“A child, from America, or Canada or somewhere, sending a box to a specific child in Sudan and [the children] pray for him.  That is a turning point in the life of that child.  That child will never be the same.  That’s why it’s not just a gift.  It is changing the lives of the children.”

I stopped to think about this some.  I thought about the shoeboxes we sent last year, one from my then 6-year-old son to a boy in his age category one from my then 3-year-old daughter, to a girl in her age category.  We had filled those boxes with markers and crayons, soap and toothbrushes, candy, and a few new small toys like slinkies and kazoos.  Surely, the children that received those shoeboxes must have been thrilled, especially considering those were probably the only gifts they received at Christmas.  But could those gifts have changed their lives?

In pondering this question I was instantly reminded of a time that I too was a child in need when seemingly out of the blue, I received an amazing gift.  My need was not the same need as an impoverished child living in difficult circumstances, but life certainly felt pretty dark and without much hope at times.  The gift I received was from someone I thought was a stranger but who, in reality, had been loving me my entire life, I just didn’t know it.  When I think about the Lord’s grace, really think about it, it is entirely upending to me – generous, free and totally unexpected and undeserved.  And for a needy child, isn’t it possible that their perspective and openness to being loved could also be completely altered when they receive a shoebox gift from a complete stranger?

Also, wherever appropriate, the children receiving shoeboxes are offered a copy of “The Greatest Gift of All” booklet in their own language by local churches and ministry partners.  Thus, OCC is not just providing shoebox gifts for children living in dire circumstances, but is a tangible expression of Jesus’ love and an opportunity to tell children we have never met that Jesus is their Lord and Savior.  Will you join me in sending some more shoeboxes this year?

Mt. Olivet is serving as the OCC shoebox relay center for our area and has asked for volunteers during collection week – Nov. 14 through Nov. 21.  If interested, you can sign up here.

Packing a Shoebox:

1) Use an empty shoe box (standard size) or a plastic container about the same size. You can gift wrap the box (lid separately), but wrapping is not required.

2) Use the label from the Operation Christmas Child brochure (on the table in the back of the church) or print out a label from Operation Christmas Child’s website.  You can also print a label after making your online donation ($7 per box).  Using this latter option will enable you to “Follow Your Box” (or find out where your shoebox was delivered).

3) Once you have your label, determine whether your gift will be for a boy or a girl, and the child’s age category: 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14. Mark the correct age category on the label, and tape the label to the top of your box.

4) Fill the box with a variety of gifts that will bring delight to a child. Need ideas? Check here.

5)  If you did not use the “Follow Your Box” online donation option, please write a $7 check to Samaritan’s Purse (note “OCC” on memo line) and place it in an envelope on top of the gift items inside your box.  If you or your family are preparing more than one shoebox, please make one combined donation.

6)  Place a rubber band around each closed shoe box and drop off at Restoration this Sunday, Nov. 20.  We will deliver them for you!

Have questions? Please send me a note at cara.voth[at]gmail[dot]com

- Cara Voth

Teaching English is a great way to meet your immigrant neighbors!
Sarita is living the American dream.  Maybe not the way one might imagine, but Sarita and her husband came to the USA ten years ago from Nepal in search of a better life.  In the time I’ve known her, she has given birth to a second son, passed her driver’s exam, received accolades from her boss for excellent customer service, had her older son short-listed for the prestigious Thomas Jefferson High School, and most recently, bought a townhouse in Manassas!  Although Sarita used to live and work near me, I actually met Sarita through an ESOL ministry.

I’ll miss seeing Sarita now that she lives further away.  But I won’t miss all that I learned from her, including what it means to be an immigrant in this country.  Of course, every immigrant story is different, but by teaching English to immigrants, I have learned many of these stories.  Some are heartbreaking, but many are full of small successes that are easy to celebrate.

And the best part of teaching English to immigrants in our area is the ease with which I can share my faith with them. Teaching in a church-based program, the students expect to learn about my faith, especially when it is my motivation for serving.  It is so easy to bring up Jesus (and “act normal”) in the context of holidays, illness, even back to school – as I mention how I pray over my kids each morning as they leave the house.

ESOL is an easy way to reach out to our immigrant neighbors. And we are exploring this possibility along the Ballston Corridor.  Come join us for an international meal and a chance to hear stories. There is no long term commitment to serve.  We are simply praying, sharing and discerning where and how we might be led to serve this population.

