel message as another seed was planted.

It’s these type of stories that inspire me to continue coming out to Adopt-A-Block. We may not always have these opportunities each week with people but they do happen when we pray for them and make ourselves available for God to speak through us.

So come on out next Saturday. Bring your gloves, rakes, and see what God will do in you and through you.

It sure got cold this week.  We even had hail in this area of the city, but it looks like the warm weather might not be quite done yet.  It is supposed to be getting warmer over these next few days and into next week.  So we should have some good weather for Adopt-a-Block this Saturday.

Last week there were four people helping out with two lawn mowers.  I am amazed at how much we were able to get done with only four people.  We were able to help several people by mowing their lawns for them and still get done at a decent time.  It’s almost funny, the grass is turning green … and it’s September right now.  Usually it goes the other way.

I want to take a quick moment and thank all of you who helped out with Adopt-a-Block this summer.  We had our best summer ever as far as volunteers go.  We had all kinds of opportunities to pray with people and share our faith throughout this summer, but none of it would have been possible without your help!  We really appreciate your willingness to serve in this ministry.  Thank you so much!

We had a great week last week.  We handed out flyers for an outreach ministry called “Tot Time”.  It is a play group for children from the community to come to along with their parents .  We handed out flyers and personally invited everyone we could.  There were many people that seemed genuinely interested in the ministry!  Hopefully this will be another connection we can make with our community.

The fall season is almost upon us.  Last week I noticed a few trees were actually starting to lose their leaves!  It won’t be much longer before we begin to spend most of our time raking leaves.  We have had a great summer with lots of opportunities to build connections with the people on our blocks.  Let’s continue to pray that we have opportunities to show God’s love as we move into this new season.

Last week was an interesting week.  On the one hand, it could be disappointing, but on the other hand, God still did some neat stuff.  For the first time this summer, we had only one person (the leader) show up for AAB.  In previous summers, that happened several times, but this summer we have had great attendance all summer, until last weekend.  Of course that makes it near impossible to accomplish much on the block.  Somehow, even with the limitations mentioned, God was still able to move.

We were able to pray with two separate people, one for a safe pregnancy and one for healing.  We also were able to help pull some weeds in a flower bed.  Even though we were severely limited in what we could do, God was able to use us.  It is so amazing how God can take us in our weakness, and still does something amazing!  Who knows the effect the prayers will have on those people.

Another great day was had at Adopt-a-Block last week.  We were able to mow a few lawns and spend some time talking with people on the block.  Basically, we continued to build relationships with our neighbours.  We actually had one of these neighbours express how they are so appreciative of what we do.  They just cannot believe that we come out every week and help.  When I think about it, I forget how foreign of a concept that is for people.  We are used to it because we have been doing it for so long, but where else are you going to find people willing to help you mow your lawn, rake your leaves, and shovel your walk?  It does not happen … except in our neighborhood!

We are still looking for people to come out once a month.  If you feel that nagging feeling in your heart that says you should be signing up for once a month, it is probably God.  Listening to Him is usually a good thing, and so if you are feeling that tug, let me know, I’ll get you set up.  Just comment on this blog and I’ll take care of the rest.

These last several weeks have been pretty similar as far as work being accomplished.  The grass is not growing because of the lack of rain, which in turn means very little for us to physically do.  That does not mean nothing is happening.  Two weeks ago we were able to have a great conversation with a Hindu man.  We spend some time talking about how Jesus died for our sin.  Last week we were able to pray with someone because they had pain in their elbow.  Even though we have not been able to mow too many lawns, there are still great opportunities to share the love of Christ!  It is all about being available.

I want to say a huge thank you to all the people who have said yes to coming once a month.  We just had another person sign up to be on the once a month schedule this week.  We are finally getting to the place where this ministry is regularly having enough people coming out to get the job done.  Of course that does not mean we don’t need more people to say yes to once a month.  We have a vision to expand into more areas and need more people to do that.  If you can spare one Saturday morning a month, let me know and we will get you on the schedule as well!

I received a card in the mail today from some people who live outside of Winnipeg.  It said;

“Hello There

We would just like to thank you for looking after our parents “Yard Care” throughout the year.  It is gratefully appreciated .

