A Heart for Wilson
By John Muirhead --
In a recent staff meeting, Pastor Greg asked us to dream. Then he said, "Dream about reaching out to the community around us…next week bring back your ideas to our meeting.”
Right away, Wilson High School came to my mind. Our church has been involved with Wilson for over 10 years…painting classrooms and hallways along with spring and fall outdoor cleanup activities. This past year the Wilson staff has used our church classrooms for student testing and all day staff meetings. Our rooms are empty at times during the week and provide a quiet atmosphere.
I have been privileged to attend the Wilson Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast each year. During the breakfast, Wilson’s business manager, Erica Caldwell, speaks very highly of Greater Portland Bible Church and the partnership we have developed over the years. Now having said all that, how do we accomplish the next step? And that step is presenting the good news of Jesus!
I don’t have a ready answer, but my dream takes me to an appreciation lunch for the administrators, teachers and maintenance staff that we have worked with. Part of the time would be giving them an overview of who we are and what we do. This could provide an opportunity for us to develop closer relationships, ultimately leading to spiritual conversations.
What about the kids? What are their needs? Tanner, our youth pastor would be qualified to answer this question. Dreaming once more…what are the needs of the parents? Can we adopt a family and meet their need in a way that leads to a spiritual discussion and relationship?
Well, there you have my dream for Wilson HS. My relationship has been on-going for over 10 years, and my heart is inclined toward a deeper Christ-centered relationship.