Friday Cookout Gets Some Star Power

I just got off the phone with my old friend, KCRG-TV9's Joe Winters, who is coming to our Friday Night Cookout at McKinley Middle School! The Free cookout is from 6-9 PM. Joe will be doing live weathershots on the 5 and 6 PM Newscasts.

Joe is a devout Catholic and a stand up guy. I liked him personally and professionally all 5 years I was at KCRG working as a news reporter. I was pleased to see him take over as Chief Meteorologist for Denny Frary and I am pleased to see he's coming to our cookouts! His presence will do wonders to promote all the Christian-based events this weekend to celebrate Cedar Rapidians making it one-year flood free. These events demonstrate God's amazing grace and love for all the world - even amidst a tragedy such as the flood. Please tune in at 5 and 6 to see Joe live - or better yet - set your DVR and join us on site for a free hamburger and shake the man's hand. God is so good!

Gruhn's house is Greenlit!

Oh happy day! After months of backlog and red tape, Jumpstart has finally approved all work to be completed on the Gruhn family's home. I am SO excited. I spent a full day driving back and forth from the Jumpstart offices to the contractor's house to the Gruhn's in Marion to get all the paperwork signed. Folks, we are a "GO."

Here's the plan: I met with the Gruhn family to get a list of their priorities and needs to finish the job. We all have the same goal: Get Kia back home before she starts school in mid-August. I backdated our weekly priorities from August and took the work calendar to Pat, the contractor hired by the Gruhn's. Pat said it looks great and is doable!

We will have workdays EVERY SATURDAY morning beginning Sat. June 20th. Please watch this blog for weekly needs.

Pat's guys are currently putting in the HVAC. This is in HIGH demand right now in CR. Pat hopes to have this completed by Friday, June 19th, so we can get in on Sat. the 20th to begin putting in insulation and siding. I will be busy with the flood anniversary this weekend; I plan on contacting you next week about your availability.

Sign Here Please

Our worship planning group decided to add a wrinkle to worship this weekend. Seeing as it is the one-year anniversary of the flood, we are asking people to write down the FIRST NAMES ONLY of people on their hearts who were touched by the flood on our cityscape banners. We will then hold them in prayer as we worship each week by having their names surrounding our worship space.

How will this work? The group decided it wouldn't be best to take down the banners and put them in the Nave, as we don't want to rip the banners or tear up the walls. So, we have decided to invite people as they are coming or going from worship or communion to use one of the pens placed under the banners to write names as high as they can reach. Tall people, please reach high!

I think this will be a moving experience for many members of our congregation (myself included) as we ALL know at least one person, if not many, touched by the flood. This isn't limited to just Cedar Rapids or just First Lutheran Members. If you know people in Palo, Iowa City, or elsewhere touched by last year's floods, please include their first names on the banner.

An Organic Shot in the City's Arm

Hundreds turned out on a rain soaked Saturday for what turned out to be a monumental occasion for the city of Cedar Rapids, all wrapped in the normalcy of home grown radishes.

Katie is a HUGE fan of the farmer's market (as are a number of Cedar Rapidians) and we've been circling this date for a while. Last year, CR started a new venture. In addition to the number of smaller farmer's markets at various locations, the city decided to try one mega market in the downtown area, which later turned out to be ground zero for the flood. Last year's one mega market was a huge success, but then the waters came and washed out any future ventures, until this past weekend. This was the city's first reload for the mega market and the townspeople apparently were ready for radishes, homemade bread, fresh cut flowers, and the like. Katie and I had talked for days about going and we weren't going to let a little rain stop us! So we packed Hayden in his "yoda pack," put Kirk in the stroller, and we hit the city streets.

Oh my gosh were there a lot of people there! It was like an umbrella city, but the moisture couldn't wipe the smiles off people's faces. It felt so good to participate in something so positive for our town. It was normalcy again. Thank God! A little rain without fear of causing any damage. I'll take it! Oh, and I got some fantastic, fresh radishes and Kirk got a bite of a hot, apple turnover! The next mega market is on the first Saturday of July. If it's a dry day, I can't even imagine how many people will be downtown soaking up the sun and experiencing the sense of a city on the mend.

Flier Drop Touches Hearts

Larry and I walked up and down 14th Street SE, put papers in people's hands and said, "Free food." People said, "Okay, I'll be there!" It was fantastic and very easy! Larry and I were even touched by encountering a few people living in new homes after being flooded out of their old houses. One really nice woman effected by the flood was putting in some beautiful new flowers in front of her new house. Larry asked a few questions and we ended up having a short prayer with her. The woman was in tears and I think Larry and I were both fighting them back too! God is so good. He never gives up on us...even when we are forced by Mother Nature to relocate our entire lives. There is hope! This was a great, spirit-filled activity.

Extra Extra Read all about it!

Our own Barb Hanson made the news with a story about the fantastic "Camp Noah" we are hosting this summer for kids affected by last year's flood. Check it out. Here's a link:

http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/46864792.html

Creative Minds Wanted

We are in dire need of inspiration. Our church is charge of music/entertainment next Friday night for our neighborhood cookout. I for the life of me can't seemed to get motivated to figure this out. Does anyone have any ideas of how to bring live pop/rock musicians or recorded music to this event? Challenge: We don't have electricity on-site at McKinley. I am about ready to crank my pickup radio and roll down the windows!

We also need some yard games and fun stuff like face painting. Anyone have redneck golf?

Ideas greatly wanted! Your thoughts...