God Bless young & old!

Sincerely …”

It was signed by four people.  They even sent some money along with the card.  There is no doubt that everyone on the block is well aware of who we are.  There is also no doubt that people talk about what we have done after we leave!  Each week when we make ourselves available to them, we prove to them that the people from Church of the Rock care.

Here are some pictures of the card.

It’s always encouraging to get things like this because it reaffirms the fact that we are making a difference, one person at a time.

The hot weather and lack of rain have continued to limit the lawn growth  on the block.  We were able to mow a few lawns, but for the most part, lawns are not growing right now.  We were still able to connect with people on the block.  We had a great conversation with a gentleman who we have helped several times with his lawn.  We asked him if he has ever checked our church out.  He said no, he goes to a temple on Sunday’s, but he tells everyone about how we help him every week and so maybe he will miss one week of his temple meetings and come check our church out.  It made my day when he said that.  We have been coming to his place for over a year now and we are starting to see the fruit of our labor!

This week is church camp and because of that, some of our regular people are away.  It would be great if some extra people are able to come out this Saturday to help fill in the gaps for those away.  Who knows what opportunities God will bring our way this week?!

I figured this week instead of me writing to you, I would instead let you read a letter I received from a person who lives on one of the blocks we adopt.

It says;

Hello Duane,

I just want you to know that your continued outreach to our neighbourhood is a continuous source of inspiration for me. I have also told many of my friends + family about your ministry, and how much it helps me out, and they are amazed at the ministry you are providing.

I feel so blessed to be able to benefit from what you are doing, and it inspires me to “pay it forward” in my own small way in my small corner, when I can.

Thank you so much for your continued, consistent ministry in helping me with my yard work. You are more of a blessing than you may realize!

May you + your “team” experience God’s blessing in all that you do.

I hope you are all enjoying your summer!

With warmest regards,

It is always encouraging to receive letters like this!  It is because of people like you that we are able to run this ministry for people like this.  Keep up the great work!

Even though we have been doing this now for 4 years on the first block and into our second year on the second block, we still run into people who are new and shocked by what we do.  This past week we had a guy who fell into that category.  He just couldn’t believe that we were willing to mow his lawn and help him out for free.  Seeing the look on those people’s faces never gets old.

As I have said before, this summer has been the summer of mowing lawns.  We now have three mowers at the church and they are definitely getting used well!  Each week we spend most of our time connecting with people and mowing their lawns and this week was no exception.  The three mowers have enabled us to gets a lot of lawn covered in a short amount of time (even when we only have a few volunteers out).

We are having a great summer so far with Adopt-a-Block.  When was the last time you made it out to Adopt-a-Block? Why not come out once this summer before the summer is over?  Or even better yet, sign up to come out once a month!  Just reply in the comments below if you want more information.

Last week was a little wet, so we were not able to mow any lawns.  We did however still manage to connect with the people on the block and do some weeding.  It is neat how the people on the block are still appreciative of what we do.  We get people, even though we have been doing this for so long, who express surprise and gratitude for our willingness to serve in this way.  There is no doubt that an impact is being made into the hearts of the people in this community!

This week will be no exception.  We will continue to prove, not by our words, but by our actions, that we care about this community.  It should be another great day.

God’s timing is always so amazing.  It seems like we are mowing twice as many lawns this year than ever before.  The neat thing is that God has provided us with three lawn mowers, and even though we have had small groups out, because of the amount of lawn mowers, we have been able to meet the needs of the community in a reasonable time.  God is so good.

I am not 100% sure why this year so many more people are asking for us to mow their lawns than in previous years.  Maybe people are starting to trust us more?  Whatever the reason, the exciting thing is that it gives us more opportunity to share the love of Christ with the people on the block.  It’s a great time to be a part of this ministry!

I was able to have one of my favourite Adopt-a-Block moments last week.  We knocked on a door and when the lady came out, she was shocked to see us.  She explained to me that she only thought we were going to be coming for one year to her block.  When I explained to her that we would continue to come as long as we had volunteers, she was actually a little shocked.  She just could not believe that people would come and do what we are doing for them for free, with no exit strategy.  I love those moments!

