The Dreaded Annual Evaluation

Ok – As an employee I know that, at some point in every year, we need to take time to stop and evaluate what we’ve done over the past year, how we’ve done it, and how we can improve on what we’ve done in the coming year.  It’s just a task that I’ve always hated.  I’m the type of person that likes to plow on through things and (hopefully) acknowledge the errors of my ways so that I can improve on them the next time through.  But – to actually stop and not only think about them, but to write them out is painful!  Of course it’s fun to write down your strengths; who doesn’t like to do that? But – it’s those weaknesses that are the killers! 

You guessed it – I have my annual evaluation today. 

 

I get a daily blog from a lady that I’ve never met, but I really enjoy her insights.  Today’s blog spe to me, assuring me that God isn’t looking for perfect people.  His job description brought joy to my life: 

Wanted: A woman who is imperfect, in need of grace, gloriously gifted, flawed and beautiful who dares to believe she’s loved through it all by a God who has an amazing purpose for her life. No need to apply. You’re already known. You’ve already been chosen. The Lord looks at the heart. I SAMUEL 16:7

Bring on that evaluation!!

-Jeanne Evers

Crossroads on the porch

This morning’s rain brought Cleveland some well-earned relief from a long bout with summer heat.  At Trinity, where air conditioning remains a distant fantasy, worship was made a wee more bearable. Still, I hardly took note of the temperature change with all the morning’s goingson. I returned to the office later in the afternoon to find an older homeless woman resting on the porch of our office (a normal happening).

“Isn’t God good giving us a break from that heat?” she said. “I wasn’t sure if I could take it another night outdoors. But I’ll be fine tonight. Thank you, Lord!” she said-sang as she lifted her hands for just a moment to the sky. 

Thankfulness is thing that must be cultivated. Lord, cultivate more of it in me, especially for small things….rain, my home and crossroads on the porch.

-Brian Upton

Changes bring hope!

Saw God at work this week right in our office….a friend and BHITC volunteer, who in spite of having obstacles in her path (some of which is admittedly her own choosing) is deciding to move forward with her life in a positive fashion and signed up and was accepted for college.  In this same week, she also obtained her driver’s temp.  You go girl!

-Lesa Hess

Backpack Blessings

While most of us are enjoying the leisurely pace of warm summer days, Connie Abood is scouring the internet for back to school sales.  Connie has led Building Hope’s Backpack and School Supply Challenge since it began five years ago, and the need is only growing.  With so many Clevelanders out of work, and the rising cost of school supplies, the backpacks are truly a blessing to many families.

This year Building Hope has requests for 400 backpacks from urban schools, churches, and our own tutoring and refugee programs.  With the struggling economy and a decrease in donations, Connie and her team of faithful volunteer “shoppers” are calling upon all of their penny pinching skills to find the required supplies at the best possible prices. 

Along with Connie’s team, friends of Building Hope and area churches are also given the opportunity to “adopt” an urban child by purchasing a backpack and everything on that child’s supply list and dropping it off at Building Hope in the City for delivery.  Families can easily fill an extra backpack for one of these special kids while they are picking up the supplies for their own children.  What takes only a few extra minutes for them can change an urban child’s entire school year.

Another team of Building Hope volunteers, including Royal Redeemer Lutheran Church’s confirmation class, will assemble on Saturday, August 7^th to stuff each backpack with supplies, and a $15 gift card for  new shoes.   According to Connie, the smiles on the kids’ faces are worth every hour of work.

- Amy Mitchell, Director of Volunteers

Blossoming opportunities

Sometimes the needs in our community just seem so big. 

I have to keep reminding myself that it’s NOT up to me.   I just have to stay open to the people God is sending my way. 

As part of the Voices Worth Hearing refugee multimedia project that premiered in June, I had the opportunity to meet Veronica, who is featured in the photography part of the project.  She is from Burundi and trying hard to make a life here.  Whenever I visited her, she would tell me she needed a job.  I could hear the frustration in her voice.  But the barriers are so great–language, culture, transportation, economics.  Ugh.  I told her that I would help if I could.  And I prayed.

Then, the last time I visited Veronica, I asked her what she liked to do, what skills she had.  She mentioned gardening. 
Wouldn’t you know it, just two weeks later I was in a meeting to discuss urban agriculture–farming projects taking place right here in the city!  One of the organizations was launching a project at W. 25 & Franklin and was looking for refugees to take part in a training program at the farm.  And it would pay them a stipend too!!!  You can bet that immediately after the meeting, I was telling them all about Veronica.  Turns out they had a meeting that very night and Veronica was able to attend and join the program. 

I thank God for making these connections possible.  I sure look forward to seeing Veronica’s “garden” grow, too!

-  Luanne Bole-Becker

PS. Credit for the photo to right belongs to Donald Black, Jr.!

Futball and the future…

 

What does the future look like?

I hear that question a lot these days…about urban ministry, about the church, about the city. I think I got the privilege of catching just a glimpse of it today. BHITC’s World Cup Celebration brought together people of many nations — immigrants, refugees and Americans – for an afternoon of sport and so much more.

As complete strangers become fast friends on the soccer field, downtown’s skyscrapers towered in the distance.  And I thought, “Here, Cleveland, is a way forward for rebuilding our city….with people eager to be here, eager to put down roots and begin rebuilding their lives. Pin your hopes on these people!”

So, too, Trinity’s church steeple it seemed to me kept silent watch over the futball goings on. The myriad of cultures and languages being spoken on the field today were mind-boggling, but I sense and hoped that somehow the many steeples across our city hears and understands them all, considers them equally important, valid, gifted.  -Brian Upton