One of the things that I get to do for Elevate is travel around and visit all the different barbecues, meet the different leaders, and get to see the different things that groups are doing that are working in their contexts.

This weekend I went to visit the Flint location which meets at Riverside Park, next to UM-Flint on the last Saturday of every month.  Flint has a very good network of shelters and warming stations in place right in the downtown area, four within walking distance of our park.  Most of their shelters are for men, and there are others services in place for women and children in town.  This being the case, transient populations are pretty low.  Usually the homeless people are regulars at the shelters, and they all know each other pretty well.

Contrast this with Mount Clemens.  There, the summer months see a higher poor or homeless population because it isn’t so hard to stay outside.  But once winter comes, most of those people are moving toward Detroit which has a greater number of shelters.  Therefore, depending on the time of year, the numbers at the Mount Clemens barbecue may ebb and flow.

Just as with anywhere, different trends like these influence how to build community.  Thus, what happens over time, is that each barbecue takes on an identity and look of its own as it changes to best impact its community because what works in Flint might not work in Pontiac or Mount Clemens.  Or, one Detroit barbecue might not even look the same as the other Detroit barbecue.   Real work in different communities can’t be cookie cutter.

The beauty of the Church (and barbecues) is that it can change depending on its context, and as long as you are faithful to proclaiming the message of Jesus, the method by which you do that is flexible.

The party is at Como’s in Ferndale from 6-10 on December 20th!  Everyone is invited because 10% of all profits that night go to Elevate Detroit; and as we expand to doing more bbq’s, mission trips… We can really use the extra support!

Santa will be attending early in the evening, so bring your family out for a great time for a greater cause!

As came closer and closer to the Thanksgiving cookout I was beginning to worry a bit.  We had the chairs, tables, trailers and some workers, but I was concerned about having enough food.  We hadn’t done a whole lot of soliciting or putting feelers out there to see if anyone was bringing anything to actually eat.  Luckily we had left over chilli and wings from our rained-out barbecue on Tuesday’s episode of Chizzy Cam.

I asked Mike and Amanda about food for Thursday in our weekly meeting.  They both just looked around and said, “I don’t know.  I think it will be there.”  I expressed some concern and pressed it a bit. “Do we know if anyone else is bringing anything?”  “Um, no, I am pretty sure we have a few turkeys.”  So, I just sort of trusted them and trusted God– both of whom had been doing this kind of work longer than I have. 

We pulled up to the park on Thursday morning, unloaded the trailers, set up chairs and the food started coming.  First a couple here and a couple there.  Then it just kept coming.  Eventually we had four full tables of food, a table of deserts and a whole other table of drinks.  Multiple turkeys, multiple hams, trash bags full of rolls, (literally) 85 pounds of mashed potatoes and more food than we could have imagined.  It was more than enough to feed the 200 people there. 

We all ate, laughed, had a fun meal together.  When it came time to pack things up we still had a ton of food left over.  More than we knew what to do with.  We agreed to pack it all up and take it a couple blocks away to the Detroit Rescue Mission.

I mentioned on Chizzy CAM the other night that I come from a background where you have to work hard to make things happen.  If things don’t go right, it’s because you didn’t work hard enough.  God works in a different way.  He likes to make things work in spite of your efforts.  These things are God confirming that he is on the side of what you are doing.  Do what you can, and God will do the rest.

It would be impossible to personally thank everyone who brought food.  Many people stopped on the curb, handed us food and drove off.  But we do want to take the time to thank the people and organizations who we are able to thank:

Buffalo Wild Wings– The locations at Troy and Flint donated 225 wings a piece.  Thank them when you go in.

Café Sonshine  – I literally walked in for lunch and the owners asked if they could cook us a giant pot of chilli.  They are the best.

Kensington Community Church  – they lent us the use of 50 long tables and 294 folding chairs as well as two of their trailers and a truck to haul it all down there.

Last Tuesday night Elevate Detroit was featured on a local television show called Chizzy C.A.M.(Charity, Arts and Music).  Chizzy CAM brings in guests from the Detroit area who are working to make a difference in the city. We were asked to do a barbecue outside of U-Detroit Café, where Chizzy CAM is filmed, but we arrived and realized the rain was going to keep us inside.

Mike, myself and others were interviewed about the things that the barbecues were doing in the city, what our plans were for the future, etc. It was a great night. We were able to make contact with Brother Al who I talked to at length about the work that he is doing for the homeless in the city as well. That man is a servant for God!

You can watch the whole interview and video here: http://www.ustream.tv/embed/recorded/18689737

In the business world, anyone who is working in the same field as you are is considered competition.  When it comes to nonprofits though, they are partners and friends working toward a similar goal.  Often times it is easy to call up a person or a group and say, “Hey, I want to learn more about what you do!”  To which they reply, “Come on over.”

Such was the case with my time at The HUB of Detroit.  If you were to create a short list of people who are doing good work in the Cass Community, the HUB would be on it. The HUB takes bike donations, does repairs and sells them at low cost back to people in the community.  Additionally, they teach classes to students about how to take care of a bike, and once a student finishes their classes, they recieve a free bike.  Adults who need a bike or parts for their bike can come, donate time, and upon completion recieve the bike parts that they need.  It is a program that has been largely successful and has helped countless people with reliable and affordable transportation. 

I emailed this HUB through their website and asked if anyone had anytime to sit down and talk.  I recieved a reply from Jason Fiedler, and we made plans for Monday. 

The HUB is located only a couple of blocks from our Second and Selden Barbecues and Awakenings Movement, a new church plant meeting in the DSA, one of our partners.  I pulled up and knocked on the door–a heavy metal door with a map of the Cass Community painted on it by hand.  After a mintue the door opened, “Cole?” 

“Yes.” I replied.

Jason pushed the door open and we walked in.  He offered to give me a tour of the place.  Through several more locked metal doors he took me through the shop that is the store-front, the storage, where they keep their donated bikes, the room where they strip the bikes, the room that is holding the 100+ bikes they are giving away for Christmas and finally the workspace where they teach classes every week.