The dinner will be Sunday, September 11, 6:30pm at a home in N. Arlington. RVSP to Julianna Hutchins (julianna.hutchins[at]gmail[dot]com) and we’ll send you the exact address. And we’d love to hear your stories of times you’ve reached out to an immigrant and been blessed!

“You and the foreigner shall be the same before the LORD.” Numbers 15:15b (NIV)
- Christine Jones

You know better than anyone how to reach the people in your spheres of influence: your neighbors, your colleagues, the parents or nannies you see at the park… What are their needs that you could help meet? What are creative ways that you could introduce them to the gospel or what it means to be part of a church community?

Here are a couple of ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

• Restoration is going to a Nationals game on July 27. Why not invite your neighbors to tag along, and have Restoration pay for their tickets?
• Invite some of your Restoration friends and some of your non-Restoration friends over for dinner, or a wine tasting, or to watch a game. Restoration will pick up the tab.
• Bring a box of Starbucks with you to the park or your kid’s soccer game and offer coffee to the other adults there. Let them know it’s a gift from Restoration.
• Dreaming big? You could host a VBS or a sports camp for kids in your neighborhood one week this summer!

These are just a few ideas. We know you’ve got lots more. What we can provide is the funding. So get thinking, and then fill out one of these proposals. It won’t take more than 5 minutes.  Send it to outreach@restorationarlington.com by July 1. Then watch the Holy Spirit show up!

– The Outreach Team

My Dear Restoration,

Back in 2008, early in our life together, we gathered once a month to pray and ask what sort of church God might be calling us to plant in Arlington.  Over an 8 month period, Restoration was born with a mission to connect people to God, to others, and to the needs around us.

We have now been faithfully worshipping together for over 2 years.  God has grown us in numbers and in depth with Him.  God has provided generous resources for us to serve people and to see lives transformed.  God has gathered people with significant gifts to be salt and light to their friends, neighbors and workplace.  The past 2 years have been cause for much rejoicing and thankfulness.

• Our Sunday worship now happens over 3 service times.  The music, liturgy, APEX, Eucharist, children’s ministry, and preaching are connecting people to God.  People are opening more areas of their life to His Gospel leadership.
• Our Small Groups are meeting all over the Metro area.  Hundreds of people are connecting to others and wrestling with the Scriptures.  People are being prayed for and choosing opportunities to serve others.
• Our connection to the needs around us has exploded.  In Chirilagua there are lots of Restoration people tutoring, mentoring, and playing soccer.  At AFAC, we are moving thousands of pounds of food from farmer’s markets to folks who need it.  In Philippi, WV we are sending a huge team of men, women, and kids to repair homes and be messengers of hope.  In Moldova, there are teenage girls who have a safe place to call home because of our financial gifts and our Restoration people who showed up to love.

Worship, community, mission.  These are the marks of a follower of Jesus.  These are the ways broken people find their place in God’s story.  These are the things that Restoration will continue to do.

What’s next?

What’s the next chapter in Restoration’s story?  To be honest, for our first 2 years, we were praying like crazy that God would establish a new church.  He did.

Now I would like to call us to pray again.  God, how do we keep moving forward?  How do we keep building on the good things you have done?  What would you have us do next?  There are a myriad of answers.  We want to listen for the answer God has for Restoration.

The leadership of Restoration would like to request a season of prayer and listening from the congregation between now and our parish meeting on May 24. To that end,

• We have created a Restoration Prayer Guide for your devotional time.  It is divided over 10 weeks.  Each week has a prayer, 5 Scripture readings, and a discernment question.  We are hoping that everyone will pray, read, and listen each week.  You may choose to keep a journal to record what you are hearing.

• We have created 4 forums for you to share what you are hearing and to pray together as a church.
  • Week of March 20:  at your small group, you will have a chance to pray about and respond to the question:  “How can Restoration help people go deeper in their relationship with Jesus?”
  • March 29 @7:30pm:  Corporate prayer and feedback at Restoration
  • April 10 @12:45pm:  Corporate prayer and feedback at Restoration
  • May 3 @7:30pm:  corporate prayer and feedback at Restoration

These will culminate on May 24 @7:30pm:  Parish Meeting at Restoration

• We have created a special email address for your feedback:  thenextchapter ‘at’ restorationarlington ‘dot’ org Some of you may prefer to write about what you are hearing from the Lord during this season of prayer and listening.

