To Love is to Serve

Victory Center

2009-11-19T04:17:00.000-08:00

http://www.bridgesofcanada.com/

I have moved, changed ministries, and am still trusting in Jesus who hasn't changed.

So I work in an addictions center called the Victory Center, it's a place where lives are changed and it can only happen as the participants come to the knowledge that God is in their lives and when they surrender to Him, they can overcome the struggles they are going through.

Change is difficult, there are alot of things to learn in this place and there are many days when I ponder why I didn't stay working with Kids. Though it comes down to the fact that God brought me here, and though I might find it hard, the difficulties , the struggles and the hardship is what brings growth in my walk with Jesus so here I am till the Lord says its time to move.

He is the same today, as he was yesterday and will be tomorrow, Jesus is .

I will update my blog more soon, i need to go back to work. Hope all are well.

Community Youth Ball Hockey

2009-09-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

I want to start by appologizing for not updating this blog in a long, long , long time. Facebook has been a place where i've been putting alot of time and info. I guess when I was working within a congregation I didn't focus much on keeping accounts outside of the congregation, which really is a mistake.

So, I have taken a step of faith and left my job working in a congregation and moved into walking in faith with Jesus and by the Holy Spirits leading to where I can be used as a garden hoe to break soil so that the seeds can be planted. I work mainly with kids, youth and building relationships with them and their families. There are 2 main area's of focus with this at the moment. 1] is as a Volunteer with City Kidz (www.citykidz.ca) as a CoCaptain on one of the buses that picks kids up and takes them to the Saturday Program. This allows me to build relationships to these kids, and be a positive role model in their lives as well as encourage them in being all they can be and loving them for who they are today. Along with being on the bus, I participate in home visits each week, allowing me not only to get to know the kids but the whole family.
Over the summer I spent alot of time Volunteering to take Kids to Camp on City Kidz buses which allowed me to get to know even more kids then the kids on my bus route (Route 72.)
Sending kids to camp, who might not get a chance to go to a camp usually is something I think was really special to be able to be a part of, and I hope that we can continue to bring options into their lives that might not be possible with where they are at today. So Pray, that God will continue to use City Kidz and all its volunteers to reach the kids of the City of Hamilton.

2] Community Youth Ball Hockey is a program that happens once a week where we try to reach out to the kids in the Gibson/ Stipley neighbourhoods of Hamilton. Many of the kids who come out to play ball hockey or do gimp ( making bracelets with plastic) are also kids who participate in City Kidz, but we also get alot of kids who aren't part of City Kidz and that is important. We are creating a safe place for them to come and play and in the process we are building relationships with them and their parents. This is church, it is sharing God's love with them and walking along side them in life's everyday situations. I believe that every step we do in relationship building is a step closer to building God's Kingdom and if we are willing to love unconditionally and grow together in our walk in life we will see God move in this place and in our hearts. Over the summer on Wednesday nights from 7-8:30pm we have been providing a place to hang out and play that is safe at the Prince of Wales (POW) elementry school's playground. It is the beginning of building safe environments to grow in and with the Grace of God we will create more places throughout communities here in Hamilton.
As we move into the fall months where the sunlight isn't so long we will be moving both to a new day and a new location, which may have its drawbacks but with God's help we will overcome and continue to build on what God has started at POW. We are moving to Friday's 7-8:30pm at New Westminster Presb. Church on Melrose and King, and will be moving indoors offering ball hockey as well as other games, arts & crafts over the winter months. We are hoping to have opportunities to share in feast, where we as a community come together and prepare and share a meal at Thanksgiving as well as the possibility of creating house sized church in the near future.

It is important that we follow God's timing and not rush things, so i ask for your prayers and if the Lord shares His Word with you, to share with us. Your prayers are an important part of the process that brings about change in all our lives as God works in our hearts. Thankyou for your continued support in bringing in the Harvest.

