2009-02-24

: mustard seed sunday @ sbf :

... February 22nd turned out to be Mustard Seed Sunday at SBF. Last fall John Bones asked about Dr Bones Blues Project doing a benefit concert, and we said absolutely. As the teaching planning team was putting together the Core Strength series we asked Chris Pollock, the Seed's youth pastor, if he could speak the same morning, as an introduction of sorts to the evening's education and awareness thrust. He agreed.

... even though I thought of it last second, and ran to my office to get the camera, I thought this shopping cart at the base of the cross was poignant.

... the Mustard Seed Praise Band, Brooklyn Peppler and Dr Bones & Co brought the music, various artists, poets, and others brought their words of testimony, observations of life on the street, and witness to the incredible work the Seed does through it's many ministries.

As the dust settled, Rev. Tom was overheard ... "I'm having trouble reconciling the Japanese Shogun in me with the Baptist Minister in me" ...

Many of you had heard of the tragedy of 'Harley's' death recently. It was something to hear Chris preface his sermon with a bit of an update on that from the perspective of the street community. I thought I would share that with you here.

dlc

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Hi I’m Chris – I just want to thank you for having me here to share with you today – thank you Don – for pursuing me...it kinda made me feel nice and wanted...a very cool feeling! I’d also like to thank you, on behalf of the Mustard Seed Street Church – for focusing in on us today...Don has been calling it Mustard Seed Sunday and we are overjoyed to be here sharing with you of the work that we’re into...over the course of this day...and we’re just humbled by your interest in supporting us and our friends on the streets of Victoria...
Now, before I get going into the nitty gritties of this message - I’d just like to speak on the current situation of the streets of Victoria – the climate has been utterly depressed as of late – you could say that the street community is feeling rather under the weather right now. We are in mourning. Just over a week ago now someone, a young girl very close to many hearts of many people on the street, was pushed into the way of an oncoming bus...Her name to us is Harley...and, she was a pearl, a diamond – unique to the street for her gentleness, sweetness, loyalty – she was unassuming – she had needs, just like we all do – but, she didn’t press them upon anyone...she was quiet. The boy never knew what repercussions there would be...the boy never knew, in that moment that he chose to push her, the hearts that would be broken. The family of the street, who knows far too much of loss and is yet purified through it, was robbed that night...violated. There is a sad fog that is looming over us...this is real. On Friday, there was a memorial for Harley at Our Place – Reverend Al is such a father, friend and hero for the people...he led the service with such sensitivity – there were hundreds of people there...many old friends of mine came out to remember her and stand and hold one another, to weep together and sing...I saw sitting on a table across the big meeting room there a guy that used to run with me years ago...he used to be my protector as I came to the street there by Blenz, opposite 7-11 in my old Volkswagon Van...we called it the Drive By cafe...we used to serve wraps from the table inside – all specific to the order of each person who came in and sat with me...and there he’d stand outside the door, his name is Lucas – I called him Pete-Rock - he’d organize the line, break up fights, keep the language in check (it was funny...he’d let some emo-f-bombs drop to get his point across), and he’d lean in and check in on me from time to time to make sure I was OK – sometimes, at the end of the night he’d give me some martial arts demo’s by drop kicking the branch of a tree that was maybe a few feet over head, bar-none he was the toughest that our streets have seen for awhile at least...so, there was Lucas on the other side of the room to me at Harley’s memorial – head bowed and very somber and obviously reflecting the pain of this loss – reaching him through the crowd was not easy...but, I made it for the embrace...and he grabbed me, yanking me into his heart with the tightest hold, he buried his head deep into my neck and I felt the release of such pain...tears were flowing, not dripping, streaming down my neck...this is the sorrow of the street. A baby – I could only think of Molly, my 10-month old daughter, as I held him...’It’s ok...it’s going to be alright...I love you’...
We say that the homeless need a home...when we say ‘end homelessness’.
We say that they are poor...when we observe their situation and say ‘end poverty’.
My friends who live on the street and in shelters know family closer than the majority of families that I know.
My friends who live on the street and in shelters have a grand home...Victoria is a beautiful place...they are most certainly not homeless...they have any choice of a number of houses to stay in...
My friends who live on the street and in shelters know a wealth that affluence cannot describe...
We are the ones that tell them they are poor and homeless...that they are problemed?
So what should we be saying then...? The intention for change is good – I just think that the intention is processed wrong.
How about: ‘end apathy’...’end elitism’...’end classism’...’end prejudice’...’end categorizing and diminution’
There is such division...such misunderstanding. Harley was trying to break up a fight between two affluent, drunk young men that night. There is so much potential in unity...we need to get there, which is a place of honesty and trust before any type of change is possible...be sure that change will look different from the place of unity than from the place of division.
Let’s Pray

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ps. if you have read this far, you might as well read Ron Cole's comments on the evening as well. Ron is Dr Bones' percusssionist.

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