Dear friends, here’s a quick story…
Brian’s Journey
Brian looking dapper!
About three years ago a man named Brian began coming to the Tuesday night dinner. Brian had fallen on tough times after a lay-off. At 60 years old, nobody would hire him for the kind of full-time work he needed to sustain himself. He soon ran out of savings and landed on the street.
But unlike many other homeless neighbors, Brian did not struggle with an addiction or mental illness and had no criminal background. After getting to know him over several months, we realized Brian was a kind-hearted, conscientious, and hard-working person who just needed a hand-up so he could get back on his feet.
So we created a program for Brian. We put together a private residential space in the upstairs offices and offered him a paying part-time job with free room and board that would last for up to 18 months. During that time, Brian could save up money for his own apartment and be ready to move out in time to begin collecting social security.
Brian soon proved to be a far bigger blessing to us than we were to him. He was an outstanding resident custodian. He took care of the property like it was his own, and he kept people from camping our here at night, which made our neighbors much happier.
While he was with us, Brian’s spiritual life grew too. He became a member of the church, worshipped alongside us, and his life began to flourish. He made new friendships and reconnected with family and friends who had been lost over the years.
One of the old relationships Brian reconnected with was a high-school sweetheart he’d lost contact with for over 40 years. They found each other on Facebook and began corresponding. Soon a romance had been re-kindled.About a year after coming on staff, Brian gathered his savings and made the leap of faith to move to Oregon so they could be together. Today, Brian is living in his own place, working a good job at Home Depot, and is stronger in his faith than ever before.
This is how we make a difference
Brian’s story illustrates how we can make a difference at The Oceanside Sanctuary in ways that few churches can. We truly welcome anyone to the table. Like any other church, our mission is to make disciples of Jesus (Matt 28:18-20), but because of the grace God has given this congregation, that mission regularly extends to “the least of these” in our midst (Matt 25:31-46). This kind of mission changes all of us by revealing the truth that we are all “the least of these,“ saved by grace.
We can only operate by your generosity
Brian’s story also illustrates something else: The Oceanside Sanctuary truly is a charity that serves the community. We don’t just talk about our faith; we put our faith in action to make a real difference for our community. That’s why our mission is to “Make disciples for the sake of the city.” We think our presence in this city should make it a better place for the common good of everyone who lives here.
But like any charity, we can only do that with your help. Without the gifts of your time and money, we simply cannot do what God has called us to do. Like any good charity, we make every effort to spend wisely, to make the biggest possible impact for the sake of the whole gospel. I hope that diligence shows.
Thank you
I want to end by saying thank you. It is truly inspiring and humbling to be part of this church. What we accomplish by God’s grace every day is nothing short of a miracle, and you are part of that!
God bless you,
Jason Coker, Pastor