helping_hand_of_south_whidbey

The Sojourners Concert Benefit – Good Cheer and Helping Hand

Sep 152010

September 15, 2010 Posted by Kathy McLaughlin No Responses »

This weekend, on September 19th, you’ll have the opportunity to listen to some really great gospel music. The Sojourners will be in concert on Sunday at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeland at 6:00 p.m.

The Sojourners came into being about twelve years ago when a few members of the bass and tenor sections of the Bothell United Methodist Church choir began to reminisce about the ‘good old songs’ of their youth. Everyone commented on how they missed singing these great Gospel tunes. A few of them decided to meet every two weeks to sing these great old songs and have some fun. As time went by, more and more men became interested and before they knew it, they had a group of committed singers.

The Sojourners sing at churches, retirement homes, community events and just about anywhere there is a need to ‘lift the spirits’ with some foot stomping and spiritually motivating music. They have performed for large events and for small groups in small towns; they enjoy them all equally.

Their primary mission is to inspire, uplift, entertain and provide the hope that is found within their music. You can view a video of the group by clicking on the above photo.

They look forward to serving you with song.

Good Cheer!

The HELP Network – South Whidbey Island

Feb 102010

February 10, 2010 Posted by Kathy McLaughlin No Responses »

We have a HELP Network on South Whidbey Island that is truly amazing. Perhaps it’s time that we do our part in getting the word out! I plan on writing a post about each of these organizations over the next few months. People helping people and in so many ways.

Gary Zukov wrote in his book, The Seat of the Soul, that “millions of individuals are awakening sometimes to their surprise to a hunger for harmony, cooperation, sharing, and reverence for Life. Their challenge is to create those things in a world of discord, competition, hoarding, and exploitation, a world in which life is a cheap commodity.”

I’m currently reading a book called “Blessed Unrest” which is a story about how the largest movement in the World came into being and why no one saw it coming. The author is Paul Hawken and the book was released in 2007.

In Hawken’s book he identifies one to two million organizations working toward ecological sustainability and social justice. This social movement is decentralized and has no specific leaders; hence no media following. “This is the largest social movement in all of human history. No one knows it’s scope, and how it functions is more mysterious than what meets the eye.”

“What does meet the eye is compelling: coherent, organic, self-organized congregations involving tens of millions of people dedicated to change. What I see are ordinary people willing to confront despair, power, and incalculable odds in an attempt to restore some semblance of grace, justice, and beauty in this world.”

“Collectively, it expresses the need of the majority of people on earth to sustain the environment, wage peace, democratize decision making and policy, reinvent public governance piece by piece from the bottom up, and improve the lives of women, children and the poor. Throughout history, armies, corporations, religious rulers, and political zealots have overpowered the majority world, which in our upside down world we consider to be minorities.”