The place is big, old, drafty and cold.  I was expecting something else entirely and was underequipt in my flip flops.  Jason, across the table from me, wore a coat, scarf, and gloves. 

We talked for a while about the history of the HUB, what they set out to do and how they felt like they were accomplishing those goals.  I asked if he had any clue how many bikes they had given away since they started. He was unsure, but knows that they’ve given away 500 kids bikes in the past two years because he decided to start keeping track, but as far as adult bikes, he didn’t know.

From there we talked about the hurdles they are working on: keeping stock, the inability to do pick-ups (since few of the people who work there own cars), and general funding problems. We also tossed around a couple of possibilities as far as projects, ideas and things that we could partner on. I am excited about those options and I am sure will be writing more about those soon.   

I left the HUB confident, a little more informed and, again, just excited about the people that God has called up in this city to do great work for a people in need.

This month:
- Haiti trip
- Intern Cole
- Pontiac
- Thanksgiving
- Chizzy CAM

WE’VE MADE HAITI HAPPEN!
This past Friday (November 4th) we said au revoir to our brave and fearless Haiti crew.
Derick, Amanda, Lindsey and Alex will be returning back to Detroit next Monday at 2:30 in the afternoon with surely a tan (or burn) and many stories and pictures to share.

Stay tuned for future trips next year to Africa, back to Haiti and possibly somewhere stateside. Stay tuned at: www.alittlegracemi.org or e-mail

Cole the Intern from Arkansas…

Check out his autobiographical blog post and the video of his initiation ceremony here: http://elevatedetroit.wordpress.com/2011/11/04/announcing-me-the-new-intern/

Pontiac CommuniD BBQ!?!? Yes!! (click for Facebook launch event)
Thanks to partnerships with Kensington Community Church – Orion Campus, Rochester 1st Assembly of God and Faith Church in Rochester Hills!
Launching November 19th and on the 3rd Saturday of every month after. 1:00pm in Baldwin Park (at the corner of E. Howard St. & Edison St.)
For more info e-mail or call (313) 444-0463.

Thanksgiving:
Many of you were at our Christmas Day sit-down BBQ this past December. Tables and chairs to sit 90 people weren’t nearly enough as we sat around and had a family style meal outside under the beautiful late December sunshine.

We plan to do the same the same this Thanksgiving Day. This time we should have plenty of tables and chairs to go around. We will need lots of help setting up and tearing down before and after the CommuniD BBQ.

Bring lots of hot, cooked food!
For more info e-mail or call (313) 444-0463.

Chizzy CAM… TV and a BBQ
…is an online TV show every Tuesday evening from 8:00-11:00pm. It is filmed and aired live from the uDetroit Café and at http://uDetroitcafe.com. Chizzy is the name of the main host and CAM stands for Charity, Arts and Music.

Tuesday, November 22nd Chizzy CAM will be featuring elevate Detroit and the CommuniD BBQs!

As a part of this feature we plan to have a CommuniD BBQ outside the uDetroit Café. We could use lots of help running and supplying the BBQ that evening. We have NO idea what to expect numbers-wise. So… true to our Spirit-led, organic style… pray about how much to bring and bring that. And we’ll see what the Lord has in store. We need people to arrive at 7:00pm to setup and get things going. I do not expect the BBQ portion to go all the way until 11:00.
For more info e-mail or call (313) 444-0463.

There are lots and lots of other events at various points in the oven. And none of them can happen without all of us working togheter. Please let us know your gifts/strengths and we’d be happy to put you to work!

For more information about elevateDetroit, A Little Grace or the events we’re doing, e-mail mike@elevatedetroit.com or check out the Facebook fan page or our Twitter feed.

Grace and peace,

Mike Schmitt, Amanda Vizzini and the team
(313) 444-0463
mike@elevatedetroit.com
amanda@elevatedetroit.com

Like us:
http://www.facebook.com/elevatedetroit
http://www.facebook.com/alittlegracemi

Follow us:
http://www.twitter.com/elevatedetroit

As Dorothy Day said, “If you have two coats, one of them belongs to the poor.”

I grew up in central Arkansas, but about five months ago really felt God leading me and prodding me to move to Detroit. So, on August first I sold everything that I owned (literally) and drove to Detroit. I have spent the last three months working for Kensington Community Church as a church planting intern, but had a strong pull toward on-the-ground relational work. They were kind enough to release me to work for Elevate Detroit and that is how I arrived at where I am.

I have been doing some minor ghost writing around this blog for a couple of weeks now and cannot wait to start filling out more official duties here at Elevate.

My background is mostly in social work. I have most of my degree in Social Science from Harding University, worked for a year as a staff supervisor at Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter and for a brief time at a drug treatment center in central Arkansas. I have been brought in as a Marketing guy for Elevate which will be interesting because Elevate is a more organic and relational fundraiser than I am used to, so this will be an adventure.

Thank you guys for allowing me the opportunity to serve in this way. I cannot wait to meet and get to know the broader community that makes up Elevate Detroit. Lets do coffee!

You can find me at:
www.coleyoakum.wordpress.com
coleyoakum@gmail.com
cole@elevatedetroit.com

NOTE: Mike and Amanda may link to an incriminating video of someone who looks a lot like me singing a terrible song that no one remembers. Don’t believe it.

Added by Mike… you be the judge…

Cole Yoakum the intern’s official initiation process from Elevate Detroit on Vimeo.

As with any good organization… we like to see what your strengths and weaknesses are before we hire you. And by hire… I don’t mean pay.

Cole’s gifts? Not rhythm or singing.

I started talking to a man named Ken in front of the park. Ken was walking down Selden with a back pack and a tired expression on his face. I asked how he was doing, and he simply said “I’ve had better days.” I understood that saying well, not knowing the reason behind his response. I inquired in the most sincere way I could convey. Ken went on to share a story I wasn’t expecting. Ken’s apartment and everything he owns in it was lost in a fire just a week ago Friday. He explained that his drunk neighbor had accidentally started a fire in the apartment above him. The ceiling then fell in and set fire to his apartment. Ken said, “I was just concerned about getting outta there.” He grabbed what clothes he could find, a bag and his dog came with him. At this point, I could only nod and apologize for his recent tragedy. I asked where his dog is now. Ken said, “He’s at my friends house, ran away twice now because he’s scared of that place, but he’s ok now.” Ken shared how thankful he was, that his girlfriend wasn’t with him that night, and that he’s safe, that his dog’s safe.

