Why Sarah needs a car

The statement which jumps out at me from this video is, “we just jump in the car”.  Sarah is talking about taking the boys home from the street to their family.  Please join the effort to replace her car which is no longer serviceable and let’s play a role in getting these boys back home where they belong.

After spending 10 days with Sarah back in October last year, I know just how important the car she drives is to the ministry there.  Only $5,000 is left to raise!  Decide how much you can give toward the transportation which allows little boys and young teenagers to go home to their moms and dads.

$500

$100

$50

$25

Here is the link for you to go online and give your tax deductible donation toward this ministry car.

Serving The Garden part 2

One of the reason’s we serve at The Garden is because it doesn’t just effect the women and children, but it effects those of us who serve. Please read below a story from Nikki Sebren about one of her experiences.

What a beautiful, blessed & fulfilling day I had :)!!! Today, after I helped get Weatherly & Tennyson ready for school, Mikel & I drove to The Garden to spend a day with a resident at the homeless shelter. She has been living at The Garden for about 2 years after she lost her job as a teacher. Not long after she lost her job her self-esteem plummeted, she ran out of her severance money & found herself with no where to live. At this point she had no clue what to do – she prayed for guidance and God led her to The Garden, a shelter for women and children. She found comfort, refuge and a family there. Now, 2 years later, she is trying to gain control of her life again. Today Mikel and I took her to get a photo ID and open a bank account. Social Security is beginning to pay for her disability so she will be able to start going to a doctor and get her health under control which will allow her to get a job and in turn rent an apartment. What a blessing!!! God is so good :)!!!! I can not tell you enough on how she blessed my life with her beautiful spirit, her friendship and her love. I could not have asked for a better day….

Thank you Lord for bringing us together today and allowing us to praise your name together and enriching our lives further with your love. You are an awesome God!!!!!

Are you ready to serve?

Serving The Garden part 1

One of the reason’s we serve at The Garden is because it doesn’t just effect the women and children, but it effects those of us who serve.  Please read below a story from Melissa Driggers about one of her experiences.

The Garden is a ministry in Atlanta that provides homeless women and children with temporary shelter while they find jobs and permanent housing. The ministry assists the women in both spiritual and professional development. Jason Sebren, the outreach pastor at The Vine, has a special heart for this ministry and has been working with The Garden for quite some time. It is indeed a very special place.

I have had the privilege of leading the ladies in a few of their Monday night Bible study sessions. They are such beautiful women. Their stories of trials, perseverance, faith, and strength will truly melt your heart.

Belle Marie is a woman that could easily be a co-worker of yours or mine. A woman working as the principal of a school who fell ill and after a time, her insurance and disability ran out. She had nowhere else to go. Zu is a beautiful soul who left the life she knew out West to come here to start over with her children. The temptation and influences at home were too great. She walked away from everything to make a new life for herself and for her 2 small children.

These women could be any of us. Statistics show that most Americans are one to two paychecks away from being homeless if financial disaster struck.

And sometimes, it strikes.

And sometimes, leaving everything behind is worth it to make a new, safe, honest life.

He makes all things new.

During my first trip to The Garden, when I nervously spoke to the women with a message on that very Scripture, I shared a small portion of my testimony. Part of my story involves a song that holds deep meaning for me in my journey. It was the song that moved me to walk down the aisle at 11 years old to accept Christ.

“In moments like these, I sing out a song,
I sing out a love song to Jesus.
In moments like these, I lift up my hands,
I lift up my hands to the Lord.
Singing I love you, Lord…
I love you, Lord…I love you Lord…
I love you, Lord. I love you.”

A simple chorus with a beautiful melody. A song I would never again hear until 20 years later, after running from God for twelve years. Nine years ago, driving home from a bar in the middle of the night, there it was on my radio. And everything changed. I found my way back Home.

He makes all things new.