We had just enough people last week to be able to do what was asked of us.  The people who have signed up to come out once a month have proven to be invaluable!  We were able to mow a bunch of lawns and continue to build relationship with the people on the blocks.  For all of you who have signed up to come out once a month, THANK YOU!!

This week should be more of the same.  The weather is supposed to be nice and so I am sure we will spend some time mowing lawns again.  What a great time to be a part of this ministry, serving God and enjoying the outdoors all at the same time!

We were able to help lots of people last week!  We mowed over 10 lawns and helped remove an old stump from someone’s yard (the stump apparently was quite stubborn).  It is always exciting when we are able to help people.  The people are so appreciative of what we are doing, and I know that it is making an impact in their lives!

We are looking for more people who would be interested in signing up to come out to adopt-a-block once a month.  We now have a schedule for people who have said yes to once a month.  We do however still need a few more people to sign up on the schedule so that we can have a full team out every week.

Probably the most common comment I get from people in the church is that they keep meaning to come out to Adopt-a-Block, but for one reason or another it never works out.  Here is my thought on that, unless you actually schedule something, it usually does not happen.  So why not schedule this into your life.  It is only once a month and only a few hours once a month at that.  Obviously if you find that at some point this is not working for you, you can simply let me know I will remove you from the schedule right away.

If you are interested send me an email or leave a comment below and I will get you set up.

Last Saturday was another spectacular day.  The weather was great; we mowed several lawns and connected with lots of people.  We also reminded them about the carnival that was happening the next day and most people we talked to said that they planned on coming.  To be honest, I was actually surprised by the amount of them that said they were coming.  It was so exciting.

If you were at the carnival on Sunday, you would already know this, but it was a huge success.  We had around 400 people from the community at the carnival!  You can read more about it by going to http://www.churchoftherock.ca/blog/fort-garry-community-carnival-picnic.

This week should be similar to last.  We will be picking up garbage and mowing lawns.  We can always use more people, come on out Saturday morning, you will have a great time!

We had an amazing time last week.  We planted dozens of flowers in our normal two blocks as well as in the other two blocks that we hope to someday adopt.  We mowed several lawns, one of which the grass was quite long and took some time to finish.  Of course we also invited everyone on the blocks to the Community Carnival we will be holding in the community on Sunday June 12^th.  The carnival this year is going to be phenomenal!

These last two years the adopt-a-block team has put on a very successful carnival in our community.  We have seen over two hundred people come out to participate in the event.  This year, we are stepping it up in a huge way.  We have joined forces with our church picnic and have more than doubled the activities happening at the event.  We will have the usual things like free haircuts, kid’s games, and of course a great free lunch.  This year however, we have added things like a hay ride, dunk tank, more bouncers and chances for a ride on a tethered hot air balloon!   We are expecting around 400 people from the community to come out.

All that said, we need your help to make this all happen.  First of all, we are still doing adopt-a-block on Saturday and need some people to help with that.  We will most likely mow some lawns and definitely remind people about the carnival happening the next day.  As of right now, we are pretty slim on volunteers helping Saturday morning in the community.  We also need volunteers on Sunday to help with the carnival.  We need help with things like loading and unloading, kids events, and help with the food.

If you are able to help with any of these opportunities, please let me know as soon as possible.

Last weekend was a little wet, and as such we were unable to mow any lawns.  Hopefully this weekend will be drier and we will be able to help people out in that way.  This week at Church of the Rock, our Love Winnipeg campaign has started.  What we are doing as the Adopt-a-Block ministry is planting flowers in our two blocks AND in the next two blocks as well.  So for this week, we are going to be attempting to go to all four blocks in McGillivray Park.

We need your help to be able to Love our area of the city.  We need lots and lots of people out to contribute as we endeavour to go to all four blocks.  Can you commit to coming out this weekend and giving us a hand?  We want to be able to both mow the lawns in the first two blocks that ask as well as plant flowers in all four blocks.  On top of that, we will be inviting people out to the Carnival that will be taking place in the neighbourhood next weekend.