He went on to explain the hassle of contacting shelters and help agency’s around the city looking for help. His frustration in a system that expects him to have his I.D birth certificate or social security card before they will help. This man lost all his material possessions a week ago and needs a roof over his head.

The sympathy in my heart, I could only attempt to convey with body language. I asked him, “Do you see God in any of this, and if so…how?” He paused and replied, “Man faith is all I do have now, literally…I have nothing else but these clothes on my back.” I said “And your dog.” We both laughed. For a man that just lost everything he owns, he sounded…thankful for what little he does have.

I asked if he was hanging around the park for awhile to get something to eat. He said, “Yeah, yeah I plan on it.” Before I left the park I waved and smiled at Ken, and he did the same.

If I were that man, would I say the same? Would I remind myself of the faith I have, or focus on what I lost?

- Alexander Tourtillott

Hey everyone, eat at Sherwood Brewery tonight and help one of our mission teams get to Haiti. http://ow.ly/72qGN

In addition to being fiercely committed to building a loving, growing and vibrant community here in the city of Detroit, we know that there are many places around the world that need to see that kind of love as well.    This is one way we can help make that happen. This group going to Haiti is taking that love with them.

Help us support them!

We have started setting up a prayer table in the southeast corner of the park at Second and Selden this past Saturday. We were unsure how it would go or be received by those in the community, but if anything is worth a shot, it’s prayer.

On its first official day a man named Michael walked up. He wanted to pray for the strength and confidence to do the right things with his money. He laughed and reassured us that he didn’t have a lot. In the past he had given to the church but recently was using it for more destructive things. He had even gone as far as to have anointing oil poured over his wallet.

As the conversation progressed it became clear that Michael was sober but under the impression that he was saved because he gave money to the church. “God doesn’t want your money,” we said. “He wants your heart.”

We could tell by Michael’s initial reaction that he was stunned and a bit curious. This gave way to a sense of disappointment because he was counting on that as a means of atonement. We talked to Michael about the message of the gospel and his reply was “I want that.”

We prayed with Michael. He renounced his old life and told God he wanted to be a new man because of what Jesus did on the cross. When he had finished this prayer he started stumbling backwards saying “I feel it, I feel it!”

We gave him a Bible, read a couple more scriptures with him and continued our conversation. As we wrapped up, Michael jumped on his bike and rode away shouting for joy and pumping his fist in the air.

What an awesome way to start a new prayer team! We created a list that day of people and needs in the community to pray for. The prayer table, chairs and materials will be staying in the green trailer. Needless to say, we’re going to keep it going.

- Story by Scott Wakefield

I love this song. It’s one of my favorites.

I’ve probably sung it a hundred times. Maybe more.

This is Friday night though. Normally I may sing it on a Sunday. I may sing it on a Wednesday. But I bet this is the first time on a Friday. Certainly the first time the night before a CommuniD BBQ.

Read those two lines again:
“Everyone needs compassion. A love that’s never failing.”

We all do don’t we? I know I certainly do.

Tomorrow, when we each get together at 2nd & Selden, let’s look at each other and everyone we see throughout the day with those eyes.

“Everyone needs compassion. A love that’s never failing.”

The next line says, “Let mercy fall on me.”

Lord, let mercy fall on us. And let us pour it out as an offering to you. Let each of us experience your mercy and unfailing love through each other’s compassion freely shared amongst every one present at 2nd and Selden.

- Post by Mike Schmitt
Twitter: @mikeschmitt
Blog: http://schmittmike.wordpress.com

We were at the Detroit CommuniD BBQ location. The lines were long and people were starting to get impatient. A few of us decided to grab some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and hand them out down the line to appease the crowd a bit.

I handed a man one of the sandwiches, to which he replied, “Hey! Where is the meat?”

I quickly fired back, in a humorous fashion, “Don’t complain, its free.”

“Hey!“ he said, a big smile crossed his face. “I like you.” This led to some fun conversation between him, a few others and myself. Eventually I continued to move back down the line. The barbecue was a success as usual. We fed around one hundred people and enjoyed the afternoon with our friends at the park.

Later that afternoon, as things were winding down, Charles walked toward his bike to leave. I came up beside him and thanked him for coming. “I really like how cool you are with everyone down here, you seem so real and genuine. Where do you go to church?” he asked. I told him. “So, you’re all religious people?”

“I don’t think that I am religious.” I responded. “I just have a relationship with God. I talk and pray to God all the time. I am not restricted to rules and regulations I just love Jesus and that is why I do what I do.”

Charles began to really unload on me. He started to share with me about addictions that he has and how he wants to be free from these addictions. He said he believes in God and Jesus but never really knew what to do with all of it. I told him that Jesus can free him from those addictions and change his life around.

I told him that I didn’t always live like I do now and that I have sin and struggles in my life too. I told him that living for God is a daily thing that we have to work at and commit to. I shared some of the testimonies of people in my life that I know that have been freed from addictions by Jesus.

“I really do want to be better,” he said. “But when I went to church a couple times it was so uncomfortable. I really didn’t understand it and how this Jesus thing works.” I asked him If I could pray with him and he agreed. Charles and I took each others hands and I thanked God for Charles and for his life. I thanked God for Charles’s desire to seek him. I prayed for the spirit of addiction to be removed from Charles’s life and for his heart to soften and open to the work God is going to do in his life. I asked God to give Charles ears to hear and eyes to see exactly what he wants him to see. I thanked God for our time together and for the work he is doing in mine and Charles lives.