At the Garden that Monday night a few months ago, we all sang the song together. It was beautiful to hear their voices lift to Him such a sweet love song. I was so nervous that first time at The Garden, and I left feeling disappointed in myself. For the most part, it seemed that the women weren’t very responsive. I felt as though I had failed to connect and that I didn’t make any real impact.

Fast forward to last month. The Vine sent a team to The Garden just before Valentine’s Day to lavish some love on these women and children in a very special way. On a special Saturday, the kids did crafts, played on inflatables, and enjoyed lots of fun games. The women were treated to a day at the salon – we did their nails, had a team of hairdressers to do their hair, and a team of makeup artists did their makeup. Here’s the really cool part: Jason’s wife, Nikki is an incredible photographer (LuvBug Photography, check her out!), and she took their pictures. You see, these women have lost nearly everything on the streets, including their family pictures. Think about what your family photographs mean to you.

Consuela, a shelter guest at The Garden, sat down at our nail table and extended her hand while I did her nails. As I held her hand to start her manicure, she began to sing…

“In moments like these, I sing out a song…I sing out a love song to Jesus…”

I didn’t recognize her. I didn’t make the connection. I said, “Hey, I know that song, and I love it.” She said, “Yes, I know. You taught it to us a few months ago, and now I sing it every day. Do you remember?”

Do I remember? Yes, I remember. I couldn’t believe SHE remembered.

God WILL make Himself known. Whether we “feel” it or not, His Word brings impact. It truly is the sword that cuts through the darkness. The darkness that falls when you have no home of your own. His Word cut through her darkness. And mine.

He opens ears and hearts and minds when His love is shown and when Truth is shared. It doesn’t matter if we feel it. It’s there. And they remember.

I remember.

She remembers.

Are you ready to serve?

The Vine in Maputo, Mozambique

From Sunday, Oct. 18th through Wednesday, Oct. 28th four people from The Vine will be Loving God through Loving Others in Maputo, Mozambique. Please be in prayer for Pat Jarvis, Gus Bishop, Morgan Collins and Jason Sebren as they travel to this distant land to discover how the people of The Vine can collectively and individually make a difference in the lives of young boys who have become homeless for one reason or another. We will be working with Sarah Olds a missionary we support who has been serving there for the past couple of years to continue her work with these young boys in reconnecting them with their families.

Once we return there will be opportunities for others to begin connecting to this project on many different levels. Please pray for this work as we go and pray for our families as they are without us while we are serving. You can sign up for a prayer spot on the 24 hr pray coverage team at the Guest Services Desk on Sunday or you can pray at anytime.

NEXT step in responding to the flood

What a great response we had to the opportunity to serve the Tovar family who was flooded out.  Ken and I had the amazing pleasure of delivering the gifts to them and seeing hope begin to be restored in their face.  Dora shared with us that they will not be receiving any help from FEMA.  They will not receive a grant and they do not meet FEMA’s standard for receiving a loan.  After she had received this bad news from FEMA, she needed the restoration of hope we were able to bring when we showed up with the gifts from The Vine.

They have now found another trailer, although this is rent instead of own now it is time for us to fill the gap and fill this trailer with all the necessary goods for living.

NEXT step in serving the Tovar Family is for us to begin to gather used household items and begin to make their trailer a home.  Here is the plan and we must move FAST!

Gather everything you can and spread the word.  We will meet at The Vine’s Facility on Saturday morning, October 10th, at 10:30 a.m. to follow Ken over to the trailer (it’s in Buford) and deliver everything.  Once again please be at The Vine at 10:30 a.m. and we will drive together to deliver our gifts to the Tovar family.  This will give you an opportunity to meet the family and help continue the process of giving them hope and restoration.

NEEDS:
-Dinner table & chairs

-bed for mom and dad
-2 Beds for the girls
-Crib for Jerred
-Bed stuff-sheets, blankets, pillows, etc
-T.V.
-Dressers for all of them
-Dishes & stuff to eat & drink from
-Entertainment center/something to put the tv on
-they have a sofa, but could use a chair (might could use a sofa also)

– coffee table / end tables

. . . these are the things they listed, but remember they lost everything the night the water came in and they left with only their pj’s on.

