January 4, 2010

On any given Wednesday, you will most likely see Evie. She is one of the many people who have dedicated their time to House of Prayer Experience. She is involved in the church choir, but that doesn’t stop her from stopping by the prayer meeting before slipping out for the choir rehearsal. One of the projects she started during this holiday season was to organize “Potluck Parties” for Christmas and New Year. She took the time to tell us about the parties and to explain the source of her seeming boundless energy and the contagious joy.

Q-Give us a little background information on your ministry involvement and give us a description of your passion for people 🙂
Evie: How does one express one’s love for God in the giving back to Him scheme of things?
I enjoy quilting prayer quilts, I enjoy singing in the choir to and for God, I enjoy reaching out to the Singles, since I am a single person as well, I enjoy helping lead out in Praying for our Kids (this is most definitely a personal need since I have a son, daugher-in-law and step-son who need prayers), and now this new Holiday Potlucks Ministry most definitely helped me not only enjoy myself but I get joy out of giving joy to others……… in the end, I see God keeping me so busy that I don’t have time to get lonely and possibly get into trouble.

Q-What does ministry involvement at the Forest Lake Church mean to you?
Evie: Church involvement at Forest Lake is my life……..it is fulfilling a need in working for God, that is second to NONE.

How did your idea of organizing holiday potluck came about?
Evie: It came about from my own need to have somewhere to go around fellow Christian brothers and sisters. The year prior to the first potluck I spent at a CASINO with some friends. Need I say more? God inspired me to create an environment for myself and in doing so I found many like myself, who needed a place to spend the holidays and have fun with others of the same faith.

Q-Describe the experience of the Christmas and New Year Potluck Parties, and how you saw God at work in the experience.
Evie: Everyone who came brought a dish to share. We fellowshipped together, played games, watched a movie and cleaned up, the same as you would do with your own family, only this is God’s family, our church family. It is awesome!

Q-What is your dream for the future of this kind of endeavor?
Evie: I would like to see it grow to include our Forest Lake Academy families and FLEECE families. The young get lonely too, not just older folks.

Q-What would like for people to know about this event?
Evie: I would like people to have these 4 potlucks to look forward to at the end of the year and possibly plan to bring some of their friends, or let others know these events exist.

Q-How can people help or be involved in these end of the year parties the future?
Evie: All are welcome to help by either making more food (we were wiped out and I had to make 3 dishes for the next day), set up the day before, and clean up. Many volunteered, and it all worked out but even more participation would be appreciated.

CELEBRATION OF SERVICE will be on January 30, 2010. The exhibit will highlight the ministries organized by servant leaders like Evie. The displayed activities will really be a sample of all that is happening through the Forest Lake Church. Individuals using their gifts help shape a community of believers who strive to live up to a vision that spells out a ‘passion for God, a passion for People and a passion for Service. The ‘passion’ we seek is not the kind mustered up by our will. It is fuel by the power of prayer. Please join us in asking God for the presence of the Holy Spirit into our lives. Only then could we possibly find our purpose and “let our light shine”. We hope you’ll join us next Wednesday night (and on January 30!).

Christmas 2009, the beginning of the Holiday Potluck Party tradition…