“I want to thank you for something,” he said. “I want to thank you for showing me how to pray. If I got anything out of today it was learning to pray, thank you.” I told Charles that he can pray anytime and anywhere for anything and God is listening. I then told Charles if he wanted to he could pray right now to ask Jesus into his life. He told me that he wanted to. We joined hands again and Charles prayed for Jesus to forgive him and to come into his life. He also thanked him for his family and the things in his life. He told God that he wanted to do better in his life.

We finished, and with child-like eyes Charles said, “I can’t wait to pray tonight at home! And…and… I want to pray every single day from now on!”

He said he can’t wait to come back and tell me how well he is doing with his drug addiction. I told him that I pray the drugs begin to make him feel sick when he uses them and that the Holy Spirit convicts him when he has drugs around him. I also told him that I pray those people that he uses drugs with start to fall out of his life and good people come into his life to make him better.

Charles and I hugged and he rode off on his bike towards home.

-Story by Heather VanSweringen

It’s been a long time since we’ve sent out an e-mail newsletter (just over two years in fact!), but we just sent one out. We’re going to start sending them regularly once again. If you’d like to get on our e-mail database, let us know.

Let me introduce you to Amanda Vizzini. Amanda is basically awesome. Basically. Amanda is married to Derick. Derick and Amanda live in Troy. They have a great little boy named Aiden. Amanda has been running a ministry called A Little Grace for a couple years now.

A Little Grace partnered with elevate Detroit and the CommuniD BBQs in September 2010. By November, they were the point people for the 4^th Saturday events in Detroit. In December, A Little Grace began Dinner in the D.* In June elevate Detroit began partnering with A Little Grace for Dinner in the D.

After much prayer, thought and wise counsel elevate Detroit and A Little Grace have officially (and legally) merged forces. A Little Grace is what we will continue to call the global side of things (our 1^st Haiti trip will take place this November) and elevate Detroit will continue to be local. Together we can do much more for the Kingdom of God than apart.

As elevate Detroit continues to grow, we are continuing to start more CommuniD BBQs as well as beginning to plan other types of community events that connect people to Christ. We are also well under way in laying the groundwork for a three phase fundraising campaign (which will begin this Fall) to open up the Dandelions Café and community house. As things develop and grow, so does the number of people involved.

Amanda and I are now partners in this work. As things progress, you will be receiving e-mails, phone calls and creepy stalker voicemails from Amanda (as well as possibly others) from time to time. I know you all will show her the same crazy love and ridiculous support you’ve shown me as we’ve ventured into this great unknown together.

Thank you so much for your partnership and brotherhood/sisterhood in this work in the Kingdom of God!

Mike Schmitt
mike@elevatedetroit.com
schmittmike.wordpress.com
Twitter: @mikeschmitt

elevate Detroit — Creating Communities that Connect People to Christ.
(313) 444-0463
www.elevateDetroit.com
elevateDetroit.wordpress.com
contact@elevateDetroit.com
Twitter: @elevateDetroit
Facebook: facebook.com/elevateDetroit

A Little Grace
www.alittlegracemi.org (currently under construction)
Facebook: facebook.com/alittlegracemi

Dandelions Café
www.dandelionscafe.com
dandelionscafe@gmail.com
Twitter: @DandelionsCafe
Facebook: facebook.com/dandelionscafe

* The idea of Dinner in the D is similar to CommuniD BBQs. Dinner in the D happens during the week and centers more on a partnership with a specific local church within the city of Detroit. Dinner in the D is on a much smaller scale than the CommuniD BBQs and is easy for a small group to adopt one day a month. For more information on helping make Dinner in the D happen, reply or call Mike or Amanda.

Today I met a man named Mack. Scratch that… today I met a friend named Mack. I’ve actually met him many times before, but never remembered his name. After today, I will never forget his name.

Mack is 26 years old. He will turn 27 on October 1st. Mack is African-American. He is probably 5′ 10″ tall; a little heavier than average build. He’s a good size to hug. Mack has a sweetness about him. It’s a childlike innocence. To meet Mack is to like him. To talk with him is to love him. I cannot help, but see Christ in his smile. It’s beautiful. He is beautiful.

Mack is currently homeless. Mack stays in a shelter in Cass Corridor. Mack comes to the CommuniD BBQs just about every week. He has for some time.

Today Mack read me a song he wrote. He has chords written out and everything. The song is called Outreach Love. Mack wrote Outreach Love to describe his experiences at CommuniD BBQs at 2nd & Selden.

I hope to be able to post the lyrics to his song soon. For now, I’ll say two things about it:
1. I was in tears after hearing it.
2. The only line I remember goes something like, “No one looks at me like I’m broken.”

To anyone who may read this… success. If the last four plus years of BBQs through winter and summer alike had no other benefit whatsoever, but to give Mack the experience of being seen by God as not being broken… success. Because in Christ, Mack is made whole. In Christ, I am made whole. In Christ, Mack is not broken. In Christ, I am not broken. In Christ, Mack is healed of his brokenness. In Christ, we are all healed of our brokenness.

God,

Thank you for Christ. Thank you for Mack. Thank you for Christ in Mack. And thank you for Christ in me. Thank you for healing our brokenness through Christ and His body… us.

I hope to post full lyrics to Outreach Love soon.

P.S. Get ready for one SERIOUS birthday party on October 1st.

Mack, Heather, Morgyn and friend last summer (8/7/10)

Written by Mike Schmitt
Twitter: @mikeschmitt

We talked and prayed together. He said he had hurt his knee pretty bad that week but that he was so excited to come to help at the BBQ that he could not stay home. Despite his injury his love for others and desire to serve shined through, limping and all. It was just one more example of how people from the suburbs are not the only ones who come out here to serve.

As the BBQ progressed and everyone had a full plate or a full belly I caught Fred out of the corner of my eye again. Only this time he was on his knees, his hurting knees. As I moved toward him and saw one of the most beautiful sights my eyes had ever seen. He was holding the hand of a precious seven-year-old and praying for Christ to come into her heart and guide her and direct her in all her ways. This prayer went on for a solid 3-4 minutes. All around the two of them was laughter, noise and they were just still, as if no one else was in the park. They were worshipping God and calling out to Jesus. The little girl was receiving the prayers. Her eyes were shut tightly and her head was tilted up.

