Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Signs of Hope

“When we become aware that we do not have to escape our pains, but that we can mobilize them into a common search for life, those very pains are transformed from expressions of despair into signs of hope”
-Henri Nouwen

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Word.


My Favorite Part about my CSM experience was…
“The prayer tour. It was really impactful to be wrapped in prayer while seeing some hard things. I felt God really moving and revealing himself to me.”

“Being face to face, hand to hand, with those in need.”

“Learning that there are an endless number of ways to serve people. I had thought that the only thing you could do was give people food or money. Now I realize that you can help people in so many different ways—meeting their basic needs or setting them on the right path for their future.”


Learn how you can serve with CSM!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Be a guest!


"Remember when you are going on the streets tonight to remember you are going out into someone's living room and bedroom. You are a guest in there place so be respectful." -Steve Martin

Monday, January 19, 2009

Chicago Sun article: Saving Troy

A homeless guy and a business man meet on an off-chance - their lives never the same from that moment on. Sounds like a movie script? Absolutely! But, as the Chicago Sun recently reported, it's happened for Troy McCullough and Pete Kadens. Troy had been living on the streets after several hardships and Pete was inspired to help this man along his journey.
We encourage you to read the article and take the challenge - how do you react to homelessness? Be a person of action and love!

Learn how you can serve with CSM in Chicago!

Friday, January 16, 2009

Choose Justice


"If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has his foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality."
- Desmond Tutu

Thursday, January 15, 2009

New York Times' Special - One in 8 Million


The NY Times has begun a neat project - to record the stories of New Yorkers! Each of NY's 8 million residents are unique, special and has their own story to tell. Take a look and go back as they add more!

Learn how you can serve with CSM in New York!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Jesus For President Litany of Resistance

CSM Houston's housing site is graced with the words of Shane Claiborne's Litany from Jesus for President. You can also watch a video!


Created by Shane Claiborne with the help of friends Jim Loney (CPT Reservist) and Brian Walsh (activist theologian)
--------------------------
One: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world
All: Have mercy on us
One: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world
All: Free us from the bondage of sin and death
One: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world
All: Hear our prayer. Grant us peace.

One: For the victims of war
All: Have mercy
One: Women, men and children
All: Have mercy
One: The maimed and the crippled
All: Have mercy
One: The abandoned and the homeless
All: Have mercy
One: the imprisoned and the tortured
All: Have mercy
One: The widowed and the orphaned
All: Have mercy
One: The bleeding and the dying
All: Have mercy
One: The weary and the desperate
All: Have mercy
One: The lost and the forsaken
All: Have mercy

One: O God -- Have mercy on us sinners
All: Forgive us for we know not what we do
One: For our scorched and blackened earth
All: Forgive us
One: For the scandal of billions wasted in war
All: Forgive us
One: For our arms makers and arms dealers
All: Forgive us
One: For our Caesars and Herods
All: Forgive us
One: For the violence that is rooted in our hearts
All: Forgive us

One: For the times we turn others into enemies
All: Forgive us
One: Deliver us, O God
All: Guide our feet into the way of peace
One: Hear our prayer.
All: Grant us peace.

One: From the arrogance of power
All: Deliver us
One: From the myth of redemptive violence
All: Deliver us
One: From the tyranny of greed
All: Deliver us
One: From the ugliness of racism
All: Deliver us
One: From the cancer of hatred
All: Deliver us
One: From the seduction of wealth
All: Deliver us
One: From the addiction of control
All: Deliver us
One: From the idolatry of nationalism
All: Deliver us
One: From the paralysis of cynicism
All: Deliver us
One: From the violence of apathy
All: Deliver us
One: From the ghettos of poverty
All: Deliver us
One: From the ghettos of wealth
All: Deliver us
One: From a lack of imagination
All: Deliver us
One: Deliver us, O God
All: Guide our feet into the way of peace
One: We will not conform to the patterns of this world
All: Let us be transformed by the renewing of our minds
One: With the help of God’s grace
All: Let us resist evil wherever we find it

One: With the waging of war
All: We will not comply
One: With the legalization of murder
All: We will not comply
One: With the slaughter of innocents
All: We will not comply
One: With laws that betray human life
All: We will not comply
One: With the destruction of community
All: We will not comply
One: With the pointing finger and malicious talk
All: We will not comply
One: With the idea that happiness must be purchased
All: We will not comply
One: With the ravaging of the earth
All: We will not comply
One: With principalities and powers that oppress
All: We will not comply
One: With the destruction of peoples
All: We will not comply
One: With the raping of women
All: We will not comply
One: With governments that kill
All: We will not comply
One: With the theology of empire
All: We will not comply
One: With the business of militarism
All: We will not comply
One: With the hoarding of riches
All: We will not comply
One: With the dissemination of fear
All: We will not comply

One: Today we pledge our ultimate allegiance… to the Kingdom of God
All: We pledge allegiance
One: To a peace that is not like Rome’s
All: We pledge allegiance
One: To the Gospel of enemy love
All: We pledge allegiance
One: To the Kingdom of the poor and broken
All: We pledge allegiance
One: To a King that loves his enemies so much he died for them


All: We pledge allegiance
One: To the least of these, with whom Christ dwells
All: We pledge allegiance
One: To the transnational Church that transcends the artificial borders of nations
All: We pledge allegiance
One: To the refugee of Nazareth
All: We pledge allegiance
One: To the homeless rabbi who had no place to lay his head
All: We pledge allegiance
One: To the cross rather than the sword
All: We pledge allegiance
One: To the banner of love above any flag
All: We pledge allegiance
One: To the one who rules with a towel rather than an iron fist
All: We pledge allegiance
One: To the one who rides a donkey rather than a war-horse
All: We pledge allegiance
One: To the revolution that sets both oppressed and oppressors free
All: We pledge allegiance
One: To the Way that leads to life
All: We pledge allegiance
One: To the Slaughtered Lamb
All: We pledge allegiance
One: And together we proclaim his praises, from the margins of the empire to the centers of wealth and power
All: Long Live the Slaughtered Lamb
One: Long Live the Slaughtered Lamb
All: Long Live the Slaughtered Lamb

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Homeless Shelter Facing Troublesome Future

The homeless have many issues to overcome as they try and find permanent housing. We work with CCIL (Chicago Christian Industrial League) as they help many men and families become contributing members of Chicago. Due to politics and special interests this more than 100 year old homeless shelter now faces bankruptcy, and the road for many men and families may have just gotten harder.
Read the Chicago Sun Times article...
-Tim Reed, CSM Chicago Co-City Director

Monday, January 12, 2009

Jesus was homeless, too!


We stumbled upon this great blog - seeking connection between our Savior (who was homeless) and Seattle's homeless community. Though lengthy, it's a great challenge to us as the body of Christ to speak up for our neighbors without homes!

Did you know that the “Greatest Christmas Story Ever Told” was about people that were essentially homeless?

Although the situation was temporary and brought on by the need to pay taxes, Mary and Joseph certainly found themselves in quite the Bethlehem predicament, “and they wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in the manger.”

Certainly not the perfect Pottery Barn moment that all parents imagine with their new baby!

Keep reading...

Learn how you can serve with CSM!

Monday, January 05, 2009

Despite Cold Weather, Toronto Homeless Refuse Shelters


According to a recent article by the Toronto Sun, many of Toronto's homeless would rather be on the streets than in a shelter this winter. Fights, theft and other disturbances have caused many to make this tough decision.

Learn how YOU can serve those on the streets of Toronto!