If you haven't heard about Fullerton ACT, you need to check it our right now. Click through some of the pages, you'll get the jist. I am super excited to tell all about the new Fullerton City Prayer Group! It is led by our very own Heidi Tanner and other prayer leaders. The Fullerton CPG is exactly what it sounds like; they meet and pray for our city. Our cities have so many needs, and we worship and pray to the God who can change them, bring healing and restoration. We hope that this group will grow and that we will see our city change before our eyes according to God's will.
If you would like to be invited to the Fullerton CPG, please contact Heidi Tanner at FCPG@FullertonACT.com or of course you can just who up. Fullerton CPG is hosted by The Well church and is held on Saturdays. All the details are below! See you there!
Fullerton CPG Saturdays @8:00-9:00 AM Location: The Well 1701 W. Valencia Dr., Fullerton, CA 92833 MAP
19"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18: 19-20
Reconciliation. It is Newsong’s one word vision. What does reconciliation mean in relation to people, to brothers and sisters in Fullerton? I was not thinking upon these lines as I signed up for Summer of Love Fullerton (SOLFUL). In fact, I am embarrassed to admit that I did not have the best attitude to volunteer. I thought, “I suppose I could spare one morning out of each week to help out.” It seemed like a minimal requirement for participation. And I did feel some obligation to participate since NOC was heavily involved in SOLFUL.
On the evening of Monday, June 14th, God changed my poor attitude and shifted my perspective. In an arid, hot, dim-lit, tile-floored room that fits 15 people comfortably, about 50 members from various north OC churches were packed, some of them streaming out of the narrow door. I glanced around and saw eager, anticipating faces of different ethnicities, young to mature. As the SOLFUL coordinators described the upcoming program, I felt I caught a glimpse of beauty, a glimpse of the church as who she is meant to be, in a spirit of unity and purpose. The crowdedness and heat evaporated in light of the beautiful, radiant bride of Christ around me. Simply amazing.
And as I walked to my car after the orientation, I saw apartments stacked beside each other—noisy, roach-infested, populated. Even in the midst of what some may call a street of poverty, I sensed God’s tender love for this Garnet neighborhood and was thankful that Solidarity had embraced them with it.
During the first couple weeks of SOLFUL, it was a humbling experience. Tommy Nixon, a member of our speaking team and executive director of Solidarity, had asked our group of volunteers to assist the moms in the community in running an arts, crafts and cooking program for the neighborhood kids. He cautioned us that the moms might try to hand over the coordination to us, but our role was to assist them only. I remember thinking, “That’s awesome!” But I didn’t know that it was going to be difficult for me to take a back seat. On the first day, I had to resist giving suggestions. I had to remind myself that I didn’t know better. I didn’t need to fix anything. I was there to experience and learn. Value the neighborhood moms’ ways of interactions, their management styles, and value them.
God tends to teach me lessons in multiple ways (perhaps I am not a fast learner) and so it was in this case. At one of our debriefing meetings, a volunteer asked if Solidarity had ESL classes for the neighborhood parents. I knew she had good intentions. English proficiency is an obvious asset (After all, I am an English teacher by profession). However, her well-intended question made me reflect on this point: “We’re still trying to help them.” And then a can of other thoughts opened up. We—middle-class, well-educated, socially advantaged, privileged groups—want to help them. Does the neighborhood see us as better? Have we put ourselves on a higher playing field by default, by having the attitude to help?
These questions reminded me of Jim Gustafson’s posture during his workshop session at VIBE 2007 (Newsong Alliance Conference). Jim has been an entrepreneurial missionary in Thailand for over 35 years and spoke on incarnational ministry. At one point in his talk, he bent his knee and stretched out his hand to demonstrate his posture to the Thai communities. He often approached them saying, “We want to be a part of your community. Show us, teach us.”
Even though the image of the bended knee and outstretched hand has been deeply etched in my mind these past three years, I’m still learning how to adopt that posture and I have that opportunity in SOLFUL. I wonder if this posture is also part of what reconciliation looks like. Are we willing to learn from others? Are we willing to value them and their ways? Am I?
I’m sure many other SOLFUL participants have had eye-opening experiences. Would you please consider sharing them with our NOC Community? Email us at noccomm@newsong.net.
What happens when churches and groups of Christ followers band together and share their resources? Summer of Love Fullerton (SOLFUL) began this past week and will run through August 13th. Since the Fullerton School District is unable to offer summer school for students due to budget cuts this year, churches and organizations who had come together through Fullerton Advocating Community Transformation (Fullerton ACT) decided that they would provide it for the communities. The inception of SOLFUL to its birth was less than a two-month journey.
About 130 volunteers from over 15 churches and organizations are participating in SOLFUL in its three locations: Garnet, Maple, and Richman District. Programs range from morning to evenings; some are Monday through Friday; others, twice a week. Children from kindergarten through high school will be engaged in any of the following activities: learning centers, sports, cooking, art, gardening, music, cultural experiences, math and reading workshops, games, and dance.
Over 30 NOC members have committed to help during the seven weeks. SOLFUL “is about loving our neighbors in Fullerton, without reserve or condition. It is about our own opportunities to grow deeper with Jesus, to see where God is moving in our neighborhoods and join in.” Please join us in praying that lives will be transformed for all those involved — volunteers and children.
Volunteers came from more than 15 of the churches & organizations. Some of the groups have participated through prayer and support and donatations of many supplies that are needed. If you would like to contribute, please visit the SOLFUL info. table in the foyer.
SOLFUL is an initiative started by Fullerton Advocating Community Transformation (Fullerton ACT) which is an open forum amongst Christ-centered community leaders that encourage one another to take steps in transforming the Fullerton community. Fullerton ACT also works with the City of Fullerton through the Fullerton Collaborative to present the needs of the city to our church communities. SOLFUL: Summer of Love Fullerton is one of our first opportunities to unify as the church of the city and build relationships with one another and our communities.
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If you haven't heard about Fullerton ACT, you need to check it our right now. Click through some of the pages, you'll get the jist. I am super excited to tell all about the new Fullerton City Prayer Group! It is led by our very own Heidi Tanner and other prayer leaders. The Fullerton CPG is exactly what it sounds like; they meet and pray for our city. Our cities have so many needs, and we worship and pray to the God who can change them, bring healing and restoration. We hope that this group will grow and that we will see our city change before our eyes according to God's will. 
