PECKING ORDER

Six months ago my husband and I began an endeavor that involves chickens.  Recently we added a new hen into the mix.  I have heard the expression ‘establishing a pecking order’ but I never really knew what it looked like.  It has been amazing to watch each of the chickens stretch themselves out to look bigger, flap their wings, peck at each other, and try to take over.  Seems everyone wants to be “Queen of the coop”.  It’s the same way with a lot of people.

That got me thinking about this Serve Day- both Part I on June 1 and Part II on June 29.  At every project all you saw were people working- there was no difference between the CEO’s and the homeless.  There was no puffing, or flapping, or pecking; everyone had laid aside their desire to be “King or Queen of the coop” and was just focused on serving.   Now every time I watch the chickens it’s a good reminder to me to lay aside my haughty attitude, my perceived self-worth, even my own agenda and just serve.  After all, that’s what Jesus did and He’s the one I really want to be like!

Jaime Chambers

Trinity Presbyterian Church & Rancho Adolfo Mobile Home Park

The residents of Rancho Adolfo Estates in Camarillo have looked forward to ACTION’s Serve Day each 1st Saturday of June every year for many years!  We’ve loved seeing them gather in their ACTION t-shirts at our clubhouse equipped with their buckets, ladders, and cleaning supplies; to be dispatched throughout the park to meet a variety of needs.

To quote our park manager, Carol Rutherford, “We LOVE what ACTION does…reaching out to our community to help our senior residents with tasks they may no longer be able to do themselves…look forward to it every year!  We also can’t wait to receive our Christmas Shoppe box in December that we place outside the office for residents to donate toys for needy families!”  It’s a wonderful organization!!

Joy Lawson

 

Senior Exercise Class

We had a great time with the seniors at Ashlee Manor. We had about 9 men and women that joined us for our exercise class. They really enjoyed my special therapy stretches and then our 50’s music aerobics. We ended with laughter and hugs, it was encouraging to all of us. I believe God’s love was shared and good things happened (one lady was able to use her leg better than in years, One man was able to walk his usual lap faster with less leg pain,  2 ladies committed to exercising together regularly, I was able to have a long friendly conversation with a lady who was described as feeling down lately).

 

Pilar Hanes

Genesis Physical Therapy

Cornerstone Moorpark

Westminster Presbyterian Church goes to The Light House

On Serve Day 2013 9 volunteers from the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Westlake Village came out to Oxnard to serve the women and children at the Light House.

The Light House is a facility for women and children that accomplishes three things: refuge; including food, shelter, and clothing for those in need.
Recovery; biblically based programs to minister to the whole person; body, mind, and spirit. And, restoration; equipping people to lead productive and independent lives.

When the Saturday of Serve Day came up, the Westminster Presbyterian Church was ready and raring to go paint at the Light House.  They brought their small but mighty group of 9 to paint the office/meeting building on the Light House campus.  With a joyful attitude they spent the morning lovingly painting all of the walls, doors and ceilings in the building completely transforming the inside of the old building into a clean and fresh environment for the ladies of the Light House.  All the while chatting with the ladies who came by to curiously ask where they were from and thanking them for painting a building that they spend alot of time in.  Building relationships and sharing fellowship is certainly a Saturday well spent!