Team 7 in Tuscaloosa

The Dayton contingent made it all the way to Tammany Oaks by 8:00 CST this evening. The rest of us who were a couple of hours behind, after a GREAT meal, decided on a good nights sleep in Tuscaloosa rather than a short night to start our week.
We've been using our mantools (only one female in the Columbus group)
We've been fighting intolerance
We're having a pretty good time
and here's where we are right now
More news from Louisiana tomorrow!

Team 7 is on the way

A group of 23 people left the Columbus area this morning a little after 8 (each week we get closer to leaving on time!). Some were "old timers" returning to Mandeville for a second time and some were "newbes" getting their first taste of what being the hands and feet of Jesus in Louisianna really is. They were all very excited and eager to get underway. One person was so excited that he left his car in the middle of the driveway at Spring Road Church. Our group will be once again be staying at University Church of Christ in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. We are happy to report that not only is University Church being a gracious host, but they are also helping the relief effort by donating $2000 worth of electric heaters for us to load up and take down with us. We are so grateful for their generous hearts. Please pray for the safety of our group as they are making their way down to Mandeville on this windy, cold day.

A last minute gift of warmth...

It looks like we are going to have some extra cargo space available for our trip down to Louisiana Saturday. If you would like to help meet the needs of people Tammany Oaks is serving, you can bring donations to the Spring Road Church of Christ 74 North Spring Road, Westerville, Ohio after 5:00pm tomorrow, Friday January 13 or before 8:00 Saturday, our departure time. Their #1 request is for electric space heaters to heat homes where there is no gas due to flooding. Believe it or not, it gets cold down there at night in the winter. There is also the usual list of items on http://whereisawjesus.blogspot.com.

Please do not leave donations in the church, but place them in the red trailer in the parking lot. If logistics fall through and it’s not there, put them in the bed of my truck, the blue Dodge RAM with a cap.

Be sure to read our blog daily this week to follow our work at http://servantsunite.blogspot.com.

The last request I have for you is an easy one. Write a couple of sentences of encouragement to the folks at Tammany Oaks who have been fighting this fight non stop for more than 4 months. Satan is whispering discouragements in their ear and the weight of the task and responsibility that they have taken on is getting tough. Use the email address to post to their blog, whereisawjesus@gmail.com. Be sure to put your name and city on your note. If you prefer I deliver it directly to them and not post it on their blog let me know. Also, please pray for strength for them and others like them who are working so diligently to be a beacon in the darkness and gloom that has settled there.

I pray for blessings on all of you for your hard work and persistence helping in this effort.

John McGuire
Servants Unite!

New Orleans Rebuilding Plan Unveiled

I found more rhetoric in the news yesterday and this morning than I did facts. Found the City Planning Final Report at the Bring New Orleans Back site. Since we are actually playing a part in that effort (Isn't that kewl!) I wanted to pass it along.

There is also an article at the Times Picayune page.

Check out our Neighbors

Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team in Somerset, Ohio.

They also have a blog of their work.

I find the note on Biloxi in their current blog posting highly disturbing...

Servants Unite Spins Up and Team 7 ready to hit the road

We had a great meeting last Thursday night. Sixteen people have committed to make Servants Unite a long-term personal ministry. Also, New Life Church from Gahanna is sending 11 people on the next trip and wants to continue to support Servants Unite with volunteers and funding so I'm very happy to welcome that congregation to our effort. If you've been involved in this effort so far, please get with your church leadership about working with this effort. For more information about the vision for Servants Unite and where you and your church fit in, visit the updated info at www.servantsunite.org.

Some of you are better at praying for others than, frankly, I am. For those of you, please include us in your prayers. I am so thankful for God putting these people together! Here is my current list of those working to build this organization.

Volunteer	Church
John McGuire	Westerville Christian
Brad Hayes	Spring Road Church of Christ
Robin Weir	Spring Road Church of Christ
Melinda McGuire	Westerville Christian
Amy Fox	Reynoldsburg Church of Christ
Beth Duffy	Northside Fellowship
Mark Morris	Northland Church of Christ
Glenn Bloom	Westerville Christian
Greg Ratterman	Southwestern Church of Christ
Shanda Chaney	Northside Fellowship
Mark McGiffin	Spring Road Church of Christ
Kim Skaggs	First Community Church Upper Arlington
Carolyn Canini	Southwestern Church of Christ
Troy Blair	Northland Church of Christ
Becky McGiffin	Spring Road Church of Christ
Kevin Dill	Westerville Church of the Nazarene

If I've missed you, or you want to add your name, please send me an email. There have been many people who have been involved in the trips so far that I haven't had a lot of contact with and I want to encourage you to continue to help us build Servants Unite. Actually there's a few Spring Road people I'm kinda expecting, but just haven't had a chance to talk with yet ;-)

Please also keep in your prayers, those who are traveling down to Louisiana Saturday to continue our work:

Volunteer	Church
John McGuire	Westerville Christian
Tom McClanahan	Spring Road Church of Christ
Sue Hayes
Brian Niess	Linworth United Methodist
Bill Niess	Linworth United Methodist
Glen Bloom	Westerville Christian
Gary Schubert	Westerville Christian
Jim Eder
Kyle Schneider	New Life Church
Steve Mohr	New Life Church
Robert Salyer	New Life Church
Enver Hoff	New Life Church
Kevin Ernst	New Life Church
Don Cordle	New Life Church
Gary Sargent	New Life Church
Paul Trasin	New Life Church
Cory Breidnbach	New Life Church
Tim Shivers	New Life Church
Todd Stark	New Life Church
Phil Manilla	Norway Avenue Church of Christ
Sharon Oakes	South Dayton Church of Christ
Tim Smallwood	South Dayton Church of Christ
Vicki Smallwood	South Dayton Church of Christ
Gary Eversole	South Dayton Church of Christ
Larry Long	South Dayton Church of Christ

This is a pretty large group from Columbus, Dayton, and Huntington, WV. Thanks to those who have been praying to the lord of the harvest for the workers are responding to his call!

Lord we pray for those working, cleaning, building, and sacrificing their time in Your name. We're thankful for their servant hearts and ask you to bless their efforts and every life they touch. We also thank you for all those who have supported us financially and behind the scenes; may you bless them for their generosity of spirit. Please keep all safe, swift, and strong and help us to always look to You for direction and with praise. In Jesus name we pray these things. Amen!