The budget process for our next year begins in May and the budget is finalized in late summer.  We wanted to take the 2 months before that budget process to pray and to listen.

Quick pastoral caveat–  David, how are you going to implement every idea that people hear from the Lord?  We can’t.  We want everyone who desires to pray, to listen, and to share what they hear to have that opportunity.  But we won’t be able to do everything.  We will be looking for those themes and ideas that have broad consensus from the congregation.  Please hold what you hear with a humble, open hand.

This discernment process is not intended to throw out the good stuff that God has already done at Restoration [this is not a blank slate :)].  But we are rolling out a long sheet of paper and asking, “God, based on who we are and what you have done, how does the story keep moving forward?”

I am confident that God will guide us. Thanks for getting excited about the next chapter.

With love,  David

Was Sunday your first visit to Restoration?

Have you been coming for a few months and gotten interested in learning more and getting more involved?

Have you been here for two years but have never been able to make it to one of those “newcomer dinners”?

Have you ever even thought about setting foot in Restoration’s doors?

If your answer to any of these is yes, then please join us this Tuesday, March 1, at 7:30pm for a Newcomer Dinner!  We’ll feed you a hot meal, give you a chance to get to know some other Restoration folks, and talk together about our vision for the church, how you can be a part of it, and what it means to be a member of Restoration.

We’ll be accepting new members on Sunday, March 6. If you’d like to become a member at this time, you must attend the dinner on Tuesday.

If you’re interested in coming, please leave a comment below or contact us here so that we know how much food to have.

Please do come — we’d love to see you there!

The recent violence against Christians overseas is a vivid reminder that our lives are quite set apart from the risks that some believers face today! What does it mean to help bear this burden of our fellow members of the Body of Christ?

Friday night we want to learn what we can do to care for the persecuted church. Harry Argo will share with us some of his experiences and wisdom gained from spending time with believers in countries that actively persecute and even kill believers in Christ. He has been very involved in outreach here locally as well as relief, evangelism and education in extreme circumstances abroad.

We will also have a chance to send post-cards to a prisoner in a closed country to get us started in reaching out.

Snacks and a spot of tea to be served as well. Hope to see you there!

Friday January 21
7:30 to 9:00
at Liz Gray’s home
4318  North 39th St, Arlington

Questions? Need directions? Call Mary Ann at 202-957-0244.

Today is Epiphany – the day we celebrate the Word made flesh, the manifestation of God’s love in the person of Jesus Christ.  On this day we think of the Wise Men, the Gentiles who recognized the child Jesus as the King of the Jews.  We think too of Jesus’ first miracle, turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana – another instance where people first saw Jesus for who he really was.

For those of us who have already met Jesus, Epiphany becomes a reminder that we have a part to play in manifesting God’s love to the world. Our part in all of this is a bit like the angels’ was to the shepherds: showing people where to look when they want to see Jesus.

So in 2011, I want to be a little bit more observant and intentional – looking around at the people about me, seeking those opportunities to point the way, to say, “Look here.” I want to hear the prompting of the Holy Spirit, nudging me and saying, “Speak now” or “Act now,” “Love now” or “Serve now” or “This one is ready to hear from me – be my voice, my hands, my feet…”  I know God will speak – sometimes explicitly though a specific word, but sometimes just through opportunities that come along.

I know that, as a church, we all want to be ready to respond to our neighbors, friends, and family, so we can help them see Jesus.  We want to be alert and primed for action, listening out for the Holy Spirit whispering ‘Go!’

Sometimes we’ll respond to that nudge from the Holy Spirit on our own; sometimes we’ll do it corporately. If you’re looking for ways to respond to the whispers you’ve been hearing, here are a few things coming up that you could get involved with as part of a group:

• On Saturday, January 15, we will be praying at church from 9-10am – this is the BEST time of the month –all very welcome!
• On Friday, January 21, we will be gathering to hear a speaker and praying for Christians living under persecution. Do also pick up a Barnabas Prayer guide at the church to help you pray every day for the persecute church.
• A number of folk are attending the Perspectives course at McLean Bible Church this semester.
• Monthly breakfasts start on February 11 to train people to reach out to their Spheres of Influence. Fancy a 6:30 a.m. start to a Friday morning?
• Individuals  are mentoring young people at Casa Chirilagua: this is a HUGE blessing to the kids, and no particular skills needed except a desire to walk alongside a young person!
• Teams are forming to visit the elderly at the local Sunrise Home: come and visit someone else’s grandparent!

