Work Day This Saturday.....and Jason's rescheduled

WHEN: Saturday, May 1 at 8:00am (meet at worksite - 7315 Westover Street, Houston, TX 77087), finish and eat lunch around noon. 

For the month of May we are moving our service day up one week to this coming Saturday (May 1). For a change of pace, we will all work together at the same location and the folks we are helping will make us lunch with homemade ice cream! You don’t want to miss this one!

The project consists of yard work and minor home repairs at the Presbyterian Service Center. According to the CLPC web site, it is: “Nestled on a 5.5 acre tract near Hobby Airport are 15 resident units known as Boyd’s Acres Presbyterian Service Center. This non-profit project provides low cost housing to the disabled and elderly at about one-third of market price.” The residents there (including CLPC member Georga Thomas) are a great group of folks who do what they can to keep up their properties but need our help with some items beyond their abilities. Below is more information about this project along with what you might want to bring. As always, no special skills are needed and I will have extra equipment available, so just come ready to help and bring those young men along too! If you need to contact me please call my cell at 281-797-4667  Thanks- Lee

WHEN: Saturday, May 1 at 8:00am (meet at worksite), finish and eat lunch around noon. Take a nap then head to Jason’s for a Saturday Night Brew Session!

WHERE: 7315 Westover Street, Houston, TX 77087 (I-45N to Monroe/Belfort exit, stay on feeder past Monroe and turn left at the next light which is Howard and becomes Belfort on the other side of I-45. Stay on Belfort past Telephone Rd and then take the first right on Lancaster and then left on Westover. You will see the large open grassy area and a group of 1-story duplexes on your right)

EQUIPMENT NEEDS: lawn mowers (a lawn tractor or two would be great), string trimmers, shovels, pitchforks, rakes, edgers, clippers, tools for faucet replacement, cordless drill)

YARD SCOPE OF WORK:
1. Move cut up logs to street from beside 7319 and in the yard.
2. Move piles of limbs to street from yards.
3. Pick up fallen branches and trash from the yards.
4. Mow the field.
5. Spread ant killer on the yards.
6. Weed eating: yards, apartments, ditches and easement across from 7315.
7. Trim tree branches in the yard and along the fence line this side of the field.
8. Trim and/or clean out flowerbeds at clinic, circular flowerbed near clinic, and beside 7321, 7323, 7335, 7341 and 7343.
9. Remove old tire from around tree.
10. Blow leaves from inside the carport.

INSIDE UNITS SCOPE OF WORK (lower priority – only if we have time):

1. Hang new window blinds
2. Replace bathroom faucet
3. Hang new shower curtain rod
4. Reattach door closer to wall with long screws
5. Reattach upper cabinet unit
6. Remove door thresholds for easier wheelchair access
 
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The previously planned event Saturday evening at Jason's house is being rescheduled due to strip throat running through the family.  Please lift up Jasons family in your prayers for healing, and stay far away from his house.

Father-Daughter Summit

Howdy Men. 

What a great time of year!  Baseball is in the air.  Winter will soon behind us, even a Houston winter where it dips down to 50.   There is a lot of activity coming up at CLPC during this time of Lent and hopefully you all are in involved in a small group of some type.

I wanted to pass along information about the Father-Daughter Summit that Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church is hosting on March 6th.   Click here to see the website   I have never attended one of these and unfortunately will be stuck across the pond on March 6th.   But I encourage you men with daughters to try it out.

Apparently there is another Father-Daughter Summit being hosted in the Woodlands in April, according to this web site --> Woodlands Father Daughter Summit info  I got a chuckle out of this one being advertised as 'Houstons first Father-Daughter Summit'.  I guess they don't count the one at Memorial Drive that will happen six weeks earlier, and the term "Houstons second Father-Daughter Summit" just doesn't sound as good.  I hope to make Houstons Second Summit... but it will be the weekend after Nancy's next masectomy, so I doubt it.

You guys have a great week!
Josh

Special Project and Thank You Mike Cole

Sunday morning mens group had the pleasure of having Mike Cole visit us this morning.  Mike is a big kahuna in the Presbytery - not his official title, but close enough.  It was an interesting discussion.  The big take aways I got, and you are encouraged to leave comments with yours, was that this is not easy.   To get men in the church we, as men, have to:

1) Get out of the church and do something - almost anything helps

2) Get involved and assert yourself.

This sounds easy, but it isn't.  Kind of like exercising 30 minutes a day, eat all your vegetables, and don't lose your temper sounds easy too - but it isn't.   At least not for me.   I think it is easy for Lee Swindler, but he seems to like vegetables, and running.

Mike also made mention to:

- Memorial Drive's Mens Life program --> http://www.mdpc.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=44110  . Mark Christensen and I have both been in contact with Brett Hurst from MDPC about this program and have attended it a few times.  Great program, but definitely requires more than two of us to pull off at CLPC.  It is very similar to what University Baptist started a few years ago here in Clear Lake with the mens fraternity (http://www.mensfraternity.com).  

- book by Reggie McNeal called Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard for the Church

Thank you to Vic and his continued leadership during the Sunday morning discussion.  Always engaging and I encourage you to attend.  Sunday AM, 10:15 - upstairs in L209.  Don't worry about being on time.