We always have tons of fun planting flowers.  People are so appreciative.  Come on out, Saturday at 9:30 AM.  If you are able to bring a lawn mower with you, that would be even better!

Last week ended up being a rainy one.  We had a group from youth come out to help, but because of the weather, we were not able to do much except for pick up some garbage in the streets.  Still, God was at work and we continued to build our relationship with the people in the community.  People were surprised that we were still out there, even though it was raining.  If there was ever any doubt that we were committed to the people on the block, the doubt goes away when we still come out in the rain.

Hopefully we will be able to mow some lawns this week as we go into the community.  It is always appreciated when we have extra people come out to help as we show God’s love.  If you have a few hours this Saturday morning, we could use your help as we connect with the community.  You might even discover that you have fun in the process!

It was a beautiful day last week.  We spent time raking yards and doing general clean up.  We had a great time.  At the end, a few of us stayed to help someone setup a play structure for their family.  Of course, because the weather is nicer out, people are more willing to spend time chatting and so we were able to spend some time getting to know the people as well.

This week we are going to start mowing lawns.  We have one mower at the church right now, but we could always use another mower (and a volunteer to run it)!  Why not make Adopt-a-Block part of your weekend plans.  Come on out, bring a friend or family member.  We always have a great time.

It looked like it was going to rain last week, but it held off and ended up being nice outside.  We had an amazing time.  One of the church home groups came out and was such a blessing.  We hauling a huge amount of garbage away as well as raked several yards.  People were very appreciative of all the work we did.

We were also able to spend some time chatting with some of the people on the blocks and invite them out to Mother’s Day.  We had one family that said they had been planning on coming to church these last few weeks to check it out, but the weather had not been cooperating and so had not made it out yet.  When we told her that we had a little gift for all the mothers, she said they were definitely going to try and make it out to church this time.

We will most likely be doing some more raking this week.  Come on out, bring a friend or family member and have a great morning serving the people of our community!

Our plan this week is to haul away some garbage as well as clean up some yards.  It is supposed to be a beautiful day.  It’s the perfect opportunity for you to come out with your family or friends and serve the people of our community.  We will have a great time as always.  Bring gloves and a rake if you have one.

Last week we had the opportunity to invite people to our Easter Services and many people on the block either said they were planning on attending one of the services, or indicated that they were thinking about coming!  I have no idea how many people actually came out, but just the fact that they were thinking about it is great.  Hopefully we will hear from some of the people who ended up coming to church over the next several weeks.

This week it is time to start raking and we need your help to see that accomplished.  There is no group from the church coming this week and to top it off there is a Youth Conference happening at the church which always takes some of our regular people.  We need some willing servants to come out this week as we start to do some clean-up work in the neighbourhood.  Would you consider making that commitment this Saturday morning?  We can really use as much help as possible.  So come on out, bring a friend or family member, and don’t forget some gloves and a rake if you have one.

As a result of the conference happening here in the church, we will not be meeting in our usual place.  We will instead be meeting in A2 this week (up by the church offices).

Last week was an interesting week.  In last week’s post, I started off by saying that the snow was behind us, but as you are well aware, we ended up getting snow again on Friday evening.  It did however present us to opportunity to serve our neighbourhood once again.  We were able to clear a whole bunch of sidewalks and also were able to spend some time chatting with people.  Last week everyone in the blocks received our Easter Invitation in the mail.  This week we are going to be handing them out and giving the personal invitation.  Please pray that God would prepare people’s hearts and that they would be receptive to coming out to church this Easter!

We are still in need of more people to commit once a month to Adopt-a-Block.  If that is something you are willing and able to do, please contact me so that I can put you on the schedule.  There are many people on our block that do not have a relationship with Jesus.  They need to know and see that He loves them.  That He paid the ultimate price so that they can have life and life more abundant.  Adopt-a-Block is a practical way for us to show them that very thing.  It will change their life … and yours!

The snow is finally gone and as such, our focus begins to switch at Adopt-a-Block.  It is still a little early to do much raking as the ground is still quite wet, but we can help clean up.  What we usually end up doing is spending most of our time picking up garbage in the area, which is what we did last week and will most likely be doing again this week.  So bring gloves if you have some.  This really is the perfect season for families to come.  Everyone, no matter what age, can help pick up garbage.  Why not come out this Saturday and bring your family!