When it hit me what was going down, I thought to get what I could on video. It’s not often we can capture an image that so closely mirrors the heart of this ministry in such a tangible way like this.

After they prayed the little girl wrapped her arms around him and said, “Thank you, Fred!” I started crying. Fred walked over toward me and said “She just walked up to me and asked me to pray for her, so she could know God.”

- Story by Lindsey Fischer

@lindseymfischer Little girl accepted Christ into her life today at the #CommuniDBBQ @elevatedetroit http://yfrog.com/klgr3luj

Here’s a picture of brother Fred praying with her. This is what it’s ALL ABOUT! Here’s a homeless friend of ours, a brother in Christ called into ministry by the Spirit, leading a little girl into a relationship with Christ on an August afternoon. We are blessed beyond measure to be a part of the movement of the Spirit of God in our city!!

Thank you, LORD!!

Brother Fred Thompson leading a little girl to Christ today!!

All of the students did an awesome job connecting with people and engaging in conversations all over the park. It was both encouraging and inspiring to see kids from the city and suburbs alike side by side moving, doing and loving in the Kingdom of God in Detroit. If those students are at all a sign of things to come, this city and region are in for much greater things than this.

What started 4 years ago as a wild idea thrown out amongst friends was met with a shrug and a “let’s try it.” We had no idea what God had in mind.

Today that wild idea has transformed into a movement of the Holy Spirit that is helping to reshape the way you, I and a lot of our brothers and sisters in Christ see the world, our region and most importantly, God’s people. None of it would happen without every one of you stepping up in all sorts of roles and helping wherever God calls us.

I am so honored to serve our precious Christ alongside each of you. Truly, thank you for obeying your calling, joining arms with each other and myself and fighting the dark one for the hearts and lives of God’s people and God’s city.

I dropped my truck and the green trailer off at the park Tuesday morning at about 8:30. I recognized a man (unfortunately I can’t remember his name) talking to a woman from coming to the BBQs pretty often. I went over to say Hi to them, make sure they knew about the BBQ that afternoon and ask them to look after my car while I was gone.

Upon walking up to the pair, before I could even say anything, the man asked me if the BBQ was that morning or in the afternoon. I told him the afternoon. He asked what I was doing there already. I told him I was just leaving the vehicles there and that I had to go to Wayne State for awhile before I’d be back for the BBQ. He said, “Well you don’t need to worry man. We’ll watch your @#$! for you. No one’s going to mess with it. We just finished sweeping the park up getting ready for you guys (at which point he pointed to the large pile of dirt next to him that had clearly just been swept). We picked up the trash too, but you know how people trash it around here. It’s picked up for now though.” He went on to point to a truck parked along 2nd Street and said, “Mama and Papa are over there working on fixing the benches too. You know they’re the ones that are always fixing the wood on all these benches for you guys.”

Now, go back and read that last paragraph again. Let the implications sink deep into your thoughts and hearts. A homeless man was at that park with a broom early enough to have finished sweeping it by 8:30 in the morning. Why? To clean the park up for “us.” And he wasn’t alone. There was another man and woman there working on replacing the wood on benches over by the tables. Again, why? For “us.”

Let us not think for a moment that we from mostly white suburban churches are the only ones working at resurrecting Cass Corridor or any other place we go. Let us never forget that we who don’t live in that neighborhood are the guests. We’re the guests. The homeless man is not a guest at a BBQ. He is the host. We are the guests coming over to a friend’s home and bringing something to share at the Kingdom party that our friend is hosting every Saturday.

I’m reminded of something Ghandi wrote:

My dear,

Almost anything you do is insignificant, But it is very important that you do it.

It’s the bigger picture that counts. As human beings our individual everyday acts are insignificant, but as a whole and over the course of time that insignificant looses it’s -in and becomes significant.

That’s why it’s very important you do it. Not for yourself, but for humanity; Countless insignificant acts are significant – they do make a difference.

Think of it like this, the steps you take today are insignificant in the long run, but they help you achieve the long run.

Almost anything you do is insignificant, But it is very important that you do it.

Truly yours,
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

This is 4th of July weekend. It is one of if not my favorite holidays of the year. This weekend we celebrate our independence.

And yet for many people in our area, there is no independence. There are many who feel like they have no independence to celebrate. There are many who feel dependent. Unwillingly dependent.

Some are dependent on drugs. They made a bad choice a long time ago. They gave in to peer pressure or they chose to deal with hurt the wrong way. In any case, they’ve been hooked for years. They thought they were in control. By the time they learned they weren’t, it was too late. They’re dependent on a substance that’s killing them slowly. Those who want out can’t seem to get out. And those who don’t want out have fallen so far into their dependence they can’t even remember what independence was like.

Some are dependent on family and friends. For one reason or another they haven’t been able to make it independently. They feel like they’ve failed. And maybe they have. Now they live their life depending on others to do things for them or give them things. Every day they live with the fearful possibility that their welcome will run out and they will be pushed away. They will be left alone.

Some are dependent on handouts. Those “handing out” don’t like it. Those dependent on the handout don’t like it either. Nevertheless, that is the life they have. They spend their time standing on street corners with signs and cups. They spend their time in line at soup kitchens and shelters. They spend their time looking for the next handout. And a handout is all they’ve got. Their eyes are shamefully heavy. They live their life in the margins of the world. Their life is for the most part a wasted life. Not because they proactively are wasting it. But because their life is wasting away as time goes by; they see no choice. It seems all they can do is stand and wait for the next handout. Their gifts, their dreams, their potential… wasted. Unused. Unappreciated. Unvalued.

The announcement of the Kingdom of God is that there is hope. For the addict there is healing. For the failure there is a second chance. For the marginalized there is value and treasure beyond words. We are all, every person, created images of a Holy, beautiful, creative and loving God. God may be invisible to our eyes. But we have the chance to see reflections of him in every person we cross paths with. And we have the opportunity to love Him with every eye we look into, with every hand we embrace, with every ear we lend.