Yours in Christ
Paul Martin

First Week

2008-09-19T17:03:00.000-07:00

Okay, I haven't any pics yet, cause I haven't moved into my new appartment nor have I unpacked anything yet. I do have a new appartment, and I praise God for it cause I believe the Holy Spirit had alot to do with my recieving the place I'm in. The Landlord is a Christian who during her spare time helps out at a drop-in that ministers to those on the streets. She prayed about who to let have the appartment , she had over 10 applicants, and chose me even before seeing my application. Mainly while chatting with me on the phone about it, she felt the Holy Spirit saying I was the one.
It's great, cause it's really close to the area I will be involved in, the South Sherman Hub, a community within the Center of Hamilton. Its a 10 minute walk from church, so its far enough away that I will feel rested, and get some exercise walking to and from work. I need exercise, as I need to lose a few pounds...just a few, honest.....
I've also met quite a few people in the area as well as met up with some I've known in the past, so that's also a blessing. All this and its only the first week. I promise that once I get unpacked, have my laptop and internet hooked up you will recieve much more, with detail.
God is Good All the time.

Answering a call and saying goodbye.

2008-09-05T05:13:00.000-07:00

So it all started about a month ago when Bruce (Church Army Canada National Director) emailed me and informed me that a church in Hamilton was asking about me, if I would be willing to work with them at building a ministry reaching out to the community in the Parish.

With Prayer and time, reading of the Word and the Holy Spirit's guidance I came to accept the position to be an Outreach Evangelist for St. Peter's Anglican Church in Hamilton Ont. which is something I've been looking forward to for a very long time.

The journey to this place has been interesting as I look back over the past 7 years and see how God has used each event in my life to mold me alittle more into the Man God wants me to be. This last year at L'Arche has been one of the mile stones in my life as people have confirmed the feelings I was having that I have changed quite abit. It has been a year of growth in many areas: love, compassion, humility, patience, and most of all learning to forgive , especially forgiving myself.

Much of what I have learned comes through spending time with Krista, Pat, Debbie, Stephane , Marilyn, Gray and Dan. These people have been my family, we have lived a life together by standing on the Faith of Christ and living by the principles of Christ through the Beattitudes found in the Gospel of Matthew 5.

So now I'm excited for what God is bringing into my life, and yet have saddness for those who I will leave behind. L'Arche Saint John, especially McKim House has become part of who I am, and my thoughts , my actions , my way of interacting has changed by being touched, by being forgiven, by being accepted by these people who don't judge me but accept me with all my faults as part of their family.

I've come to learn that the term Disablity is Society's Term, on something they see as different. For the people of L'Arche can love, they can live, and with alittle extra time and help you find that they are capable of much of what Society thinks they are not capable of achieving. Basically, the real Disability is fear of people to spend time becoming interactive with people they don't understand, with Patience of Learning the differences for what Society says is normal, we may grow and see that we have much to learn from those who are different.

I thank my Lord and God for allowing me to spend time in this home of unconditional Love.

It is difficult to move and yet it is time. Thankyou L'Arche, and thankyou to those who assisted my time at L'Arche, both Family, St James the Less, and friends who both fiancially and through Prayer were part of this ministry.

Who we are: described in love

2008-06-09T15:38:00.000-07:00

I have found that being part of L'Arche has really helped shape what God's unconditional Love looks like. You gotta hand it to God, it isn't easy to love others with all of their crap to put on top of all of our own crap, cause I know my crap pile is huge. I have to fight the urge to judge myself, put down myself, mumble to myself, talk myself into doubt, doubting myself.. I could continue but i'm guessing you get the picture.

There are many days when I find that I'm totally not sure what to do or where to go with a decision yet I know I have to make a decision and dwell with the consequences of what that will do with myself, with the house, with the coremembers, with the other assistants and then with the general community itself. Through all this I find myself looking constantly to God for help and support and that is awesome yet so humbling, for it says how much I need God and how inept I am at living in relationship.

There are days when its a real joy to be part of such a living community and then there are days when its a mire and you find it difficult to see the joy in anything at all. Those are the days when I find myself at peoples doors reading their doors. See at L'Arche, we have signs on our doors to welcome us into the community, and on those signs are messages from the other coremembers and assistants of the house as well as milestones like yearly anniverseries.

