Monday, May 13, 2013

Luray-FESTIVAL OF SPRING 2013

LURAY - FESTIVAL OF SPRING!! Fun for everyone!

What a great day of sunshine, adorable children and new friends!  Three churches teamed up to volunteer at the Festival of Spring to help out LURAY DOWNTOWN INITIATIVE.  They have the materials and we bring the helping hands and feet... 

Thank you to all who came out, young and old, to bring laughter and joy to so many young children yesterday!  (Mt. Carmel Reg. Baptist Church, Rileyville Baptist Church, & Antioch Independent Bible Church)

As always, we get so much more than we give. But that is the nature of SERVING...

For many more photos, check our PHOTO GALLERY page.

Have a wooonderful summer! ;-)



Ready for action... ;-)


Sack Races!
 
Duck Pool Game

25cent BINGO (for prizes)

Traditional May Pole

Gettin loopy...

...a wonderful day.




 

 
 

Saturday, May 11, 2013

The Heart of the Matter...

 
Welcome to the LoveYourNeighbor Community!

We're glad you've found us!

At LoveYourNeighborCommunity we are just getting started, and very excited about what the future holds...  We hope that you will travel around our blog to learn more and join us in serving our community. ;-)   If you or someone you know needs a helping hand, please don't hesitate to call.  We are ALWAYS looking for new opportunities to help!
 

How we began... 

Serving on a short term mission trip is an amazing experience. We come together, from different locations, sometimes speaking other languages... and serve together.  It is a wonderful time, when all of our other responsibilities fade away, self disappears and we can truly focus on others' needs. 

But a mission trip typically lasts 1-2 weeks and what was I doing the rest of the year?  How was I continually serving others at home?  If Jesus said that "Love God and Love your Neighbor" were the two greatest Commandments, How was I Loving my neighbor at home?  Many of you are doing creative and wonderful things to help those in need everyday in your home town.  Living in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, with spectacular views and plenty to do, most of us feel very fortunate.  But life is not always easy and trials and heartache come...
 
   LoveYourNeighborCommunity is a group of volunteers, who are passionate about helping others.  For an individual, family, group or business, we are here.  We want to get as creative as possible to meet the needs of our community.  Our hope is to get to the heart of the matter, help one another and make a difference...  and to always model the LOVE of Christ in everything we do.
 
God Bless you and keep you,
 
Lisa Gerrity & the 
LOVEyourNeighborCommunity

 
 
 
 

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Who is My Neighbor?

LOVE your NEIGHBOR... but

WHO is my NEIGHBOR?



THE GOOD SAMARITAN...
luke 10:25-37

       On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus.  "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"  "What is written in the Law?" he replied.  "How do you read it?"
He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"  "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied.  "Do this and you will live."  But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
 
       In reply Jesus said:  "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers.  They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.  So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was;  and when he saw him, he took pity on him.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine.  Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.  The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper.  'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
 
       "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?"  The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
 
       Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."


"If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right.  But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers"... "judgement will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.  Mercy triumphs over judgement!"  JAMES 2:8-9,13
 
May we not pass judgement on one another, but love our neighbor, as Jesus does...
 
 

Monday, May 6, 2013

PAY IT FORWARD...

We're back and we need your help!  Last year we had so much fun, serving in the Children's Area at the LURAY Festival of Spring, that we're comin back!  The day is this Saturday, May 11th!  We still need volunteers to run the bouncehouse, sack races, bean bag toss & rubber ducky pool game for the little ones.  All proceeds benefit LURAY DOWNTOWN INITIATIVE who puts on this and many other wonderful events for our community.   Please write to loveyourneighborcommunity@gmail.com or call Lisa at 954-817-8562 to reserve your 2 hour shift!  We'll be at Ruffner Plaza with all the other fun activities goin on there for kids!  If you can't volunteer, be sure to bring your children, and have a fun day in Luray in the sunshine!






Saturday, March 23, 2013

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED... ;-)

MISSION POSSIBLE... ;-)
This morning, a team of volunteers braved the cold to pass out the STORY OF EASTER eggs, to children and families, after the Annual Easter Egg Hunt in Luray.  We passed out 450 cartons, and had the chance to meet new neighbors and wish them a HAPPY EASTER.  Here are a few pics of our morning! Thank you to all who came out and helped!  And thank you to the Sheriff's Department for holding the Egg Hunt...
HAPPY EASTER!





THE EGG FACTORY

Last Saturday, a group of volunteers from two church families, came together to assemble 6000 plastic eggs into 500 cartons.  We were making Resurrections Eggs to hand out on March 23.  Our age range was 7 yrs to 74 yrs!  What a great time, getting to know others in our community who share our faith!  Thank you to Mt. Carmel Reg. Baptist Church and Rileyville Baptist Church!  You work fast and fun!  Can't wait to do it again! ;-)
 




 
 

Friday, March 22, 2013

SOME BUNNY to LOVE

 
SOME BUNNY to LOVE
These cozy bunnies are excited to find a new home in the loving arms of a child.  If you take your sick little patient to the ER, Free Clinic or Valley Health in Luray, just ask to adopt a bunny for your little one to love.  HAPPY EASTER and we hope your child feels better soon!  Let us know how we can help... ;-)

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

SOFTEN THE DOCTOR VISIT...

When you visit the ER, Free Clinic or Valley Health Office in Luray, we hope that you receive a new furry friend for your little one from the LOVEYOURNEIGHBORCOMMUNITY.  We would also love to pray for you.  Write to loveyourneighborcommunity@gmail.com and let us know how we can help and pray for you and your family in your time of need.  That's what neighbors are for...  These were some of the fuzzy Valentine friends handed out last month. ;-)

Friday, March 1, 2013

The Easter Story - Resurrection Eggs

 


Hey Neighbors!

We are so excited to partner with Rileyville Baptist Church, and Mt. Carmel Regular Baptist Church, for a COMMUNITY OUTREACH in Luray!  We'll be outside the gate of Ralph Dean Park, on March 23rd, handing out THE STORY OF EASTER - Resurrection Eggs, after the Annual Easter Egg Hunt.  If the weather is beautiful, they could have up to 500 children and we'll be ready!  If you'd like to join us in passing out eggs, email us at:

LOVEYOURNEIGHBORCOMMUNITY@gmail.com
or call Lisa at #954-817-8562.

What are Resurrection Eggs?  A carton of numbered plastic eggs with a different trinket inside each egg, which tells the story of Jesus, his life and his death, and how he rose again (resurrected) to show his great love for us.  A list which explains each trinket is included, and the amazing love story of Christ unfolds.  Children love to discover each egg and tell the story themselves...  ;-)

Pray that many will enjoy the eggs with their children, and realize the tremendous love our Heavenly Father has for all of us.

Thanks neighbors,

Lisa