How will you celebrate your independence? And how will you encourage and celebrate the independence of others? Whether you are in town this weekend or not, whether you have the opportunity to go up north or to a family BBQ or just stay home and enjoy the long weekend, remember the grace we have been given in our independence. Remember that there are still those who are fighting for their independence. Remember that you, every one of you and me, can make a real difference in this world and the next. It is our choice. Will we join the fight?

Let us celebrate our independence. Joyfully. And let us not neglect fighting for the independence of our brothers and sisters who have yet to gain theirs.

I hope to see each of you this weekend at 2nd & Selden. If you’re going up north or can’t come, remember our dependent brothers and sisters in prayer. Prayer is perhaps the greatest weapon in our arsenal.

What started as a question posed on Facebook amongst a few friends has transformed into a movement that no one expected.  God has carried it far beyond the dreams or visions of anyone who was at that first fateful BBQ at Woodward & Willis.  There are now community meals shared regularly in 4 locations across southeast Michigan.

What began with a handful of friends and acquaintances having just read a book is now a moving, breathing and growing collaborative effort of churches, ministries, community groups and individuals helping to fill our region with the hope and love of Christ.  People from across city and suburbs alike are joining together in community… to the tune of 1000 people a month.  That is far beyond what any one or even a few of us could do.  That is only possible because all of us have worked together to do and share as God has called us to.  If we all do what we can do, there is no end to what God can do through us.

In the scheme of things, 4 years is less of an accomplishment and more of a beginning point.  Thank you to everyone who made this beginning point possible.  It’s been an amazing ride so far… I can’t wait to see what God has in store for the next 4 years!

Grace and peace.

Mike

I love helping out & cooking for our CommuniD BBQ’s!

We always have a good time rain or shine. The Lord has blessed us and we wish everyone everywhere to know there is help and love. Jesus loves everyone of us the same. It should be known world wide that the Lord sees no difference in me nor my brothers or sisters. No borders for the love of Jesus! No ethnic boundaries, no status preference. Just LOVE! I will give until I can not give any more. I have been blessed and I shall forever pay it forward!

He begins by responding to my general post asking people to define Hell…

Define Hell: Detroit without positive people like you all.

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.  Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?  And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the Least of these my brothers, you did it also to me.’” Matthew 25:35-40

Even though I am a twenty four year old black man, I cried like a baby on Saturday April 23, 2011.  Everything I ever believed changed that day because of some friendly people at a BBQ. I was homeless at that time, but it changed my perception of the possibilities in life. For the longest time I was raised up thinking that ALL Caucasian man hated me, or something, because of my skin color.  Yet the day before Easter, the things I thought I knew suddenly changed due to some friendly folks who were kind to me and my baby son Chad and gave him some toys and food.

But even more importantly they were helping other folks in a currently disadvantaged position.  For the first time ever, AND I DO MEAN EVER, I saw and felt a presence and love energy unlike anything I have ever felt before.  And in less than one hour it shook me to the very roots of my belief system.

Less than two Saturdays later, I now have a temporary place to stay and wash my clothes and keep my body clean, a Gym membership to increase my fitness and a whole box of books to further my studies to become a better vessel for God.  I even have a temp job distributing materials door to door for hospitals and other companies.

Even though none of these gifts came directly from these people at the BBQ, that day sparked a new era in my life because it boosted my faith and love ten-fold as even as the bright sun illuminates the land after a bad storm. I GIVE MY MOST SUPREME THANKS TO THE GOOD LORD FOR GOOD FOLKS LIKE THIS! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

All i know is that I gave my letter to some woman named Amanda and good things started happening.  I know she had to be praying for me and I appreciate every bit of it because I needed it so much.

To follow Armond on Twitter: http://twitter.com/scienceandart23

I thought it was a great question, so I thought I’d share my answer here:

Good question.  I have an answer, but I don’t know if it’s right at all.  I guess I actually have a theory.  And time will tell if it’s an answer.

Slow the roll.  I don’t promo it.  I don’t encourage people to come every week.  In fact, I encourage them not to.  I encourage people to come once a month.  And I let them know why.  I encourage people to come once a month so that they will continue to come consistently and not get burned out on it.  Relationships take time and consistency to develop and build.  Relationships are our goal (not numbers or food).  When people ask me to come and talk about the Community BBQs, I’m more than willing.  I’m thrilled to.  But I don’t seek out new partners, volunteers, resources, etc.

This does a couple of things…
1.  There can be no doubt that it’s growing because the Spirit is at work through it and leading people towards it.  That means that I can be certain this isn’t happening because I pushed and made it happen, but because it’s God’s will.  And if at some point it is no longer God’s will for this to be happening, then I hope I don’t hesitate to see that, shut it down and let it go.

2.  The buzz is lessened.  Fads come about because of buzz.  Trends come from experience.

A fad happens because something seems cool and everyone’s talking about it so everyone goes and tries it at the same time.  But people aren’t really excited about whatever the buzz is about.  They’re excited about the anticipation.  You see a spike in popularity, but it’s short-lived.  It isn’t really for many of the people who were trying it out.  So they don’t stick around.  You wind up developing over inflated expectations and structures and find yourself left with disappointment and decline.  Basically, people who have no idea what they’re talking about are excited about it and talking.  This creates buzz.  But that buzz tends to be sort of an ignorant thing.

A trend happens slower, but more solid.  A trend spreads because people who have been there, done that are sharing their experience with someone else. And it’s a completed experience they’re sharing, not the anticipation of an experience.  Since they’ve been there, done that, they’re not sharing the experience with just anyone and everyone; they’re sharing it with others whom may be interested in it also.  That someone else then comes and checks it out too.  They experience it and pass the word on again.  This is more slow and subtle than a buzz.  It’s more of a hum.  When something’s buzzing, it’s almost never a good thing.  But when something’s humming… well that’s the good stuff.

