A situation at church...

[agnes_day]

also, i wanted to add that i have been homeless before. my husband and i and our then 5 children were stranded outside of houston..we had been falsely told about some job prospects and stupidly went down there in an old used car, our kids, and the clothes on our backs, thinking we were doing something to better our lives. our car died on the freeway, and was towed, along with what little belongings we had..we ended up literally pushing a found shopping cart with our younger kids down the road until we could hitch a ride to the nearest homeless shelter. within a week, i had a job, my husband had a job, we had figured out the metrorail system and the various workforce resources for using computers to look for housing or whatever else. we ended up living in friendswood in a very nice home where i was paid to care and oversee several alzheimers patients. we did all of this in a month or so, with 5 kids, no family to help us, nothing. no one gave us money or anything, we did odd jobs and then we got actual jobs. it was hard but we did it. the point of this is that if we can do it, and have 5 little ones dependent on us at the same time, a single able bodied man or woman can do it. obviously if they need treatment for drug abuse or mental issues, i think that should be very much available for them and its a shame that it seems lacking but for the rest of them, they need some tough love.

 

[Wifezilla]

Outdoor speakers. Play Opera. Post a note on the door with the location to the nearest shelter.

 

[Wifezilla]

Or..play taped sermons.

 

[ladrifter]

except by the grace of god it might be me or even you

 

[agnes_day]

or by the sweat of my own brow.

 

[GaNewChick]

Quote:
They can get over it or invite them to use their bathrooms ~ or better yet, let them clean the porch and steps one time.

 

[Boyd]

I've volunteered as well as my wife as an advocate for the homeless in both legal and practical matters. Many of them are mentally ill and have addiction problems and are content to remain in their lifestyle.

This isn't everyone, just a big sampling of what I've seen. If you provide them with someplace like a porta-potty and someplace to stay, you will have enough folks there to fill the pews in a short period of time.

This isn't a bad thing. Our society is no longer able to cope with and/or handle the homeless/mentally ill like they could 50 - 100 years ago. Unfortunately these folks are cast aside.

Love thy neighbor as thy self.

'nuff said

 

[Boyd]

Quote:
They can get over it or invite them to use their bathrooms.

 

[ebwy]

well, considering it's a church, this passage comes to mind -

34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

(Matthew 25)

sometimes I think people in churches are too safe and secure in their little world to remember to care for those who aren't like them.​

 

[OccamsTazer]

ebwy, our pastor used that very passage in last week's service!
And our church is not a safe and secure in our own lil world kinda place at all, which is why I go there.