We also had an interesting run in with some Mormons last week.  They were out knocking on doors on our blocks.  Some of our team struck up a conversation with them.  Our team told them about Adopt-a-Block and what we do.  They ended up getting into a conversation about how our beliefs differ from theirs.  Things went well and after the conversation the Mormons ended up getting in the car and leaving.  It would seem that the enemy knows we are doing something good in the lives of the people there and he wants to try to steal that.  This fact just reinforced the fact that we are doing the right thing.  Showing God’s love through acts of service!

I want to take a quick moment and say thanks to all the groups from the church who have come out so far this year.  It is such a blessing to have a group come and help us make a positive impact into the community.  We had a home group join us this past weekend, and although there was not much to do because of the snow melting, we were still making an impact just by being available!

Last week we started with our new teams who have committed to coming once a month to Adopt-a-Block.  We are off to a great start, but are still looking for more people who would be willing to come out once a month.  I know I have said it before, but this is a great thing to do with your family.  It sets such a good example to your kids when they see you doing something for others.  As a parent, it is always good to lead by example with our kids!  Let me know if you have any questions or want to sign up for once a month.

It is supposed to be a beautiful day this Saturday!  The snow is melting, and spring is in the air.  Last week was a fairly quite week.  The team was able to do some ice chipping on some sidewalks and once again had someone offer to pay them for the task.  As always, we told them that is not the reason we do this.  Our whole reason for helping them out is to be a good neighbour.  Jesus described what a good neighbour looks like in Luke 10:29-37.

Jesus was asked who my neighbour is.  He responds with the parable of the good Samaritan that we are all familiar with.  We have an opportunity to do exactly what Jesus was telling these people to do in Adopt-a-Block, but we need your help to do that.  We are still looking for at least a dozen more people who are willing to come out once a month.  Are you that neighbour we are looking for?  Let me know if you feel like God is challenging you to take advantage of this opportunity.

I think I can confidently say that winter is behind us.  It is supposed to be a great day this coming Saturday!  Last week was a lot of fun.  We had 10 people out which turned out to be a good thing.  A lady asked us to clear the snow on her front sidewalk.  The reason it was a good thing was because that sidewalk had not been cleared all winter.  So it was quite thick and packed.  It took some time, but with some scrapers and a bunch of other shovels we eventually got down to the concrete.  People took turns chipping away and we got through it.  In all honesty, it was sort of fun!  Everyone had this sense of accomplishment after we cleared it away.

Spring clean-up will be just around the corner.  In a few weeks we will be picking up garbage and raking leaves.  We need your help to be able to accomplish that.  We now have teams who have committed to coming out one Saturday a month.  Currently the teams are still quite small.  We need at least another dozen people willing to make this commitment.  If you get excited when you hear about people being touched by the gospel, then this is for you.  It is so easy, one Saturday morning a month is all it takes.  Even if you just want to find out more information about this opportunity, contact me and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Last week was a very interesting week.  As you probably remember, we had a small blizzard. The challenging part was that we only had 3 people show up for Adopt-a-Block.  The good news was that we had a snow blower at our disposal.  As we knocked on doors people saw the snow blower.  Many of them who normally are not interested in connecting with us started to chat a little.  In the end, we were able to help several dozen people with their sidewalks in less than 2 hours!

The most exciting part of the day was when a lady asked us to pray for something in our church.  We offered to pray with her right there on her step.  She agreed and we began to pray.  After we finished praying, she thanked us and told us that she was feeling a little emotional.  She was touched by God that morning through an Adopt-a-Block volunteer!

On another note, in church last week we ran a new promo video for Adopt-a-Block.  If you missed it, you can watch it here.

We are in the process of setting up teams of people that are willing to come out once a month.  In the next few weeks I will begin to make a schedule with 4 teams of people so that we can continue to minister to people like the lady I mentioned earlier.