I suppose only time will tell if I’m right though.  :)

Link to Glenn Beck on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcSgWLaJuNE
Link to Free Press article about Bing’s reaction: http://www.freep.com/article/20110301/ENT03/110301012/Bing-knocks-Glenn-Beck-Detroit-Hiroshima-comparison
Link to Patrick Reyes blog post: http://patrickreyes.net/2011/03/02/maybe-glen-beck-was-right/

So I’m a few days behind with the whole Glenn Beck thing…
It’s March 4^th and although I’ve had a couple articles and a blog post bookmarked for a couple days now, I’m just catching up.  But really… I don’t feel like there’s much to say.

For you who don’t know yet, you can click through the links above and read for yourself or I’ll try to give a quick recap here:

Basically Glenn Back compared that last 50-60 years of Hiroshima’s history to Detroit.

Hiroshima was hit with an atomic bomb in 1945.  Scientists thought the city would be uninhabitable for decades.  Instead, they people decided to rebuild their city.  Now, 66 years later, Hiroshima is a thriving metropolis.  Beck points out that, yes there was some government assistance in rebuilding Hiroshima.  But the majority of the work, time and money it took to rebuild came from individuals who loved their city and would not let it lie in ruins.

Over this same time period Detroit has gone from a vibrant and thriving metropolis, the “Paris of the West,” to ruins.  Beck says that bad and corrupt government, corporate and union policies are what destroyed the Motor City.

Basically… yes.  I would also like to point out that he neglected to mention white flight.  White flight, in my opinion, was the catalyzing factor that enabled, encouraged and brought about bad and corrupt government, corporate and union policies.

But why is this news?  Anyone who lives in Southeast Michigan and is honest with themselves knows this to be true.  We’ve known this for decades.  We’ve watched this, we’ve experienced this and we’ve lived this for decades.  This isn’t news for February 28^th, 2011.  This is old news.

Detroit today is not the Detroit that is comparable to Hiroshima.  Or maybe it is, but the timelines are just askew.  Hiroshima came to its ruin in 1945.  Detroit came to its ruin more gradually culminating early this century.  But the phrase “will the last one out, please turn out the lights” will never apply to Detroit.

Detroit is being remade.  Yes, there are some governmental changes that are helping Detroit to be remade.  But not for the most part.  For the most part it is people, individuals who have decided they love their city and are not willing to let it fall to the wayside.

What Glenn Beck is missing is the current.  The current of Detroit has changed.  The river of wealth, knowledge and education is now beginning to flow the other way.  We, together, are stemming the tide of escapism, white flight and neglect.  We are stirring a new direction for our city.  There is a new tomorrow and more importantly, there is a new today.

There’s a song by Robbie Seay Band that says,

“And it might not be
The prettiest thing that you’ll ever see
But it’s a New Day
Oh baby it’s a New Day”

This is Detroit.  And this is a New Day.  And we have a new current.  The current is a city on the incline.  The current is a city that is being remade from the ground up through grassroots efforts and community organizers who are encouraging people to love their city and their neighbors.  And what is most exciting to me about the current is the strong role the body of Christ is playing in it.

We have people reversing white flight.  We have people sharing with other as they have need.  We have people beautifying their homes, their blocks and their city.  And they’re doing it for no other reason than to show the world that it’s a beautiful place and should be treated that way.  We have CCS, the DIA and the DSO.  We have food and restaurants galore.  We have urban prairies with deer, pheasants and chickens roaming free.  We are number 2 in the nation for fishing rod sales.  By consumption, we are the potato chip capital of the world.  We have more registered bowlers than anywhere else in country.  We have Critical Mass, Noel Night, the Auto Show and DEMF.

We may have inherited the problems of our parent’s Detroit.  But this is not our parent’s Detroit.  This is a New Day and it comes with a new current flowing in a new direction… forward.

Glenn Beck was right about where our problems came from.  But he’s missing where we are now.  A lot of people have been up in arms about what Glenn Beck said about Detroit.  I see no problem.  He’s right.  He’s just a bit behind the times.  There’s no point in denying our history with all of its victories and all of its defeats.  To deny one’s history is to deny one’s current state.  And I’m proud of our current state… or should I say… City.

A few links to good things: http://elevatedetroit.com (blatant self-promotion)
Palladium Boots / Johnny Knoxville video: http://www.palladiumboots.com/exploration/detroit
Requiem for Detroit by the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rkm3y (no, not the video clip unfortunately, but I do have a DVD)

We’re planning an outdoor family style dinner in late December in Detroit. From a logical perspective, from a rational perspective, it’s a dumb idea at best. From a Kingdom perspective… well I think it’s a Kingdom idea.

The idea is to have a family style sit down dinner. This isn’t us serving them. This is all of God’s family sitting at a common table and sharing a meal together in celebration of Christ. Christmas. It’s what the word truly means… celebration of Christ.

Close your eyes for a moment and just picture the park… The gazebo with holes rusted all over the roof. The light poles with no lights on top. The tags sprawling across the building wall. The dolphin.

It’s a place known in the neighborhood for crack and heroine dealing. It’s a violent place. A vile place. It’s a place I’ve been told that many neighborhood people won’t come unless “you’re here”. It’s a place I’ve been told that, “White people don’t belong here.” It’s a stronghold of a defeated enemy. And it’s being redeemed.

This is Christmas Day. Today there will be strings of lights and Christmas decorations. There will be tables all pushed together into one BIG table. There will be chairs lining all the way around. Hot food aplenty sprawling before our eyes and hungry bellies. Every color of person created (yes, even white people), every income level, every education level, every strength, every weakness, every addiction, every habit, good and bad, all beckoned to come sit together and share a common meal in celebration of our newly born and now risen Lord Jesus.

I don’t know what heaven will be like. I don’t know what God’s Kingdom looks like in its fullness. I hope we’ll be able to fly. That would be fun. But I do know that whatever it looks like… today we shall see a reflection… Yes, we shall see a reflection of Heaven. That reflection won’t be in rusty gazebo roofs, broken lamp posts or cement statues of oceanic mammals. It won’t be in strings of lights or piles of snow or sidewalk salt. It won’t be in decorated cookies or trees and it won’t be in pots of ham or green beans or dinner rolls. The reflection we’ll see will be in the eyes and hearts of every person around that table. Every glint of hope and faith and love in every eye glowing all the brighter as glint sees glint and love flows evermore like a fountain of life. We may not see what Heaven will look like. But in fleeting moments… if we’re paying attention… we’ll know what it feels like.

