Happy New Year – maybe? Perhaps we should not use happy - how about “Meaningful New Year!” Or perhaps “Full of Justice New Year?” I know, they are harder to say.
I have high hopes for 2009 actually. Here is my top ten list of reasons why 2009 will be better than 2008.
Most importantly (this is not a number because it is more important that all the others!) – the Shaffer family is looking forward to another year of being goofy, learning together, and growing up (or down, I believe Julia and I are at the stage of growing shorter now?)
1. Our doctor friends are returning to Pershing Park. Street Medicine for the forgotten. And, couldn’t be at a better time. For the past two weeks I have been talking with a pregnant young woman who is living on the streets. Now there are more of us, better equipped, to help such a young woman find the care she needs, and perhaps the housing to go along with it.
2. Kids club is going great at the Village apartments. This is the foundation of building a new generation of peace for the West Side.
3. Holy Chaos is helping us bring betterment to our friends on the streets. We meet at the loft (thanks Ocean Hills!) and it is a beautiful community of friends with and without houses. But, it helps us hear the stories of our friends on the streets. Some wonderful men and women of all ages are now involved in pastoring friends one on one.
4. The Summer of Love is coming – yes indeed. You will want to get on that bus.
5. Westmont is waking up to local mission. In March several students will be doing a week of loving mission on the West Side as a part of Santa Barbara Spring Break in the City. They are already tying into the community center and kids club, and we are doing a monthly prayer walk.
6. Third Window – based on the story of St. Barbara herself. You can google it. Several pastors in the area are gathering together monthly to steward the holistic mission work of God from Isla Vista to Carpinteria. We just started meeting – so who knows…
7. CHE. Community Health Empowerment. Next week I begin a weekly meeting at the Village apartments to create a leadership committee to equip the apartment residents to meet their own needs long term.
8. Facebook. I believe it and other websites are the key to sparking the revolution of love necessary to bring the kingdom of God to the forgotten. So, be ready to be bothered by me even more in 2009.
9. Perhaps out there, somewhere, is still a plan for State Street? I hope to see what God wants for the center of downtown as well.
10. A Biblical scheme of equity is in those scriptures, and I am on a mad search for it. The word is Jubilee. Haven’t found what I am looking for yet, but several books I am reading talk about it. I guess we can all start with Deut 15. The poor you will always have with you, but if you follow me you my commands, you will have no poor? A crazy paradox indeed – but the greedy should beware the coming of the King.
Of course, this is thanks to all of you for being with us in the journey, graciously giving money, time, food, clothes, sleeping bags, socks… here’s to a graciously giving new year 2009.