Special Project - Although we are skipping Carpenter Hands Ministry in February, we do have the need for a special project on Saturday morning.   Rachel Jenkins is moving into a new home in Brookwood and needs a few extra hands to help hang mirrors, set up shelves, etc.. No heavy lifting required - she was smart and hired movers.    Please drop Lee Swindler (l_ktech@yahoo.com) or myself an e-mail (Josh_Stras@yahoo.com)  if you are interested in helping out a few hours.  


Have a blessed week.
Josh 

Thank you Art for another great Manly Movie Night

The men of CLPC had another great manly movie night this past Sunday.   Big thank you to Art for hosting and swinging by Kirby meat market and picking up 40 filets.   The night turned out to be more of a steakfest!  We had over 30 (I think) show up for great food, great fellowship, and a great movie - Grand Torino.

The Mens Sunday AM Sunday School class started this a year or so ago and it has turned out to be a great success.   We only do this on the 5th Sunday of the month, and there are four a year.   The next event will be the last Sunday in May.   Vic Hirsch will be hosting it at his home on the water.  We will also be creating Chili teams for a chili-cook off and the movie will be Hoosiers.   Should be a great time again.

Please note: The next manly service day will be the 2nd Saturday in March.   We are skipping February since CLPC will be having our annual mission blitz on February 20th.   I hope that everyone will participate in this great event.  More details will be coming out about Mission Blitz 2010.  If you are interested in forming a manly mission blitz team for the day - please see Lee.








You can tell who the smart guys are.  They are the ones that claimed the comfortable TV watching spots early and ate there.   They were also closest to the rest room.  









You can also easily spot the new guys because they weren't certain what type of refreshments to bring.  We were very happy to see many new faces, including men that several of us had not met before.  All were welcomed!

As you can see, we can really pack'em in.  We were all just happy that Art hosted us inside this time.  Last time Art hosted a movie night, we set up an outside projector and it was very cold.  We also eliminated the 'manly' environment when several of us broke down and put on coats/jackets provided by Art's wonderful wife.

Manly Movie Night - Sunday, Jan 31st @ Art's House - 40 Filet Mignon

Sunday night
Jan 31, 2010
6:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Art Oswald - host
12414 Rutgers Park Ct.
Houston, TX 77058
281-461-3330
This is for all men.  New comers and non members welcome!  No long term commitment required, just come and have some fun. Arrr !  There will be plenty of chow and a guy movie – “Gran Torino” with Clint Eastwood.  Art Oswald is hosting; and he’s going a little crazy with the menu.   Art is supplying Filet Mignon and a baked potato for the first 40 guys.  Bring the beverage of your choice and a side dish.

Art says he has enough chairs; but I’m bringing an extra, just in case he has an overflow crowd.  RSVP to Sandy Fine, zekefine@hotmail.com or 281-332-6675

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Special thank you again to Lee Swindler and his band of service brothers that helped complete 4 out of 5 service projects.  After huddling at CLPC for a quick bite and prayer, the teams of 3 were sent out and knocked off the slated projects before noon - for the most part.  This is a great service and opportunity for anybody to get involved.  We will be skipping February since that is our annual CLPC Mission Blitz month, which means there will be plenty of service projects for all to serve.  Look for updates near March for our next Manly Service Day (2nd Saturday in March is the plan).

If you have an idea, or service/local mission project, that you feel compelled to take on - then you are probably not alone.  Please let me know by e-mail (Josh_Stras@yahoo.com) or leave a comment on this blog.

Upcoming Events

Happy New Year!  

The next manly service day is now scheduled for Saturday, January 23rd.   A variety of outdoor projects are being lined up, that were requested through the Carpenters Hand ministry.   We will meet at CLPC, break into work groups, and disperse.   Lee Swindler is the projects coordinator and has also done the scoping of the projects.   We try to ensure projects are ones that can be started and completed in one morning.  There are plenty of opportunities for everyone - independent of age, physical ability, or carpentry skills.   We need men who are also willing to buy suppliers and just be good company to individuals who may need to just talk to somebody.  

Our next Manly Movie Night will be Sunday, January 31rd.   The specific location is still be finalized, but this is always a great time for fellowship and sometimes even a good movie.   We normally have 15-30 guys show up and proceed with good grill'n and refreshments (BYOB).   The movies we watch really vary but have always been enjoyable.   We do this the fifth Sunday of the month, which equates to once every three months or so.  We hope you can make it and bring a friend.  Details to follow....

Other tid bits - Several individuals bike on a regular basis.  A few of us are starting to bike again, but are really in bad shape.   If you ever wanted to start cycling for the first time or first time in a long time - please let me know (Josh_Stras@yahoo.com).  The Thursday night basketball activity at CLPC is still continuing as well.

Have a Blessed Week!

Welcome to 2010!

The next Manly Service Day is Saturday, January 9th - We will meet at CLPC for a quick breakfast, prayer, and break out into work teams.   The plan going forward is to have the 2nd Saturday of every month set aside for service projects.   The projects are pre-planned and targeted to be completed by mid-day on Saturday.  Please reach out to Lee Swindler, Josh Strasner, show up at CLPC, or leave a comment to this blog if you are interested in getting involved.  There is plenty of different work to do for everyone - from manual labor, carpenter skills, to the ability to go buy supplies, and/or to just stop a listen to a person in need.