At this point, we have around half a dozen people who have already said yes to once a month.  We need to at least double that to be able to do this properly.  Let me know if you feel like that is something you could do.  We are asking for you to commit one Saturday morning a month to share God’s love to the people in our community.

We have been having an amazing time these last several weeks.  Each week, we have had a group from the church come out to help us with the Adopt-a-Block ministry.  We have been able to have a strong presence in the community every week.  This week however, we do not have a group joining us.  We obviously want to continue to have a strong presence in the community, so we need your help.  Please consider coming out this weekend to share your faith in a really practical way with the people who live right next to us.

For us to be able to maintain the momentum we have had these last few weeks, we need people to come out on a regular basis.    Our plan is to have teams of people who will commit to coming once a month.  If we had a few dozen people sign up to come out only once a month, we would be able to achieve that goal.  Would you consider making that commitment?  Better yet, ask someone to do it with you!  Thanks for your consideration,

Duane

Last week was very similar to the week before.  We shovelled a few sidewalks and were able to connect with a several people.  The best moment of the day for me was when we met a lady whom we had not met before.  When we told her we would be happy to clear her snow for her, she had that sort of shocked look on her face and then proceeded to allow us to clear her snow.  I love those moments.

We are still actively looking for people who are willing to sign up to come out to Adopt-a-Block once a month.  I know I now have mentioned this a few weeks in a row, but I feel that this is the avenue we are going to need to take for Adopt-a-Block to continue to succeed.  Please spend some time considering this opportunity for you and your family to participate in.

Duane

Last weekend was a slower week.  There were only a few places to shovel, but because we once again had a group join us, we were able to have a strong presence in the community. The most exciting news about this week however, is not what happened on Saturday, but what happened during the week.  A few weeks ago we invited a young lady who we met on the block to come out to one of our home groups.  This week, she came out for the first time.  Building relationship with the people on the block is what this is all about.

We are still looking for people who would be willing to commit to Adopt-a-Block once a month. We need your help to be able to continue this ministry to the people in our neighbourhood.  Please consider making Adopt-a-Block part of your monthly routine.

Duane

It was such a blessing to have a group from the church join us last week.  Even though there was not a ton of stuff to do, it sends a message to the people in the community that we are committed to them.  Along with continuing to build relationships with the people on the block, we were able to help hang a shelf in someone’s home.  Every week there is always something that we can do to help.

We have a vision to take Adopt-a-Block to even more blocks than just the two we are currently doing.  We need your help to be able to accomplish that.  As I said last week, we are in the beginning process of putting together a schedule for people who are willing to commit to coming out once a month.  Please consider making Adopt-a-Block part of your monthly routine.  If you are interested in finding out more about this opportunity, let me know.  Thanks,

Duane

It almost seems like it is warming up just in time for Adopt-a-Block these last few weeks.  It is once again supposed to get around to 0 degrees Celsius this weekend.  This of course means we will once again have some great weather this coming Saturday.  Last week, although the weather was great, we only had two people come out to adopt-a-block.   We shovelled quite a few walks and were able to spend some time chatting with some of the people who live on our blocks.  The warmer weather always allows for more opportunities to get to know the people on the block.

I want to give you the opportunity to consider helping make adopt-a-block and even greater success.  I know there are many people in our church who have a heart to share/show the love of Christ with those around us.  That is exactly what Adopt-a-Block is all about.  We are in the beginning process of putting together a schedule of people who would be willing to make a commitment to come out to adopt-a-block once a month.

Would you be willing to pray about it and see if that would be something God would lead you to do?  I will talk more about it in the weeks to come, but if that is something that peaks your interest, make sure to touch base with me about it.  Thanks,

Duane

Who can believe this weather?  Only in Winnipeg can it go from frostbite in seconds, to above zero in a matter of days!  Not that I am complaining, it is going to be a great weekend.  If you have been waiting for it to warm up to come out to adopt-a-block, then this is your weekend.  We need your help to be able to show a strong presence in the community.

Last week was a little bit of a challenge.  I was a little worried at first because of the big snow fall that we had, but many people already had their walks done.  The challenge we ended up having was that there was just two of us.  We went out anyways and just as we finished shovelling the walks on the first block, a family from the church showed up to help with the second.  It was such a blessing.  We shovelled several more walks and even though there were not very many of us, we were still done by 11:45 PM.

