Should you go or should you send?

In preparation for our transition to New Orleans Leanne and I have been praying about the reality that God wants people to join us. Most are called to send  – meaning they are the partners that we have all over that world that believe in the Mission and want to help in whatever way they can from where they are at.

The other group are those called to go.

Recently, several people have been laid on my heart in regards to going.  We will be asking these people (and I’m sure some others) to uproot their entire life and relocate to New Orleans, with no promise of income, housing, or any of the other things that bring us practical security. You know, no biggie.

The truth is, God is already forming a team, we just don’t know everyone who’s on it yet.

New Orleans is one of the most unique and diverse cities in America.  As they continue to rebuild their lives from Katrina and Rita a unique opportunity exists to utilize ones giftedness to help with not only the physical needs but the spiritual, mental, and emotional needs as well. It’s an opportunity to engage kids, teens, and adults with education, music, drama, recovery groups, counseling, painting, dance, computer skills, job preparation, community events, and tutoring. It’s a chance to help rebuild a city one person at a time as we open doors, offer hope, love God, and ultimately change lives.

My question is….

What is God calling you to do?

Recap from the scouting trip 10/15/09

Last week Leanne and I had the opportunity to roam the streets of New Orleans for a few days.  It was unseasonably warm while we were there but the trip was great.  A few exciting things happened while we were there…

1. We had our anniversary – Four years. It was great to celebrate it in the city where we met.

2. We have a free place to stay for a few months – A buddy of mine Eric, who just started a church, is allowing us to stay in their ministry house.  This is wonderful news for us as it gives us some more time to find the “right” place and a central location to operate from.

3. Partnerships are already beginning – God has certainly been moving.  We had some great meetings and conversations with people excited and ready to see what partnerships might look like.  We also were connected with some great knowledgeable people who will prove to be valuable assets.

4. We have it narrowed down to three areas of the city – We want The CENTER to be exactly where God wants it to be and as we walked the streets, prayed, chatted, connected, and dripped sweat we were able to begin narrowing down things.  We have narrowed it down to the neighborhoods of the Irish Channel, Carrollton, and Mid City. Each of these areas is a relative gumbo of cultural, economic, and racial diversity which is exactly what we are looking for.

5. Got to hang out with some old friends and eat a lot of good food – It’s always a party.

Thank you all so much for praying for us while we were away.  Please continue to pray for us as we continue on and begin our transition.

Please Pray – 10/02/09

Dear Friends,

We are about to embark on the next step of our journey back to New Orleans.  We leave on Sunday for a week long prayer and planning trip.  We will be staying Uptown and taking the Streetcar and walking everywhere so that we can explore possible future sites for The CENTER as well as a future home for us. We are also hoping to touch base with some people who know the city and can help us brainstorm.

We ask that you will keep us in your prayers this next week, specifically in the following areas:

• God to reveal His site for The CENTER.  He has a perfect place…He just needs to show it to us!
• A home large enough to accommodate a growing family as well as spare room(s) for guests and space for hosting church/small groups.
• Wisdom and clarity as Christopher works on 501c3 status for The CENTER and Leanne continues searching for grants.
• Divine appointments.  There are key people who will help us and work with us and we want God to cross our paths at the proper times.
• Strength in our marriage and family.  That God would be our foundation for all that we do and we would be Godly examples to our kids and show love always.
• Bella and her grandparents while we are away…good attitudes, patience and fun times!
• A source of income for the next several months.

We appreciate and need your prayers more than you know.  Thank you for being encouragers and partners with us in this.

The Lytles

Mission, vision, and values – 10/1/09

Before we get into the meat of this update we ask you to subscribe to our updates so that you can always be in the know of what is happening with The CENTER and the Lytle’s transition to New Orleans.

Mission, vision, and values:

One of the most difficult aspects of beginning a non-profit is praying through and figuring out what you will stand for and who you will be.  Without vision and direction it would be nearly impossible to land solidly on anything. We wanted to be able to share with you The CENTER’s working mission, vision, and values because we believe it is important to have people praying about every aspect of this endeavor.  We are excited about what God is doing and we hope you will share with us in that excitement.

Mission:

The CENTER is a not for profit organization that exists for the educational, social, and spiritual enrichment of the children, teenagers, and adults of New Orleans.  Through education, the arts, community events, recovery groups, community service, and career preparation, The CENTER will empower the people of New Orleans by providing activities and experiences that both encourage and effect positive changes in their lives and city.

Vision:

To build a united community that is opening doors, offering hope, loving God, and changing lives.

Values:

Service – We believe not only in providing services for the community, but also in challenging and assisting the community to serve others.  It is through service that we see our inherent need for one another and are able to utilize each individual’s unique gifts, resources, and strengths.

Education – Education is an essential component to a healthy life and community.  The CENTER will strive to meet the supplemental educational needs of children, teens and adults through literacy training, the arts, computer literacy, job preparation, and any other needs that may arise.

Respect - We are all unique and every person deserves to be respected. It is foundational that we always treat people, activities, and services with due respect and grace.

Excellence – We believe that it is important to always strive to deliver quality services in a professional and cost effective manner.

Unity – Race, age, background, socioeconomic status or any other outwardly defining feature is not indicative of worth or ability.  This is our city and The Center will invariably work toward reconciliation and unity within the communities of New Orleans.

Partnership – We believe in the necessity of partnerships with people, businesses, and churches; providing them a place to make a difference as we serve our community together.

Christ – The Center relies fully on the living example of Christ to give our leaders focus, direction, and purpose.  His compassion and grace drive us toward the betterment of our community.