Get in Sunday

This Sunday, Oct. 4th, we want to make sure no one misses the opportunity to show Franscyco, Dora and the kids just how much God Loves them through The Vine. If you haven’t been able to go shopping or you have been shopping but for some reason didn’t get your items dropped off at Classy Nail and Tan then get in Sunday. We are planning to connect with the family on Sunday afternoon for delivery. It’s not to late to make a difference in someone’s life who has be devistated.

Click here for details but know you can bring your gifts to The Vine on Sunday morning at 9:30 or 11 a.m. and join us in our current series, “the Vine Dare”.

It’s time to respond!

One day last week there was a picture in the paper of a community, Countryside Village, in Lawrenceville, GA which was devastated by the flood waters.  Countryside Village didn’t have much said about it, but my heart was captured.  Maybe because it is the type of place I grew up, or maybe because I couldn’t find much information about it after the initial story.  Whatever the reason over the past week I have been searching for this place and looking for ways we can connect The Vine to the people of Countryside Village.  If you see the pictures above, you will see the saddest part is the children being effected by this whole situation.  The second picture shows just the pure damage the water did as everything has been thrown out of the house.  If you look closely at the 3rd picture, you can see the water line on the house.

After spending time prayer driving the community with my kids on Sunday, Ken Westbrooks and I went back today with a load of water to make the first step in letting the people know that The Vine cares.

We made contact with many families who were totally washed out and don’t really know what is next.  One person after another told us, “we are just going to wait on FEMA”.  Then we meet Dora.  She was standing outside of her washed out home with 2 of her 3 kids.  We stopped and offered her some water, which she gladly received.  I asked her if she had a plan and her answer was so different from many of the other ones we had received, “I am waiting to see what happens and just where the help is going to come from.”  Then she said, “I don’t really know.”  She is married and has 3 children who are 7, 3, and 9 months.  They were all asleep when someone started banging on the window and yelling, “the water is coming the water is coming!”  They left everything in the middle of the night dressed only in their night clothes.  Franscyco and Dora had NO choice but to get the two girls Ashley, 7 and Paolla, 3 along with Jerrd 9 months and head for higher ground.  They loaded up in the family car and were gone.  Left behind was everything, even one of their cars.  Toys, clothes, important paperwork and all the memories that comes with being a family and having stuff.  They are currently staying for a few days with her sister, but that will only last for so long.  Her sister has a small place and 4 kids of her own.

Here is where we come in as The Vine.  We can provide for this family the way we would want the people of God to step up and provide for us.  I am asking for you to go shopping.  Below you will find the sizes for each of the family members and I want us to make them know the joy of restoration.  Please don’t bring your used stuff to this family only to go and buy new stuff to replace your used stuff.  How about we keep our used stuff and just go straight for the goal of first fruits and give new to those who have lost it all.  I will say this, if my family lost it all, I would want to be able to give my little ones something new.  Lets make it happen.

Here the details:

Drop off: Classy Nail and Tan,
View Larger Map“>5771 Old Winder Hwy Braselton, GA 30517

If you need to speak with someone at the drop off location, please call Shawn @ 404-667-3566

Drop off dates: Tuesday 9/29, Wednesday 9/30, Thursday 10/1, Friday 10/2 and Saturday 10/3 by noon.

Needs:

Franscyco – 32 x 32 pants, med – shirt

Dora – 8 pants, large – shirt

Ashley, 7 year old girl – size 9 or 10

Paolla, 3 year old girl – size 4

Jerrd, 9 month old boy – size 12 months

diaper size 3

Ashley loved to ride her bike before it was ruined in the flood.  Paolla loves to play with anything Dora the explorer (funny since mommy is named Dora).  Jerrd is 9 months old and will play with anything he can put in his mouth.

Lets respond to this family in need as only the people of God can and show them how much God cares so they will want to know more about our God who cares.