Grace and peace to each of you. It’s a deep honor to serve, love and celebrate Christ alongside each you. Truly… Merry Christ Mass

Robert Redmond Park is the park we’ve been BBQing at on Saturdays for the last three years. These BBQs started out with a small group of college students and friends on July 7th, 2007. They have grown to an inter-denominational movement amongst churches and campus groups across and throughout metro-Detroit and from as far away as Hancock, MI in the north to Austin, TX in the south.

The park is named after John Thompson’s brother. They were not biological brothers. Reverend Redmond (Robert Redmond’s dad and the pastor of Cass Community United Methodist) took him in as his own after John was orphaned as a young teen.

John Thompson is the owner of Honest John’s. Honest John’s is a bar/grill next to Robert Redmond Park. John has been EXTREMELY helpful to us through the years. He has held his restaurant open-handedly and allowed us to use anything and everything we’ve asked for. What’s more… we didn’t ask. He came to us and offered. He has offered repeatedly. He has considered it an honor and a compliment to his brother’s memory that we have been doing the work of Christ in his “brother’s park”.

John is going through a really rough time right now. Please take a minute right now and read this linked article: http://elevatedetroit.com/media/honestjohnsarticle.pdf

Now… please pray for John and Irene Thompson. Please also pray for what we as a group and as individuals will do for him in this time. This is someone whom only a few of us have ever met, but whom has helped and supported all of us in working for Christ these last three years. This is our chance to show him Christ. This is our chance to give him something back after all he’s done for us.

This is an opportunity to shine the light and hope of Christ into a moment of darkness and despair. This is a chance to share love with a brother in Christ who has been beaten and burned. This is a chance to be who we’re called to be.

E-mail me with suggestions both for us as a group and as individuals. Feel free to pass along this message to others who have been involved in the BBQs or are familiar with Honest John’s.

It is an honor to serve our God alongside you. Grace and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Mike Schmitt
(248) 259-1937
mike@elevatedetroit.com

The Samaritan woman connected with Jesus because a Jewish rabbi talked to her with love. And Jewish rabbis didn’t talk to Samaritan women.

A Samaritan woman, who was ashamed to be seen in public, suddenly had the courage and heart to go talk to a whole city.

A whole city was saved because a Samaritan woman talked to a Jewish rabbi. And she shared her story of what happened.

A whole city was saved because two people, who because of racial and cultural prejudices, should’ve been kept separate and should never have crossed paths. But they connected. And they shared their stories of who they were.

And 2000 years later their story is still inspiring people to connect with those they otherwise wouldn’t. Because a Jewish rabbi talked with love to a Samaritan woman and a whole city was saved.

Detroit’s motto (since 1805): Speramus meliora; resurget cineribus. “We hope for better things, it will rise from the ashes.”

It’s been a bit crazy because the same group of leaders are now leading two of the BBQs each month instead of one. So these leaders have basically doubled their efforts to help. Then we got a call from a leader of one of the other weeks. They told us they’d done everything they could, but they just weren’t going to be able to lead this months BBQ nor could they find someone to do it in their place. They were going to have to cancel the BBQ for that date.

I really didn’t want to do that because we’ve just begun telling people in the neighborhood that we’re there every week now. And now just a few weeks in we have to cancel one? No, no… we can’t let that happen.

To make things even worse, this is Easter weekend’s BBQ. This is the weekend we celebrate the Last Supper, the crucifixion and the resurrection. Last Supper… the time when Jesus instituted eating a meal together and we were going to have to cancel the BBQ. Not cool.

Not knowing how it would happen at all, I made a decision the way I often make them… I said don’t cancel it, we’ll make it happen… all the while having no idea how it actually would happen… just going for it in the spite of common sense. Even yesterday morning, truth be told I still didn’t know what would happen.

And shame on me… after we’ve been doing these Homeless BBQs for almost two years and have watched miracle after miracle happen through so many different parts of the body of Christ working together as a body unified around a common vision of living out the person of Jesus in a humble park in the middle of Detroit, I still doubt.

And just to show me… God showed up. Just like he always does… The weather was perfect, the stomachs were full and there were people from Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran and Charismatic churches working together side by side throwing in a bit of extra effort than normal to make an Easter BBQ happen on a beautiful sunny day. We even had a visit from John of Honest John’s to tell us that if we ever need anything just let him know. He offered the services of his bathroom, water spicket and ice machine as well as anything else we need. I asked him about the building next door. For those who don’t know, there is a group of us who feel called to plant a church there. We’ve been having a hard time finding out who owns the place and how to go forward from there. I asked John if he knew what the address was. He said “No, but I can tell you who owns it.” I can’t even tell you how exciting that was. The body of Christ being the body of Christ, working out in the beautiful sunshine, watching God open doors right in front of our eyes… What a glorious day God put together!

–For those wondering… We’re still trying to raise money to buy a trailer to house all the BBQ stuff. We need about $2500.

–For those interested in hearing more about the church plant happening at 2nd & Selden, write to mike@elevatedetroit.com or check out it’s own blog which is still currently being put together at http://dandelionschurch.wordpress.com/

God is moving here…  Happy St. Patty’s Day

“Its purpose is to help inform students of the realities of poverty, but also to share with them how Jesus Christ offers hope in the midst of those difficult circumstances.  …  The point of the discussion would be for each of you to share what it is you do, how long you have been working at it, that sort of thing, and for students to be able to ask you questions about the issues surrounding what you’re doing.”

I’ll post more details of this when I get them.  (should be Monday)

We’ve got two more groups lined up to shift over to the first Saturday of the month beginning in April, one of whom is brand new to Elevate!

As always, your feedback, suggestions and criticism is always appreciated!

Mike