In a way its a sense of identity of each person, which helps to say who they are to the home. I find that it helps to remember, especially on the difficult days who it is that I'm loving. We all have a story of who we were before we came to the home, just like we have a story as to who we were before we were transformed by God's Love. Years of being a certain way can't be changed over-night, but by continued support and Love, and that takes alot of work, tears, and battles, sometimes the same arguements over and over again, untill God's Love breaks through all the hurts and all the walls.

It works for both coremembers and assistants, which really says alot about what its like to live in a tight community that is founded on Christ's principals and God's Love.

Prayer is important, and welcomed, so I hope you will keep us in prayer. I also challenge everyone to not give up on people but work at unconditionally loving them and keep an eye on how that love, not only changes others but changes how we ourselves are.

I hope my door will have expressions of that love after the milestone of my 1st full year at L'Arche is posted. Thankyou for your support and prayers, its been and continues to be a blessing as both finances and prayers are needed.

Yours in Christ

Paul Martin

The Good Ole Hockey Game

2008-04-15T04:56:00.000-07:00

Let's Go Saint John Seadogs, Let's Go!!!!!

So, two of our core members really enjoy hockey, and the Saint John Seadogs have made it to the playoff's, so Patrick and Stephane are excited!! The first to Games against the Bathurst Titans were back to back on Friday and Saturday. Friday's game was well taken in by both Pat and Stephane and accompanied by L'Arche's Live-in Assistant Gray Gillies. Saturday's game was viewed by Pat and I, which again was a blast, plus being a sold out game. They won both games which made the guys really excited. It was really great to get out with Pat and have some good quality time with just him and I, nothing like a hockey game to bring friendship and community between guys. We were fortunate to be able to go to game 5 also, which was really fun, yet the Seadogs lost that one, but Patrick has informed me that they won Game 6 so they will continue in the playoff's.

This is a good example of one of the many things volunteers can assist in with our coremembers, going out to events and sharing in the joy of community. Relationships take time and effort, but it all starts with saying hello and spending time at something where it is easy to get aquanted, ie a hockey game. Patrick Loves sports, Stephane loves to get out and be part of the action, Debbie loves to play cards, Krista loves to go for walks, each person in our community, our family have things they love to do, and are open to spending time with new people, making friends.

Its like our time at Uptown Church, Sunday evenings, all the coremembers love to come out and be part of the greater community. They have met new people who have become friends , and are getting involved with the community, Patrick has started to take part in the service helping out with the overheads, and sometimes at Drop-ins , playing the piano. I must admit, I really find it cool to see how they continue to grow and how God uses all of us in building community, which expands His Kingdom here on Earth.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, email me at paul.martin@churcharmy.com

and become part of our community, part-time volunteers are always welcome, maybe its just joining us for a walk or coming out for a coffee, one never knows what can happen unless we step out of the boat, trust in Jesus, and join in.

The little things in life are what touches peoples hearts

2008-03-31T04:56:00.001-07:00

I once read somewhere that God uses us when we least expect it, and I believe that. I think its not so much the grand programs we place out there that really effect peoples lives, its the little things, like moments of compassion, kindness, and love. Yesterday, I had to get hotdogs and buns for supper, so I took Deb and Patrick with me so they could get out of the house for awhile. After picking up the food , we went to Tim's where I bought Pat a peach drink and Deb a coffee (no, we didn't win a roll-up :O( , but we did have fun :O)

So then I decided to take them to Irving Nature Park, on the way to the Park, Deb was saying the mall was like open house, because we met so many friends there and that it was so great to get out and meet people. Reminds me, you know if you ever want to drop in for a coffee or tea at McKim House, we would love for you too come, we love having company.

So we get to the beach at INP and Pat goes down to the water and begins skipping rocks, while I helped Debbie get down to the water, its alittle difficult for her to navigate it on her own.

And when we reach the beach Deb's like, whew, its great to get out and be by the water, she was really touched to be able to spend 5 minutes at the beach. (She's happy the snow is going and the warm weather is coming.)