They lost everything and are wearing their cousin’s clothes to school and bed each day.   Remember pick up and delivery will happen on Saturday, so GO SHOPPING NOW and lets make a difference!

Flood Response . . .

I know everyone has heard about the flood that has hit Atlanta . . . the question is, do you know anyone specifically who needs helps?  God calls us to respond to those in need and it is time for us to show the community we are the people of God.  If you know anyone in need, please Fill out this form!. If you are someone who would like to be a part of the quick response team, please Fill out this form!.

Thanks for being the hands and feet of Christ to a community in need.

Guest Services Serve Opportunities

At The Vine there are many serve opportunities and we want to make sure you know about them and how to take your NEXT step. Take a look here at the current opportunities with in Guest Services and fill out the online form to take your NEXT step.

GREETING TEAM MEMBER

Greeting Team members have never met a stranger! They are energetic, talkative, and
friendly. The Greeting Team actively demonstrates God’s love with every smile and hello
they give on Sundays. These volunteers pass out bulletins and pens, hold doors open for
guests, and ensure that all feel welcome at The Vine.
Time Commitment: 30 minutes before and 10 minutes after a service, every week or every
other week.
Age Requirement: 12 years old.

Greeting Team Volunteer Position Descriptions

Door Greeters
Door greeters hold doors to the auditorium open and hand out pens and bulletins as
guests are walking in. Most importantly, they always minister with a smile!

Lobby Greeters
Lobby greeters are positioned anywhere from the center of the lobby area to the
outside doors. They cover all areas of the lobby with smiles and are friendly and
helpful as they welcome and assist guests. From directing guests to restrooms to
carrying on friendly conversations, these volunteers are vital to creating a welcoming
experience that continues to attract others to The Vine.

Good-bye Greeters
Good-bye greeters exit the auditorium at the beginning of the very last song in the
service in order to hold the doors open and collect pens as people are leaving. They
hand out various items when needed. These greeters are vital to concluding the
welcoming experience that will keep guests coming back for more. They ensure that
all exiting guests understand that we are sincerely glad they came to The Vine.
Any Greeter available to support Good-byes is asked to do so.

Guest Services Information Team
The members of the Information Team are known for their well organized, outgoing, quick thinking personalities. The purpose of the Information Team is to provide details about
The Vine to the guests at each service. From overseeing sign-ups to answering questions
about Cluster Groups and volunteer teams, the Information Team is a multifaceted area of service.
Time Commitment: 30 minutes before and 10 minutes after a service, every week or every
other week.
Age Requirement: 18 years old.

Important information for you to know:
· Make every effort not to mingle with other volunteers while the crowd is in the
atrium. We want to make sure that all guests know they are welcome!
· Each Greeting Team volunteer should remain in position until relieved by a leader.
· In every service position, the most important thing to remember is to love people!
· People are our priority, so eye contact and attention should remain on guests the
entire time.

Usher Team

The Usher Team exists to ensure that everyone present experiences a distraction-free
service. Ushers guide people to the nearest available seat in a quick and orderly fashion.
It is their goal to express the love of Christ through their willingness to help our guests find
the perfect seat. The ushers also take up the offering at the end of the service.
Time Commitment: 30 minutes before a service and the last 5 minutes of the service, every
week or every other week.
Age Requirement: 18 years old.

Important information for you to know:
· Stay alert and keep your attention on the traffic coming into the auditorium at all
times. Facing the doors at all times will ensure that no guest is overlooked. Be
especially alert during any music, video, or prayer. During this time, guests will
continue to enter and your presence is crucial in making their entrance comfortable.
· As you guide guests to a seat, try to send each person as far to the front of the
auditorium as possible. Also, ask if they wouldn’t mind moving to the center of each
row to make seating easier.
· Always keep an eye on the number of seats you have available in your assigned
section and keep up communication with other ushers. Doing so will help minimize
distraction as the auditorium fills up and will also allow us to maximize the capacity
of seating in the auditorium.
· Some guests have to sit near the back for various reasons (they’re on call, worried
about their child, the music is too loud, they have to leave early, volunteering, etc.).
In any of these cases, accommodate these individuals as requested.
· Seating of guests ends when the message intro video begins; all ushers should be
seated before David comes on stage.

