common ground montgomery news and updates

luncheon series: sideways grace

/

Please join us for our first of many (we hope!) lecture series by Bryan Kelly, Sideways Grace.

This month Bryan will share ideas of people who are broken together; the theology of walking "with" instead of doing ministry "to".  The discussion will also include how to walk with hurting people, explaining on an expanded view of sin from wickedness and rebellion to include brokenness and the process of sanctification.

Bring your lunch and come ready to learn!!

SIDEWAYS GRACE LUNCH AND LEARN
HOST:
Bryan Kelly, 334-593-5803

WHEN:
Wednesday, October 28 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM

WHERE:
Common Ground Montgomery, 1516 Mobile Road, Montgomery, AL 36108

Please register here on Evite.

the mentoring life

/

BY KEVIN KING

In our vision we communicate that we are an incubator for gospel created relationships that transform Montgomery and beyond. The Mentor Program is a great avenue for cultivating these relationships as we prayerfully match mentors and mentees.

Sometimes when our students profess faith in Christ, it is difficult to follow up with them because of limited staff.

Thankfully, we have mentors who are in position to go a little deeper on an individual level. This is a journey as the mentor unpacks to the mentee what it means to know and follow Christ in all areas of life. This is an opportunity for mentors to bring their students closer to Jesus through an ongoing, one-to-one relationship.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that every time that they get together that they use it as an opportunity to have a Bible study. This does mean, however, that as mentors invest time and get to know their mentee as a person (likes, dislikes, interest, fears, passions, weaknesses, etc.) that they listen, learn, encourage, and look for opportunities to introduce them to the person of Jesus Christ.

This doesn’t only mean sharing a gospel presentation but communicating and demonstrating with their daily life in front of their mentees why and how Jesus loves them and cares a great deal for their spiritual, physical, social, and emotional well-being.

We approach mentoring this way because some, myself included, have been guilty of building relationships with the intent of winning someone to Christ without actually caring to get to know the actual person, even it doesn’t have anything to do with spirituality. We subconsciously do this with good intentions because of our desire to be an instrument of redemption that causes the angels to rejoice in heaven.

To be honest, though, people notice when we have an agenda, so the relational repercussions can be damaging once they realize that we only are in the relationship to try and lead them to Christ. But what if they never come to Christ?  Whether it is mentoring in a formal capacity with CGM, or just any other relationship, people actually want to be treated as if they are humans with real life issues instead of only some project that needs salvation. 

Being a mentor may seem not as easy, at least in this light, but we are proud to have them on board and we look forward to seeing them walk with their mentees as they both walk with Christ and share life together.

when being present is all you can offer

/

BY Cornelius "CJ" Jackson

Something in her eyes betrayed the frown on her face. Yes, the young eight year-old girl who had just exited the Common Ground Montgomery van was snarling — appearing to be angry and defiant. But sadness in her eyes told a different story. As she made her way to the gymnasium where other energetic kids were running around and playing, it was apparent that she was in no mood for fun. My first thought — she got in trouble on the van ride to the CGM campus. Or maybe some kids were picking at her and she was upset.

“What’s wrong, baby girl?” I asked.

“Nothing!!!”

The sharp reply did not originate from the pouting lips in front of me. Instead, an older girl had closed the distance between me and the young girl, running up from behind her and draping her arm around her shoulders; comforting her, protecting her. They were sisters.

Again, I inquired, “What’s going on?”

The small child’s mouth moved, but the words were inaudible. I stooped down in front of her—my face mere inches from hers. I could see her eyes tearing up quickly; big tears streaming down her round cheeks, splattering the front of her uniform shirt. She repeated her sentence, and I made out what she’d previously exclaimed: “I want my daddy!”

Oh... I see.

This is common, familiar; children have bad days and want to call home. They don’t want to be anywhere but in the arms of their mom or on the laps of their dad.

“Maybe we can call your dad. Will that make you feel better?”

More tears - big sadness in her eyes - more tears.

“Our daddy is dead,” said the older sister, the protector.