On the way Home, they are both really happy cause they were able to spend a few moments by the water, and this just reminds me so much of what we take for granted. It doesn't really take much to bring joy to people, it really just takes time , time to sit and drink a beverage, time to stop and enjoy God's creation together, and time to listen and share.

I think about Jesus meeting to of His disciples on the road after His resurrection, He didn't do anything elaborate, he just walked with them, chatted, and then sat down and had a bite to eat with them. He spent time with them. Really, that's what it takes, spending time and being with others in moments with God. I truly feel that evangelism sometimes gets a bad rap cause of what you see on tv or in the movies, but really its about letting people know who Jesus can be in their lives and the best way to do that is through spending time with people, allowing them to get to know who you are and through that finding out who Jesus is in your life. Just takes some time and with living by the fruit of the Spirit.

I hope you are able to take a few moments with someone and share some time. Like I said, your more then welcome to come spend time with us. Just email me and we can work something out.

paul.martin@churcharmy.com

Support and Structure

2008-03-03T04:53:00.000-08:00

To start off , I want to appologize for being so long since i've updated this Blog. You get so involved with life, sometimes you forget about all the people praying for what your doing with that life. Something that is needed and should not be forgotten, for prayer is one of the most important aspects of Ministry.

Okay , so your probably wondering what's with the pictures of the canals and wall support, well I'm a very visual person, so it helps me and hopefully helps you get a sense of where i'm at.

To start out lets talk about the canal and locks, they are used to help support and channel ships through waterways that are not navigationable without such assistance. I have found, since starting at L'Arche that many people need such help in their lives and especially those who may have developmental disabilities.

I have a friend who is very gifted with music, he's really smart and loves to share with music, yet in everyday life he copes well if there is a struture and routine in his daily activity. But if changes occur then, is routine is chattered and he finds stress in life.

So, I have begun to try to figure out how to imput structure into those changes that will affect his life so that changes don't equal chaos but become a smooth flow that helps him and others with the same type of difficulties to navigate through the change.

Sounds alot easier then it is, since people don't tend to want to share weaknesses and get alittle stressed about talking of such things. So, its a process that is slow at times, like building a dam, you have to set up water flow so that foundations can be set. The cement is Love, God is Love, hence the foundation is built with a walking relationship with Jesus plus living and growing in Love with each other.

I liked the chart that shares support levels, its just an example, its not what we go by, really a huge chunk of what we do is Love Unconditionally with all the issues in life.

Supporting and encouraging through hard times and easy times, with laughter, tears, hugs, sharing in food. Someone once said to me "It must take alot to live with those types of people." At which point I responded, that they are no different then you and I , really the best way to find that out is to spend time with them, even if its only a couple of hours a week. So Love and Prayer is needed, if anyone would like to assist in support by becoming a friend and spending some time, could be an hour once a week with someone, drop me aline.

To finish off my note, I would share that the last bunch of months , ie since Christmas has been good. We haven't gone on many adventures, though we've celebrated some aniverseries and a couple of Birthdays (Celebrations are Big here!!! We go all out to people cause we Love them.) I have found that since Christmas, the honeymoon of L'Arche has been over and its been more about really beginning to dig deeper in relationships with people, and in so doing , finding the weaknesses in me , the flaws in me, and the places where God has changed my heart and is changing my heart. I look to His Word often, and try to cope with the surrendering of self, of my own personal freedom with time, and instead becoming a Servant and giving all of my time, space, and being transparent with those who I live with. Community is a life like no other, for it is a life of being transparent, being real, and being able to love and allowing others to love you. Ie Surrendering alot of the time.

Hope all are well,

your brother in Christ

Paul Martin

Romans 5

2008-01-15T05:52:00.000-08:00

I have been away at L'Arche Antigonish, helping out that community for the last week, and now I'm back in Saint John. It was really good to get into another community and see the similarities as well as the differences. Yet, through it all I was touched by how God works in these close nit communities. To truly be touched by unconditional Love and to know God's Grace through hurts and pain is to live in close community and feel, touch, and experience brokenness brings about changes within ones faith.

