This week has been kind of tough emotionally. I'm not really sure why, but the internship has been significantly harder for me lately.
CTA, the teen ministry, is going through a time of discouragement and lack of growth. Heath, Danielle, and I met with George yesterday, and his spirits were down. Keep him and this ministry in your prayers.
It's funny how while one ministry goes through a dry-spell, another seems to flourish. Jared, Heath, and I meet several teens on thursday nights at the local McDonalds.... we call our study time University Ave. Not only have the boys been coming consistently this summer, but they have started to form more questions about Christ and his teachings. It's been really great to see their thoughts and attention-spans transform throughout the summer! I hope they continue to seek and question once they're back in school.
I was very encouraged by the response we received this week during the prayer stations. (Recently, the prayer stations have been less successful, and I honestly think it's because of the weather.... 95 degree days with 90% humidity... Yes, it's very hot!!) It's been nice to reconnect with people who have stopped by during the previous weeks; they offer words of encouragement and have even prayed for us!
Tomorrow we have our second to last reflection time, which will hopefully take place in Central Park. These times have allowed us to breakdown a lot of what we are thinking and feeling. This internship has given me a whole new perspective on domestic missions, as well as working with people in general. It's also made me realize how important it is to take time in your week to reflect, pray, and be quiet with God.
I am also starting to get prepared for BFC's Vacation Bible School which will take place two weeks from today. We will be focusing our time on what it means to pray, while exploring the New York Botanical Gardens here in the Bronx. Please pray for good weather! We really want to be able to do this for the kids before we leave.
That's it for now... we're still enjoying the city and our time in fellowship with the church. I love you all
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Engaged in Central Park
Heath Newton asked for my hand in marriage on Monday, July 14, in Central Park! So now we have officially been fiances for one whole week!
We went for a long walk around the Reservoir in Central Park, and then made our way to the pond. He wanted to take me on a row-boat ride while we waited on my parents to meet us. (They convienently had their cell phones off... Heath had told them to "stay busy") He pulled the boat on shore and walked along a trail of rose petals. He proposed in a little gazebo located at Wagner's Cove! It was perfect.
We read through journals that he had been keeping for quite some time and just enjoyed our time in that moment. I am so happy that we were able to celebrate with both of our families there; we went to dinner in Little Italy (see picture below) and then walked around the city!
I am so blessed to have Heath in my life, and I look forward to our future together!
We went for a long walk around the Reservoir in Central Park, and then made our way to the pond. He wanted to take me on a row-boat ride while we waited on my parents to meet us. (They convienently had their cell phones off... Heath had told them to "stay busy") He pulled the boat on shore and walked along a trail of rose petals. He proposed in a little gazebo located at Wagner's Cove! It was perfect.
We read through journals that he had been keeping for quite some time and just enjoyed our time in that moment. I am so happy that we were able to celebrate with both of our families there; we went to dinner in Little Italy (see picture below) and then walked around the city!
I am so blessed to have Heath in my life, and I look forward to our future together!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Random Bits of Information #2
-The smallest county in America is New York County, otherwise known as Manhattan.
-Throughout the fall of 2008, Coney Island is going to be renovated and reworked to become a strip mall.
-Metro (trains and buses) don't take bills, so have your Metrocard or $2 in change ready.
-take advantage of the Staten Island Ferry- it's free and gets you relatively close to the Statue of Liberty, along with a view of the NYC Skyline
-Some more favorite restaurants: Rainbow Diner in the Bronx, Cafe Duke's (Manhattan, close to 42nd St.), Penang's (Manhattan, Malaysian food)
-Visit Magnolia's Bakery- located in Greenwich Village and famous (at least on the Food Network) for their extra sweet cupcakes
-Favorite places to walk around and take pictures- I still love all of Central Park, but Fulton Landing is also great! Located right under the Brooklyn Bridge on the Brooklyn side
That's all for now. I'll keep posting pictures!
-Throughout the fall of 2008, Coney Island is going to be renovated and reworked to become a strip mall.
-Metro (trains and buses) don't take bills, so have your Metrocard or $2 in change ready.
-take advantage of the Staten Island Ferry- it's free and gets you relatively close to the Statue of Liberty, along with a view of the NYC Skyline
-Some more favorite restaurants: Rainbow Diner in the Bronx, Cafe Duke's (Manhattan, close to 42nd St.), Penang's (Manhattan, Malaysian food)
-Visit Magnolia's Bakery- located in Greenwich Village and famous (at least on the Food Network) for their extra sweet cupcakes
-Favorite places to walk around and take pictures- I still love all of Central Park, but Fulton Landing is also great! Located right under the Brooklyn Bridge on the Brooklyn side
That's all for now. I'll keep posting pictures!
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Pictures!
there are several pictures posted at the very bottom of this page... just scroll down
enjoy! We're also having a church wide gathering tomorrow so I'll try to upload some of those soon. Until next time....
enjoy! We're also having a church wide gathering tomorrow so I'll try to upload some of those soon. Until next time....
Half Way
I apologize for not writing on this very much. City life and public transportation have started to take their toll on me! Throughout this past month, we have met so many new people and continued on with our summer ministries.
We were getting such a positive response from the prayer station that we decided to add another block of time there each week! On Wednesday and Friday afternoons, we set up near a major intersection in the Bronx and offer prayer to that community. Some days, more than fifteen people have stopped to write down their prayers and talk to us about God. Again, I thought I wouldn't like this type of ministry very much, but I love it! People here are so open about their faith, and also about the issues that they face daily....
