Service Saturday \ Project Montgomery with Local Churches?

Two years ago, Michael Cortez (campus minister at Dalraida) and I got together for lunch to discuss the possibility of a joint service project together during the first couple of weeks of school at Faulkner University. The previous year we had hosted a "Campus Ministry Mixer" and had agreed that we needed to take our fellowship to a deeper level. The mixer was fun but seemed very self serving and wasted a lot of money. With the help of Andrew Itson, Dennis Itson, John Gordon, Laurel Walker and countless others we came up with the idea of "Project Montgomery". Nothing really earth shattering or clever. Just a service day that involved a few hundred students all around Montgomery. The first year was a huge success. We were able to serve great ministries such as: Common Ground, Compassion 21, Agape, Family Promise, Family Sunshine Center, Exodus, Montgomery Zoo, Adullam House, Montgomery Public Schools, Friendship Mission, Salvation Army, Successful Living, and Faith Rescue Mission.
From the very beginning I was praying about being able to some day do a "Project Montgomery" at Landmark (the church I work for). This week that prayer has been answered...and more. Friday night will mark the beginning of "Faith Works Weekend" at Landmark. We will begin with 24 Hours of Prayer for our church, community, and world. The next day will be our Service Saturday (AKA Service Saturday). We currently have over 130 people signed up to participate with a lot of excitement about doing this again soon. Our staff has even joined in the work. Yesterday half of our staff went to build the bracing for a cement walk way at Montgomery Children's Center. While the other half cleaned houses and visited sick members.
As if I'm not blown away enough already...today I had lunch with church leaders from Vaughn Park CofC, Grace Pointe, Landmark, Compassion 21, and Common Ground. The topic? You guessed it...A joint community service project. Awesome! Can you imagine (even if only for one day) 500-700 Christians being salt & light in our community together?! Praise God! Think of all the professional carpenters, teachers, coaches, contractors, electricians, plumbers, etc! What could God do through hundreds of people praying for our community and then joining together to serve! Below is an email that I just received from Sid Bloomer, the involvement minister at Vaughn Park.

Brothers,

It was great to fellowship with you all today. I learn so much from
gathering together and hearing from you all. There are great ideas and one
major blessing was the idea of creating a service day that would have
multiple options. I had the intent to do this with Compassion 21 next, but
it was so much better to create multiple options and work with both
Compassion 21 and the Common Ground at the same time. This Spring is not
far away, so Nathan Capps, and anyone else who would like to help us, will
begin working on a plan and options for service for our churches for a date
to be set later on this coming Spring (after Landmark has tested the waters
with their Service Day this weekend - praise God for Landmark blazing a path
before us all). Let me say, it is great working together!

Thank you, Bryan and Jason for taking time to share with us today. We are
blessed because of it. We want to be a help and a blessing to you all. Our
hope is that we can continue this partnership with you. Thank you for
helping us grow to be more like Christ and for helping us put our faith into
action. You and Compassion 21 both are lights to our churches - shining on
things that are at God's heart and getting us focused on big picture things
- Kingdom things.

Herman Wesley contacted me and informed that he had surgery recently and had
a setback. He was not able to be a church last Sunday. Please be praying
for him. Also, Mike McElroy would have liked to have been there but he had
a community ministers meeting and was not able to make. Both Herman and
Mike stated that they want to be a part.

May God find us doing what He has called us to do.
Sid Bloomer

Wow! Let's do it!

Up to this point I have co-ordinated 300 people serving throughout Montgomery. But never 500-700 (Professionals!) We will have to be creative on what we can do to make the best use out of all our resources. I'm looking for ideas! Got any?

Btw, Common Ground also informed us that they have 3 houses side by side that will need total renovation by this summer. The idea was tossed around for each church to "take one". Praise God! We'll be down there this Saturday to do some painting, renovation, and scouting for future works. Be praying! God is moving!