Romans 5:1-5 1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a]have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we[c] also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

This month has been a month of revelation, its a month of Experiencing God's hurt for the broken and yet its been a month of seeing what happens when people choose to allow Our Lord to bring changes, healing and Love into our lives and our hearts.

In my own community, we are going through changes as we grieve the departure (still in this world , just not at McKim House) of one core member and prepare to greet another. As we adjust to changes within our community with the preparation of a Mandate and strive to bring about growth, peace, and hope in our close Knit Family.

I hope you will join me in praying for McKim House as God reaches out and Changes our Hearts.

Yours in Christ's Love

Paul

The Saint John West Side Parade

2007-12-11T18:47:00.000-08:00

So we had the L'Arche van entered in the West side Christmas Parade back in November, it was alot of excitement for the house. I was on my Day Away and Gray and Marilyn worked on getting an idea of what to put on the van for the parade. Then on Saturday morning (was really cold out, and windy) Gray and I, along with Krista, Debbie and Pat decorated the Van for the parade. Hope and Peace were the theme and we gave out candy canes to the kids. It was a special time for McKim house, with Gray, Pat, Krista, Marilyn, Jeanette, and Dan walking along beside the van giving out the candy canes while I drove the van with Debbie in the passenger seat waving at people , wishing them a merry Christmas and listening to Christmas Music.

The Coremembers really enjoyed the day, it was a special time and I felt I was really able to bond with the house. God is good, we are so blessed to have the van and I think that being able to go out and support the greater community and Help while being a light for Jesus, well that was the icing on the cake for the day.

Anything can happen on a L'Arche Day

2007-12-06T16:03:00.000-08:00

Well here I am, the journey over the last year has brought me to L'Arche Saint John where I live in McKim house as a live-in assistant. Basically, my friend Gray sent me an email asking me to pray about coming to L'Arche as a live-in assistant because they have been short and were in need of help. She had been praying and felt lead to ask me.
At the time I was planning on going to Ontario to go back to work at OPC, so when I got her email I spent time in Prayer and time in God's Word. He answered me through 4 different sources and I began a time at L'Arche.

It has been interesting, I began half way through Sept, and as we come into December I have come along way. I was really nervous at first, because I wasn't sure how to act or how well I would be to cope around the core members. Though having Gray here helps, cause we have worked together before and are friends so she is someone I can talk with easlily. Though more so its God's Grace and His Love that has brought me to where I am now. I have found that for the most part living/working here is about being. Its about being who you are and allowing the core members to get to know you and then its about being together and growing together while keeping the Fruit of the Spirit as your foundation for how you live and interact with everyone both at McKim and those you meet and work with throughout your days. Eph 4 has been a staple for me on many of the nights when I have struggled most. A big part of the change with living here is your time.

My time has become L'Arche time, basically all of my life, my soul, my energy is put towards the house so that what I have I give just as I would give it to Jesus. Basically, as you give , there is a change in how you see yourself. Somedays are harder to give then others, and those are the days I find that I need to spend more time in my Father's presence. Though sometimes I find that I have slipped cause i'm tired and just want to sleep, so i skip time with the Father and His Word and then I get cagey and then someone says something about my being cranky. At which point I usually find I go away, pray , cry , and then come back and talk about it.

Basic understanding about time at McKim house;
each day you get approx. 3 hrs off of personal time (sometimes it doesn't happen if its a hectic day)
each week you get a day away, 36hrs, which equals 2 nights and one day; Villa Maddonna lets me stay there for free (which is a blessing cause I don't have much in the way of funds) and Taylor College lets me stay there once a month for free. (again, a blessing)
each month, you get one weekend away, in which you usually take your day away giving you 3 days off, this I tend to spend at my sisters in Apohaqui , up in the country, its rest and relax plus they have my dog Tasha, so i get to play with my puppy.
Food, housing, and transportation is pretty much covered here at McKim, wages are minimal and I am still trying to pay off debt so things are extremely tight. I will admit this is the one area I do struggle with, somedays getting alittle stressed, then tears, then prayer. I Trust God and I'm working on not adding But to that statement of Faith.