And then I remembered. It was a few months back, he was murdered in Gibbs Village.

Man — I feel so stupid.

“Come here!” I call out. And I take them both into my arms and try to comfort them — my mind racing, thinking, imagining how a little girl must attempt to process such big pain. How could I focus on a test if death was my distraction? What would my public mood be like if melancholy was my personal acquaintance?

“I got you, baby girl… I got you!”  

2 Corinthians 1:3-4   Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

I do thank God for the privilege and the opportunity that CGM gives me to just be present, to be available — even if that is all I can offer.

meet miss tori

/

BY AVA CONLEY

I am a firm believer that we at CGM have the best volunteers in the world.  We could not function at Common Ground Montgomery without the faithfulness of our volunteers. They serve whole-heartedly on a weekly to daily basis. I am constantly blown away by how God is using our volunteers in our program, our community and our city! I would love to take a moment to highlight another one of the amazing people that the Lord has brought to us!

Tori is one of our staff members and serves in the office at CGM, BUT she faithfully serves in our after school program and leads a bible study for 1st and 2nd grade girls. She may get a pay check, but she goes above and beyond to serve and I am so grateful to her! I definitely consider her one of our most faithful volunteers! I wanted to take a moment and have her answer a few questions about her experiences at CGM.

Q: How long have you been volunteering with CGM?
I have been working with Common Ground for nine months now, since January.

Q: Why do you love coming to CGM?
I love coming to CGM because I am surrounded by supportive people that encourage me in my walk with Christ and as I strive to share my faith with the students I engage with. I learn something new (and usually unexpected) from them every day and I love it!

Q: What is your favorite area to volunteer in?
My favorite area to volunteer with is the academic part of the after school program and also Bible study. Last week I worked with some of the third grade girls on their spelling homework. We made this monotonous task into a competitive game to help the girls learn their words. It was so rewarding to listen to them brag about their spelling test scores the next day. It's important to get the students excited about education in order to truly develop an appreciation of it so that they can share it with others. Kids view their knowledge as something they can take pride in as it is solely their possession. We can teach and preach all we want, but if they are not involved and engaged they will not retain the valuable information and lessons we strive to instill.

I taught my first Bible study last Wednesday and it was an exciting new experience for me. I didn't want the girls to be forced to sit and listen to me talk because that is not very effective with younger students so I made the lesson discussion-based and allowed them to talk in small groups. Many of the girls were eager to pray and share their thoughts which I found very encouraging. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me and my class over the next few months!

Q: Who is your favorite staff person?
Jamal Doaty: I have had the great experience of watching Doaty grow into an incredible staff member. Over the summer he went above and beyond to make the summer camp a success! Now, in the After School Program he has developed a strong relationship with the middle school boys and is working to start a boys basketball team. His words of encouragement have continually helped me grow and I know God has incredible plans with this man.

Q: How has volunteering at CGM impacted you?
Volunteering at CGM has greatly impacted my life. I don't mean that in a cliché way whatsoever. I have grown closer to God by simply being around such encouraging followers of Christ. I think that I have matured as a Christian because I used to view my relationship with God as something personal and private, but working with such amazing role models has shown me how freeing and beneficial it is to share this incredible aspect of my life with others in a more open manner. This is a work environment like no other! My coworkers have become family. I am grateful to be able to seek advice and encouragement from them without fear of judgment. Being in the military, this is not something I am accustomed to at all and it has completely warmed my heart. In addition to growing as a Christian, I have learned so much from the teachers here at CGM! As a future educator, I am always making mental notes on how I can manage my classroom and engage my students in the future. I want to develop the kind of relationship that Chaquana and Doaty have with their students with my own. They have great control of their classes and are genuinely respected by their students. I can't wait to use everything I have learned from them in my own classroom!

Thank you for all you do, Miss Tori! I know I can speak for all the staff and kids at CGM - We love you!

If you would like more information about becoming a volunteer, please contact Ava Conley by calling the office (334.593.5803) or using the volunteer contact form.