Missionfest is being hosted at the church this weekend which means the Multi-Purpose room is being used by them this Saturday.  We will instead be meeting in A2 (up by the offices).  Come out and help us show a strong presence in our community.

Duane

We had such a great time last week at Adopt-a-Block.  The marriage ministry group came and joined us as we went into the blocks to do acts of kindness.  They had a fairly large group with them and so as we went through the neighbourhood, we had a significant presence there.  It has been awhile since we have had a large group join us as we have gone into the blocks.  It felt good to be able to show the community that we care in such a significant way.

It makes such a difference when groups come out.  If you are a part of a small group in the church, talk to your group and email me a day that you would like to come.

There is no group coming this weekend, and so if you have not come out for a while, come out this week.  Why not even bring a friend of family member with you?  Who knows what God will do this week?

Duane

Last week we once again had a fair amount of snow to remove.  We shovelled several people’s sidewalks and even though it was cold out, had some pretty neat testimonies.  We were able to pray with and encourage one lady who was just released from the hospital and was in quite a bit of pain.  There was also another couple who were quite exuberant in their appreciation for the cookies at Christmas time.  We were able to spend some time with them and talk about who we are at Church of the Rock.  Even though it was cold and there was some work to do, stories like this make it all worthwhile!  We serve an amazing God!   There is just something about blessing those around us that is so rewarding.

We have a big group joining us this week.  It has been a while since we have been able to go into the neighbourhood with such a large group.  It is great to be able to share the love of God to our neighbours in such a tangible way.  It will be another amazing week.  Thanks for your prayers and support,

Duane

It seems we are in the snowy season of late.  There seems to be no end to snow these last few days.  This of course means there is more for us to do on the blocks.  Last week there was quite a bit of snow to shovel.  It was a little bit of a struggle to do all that was asked because there were not a ton of people out to help, but they were able to get it done.

We need your help to be able to clean up all this snow.  We have a group signed up to come next week, but this week we do not.  Would you consider calling a friend or family member and asking them to join you this Saturday at Adopt-a-Block?  We need your help to be able to complete the task that is before us.  Thanks,

Duane

The Christmas season is over, and things have started to return to normal. We took a break the last two weeks because of the holidays, and it would be great to have a strong showing of people the first week back. There will probably be a small build-up of jobs because we have been away. We also have a flyer to hand out to everyone on the block letting people know about a new opportunity for parents with young children.

Unfortunately, for the last several weeks of Adopt-a-Block, we have not had too many people coming out to help. It has made it difficult at times to be able to accommodate all the requests we have had from the people on the blocks.

I have a favour to ask of you. I am wondering if you would commit to coming out one time this month and calling a friend or family member and asking them to come with you. It’s a great activity to do with family and friends and a huge blessing to the people in our neighbourhood. Who knows if God has not brought you to this block for such a time as this! Please let me know if you are willing to do this by either emailing me or posting a comment below if you are reading this on the website.

Thanks and have a great New Year,

Duane

Just a quick reminder that there will be no Adopt-a-Block this week because it falls on a holiday.  We will be back to the regular Saturday morning schedule on January 8th, 2011.

Happy New Year,

Duane

]]> 0 http://www.churchoftherock.ca/blog/adopt-a-block-christmas-baking http://www.churchoftherock.ca/blog/adopt-a-block-christmas-baking#comments Mon, 20 Dec 2010 21:30:46 +0000 Duane Masters http://www.churchoftherock.ca/blog/?p=1843 Continue reading →]]> http://www.churchoftherock.ca/blog/adopt-a-block-christmas-baking/feed 0 Duane Masters Christmas time at Adopt-a-Block is one of my favorite times of year.  We asked the people of our church to bake fresh cookies so that we could hand them out to the people on our blocks.  I was blown away by the generosity of the people in our church.  This past Saturday (Dec. 18th), I came to the church a little before Adopt-a-Block to see how many tins of cookies people ended up baking for the blocks.  I was so excited by what I found.

