February 2022
The fact is that people could care less how much we know, until they know how much we care. Jesus taught these two commandments together when asked which one was the greatest. If we truly love God, it will be exhibited through how unabashedly and sacrificially we love others, to the point of laying aside our own preferences, our very lives.
Let's commit to knowing and loving the Lord Our God with all of heart, soul, mind and strength with total abandon, without reservation. This will allow His love to flow freely through us so that we find ourselves laying down our prior thoughts, opinions, and practices to ones aligned with His sacrificial love for us. And by this the world will know Jesus (John 13:35).
Because of Jesus,
Lori
"'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:36-40
UPDATES:
MALTA has provided hotel stays to people camping and unable to get into the shelters during the frigid and stormy nights. Thanks to a $1500 gift from NL Motorcycle Club in November, this has been easy so far. However, we are almost through that gift and soon will have to go into our general funds. If your church or organization would like to give a gift in any amount specifically for this purpose, please contact me. (The room price per night averages about $72.) The Pawcatuck ministry is up and running. MALTA’s impact is evident in the results we are seeing already. Teams have ministered to several people camping and living in single rooms, offering God’s love and encouragement as we bring hot food, clothing and more. By this attention and involvement, and as we interface with local social workers and housing coordinators, people experiencing homelessness are feeling cared for and valued. One such person has even returned to regular church attendance, getting weekly rides from a loving Pawcatuck volunteer! Another person is J_____ . He had been camping for a long time and was reluctant to accept help, even a coat, in the past. Recently J received a lot of personal attention from MALTA materially and relationally. The amount of care shown him through MALTA's provision of a hotel room during an earlier January snowstorm, impacted J ___so much, that he was able to accept help from the pastor who has been reaching out to him steadily for months, as well as the housing coordinator and others from the NLHHC and is going forward! (a perfect example of "show how much you care before you share how much you know"). Currently J____is temporarily at Covenant House in New London getting connection to the health services and housing he needs.
NEEDS:
Woman's Bicycle - fully working - for transportation to job for a single woman recently housed from the Noank Youth Shelter. Contact me asap if you have one.
Chicken Salad in pop-top cans or foil pouches only.
Canned Soup containing beef or chicken (pop-top lids only please)
For more updates, changing weekly, look around this website in the Latest News and Events sections for photos and more regarding God at work through our involvement with the community and: Covenant Shelter, New London Homeless Hospitality Center (shelter) and Warming Center, Noank Youth Shelter, St. Vincent DePaul Place, Fellowship House, Safe Futures and more.