In May of 2013 our church, the Bridgton (Maine) Alliance Church held its first annual SPARK week.  SPARK stands for serving practically and reflecting the Kingdom.  I confess, SPARK was my brainchild after hearing, over and over, that others in our congregation would do short term missions work if it wasn't so expensive, or if they had the time or if they could handle the food, climate, etc. that comes with travelling to the third world.  I remember when I realized these comments weren't just excuses, and it occurred to me: let's do a mission trip to Bridgton.  No travel, no cost, and parishioners  could commit to as much or as little time as they were able.

When my family and I were in Mexico, we helped distribute beans to poor families.  What would that look like in Bridgton?  We had a food drive at a local grocery store and donated the food to a local food bank.  In the Dominican Republic, the team I was with had a medical team.  What that would look like in Bridgton?  We happen to have a doctor in our congregation.  What if he agreed to run a free clinic in our town?  We also had a construction team in the DR.  What if we had a team of builders (we have many in our congregation) to work on homes for elderly people or single moms?  In addition, we planned a children's backyard Bible club, a contemporary concert, a hymn-sing, free baked goods delivered to local community services, new Bibles for every room in the hospital,  a free car wash and of course, a juggling show.  Almost everything was rained out as we had one of the rainiest May's on record.  But the idea was born and the church was on board.

In 2014, we changed the dates to mid August, and it was much more successful.  We kept it scheduled for August this year, and we just wrapped up our third annual SPARK week.  This year we had a lot of the same events, and some new ideas.  Gary is an avid hiker and he offered to be a free guide on a hike up Pleasant Mountain.  Kim may have had the best idea yet.  The parsonage yard hosted a pet show, and it was held just this afternoon.  I was asked to be the emcee, and did we have a blast.  There were plenty of dogs, as well as guinea pigs, guinea hens, a hamster, a parrot, and two rabbits.  All the animals got along well, many people who are not regular attenders of our church came out (including the local vet who was one of the judges).

Another of my highlights of the week included our free juggling show on the library.  40 people came to the library courtyard, and we had a lot of fun.  It reminded me of Donald Miller's observation in his book "Blue Like Jazz":  "I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. But I was outside the Bagdad Theater in Portland one night when I saw a man playing the saxophone. I stood there for fifteen minutes, and he never opened his eyes.

After that I liked jazz music.

Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way."

Hopefully, just enjoying the evening and enjoying the Lord, people were drawn to Him.

But my favorite thing of the week happened during the youth group's free car wash at the Bridgton fire station.  The new sheriff drove in to have his patrol car washed.  Once it was done, he thanked the kids for a job well done, to which our youngest daughter, Rose, replied, "Just remember this in a couple years when I start to drive." 

Funny.  Very funny.