TDC + ONE = TWO

In case you haven’t heard via phone/email/Facebook/Twitter, I got the job at ONE! I’ve been working there for a week and a half now, and I absolutely love it. It’s a challenge—and it’s pretty exhausting, too—to work two jobs (30 hours a week at ONE and 20-25 hours at The District Church), but I love both; and am grateful for your prayers last week for the interview.

As a quick summary, the campaign that I’ve been hired for is coordinating a nationwide event on April 10, called “Lazarus Sunday” (so-called because one of the passages in the lectionary for that day is the raising of Lazarus in John 11). We want to use this occasion, in conjunction with the (RED)/HBO documentary “The Lazarus Effect”—which looks at the positive impact of anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) on people living with HIV/AIDS, and which you can watch here—to raise awareness and push for advocacy asks through churches, and thus build relationships with churches to engage in the rest of ONE’s work on fighting extreme poverty and preventable diseases.

I’m excited to be working on such a worthwhile project; I love the people I get to work with; and I’m looking forward to seeing more churches engaged in fighting HIV/AIDS. I’ll include more updates on how this goes in future emails, too.

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Getting this job definitely helps with raising support, as it’ll take me up to about $23,000 of the $30,000 that I forecasted I’d need for this year; but it means I still have a few grand of support left to raise for this year. If you know anyone you think would be interested in supporting a certain musician-activist-pastor, let me know!

Prayers please …

1. For the family and friends of Lucki Pannell. She was a senior at Cardozo High School, where several from our church—including myself—volunteer with Young Life; in fact, she also attended Young Life. This past Saturday, she was killed in a shooting two streets away from where I live. Please pray also for the peace of our neighborhood and the life of our community.
2. For the boys I’ve been getting to know at Young Life, whose lives are so different from mine, and yet whom I know God has called me to invest in.
3. For The District Church, as we continue to grow, build relationships within the church and in our neighborhood, seek opportunities to serve and love the people around us, and seek the transformation of our city.
4. For myself, as I try to be disciplined with my time, balancing a couple of jobs, trying to give my best to both, and also to take some rest and not burn out! Prayers for the success of the ONE campaign I’m working on would also be appreciated!

Grace and peace to you and your loved ones,
Jus.

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Previously on “Justin @The District Church”

1. Washington, DC: Chapter 2(October 11, 2010)
2. Beginning November (and the Leadership Residency)(November 1, 2010)
3. Why The District Church?(November 18, 2010)
4. My First Sermon(December 15, 2010)
5. What a difference a year makes(December 29, 2010)
6. If I Keep Going At This Rate(January 18, 2011)
7. A Message and a Job Interview (January 31, 2011)

I/we would like to offer monthly support by donating on the 1st____ 16th____ of the month:*

$500____  $250____  $100____  $50____  $25____  Other______

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Checks can be made payable to “The District Church,” with “Leadership Residency” in the memo and sent to: The District Church, PO Box 3116, Washington, DC 20010.

* The initial commitment would be for one year, though you’re welcome to lengthen or shorten your commitment; just include this information in your response.

** The most convenient option for you to give would be online via the church website. Please make sure to select “Leadership Residency” when it asks you to “Choose a Fund.”

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