Parking Team

At The Vine, before anyone even sets foot out of their car, they have already received a
warm welcome from the people of this team. The parkers add a new level of service to
The Vine. These volunteers are truly on the frontline. Without this team, entry and exit
into the campus would not only be slower, but also less fun!
Time Commitment: 30 minutes before and 10 minutes after a service, every week or every
other week.
Age Requirement: 18 years old.

Important information for you to know:
· Make every effort not to mingle with other volunteers while directing traffic. We
want to make sure that all guests know they are welcome and are able to find parking
spaces quickly! Not to mention…we want you to be safe!
· In case of bad weather, there are raincoats provided for the Parking Team.
· Parking Team members continue serving until about 15 minutes after the service has
begun due to the fact that the crowd does not stop entering until somewhere around
that time. We want to ensure that every guest is parked…even those who come in
late. Always keep in mind who we are trying to reach.

Coffee Bar

Whether brewing coffee or cutting muffins, these volunteers have smiles on their faces and love making our facilities a little more inviting.
Time Commitment: 30 minutes on Sunday, every week or every other week.
Age Requirement: 16 years old.

To express interest in taking your NEXT step with Guest Services Serve Team please Fill out this form! Once this form is submitted someone will contact you with in a week to discuss your NEXT step.

Worship Arts & Production Serve Opportunities

Worship Arts and Production

At The Vine there are many serve opportunities and we want to make sure you know about them and how to take your NEXT step. Take a look here at the current opportunities with in Worship Arts and Production and fill out the online form to take your NEXT step.

Audio – The audio team at The Vine is responsible for setting up and running the sound system for The Vine [band], as well as recording audio for the podcast.  After training is completed, audio team members serve one or two weekends a month, which includes band practice on Tuesday and Sunday morning services.

Tech Team – The technology team at The Vine is responsible for installation and operation of hardware including computers, projectors, televisions, lighting, video switchers, video cameras, etc.  The tech team operates computer software including ProPresenter, ProVideoPlayer on Sunday mornings, as well as operating video cameras.  Most team members serve two Sundays a month from 7:00am – 1:00pm.

Production – The production team at The Vine includes set building/carpentry, set-up & tear down of the worship center (staging, trussing, chairs, signage, etc.) and implementation of new stage designs per series.  There are extra opportunities for service in this area during peak-times such as Christmas and Easter.  Some production volunteers serve weekly, and others serve on an as-needed basis.

Video Production – The video production team creates videos that add value to messages and help create atmosphere at The Vine.  We are currently looking for people with professional-quality experience in video production, editing, script writing.  Time commitment varies by project.

Animation and Graphics – The graphics team at The Vine creates media including, but not limited to: series graphics, signage, print media, animated bumper videos, and animated click-track videos.  We are currently looking for people with professional-quality experience in Adobe After Effects, Illustrator, and Photoshop.  Time commitment varies by project.

Web Design / IT – Currently, the web team at The Vine maintains and designs our website, www.connecttothevine.org.  We are interested in expanding this area of service in the future, as well as exploring other internally supported IT networks and solutions.  If you have professional experience with web design, website maintenance, or other IT-related fields, we would love to speak with you.  Time commitment varies by project.

Additional Areas of Artistry – Occasionally at The Vine, we have the need for artists (all mediums), dancers, actors, bakers, and other creative, skilled people to implement various projects.  If you have a unique area of giftedness, we’d love to add you to our database of artistic volunteers.

To express interest in taking your NEXT step with Worship Arts and Production Serve Team please Fill out this form! Once this form is submitted someone will contact you with in a week to discuss your NEXT step.