By Mike O’Dea | Mars Hill Theology Response Team

On July 6, 2007 my wife Bonnie received a phone call from the Seattle Police Department. They told her an unidentified man had just been in a severe accident.  He was biking northbound on the West side of the Ballard Bridge when somehow he fell into the oncoming traffic.  He was in critical condition with a severed right arm and considerable head and leg injuries.  The police told Bonnie that the man had a cell phone on his person and that her business number was programmed into the phone.  (She is a hair stylist)  They were hoping she could identify the man.

Our first thought, and a scary one, was that the man could have been our oldest son, who was known to ride around Ballard on a bike.  Since we were unable to reach our son, I had to go to Harborview to try and identify the person.  I was shaking as I entered the emergency room. It turns out that it was not our son, Rob. 

About one week later Bonnie received a phone call from a lady named Lisa and she told Bonnie that her husband was in a terrible accident.  She said her husband, Terry, had been a client of Bonnie’s for several years.  Lisa remembered Terry telling her that his “barber”, Bonnie, was really a woman of God and that God heard her prayers.  Lisa said her husband really needed prayer because he was still in a coma and at that point his life was still in danger.  They believed even if he did wake up he might be a para or quadriplegic. Well, at least that explained why Bonnie’s business number was programmed into Terry’s phone.

Terry has been at Harborview, then U.W. hospital, and now a nursing home in Lynnwood ever since.  Thankfully, he has been recovering well.  At this writing his mind seems to be back to perhaps 80% of what it was (He had taken such a blow to his head that they had to sew his right ear back on).  Of course, he has lost his right arm up to the shoulder, and he has very little use or movement in his right leg.  However, he is now getting around well in a wheel chair and he has been told he can come home (in Magnolia) as soon as a ramp is built to accomodate his getting in and out.  Building that ramp is the next priority of our community group and hopefully it will be built and Terry will be home by the time this article is posted.

We interpreted this entire event as God’s divine appointment for us Mars Hillians to love our city and expecting nothing in return.  So far our CG has donated several hundred dollars, split and stacked a chord of wood, cleaned house, did gardening around the house and now we have a ramp to build.  Also, as God’s providence has been at work there is a Mars Hill attendee that lives on the same block as this family and she has volunteered to host a community group.  Pray that this becomes a reality and that this family of four can come to know our loving Savior, Jesus Christ, so that they can know their suffering had a purpose.  (See Philippians 1:12).

Amen?

By Shannon Mead

I don’t always have all the answers. 

And as the wife of a community group leader, I sometimes find myself in need of a little advice.  No matter how wise my husband is, sometimes it is inappropriate to share the details of situations involving women in our community group with him.  And turning to friends for counsel would often dance very close to the gossip line.  Not to mention, it is always good to have someone available to lovingly point out any of my, ahem, thorns.

Any one out there know the feeling?

Well, go at it alone no more.  During each month’s Sync we are now meeting together as wives to encourage, counsel and pray over the challenges that we encounter in each of our groups.  We have come together twice, and after each meeting I have felt so encouraged by all of the other women and excited about the mission behind our groups.

If you are interested in joining us, the Ballard Sync happens on the third Monday of every month at the Ballard campus.  Or, if you aren’t able to make it on Monday nights, email me at shannon.mead@gmail.com and I will get you connected with everyone else.

The holidays are fast approaching. For many, this can be a difficult time of year. One specific way we can significantly help others is by providing gifts, service and prayers to help make the holidays a positive experience. MH is organizing its second annual Adopt-a-family program again to share with one another and minister to one another as a Godly family does. Last year, this event went incredibly well and the blessing received by both the adopting groups and adopted families was immeasurable. We hope you will participate with us in this second year.

A letter is being sent to members and regular attendees of MH that have been assisted financially by MH this year, single parents, and others whom may have unmet financial needs in this season of life. Those recipient families who wish to participate will complete a questionnaire to be mailed to the church office. Each family in need will be paired with a CG or family that wishes to participate in the program. This is a perfect opportunity to lead your Community Group in very practical service to the body at Mars Hill and/or to their own community and experience the wonderful blessing of giving out of what Christ has given you. We don’t want any family to go without this season, so we’ll need lots of Community Groups to get involved.

In addition, if you know of a MH family OR a family in your community, neighborhood or sphere who may be in need this season, please, please send their name and address to Mercy@marshillchurch.org and we will include them in this mailed invite.

How it works:

So to recap those dates:

Confirm by 11/16 that you wish to adopt a family.

You will receive your adoption on or before 12/03

Contact your adoptive family by 12/10 to schedule a delivery day.

Deliver your blessings by 12/20

We thank you for considering participating and look forward to hearing from you!

Mercy Ministry at Mars Hill Church