Confirmations

It was about 20 months ago that over a plate of nachos Cherie and I began to sense God calling us to begin a faith community in the Aurora area of Seattle.  “Aurora?  Really?” we wondered.  This meant a lot of things.  But immediately it meant giving up the dream of planting a church in a hipper Seattle neighborhood where only a few weeks earlier I had eaten a burrito with men from Honduras and Nigeria at a Mexican taco truck in the parking lot of an African-American men’s clothing store owned by a Chinese family.  That felt like a taste of heaven… but Aurora? 

We wouldn’t have the strength to do this unless we received fairly regular confirmations from the Spirit that this is where we should be.  Well, recently, we received exactly that: A taco truck opened its doors windows just up the street.

Okay, in addition to the taco truck, there have been other incredible confirmations.  For these, please join us in giving thanks to the God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ:

• The Vacancy Project – Awake recently received a $7500 grant from the Christian Reformed Church Foundation’s “Sea to Sea – the Cycle to End Poverty” fund to help start “The Vacancy Project,” a program that will help people in our neighborhood transition out of motels and into more stable housing through education and assistance.  We are hope to double these funds before we begin this program this winter – interested in contributing?
• AmeriCorps Volunteer – Karen Cirulli, a member of Awake, began her work in April as an AmeriCorps volunteer building relationships with and building community among our neighbors in the Aurora area.
• An Old Aurora Friend – As a church in a transient area, we don’t often get to see the fruit of our work.  Recently, I received text/pic message from an old Aurora friend.  Above the words, “My new job and me using you guys as inspiration,” was a picture of her office cubicle with a photo above her desk – a photo of our daughter Evie that Cherie and I had given her for Christmas.  May the light of Christ continue to shine through Awake!

Please PRAY with us as we live as SENT people and seek the kingdom of God up and down Aurora Avenue:

-that friends and neighbors would come to know Jesus as King.

-that the Spirit would bring people to join us so that we may carry out our mission.

-that the Father would be near to the Katt’s and Tigert’s as we await the arrival of our babies in June and July!                       

Hope,

Ben Katt