So, I will try to get out a posting once every couple of months, so that you may pray along with me as we walk together serving a Loving , Graceful and Merciful God who wants whats best for us. Its about changing one heart at a time.

Yours in Christ
Paul Martin

Steps to where I am Today: Through the Grace of God

2007-12-06T15:07:00.000-08:00

So I have come to the realization that I need to have a blog that is basically about where God has me being a servant, ie where I'm working for Him in Ministry. I used to say my ministry, but its not mine its His and that's important to state.

Well, I believe its important to state life from when I graduated from Taylor College to where I am today. It started in the Spring of 2005 when I graduated from Taylor and was commissioned into Church Army of Canada as an Evangelist. (http://www.churcharmy.com/WordPress/)

Was commissioned I went through a stage of waiting to see where God would place me, and I must admit some of my choices back then where done in haste and not in His timing but mine.

I didn't take a posting in the Arctic due to fear that I wouldn't be able to cope with the barren land, the cold dark winters and I used my fish Allergy to squash going north. Instead, I went to Ottawa, I took a job working for a Christian Ministry that had to do with Caregiving to men with Mental Illness. I didn't pray about it, I just went cause I thought it was right cause it was a ministry job. I didn't last long, though I made some wonderful friends, I learned alot about many types of ministry, some of which has impacted me towards where I see bringing people into a relationship with Christ. So, really, even though my time in Ottawa was short, and I jumped in without really consulting God in prayer, He was still able to teach me. Both about bringing everything to Him in prayer before jumping into it, and also about dealing with people as well as how to bring the Gospel to the street.

So From Ottawa, I went farther West to Port Sydney, Ontario, in the Heart of the Muskoka's, Ontario's Cottage Country. Here I spent a year with Ontario Pioneer Camp, which is run by Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.

http://pioneercamp.ca/index.php?option=com_magazine&Itemid=37

OPC has both a Christian summer camp as well as a year round program, I was basically involved with the year round program as an Outdoor Education Instructor where I learned a great deal about who I am, and what I really believe in. My time at Camp was a time where I spent many hours in God's Word, because with such a variety of Christians there is a variety of belief's. It was a time of growth and healing, and has a strong place in my heart, I will always feel close to outdoor ed at opc, and there are many days that I miss it. Though, even while I was there, my heart had a tugging towards a place where a deep passion sits.

Basically its where my heart has been since I came to the realization that I felt called to be an evangelist, its to bring people into a living relationship with God through time building those relationships. Camp was a place where kids came and went, time was not something we had alot of, and I felt that to really share in who Christ is would take time. So it was time to head out and step out.

This brought me back East to Saint John, New Brunswick. I thought since God was calling me back here, that I would find a place in which support would be there and I would be able to dive into doing street ministry, which is at the depths of my heart. Its funny how we see it one way while God's got it all worked out in another way. Especially since if we were to look to His Word we would see that over and over He teaches people by struggle and time.

So, once back, I found myself looking for work, and after a couple of tries I became a server of Coffee at Tim Hortons. (I learned that this can be quite the stressful job, i have much more appreciation for servers now!) So working at Tim's full time on day shift, and with my spare time I helped out with Uptown Church, a non-denominational church plant in uptown Saint John which reaches out to people who are broken yet real in what's going on in their lives. Its got alot to do with who I am as my last 2 years of placement at school was involved with Uptown Church. So, over the months I worked away and rebuilt on relationships with people from the Uptown area, especially being involved with the Wednesday night bible study for Uptown Church. Then, I began work as a Casual Caregiver at Salvation Army's Booth Centre for Men, this again was a stage of learning, seeing the difference from working in a small home to working in a large institution. How many needs are missed in a larger environment and how its important to be in peoples lives daily, plus being real with them. We are all human, we all fall short of the Glory of God, we all sin, and struggle through each day, the emphasis is on God's Grace, His Love, and Mercy, and that if we put our Hope in Jesus, then we can get through it together. So through the ups and downs of a year of finding that it doesn't matter where you work or what your doing, its your life that is the true witness of who Christ is in you, I came to find my self where I am today.

See next Posting: Anything can Happen on a L'Arche Day!