What will you do in 2011 to help people see Jesus?  Whether it’s one of these activities or something else, I will be hoping and praying that you are listening for that whisper in your ear that says, “Speak to this one!”

If you want more details on any of the above or to tell me about what you are doing, please contact me at liz [at] restorationarlington [dot] org.

Charged with seeking out “the broken people and places of the world to help with after-care initiative for marginalized communities”, Restoration’s outreach foci seem tailored for a struggling former Soviet Republic like Moldova.  So, on September 24^th, eight folks from Restoration decided to come alongside our World Orphans transition home in Moldova. This home that we have supported provides a safe, nurturing, Christian home for teenage girls who have aged out of the state-run orphanages and are at risk for being trafficked.

We lucked out being there right after harvest, where we enjoyed the beautiful fall foliage and weren’t allowed to leave our tables without consuming at least 2500 calories.  The project is headed up by Pastor Vasile, a pastor, builder, church planter and champion wrestler (…don’t worry I tested his skills first hand), his beautiful wife Lucia and their three awesome daughters.  Along with their local church, these Moldovan Christians have worked to love the girls taken in from desperate situations.  The girls can’t help but be a product of their surroundings…in a place of love, safety, and a chance to meet Christ, they are being changed and are maturing into women who are ready to face the world.  Considering the backdrop of where they’ve come from, these girls are living trophies of the transformative power of God and His church.  This stuff really works — Praise God!

The Moldova team would love the opportunity to share their experiences in more detail with you tomorrow (Friday) evening at 7:00pm at Restoration.  God is doing a lot through this project, both in Moldova and within our own congregation.  Come hear about the trip, how it changed the team,  what’s next for Restoration as a congregation and how you can get involved!

Last year was Restoration’s first church-wide retreat, and I – one who often speaks at retreats but secretly never really likes going to them – well…I liked it!  It was, for lack of a more profound word:  good.  Seriously.   Fun, solid, real, good – showing up in basic stuff like this corn hole game at which I initially scoffed and which, honestly, turned out to be a corporate blast.  Or getting to play with some of the little kids who in turn became co-conspirators on many following Sundays, our turning blind eyes to one another’s extra doughnut holes snatched during refreshment times.  And then there were those three or four more-significant conversations I had with a three or four people I’d always thought seemed “nice” or “interesting” but with whom my path never meaningfully crossed on Sunday mornings.  Plus, since I like learning, talking, singing and communion, connecting more deeply with a group of people around corporate worship was a good thing.

So, was my life changed forever by that retreat?  Not exactly.  But I returned to DC woven a bit more deeply into the community that continues to emerge at Restoration. And the Jesus-centric corporate life, which so many others and I have been increasingly experiencing, has slowly but surely been showing itself to be life-changing.

Register Now! Only 34 spots left!

Moldova is located between Romania and Ukraine, and is the poorest and only communist country in Europe.  With widespread corruption, growing poverty, and an outdated Soviet-era orphanage system, Moldova has become a key European hotbed for human trafficking activity. Some quick facts:

Population: 3.6M
Languages: Romanian, Russian
Per Capita: $4.10/day

Restoration currently sponsors a transition home designed to rescue and change the lives of girls coming out of the orphanage system. Our trip this fall will be designed to serve our Moldovan brothers and sisters, and strengthen the relationship between our communities as we support the work of anti-trafficking and rehabilitation.

Who is going?

Maybe you! Prayerfully consider being a part of this team. The trip is open to people from Restoration who have a heart for this work, and desire to be a part of this growing relationship. The cost of the entire trip is $2300 (+/- airfare changes) which includes airfare, food and accommodations in country.

Sign me up!

The first step is to fill out a trip application. From there, we will contact you regarding team meetings, conference calls, and other important information regarding your trip. Applications will be due by July 6, 2010.

What will we be doing?

In the mornings team will serve alongside girls from the transition home as we help with the anti-trafficking campaign within local government orphanages. Afternoons will be filled with visiting locals and “babushkas” (widows) with church members as we hope to catalyze the presence of the church within the local community. In the evenings the team will spend time in the transition home and conduct special events (depending on the skill sets of team members).

Apply now!

Questions? Contact Jesse Blaine.

Find out more about World Orphans and the work they’re doing around the globe.