St. Paul volunteers go to work
Project paints Agape ChurchBy SANDY MICKELSON Messenger staff writer
Article Photos
St. Paul Lutheran Church started its Sunday morning service by singing ''Hark the voice of Jesus crying, who will go and work today?''
For some church members, that song set the tone for the day. For others, it reminded them of work projects already completed.
Labor Day weekend, for the second year, gave church members a chance to live their faith, to do something for others with projects from painting the Agape Church Wheel of Compassion Ministries in Pleasant Valley to visiting nursing homes or doing odd jobs.
The church has left the building.
That's the saying printed on the back of a T-shirt given to the Rev. Al Henderson for last year's work projects. He wore the shirt - part of his work clothes - to Sunday's service under his robes, reminding his flock, ''Jesus is God with his work clothes on.''
''We're going to be doing something good in Jesus' name,'' Henderson told the congregation. ''We're a going church, a doing church, all in the name of Jesus.''
For 14-year-old Emily Hindt, joining the group of workers at Agape Church was an easy decision. She joined ''the serve our Lord, and for the fellowship of others.''
She's done service work before as a student at St. Paul Lutheran School by going out and cleaning highways.
Stephanie Salisbury, 16, decided to join the work group after the youth group director, Jo Seltz, talked about it.
''I wanted to try it out and see what it was like to help others,'' Salisbury said.
With several members of the youth group working Sunday morning - including Sigourney Seltz, 17, and Landon Hughett and Nick Hindt, both 11 - a decision made quickly changed the work at Agape.
Getting ready for the St. Paul workers, Madai Taylor got a gallon of primer and gallon of paint for the outside of the church building. He thought the group would do touchups, but nothing more. Henderson, on the other hand, planned for workers to paint the complete building.
''I don't know if we have the budget for that,'' Taylor said.
That's when the youth group jumped in and agreed to use money in their treasury to buy paint for the church - an act of giving that left Taylor speechless.
''What better way to help?'' asked Jo Seltz. ''And we have the funds to do it.''
Diana and Brent Johnson joined the work group, she said, because ''pastor Henderson has encouraged us to remember that the church leaves the building. We're here today because he encouraged us to serve the Lord by serving others. I so admire what pastor Madai has been trying to do down here in God's name, and we're now a part of that.''
That sentiment was echoed by Bill Hughett, who said, ''anybody who's doing something to get drugs out of Fort Dodge, you might as well support him.''
Thirteen members of St. Paul Lutheran started work at Agape at 10:30 a.m. Sunday and after four hours had scraped and primed some parts of the church building, then completely painted it, scattered landscaping gravel, pulled weeds, mowed the lawn, pounded in nails that were sticking out of the ramp and moved across the street to clean up the park.
''It was a good venture,'' Henderson said. ''I read an article in The Messenger that they wanted to do landscaping, so I contacted him and we talked and talked again, and here we are. Good works rise up because of our Christian faith.''
Contact Sandy Mickelson at (515) 573-2141 or smickelson@messengernews.net
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VTwinJim
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09-09-08 5:47 PM
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malachy said on 9/01/08 There are thousands out there in the closet because churches cannot accept the way God made them; homosexuals. Most churches don't mean "fellowship" with gays and lesbians, and thus they have to find their own, or be alone and lost. Malachy : You need to read Leviticus chapter 18# verse 22 #. It say's Homosexuality is absolutely forbiden, for it is a Enormious Sin. And Chapter 20# Verse 13# The penalty for Homosexual acts is death to both parties. It's in the old testament the third book in the Bible. If your not willing to look it up before you start quoiting the Bible then you just as well concerter your self wrong. Oh by the way that was just one book of the Bible. I'm sure if you look you will find other's.
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VTwinJim
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09-04-08 3:03 AM
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FDFATONE--- I will not be debating you on this or any other matter that you feel like commenting on. I have seen your work on other posts and I believe you to be trolling for a fight. The truth will be in the end of your life as well as all others. Some will be rejoicing and others will be crying. The truth will be at the end. You had better hang on tight it could very well be one heck of a ride. That's all I have to say to you.
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FDFATONE
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09-02-08 9:10 PM
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The bible says God made man and woman. it's doesn't mention sexual orientation. The bible says alot that is scientifically impossible top be taken literally. I personally don't know how God views homosexuals, but I'm pretty confident I know how he views judgemental self rightious people that judge and condemn in his name. Everyone one needs to accept and understand the bible was edited and censored and apply the information within accordingly.
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prettymom
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09-02-08 7:15 PM
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AMEN vtwinjim...................Praise Jesus!!!! and pray for the sinners.
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VTwinJim
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09-02-08 5:13 PM
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That's the same as saying God made me to be a Homosexual and he told me to be a sinner as well. It's Wrong, and it is not approved by God .. Not at all Period.... It's Man's Thought and Man's choice and that is all it is. You can make anything thing you want out of it, but when it comes down to it. God did not make Homosexuals..
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VTwinJim
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09-02-08 5:12 PM
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homosexuals.. Are not God made they are made up in there own mind's. God made woman for man, and man for woman. The only mention of Homosexuals in the bible is that it's wrong by God's Law period. It say's to hate the sin and not the sinner. All sinner's are welcome in God's house.. It's the sin that is not!! All men fall short of the Glory of God. The act of Homosexual behavior is a sin Period. Just like being a Murder, or a Rapist, it is the free will inside of you that let's you decide your action's. It is a choice to be sinful made by the person them selves. Not by God. That is why it will never be anything but a sin done by the choice of the sinner. God allows you to make your own choices even after you become a Christian. If you don't listen to the Holy Sprit that come to reside in you after you become a Christian then you will always sin. God will never tell you to sin !! So where do people claim that they were made that way. That's the same as saying God made me to be a Homo
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prettymom
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09-01-08 8:44 PM
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It sure does Outlaw, no one was judging here......I was just saying the guy needs to learn to read before he quotes the bible. Amen!!!!!!!
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outlaw
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09-01-08 5:19 PM
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Prettymom doesn't the good book say not to judge others?
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prettymom
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09-01-08 5:10 PM
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sorry malachy but no where in the bible does it say God made homosexuals............looks like you need to learn to read. God made man and woman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and what a place to write something so stupid and then say God Bless.............my prayers are with your poor lost soul!
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malachy
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09-01-08 1:47 PM
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Once an old veteran and urban newspaper editor said that he never criticized anyone who was trying or doing good. That comes back to me after reading this feel good column. And it is really good that at least two denominations got together on this, but we have a very long way to go on that yet. But, these youth and the leaders did good and for their God. I read: "live their faith, fellowship with others, what better way to serve (re: painting). But, we cannot afford to avoid the big issues that are distancing many good people from the various churches. There are thousands out there in the closet because churches cannot accept the way God made them; homosexuals. Most churches don't mean "fellowship" with gays and lesbians, and thus they have to find their own, or be alone and lost. Church bldgs and paint are great, but to reach out to all of God's children is greater. And so needed even after all these years. God bless.
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verbiosa
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09-01-08 1:26 PM
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It's so nice to see people walking the walk.
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prettymom
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09-01-08 3:59 AM
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All in his name!!!! Amen!!!!
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