As you can see from the pictures, we had more than enough.  We even had a lady in the church donate a whole lot of vinartertas for us to give out as well.  We ended up giving one tin of cookies and one vinarterta box to every family that was home that morning.  Every home on these two blocks that we have adopted received some Christmas baking as well as an invitation to our Christmas eve services.

The people on the blocks were shocked by our generosity.  In todays day and age, nothings is given away for free.  To me, this is what Christmas is all about.  Giving generously to those around us.  I want to say thank you to all the Church of the Rock people that helped by baking and also to those that help deliver them.

Merry Christmas!

Well it looks like we are going to have around the right number of tins needed to be able to give every family on the block some fresh baking for Christmas. I know the people on the block will be blessed by this gift from the people at Church of the Rock. If you have indicated that you are able to bring some baking, please leave it behind the info desk before Saturday morning at 9:30 AM. Let me also say that I would rather have too many tins then not enough, and because we are so close to the number needed, a few extra would be appreciated.

The second part of this of course is handing them out to the people on the blocks. It will be a great time. I can’t wait to be able to wish all these people Merry Christmas and hand them some fresh baking. The more people we have out, the better. So come out with your family and help share the love of Christ this Christmas season. We will probably do some shovelling of snow as well, so if you have a shovel, bring it along.

This will be our last Adopt-a-Block event before the New Year. The next two Saturdays after this weekend fall on holidays and as such we will not be going out to the blocks on those Saturdays. After this weekend, the next week of Adopt-a-Block will be on January 8th 2011. Thank you so much for your participation in this ministry. Have a great Christmas season and a Happy New Year,

Duane

I have had several people asking for updates on the Christmas Baking situation.  At this point, we have around 60 tins of cookies committed for the weekend.  We still need around another 70 tins or so.  If you are able to help out in this regard, please let me know as soon as possible so that we can get fresh cookies to every family on these blocks.

I have also had questions about finding tins.  If you are finding it difficult to find tins, some other options are zip lock bags or saran wrap.  Maybe put a little ribbon or something on it to make it look Christmasy.  Thanks for your help,

Duane

It is finally starting to feel like Christmas. We are only a few weeks away from one of the most amazing times of the year. When God gave us the best gift we could ever ask for, His son Jesus. Christmas is always a time of giving gifts to family and friends. I want to challenge you to expand that circle of people you give gifts to this Christmas season. In Luke 10, Jesus was asked the question, who are our neighbours? Jesus answered by telling the parable of the Good Samaritan. We have the opportunity this Christmas season to do just that to the people who live right around our neighbourhood.

There are two ways you can help give gifts to more than just your family and friends this season. The first way you can help is by baking cookies and placing them in a small tin before Dec. 18th. At this point, I have a little less that 20 tins committed and we need around 130 tins. You can read more about this by looking at last week’s post (http://www.churchoftherock.ca/blog/christmas-baking). If you are able to help with this, please contact me as soon as possible and let me know how many tins of cookies you are able to contribute.

The second way that you can help out is by coming to Adopt-a-Block either one or both of these next two Saturdays. Bring your family and make it a family event! There is no better way to teach your children about the meaning of Christmas than to come and share the gift of love together as a family.

Merry Christmas,

Duane

Christmas is just around the corner. Last year we provided home baked cookies foreveryone on our block and were met with raving reviews! We received so many compliments and Christmas cards from the people on the block because of the cookies. We definitely made an impact. We want to do the same thing this year as last and make sure that every home gets some home backed cookies.

Here is how this is going to work. We want the cookies to be as fresh as possible, so they need to be made as close to the delivery date as can be. We will be handing them out on Saturday December 18th. If you are able buy a small tin, small enough to fit in a mailbox (you can get these from most dollar stores), bake some cookies, put them in the tin, and bring them to the church between December 16th and 18th, we will deliver them on Saturday morning to the residents on our blocks. We will need around 130 tins of cookies, so the more you are willing to make the better. It would be very helpful if you could respond to this email and let me know how many tins you are able to make. I know the people on the block will be blessed by your generosity!

Have a great Christmas season,

Duane