There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place,
And I know that it’s the Spirit of the Lord;
There are sweet expressions on each face,
And I know they feel the presence of the Lord.
These words penned by Doris Akers in 1962 express the song of my heart while at Graffiti 2. Now admittedly, the expression of a 1st grader having a tantrum is not always so sweet. Nevertheless, it is hard to miss the work of God in our midst as we continue to live our lives sowing seeds of the Gospel in Mott Haven.
Standing at the culmination of a new year, I first look back on the previous and celebrate God’s faithfulness. G2 is not only planting more seeds but planting seeds in more meaningful and deep ways. Our ministry to the families of Mott Haven have been strengthened as not only our staff, but disciples of Christ growing in their faith within our church, minister to the physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of their neighbors.
Living this as our mission, a mission God provided G2 from the beginning, G2 is seeing the fulfillment of the vision God provided from the onset: a community of revolutionized revolutionaries committed to the holistic development of the Mott Haven community.
As Graffiti 2 continues to step into that vision, we believe God is expanding our vision to not only have an impact on the Mott Haven community, but beyond.
Please join us in praying for G2 as we endeavor in continuing our mission and expanding our vision in 2014 by accomplishing the following:
1. Continuing to improve our existing programs to children, teens, and families in the Mott Haven community.
2. Implementing a workforce development program that will provide job skills, life skills, Bible study, mentoring, and job placement to young adults and adults within our community.
3. Training and equipping individuals called to community-ministry based church-planting, church revitalization, and church strengthening through a program called Graffiti Squared. A joint endeavor among the Graffiti network of churches/ministries, this program is designed to mobilize individuals to serve in communities of need across the country.
4. Planting a church in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the South Bronx that will be responsive to the needs that exist there as a result of human exploitation (human trafficking and homelessness).
As we continue to sow seeds of the Gospel, Paul reminds us, we may plant and water them, but it is God that makes them grow. So, as it has been from the beginning of Graffiti 2:
I pray that Christ Jesus and the church will forever bring praise to God. His power at work in us can do far more than we dare ask or imagine. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20, 21 CEVUS06)