My Two Cents...

Crazy times, right? I am saddened by how this political season is affecting us all. Wait, “Breaking News”... We are doomed if Trump wins. We are doomed if Hillary wins.

As a Christian, I am especially upset with how polarizing this election has become. Christians are attacking other Christians for supporting either candidate as if we were voting on who will be the new Jesus. Do we want Trump to be our Jesus, who will fight against gay marriage and abortion and protect our wealth? Do we want Hillary to be our Jesus, who will fight against unjust treatment of immigrants, minorities, and support the middle class?

Seriously?

Following Jesus has never been an effort to take over the country or become the ruling class. It is our role to be the servants, the lovers, the helpers; the ones who will console and protect; the ones who will share God's love. Call me naive, but this actually works. When we love our neighbor and they see us loving; when we advocate for others, we see communities changed. All of the “hot button” issues are lived out in our communities. That's where change really happens.

It is up to us.

It is up to us to be the kind of people who will work for the bettering of our communities. Yes, who we vote for to represent us in Washington is important, but after the election, it is way more important how we live, work, help, and love in our own communities on a daily basis.

Dinner's Ready!

I realize that Father's Day has come and gone.  We move on, but this morning I was thinking about something that my father did while we were growing up that made a difference in my life.  I didn't realize the impact it had on my life and family as it was happenning.  I didn't realize how it would shape my own family while our kids were growing up.

The thing my father did was insist that we all sit down for dinner every evening or at least as often as possible.  Excluding myself was not an option except for times when I was being disciplined. Dad would come home for dinner and then go back to work on the evenings that the car dealership was open. Everyday we were forced to have family time; sometimes as often as three times a day!

It seems that the trend these days is more casual and our schedules haves us more splintered.  We often eat and run, get dinner on the way, or eat in front of our computers or televisions.  Remember when houses had dining rooms?

I am thankful that my parents did this.  When I started my own family, we had meals together as much as we could.  We would eat and make breakfast together.  We had dinner together; sometimes early before I went to do youth ministry meetings 4 nights per week.

I am covinced that this helped make our family strong.  Maybe it would work in other families to bring them closer together.  It did in our home.

Thanks, Dad.

La Paz House Assistant Job Description

           La Paz House 
  After School Program Assistant   

   Description and Application

La Paz House Program operates on school days from 4:00–6:00pm Mon- Fri and 3:00-5:00 on Wednesdays.  La Paz House is a drop in center with no curriculum or schedule.  We provide a safe place for neighborhood students to play, hang out.  Through activities and relationships with students, we seek to develop the students in many areas of their lives.  Most of our kids struggle in school and have varying levels of challenges that are a result of living in an under-resourced urban community.  Many have behavior and social skill issues.  We seek to help them improve by helping them with homework, learn to play and work with others, process their decisions and behavior, and direct them to a deeper faith and understanding of life and God.

Preferred Qualifications:

· Completion of high school.  We are looking for an individual preferably aged 18-25.

· Experience working with students as a teacher, educational aide, after school care aide, and/or daycare operator or assistant.

· Have a strong Christian faith and lifestyle and the ability to be an example and witness to the kids.

·Be available 2 hours per day, 2-3 days per week. The Assistant is responsible to be on time and have their own transportation.

Duties and Responsibilities:

· Develop appropriate educational activities and programming which supports student learning experiences beyond the classroom.

· Identify the ongoing social, emotional, and spiritual needs of the students.

· Observe, monitor, and participate in children’s play activities.

· Promote a safe and healthy environment.

· Efficiently monitor and guide proper student behavior.

· Assist in the cleaning and straightening of the room and equipment before, during, and after the program. This includes turning off lights and locking the building at the end of the day.

· Demonstrate behavior that is professional, ethical, and responsible.

· Enjoy being with students and foster their spiritual, academic, social, emotional, and physical development through the duties outlined above.

Contact:  Lee  Trotter at leeinkck@gmail.com or 816-665-1094

La Paz House is a ministry of Grandview Park Presbyterian Church,

1613 Wilson Blvd., Kansas City, KS, 66102