Today’s blog is a quick update from Tidal Impact 2017, where 73 churches and about 800 participants are impacting neighbourhoods with God’s love.
It is amazing watching a sea of blue T-shirts serving and caring all along the South Shore and in the Halifax region of Nova Scotia.
Tidal Impact 2017 seeks to make an impact in 3 ways – Impact self, impact church & impact neighbourhoods #1neighbourhood
Impact self – those of us at Tidal Impact are inviting God to work in us and through us.
Amazing to see this happening in a number of ways!
Teams spend time praying & doing devotions together.
Tuesday afternoon the entirety of Tidal Impact participated in Dive Deeper – workshops that helps students gain skills to read the Bible on their own, know a variety of ways to pray, know how to explain the Gospel to others and know how to worship God on their own and how to use arts to express their thoughts and capture Scripture. Amazing skills! I was so blessed to watch teenagers practice talking about Jesus and explaining what Jesus has done for us.
Most evenings of Tidal Impact we gather at Rock Church in Halifax and Bridgewater Baptist along the South Shore for rallies – to worship together, remember why we are doing what we are doing, and hear from a challenging speaker – so we’re ready to go back out and serve with God’s love again.
Tidal Impact impacts self.
Impact church – Tidal Impact only happens in partnership with a local church. Visiting teams come from a church from away – they’ve been preparing for months. Local host churches billet them and work with them to reach out to the community. We love that various denominations are involved! Thanks so much for joining us friends.
Local churches are impacted in a number of ways – one of the great things we see happening is churches waking up to God’s work among the younger generation.
I visited one church the first Sunday of Tidal Impact that was hosting a team of teenagers from away, but actually had no young people of their own. They were blown away by the faith, worship, leadership, and vibrancy of the team of teenagers that led their service that day.
Another church I visited – saw the leadership of this young man, a visiting youth pastor from away and started talking among themselves that they too need and could empower someone to lead their ministry towards the younger generations.
Tidal Impact impacts churches.
Impact neighbourhoods – It is amazing the variety of things Tidal Impact teams are doing this week to bless neighbours around this region. The list is long!
- Sorting boots and clothes at a shelter
- Baking cookies to thank workers in Seniors home, IWK nurses, construction workers, fire fighters…
- Running sports camps
- Running kids’ camps
- Fixing up a senior’s home
- Painting a youth centre
- Putting floats in a parade
- Cleaning out goat pens
- Chopping and stacking wood
- Painting buildings
- Fixing up a camp
- Sorting food at Feed NS
- Picking up garbage and cleaning up the community
- Fixing up a food bank
- Yardwork
- Building a shed for a BMX/Skate park
- Doing a massive food drive for Feed NS and local area food banks
- Visiting seniors
- Praying for people in the park
- Putting on a fair in the park
- Buying people Tim’s cards
- Handing out hugs & water
- Washing cars to raise money for important causes
- Washing windows
- Planted a garden, to beautify a public space
- Making lunch and serving it to those who could use a meal
I’m missing a lot, but you get the idea. The team of teenagers as asking – God how can we join you in this neighborhood? Then getting out the door and making it happen.
Tidal Impact impacts neighbourhoods.
TIDAL IMPACT
Our prayer is this impact is noticed across Nova Scotia. In addition, we are praying that teenagers get in the habit of EVERY SINGLE DAY, even after Tidal Impact, asking the question – God, how do I join your work today? God, how do I join you in my neighbourhood today?
Check out #TI2017 on social media and you’ll see a lot more of what Tidal Impact has been up to.
We’ve still got two more days! More impact on self, church and community!
Anyone and everyone, from any walk of life & pocket of society, is invited to the public rally Friday 6pm at either Bridgewater Baptist (564 Glen Allan Dr, Bridgewater NS) or Rock Church Halifax (222 Sackville Dr, Lowerv Sackville NS). Come join us and check out Tidal Impact.
This is the best week ever!
-Renée
#TI2017
#1neighbourhood
@r_embree
@cbacyf