Bobby, Margie, Kim, and Maria have expressed an interest in Bronx Fellowship. They met us at the prayer station sometime within this past month, each expressing that they needed a Christian community and wanted to pursue a new relationship with Christ. In this, I'm learning the kind of tough part about ministry. Times when you think a person will follow through and continue to show interest in the church, and then does not. It's tough to know when to stop trying to contact them, and when to keep trying. Please be in prayer for the people that we meet each week through this ministry, especially the four listed above.
Last week, I started meeting with several women for Conversational English. We meet one on one each week to study simple phrases and passages from the bible to help develop their english skills, as well as learn a little about God and his application in our lives. (We are using the Friendspeak curriculum, which is a form of the Let's Start Talking material.) I meet with Zenida and Basilisa on Wednesdays, and Olga on Friday mornings. These women have been so gracious to invite me into their homes and let me meet their families. We also are thinking of adding an hour onto each lesson to focus on practicing english with their children.... School just ended and several of the kids won't be able to practice english for the entire summer! Hopefully we can get that started soon as well.
I've learned a lot from house church thus far. I've learned that even though it is a much smaller body than I'm used to, they still face the struggles and hardships of other types of churches, as well as experiencing positive times. My house church meets on Sunday mornings in the apartment I'm living for the summer. We discuss the scriptures together, have time of singing and worship and prayer, share communion, and then eat lunch together. It's been a great experience so far.
I have enjoyed hanging out with the teens through wednesday night bible study at my house and the "Call to Arms" (CTA) devotional time at Melissa's house (another church member). It's been interesting for me to notice the different styles of communication here in the Bronx. Be in prayer for the CTA ministry being lead by George, Melissa's younger brother who is also a Bronx Fellowship member. Teens have been less consist with this ministry which is discouraging for him.
I am very excited to say that my parents and Heath's family will be here in less than one week!! I'm glad to show them around the Bronx and let them meet the people we're interacting with all summer. And it's also wonderful because our families never get to see each other since we live in Tennessee, and they live in Texas! Good times.
I'll try to post pictures as soon as I can figure out how. (We were able to go to Brooklyn last night to watch the fireworks. Our view overlooked the NYC skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge! yes, it was amazing.) In the mean time, if you want to look at Heath's blog to gain another perspective of the summer, his website is heathnewton.blogspot.com.
Again, sorry for the delay in posts.... I will do much better for the rest of the summer. Smile! Pray for us.
Katie Claire
We were getting such a positive response from the prayer station that we decided to add another block of time there each week! On Wednesday and Friday afternoons, we set up near a major intersection in the Bronx and offer prayer to that community. Some days, more than fifteen people have stopped to write down their prayers and talk to us about God. Again, I thought I wouldn't like this type of ministry very much, but I love it! People here are so open about their faith, and also about the issues that they face daily....
Bobby, Margie, Kim, and Maria have expressed an interest in Bronx Fellowship. They met us at the prayer station sometime within this past month, each expressing that they needed a Christian community and wanted to pursue a new relationship with Christ. In this, I'm learning the kind of tough part about ministry. Times when you think a person will follow through and continue to show interest in the church, and then does not. It's tough to know when to stop trying to contact them, and when to keep trying. Please be in prayer for the people that we meet each week through this ministry, especially the four listed above.
Last week, I started meeting with several women for Conversational English. We meet one on one each week to study simple phrases and passages from the bible to help develop their english skills, as well as learn a little about God and his application in our lives. (We are using the Friendspeak curriculum, which is a form of the Let's Start Talking material.) I meet with Zenida and Basilisa on Wednesdays, and Olga on Friday mornings. These women have been so gracious to invite me into their homes and let me meet their families. We also are thinking of adding an hour onto each lesson to focus on practicing english with their children.... School just ended and several of the kids won't be able to practice english for the entire summer! Hopefully we can get that started soon as well.
I've learned a lot from house church thus far. I've learned that even though it is a much smaller body than I'm used to, they still face the struggles and hardships of other types of churches, as well as experiencing positive times. My house church meets on Sunday mornings in the apartment I'm living for the summer. We discuss the scriptures together, have time of singing and worship and prayer, share communion, and then eat lunch together. It's been a great experience so far.
I have enjoyed hanging out with the teens through wednesday night bible study at my house and the "Call to Arms" (CTA) devotional time at Melissa's house (another church member). It's been interesting for me to notice the different styles of communication here in the Bronx. Be in prayer for the CTA ministry being lead by George, Melissa's younger brother who is also a Bronx Fellowship member. Teens have been less consist with this ministry which is discouraging for him.
I am very excited to say that my parents and Heath's family will be here in less than one week!! I'm glad to show them around the Bronx and let them meet the people we're interacting with all summer. And it's also wonderful because our families never get to see each other since we live in Tennessee, and they live in Texas! Good times.
I'll try to post pictures as soon as I can figure out how. (We were able to go to Brooklyn last night to watch the fireworks. Our view overlooked the NYC skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge! yes, it was amazing.) In the mean time, if you want to look at Heath's blog to gain another perspective of the summer, his website is heathnewton.blogspot.com.
Again, sorry for the delay in posts.... I will do much better for the rest of the summer. Smile! Pray for us.
Katie Claire
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