Noon Day Ministries

On any given day, there are over 610,000 homeless people in the United States. October 10th was World Homeless Day. This coming Thursday and Friday is the national Homeless Standdown at Noon Day Ministries  The Stand Down is the one day of the year that is dedicated to honoring and assisting veterans who have found themselves homeless. This event is designed to help homeless veterans regain their dignity and self-respect. Thursday is the day devoted to veterans only and Friday is open to the general public. Stand downs will occur this week in cities all over the country.  

Noon Day Ministries was founded in 1982, by a man and his Sunday School class at the First Baptist Church, who served food to the needy after church. Today the organization serves over 108,000 lunches along with a multitude of other services on a yearly basis. 

I attended the Sunday Worship services held at Noon Day at 11am. Legacy Church hosted this day's service as well as every second Sunday of each month. There was onsite security and a police officer. Members of the church and the site were scattered throughout the service to provide assistance and help with any issues that could arise. 

There was music and then a message. The speaker shared his personal testimony. He talked about the time he spent in jail, drug use, and his many near death experiences. He talked about how God and his salvation brought him out of his darkness and onto a ministerial path. His message was about the Walking Dead. How we are all souls walking around dead without the love of God and of the Message of Jesus Christ. He focused alot of his message on the enemy of the devil and personal demons. He said his minister, however, always tells him - don't be scared, be prepared to receive the gifts of God. Have faith, God will show you who you should be. Lastly he wanted to remind the group that Jesus' presence in your life is Heaven. 

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ ~ Ephesians 2:4-5

There was also a place for homeless children and children of volunteers to learn about Jesus. After the sermon, there was an altar call and prayer available for people. There was more music then dinner was served to the people in attendance. A barber and a hairdresser were available after the service for people to get free haircuts and used clothes and books were available as well.

Different churches alternate conducting the Sunday Worship services at Noon Day, and all start at 11am. New Covenant Church hosts the service on the first Sunday of each month. Friends Feeding Friends hosts service on the third Sunday of each month.Noon Day hosts services on the fourth Sunday of each month. Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church hosts service on the fifth Sunday of the month (when there is one). All services are followed by a meal. 

No Matter where you are on your Journey or how Broken you may feel, you are ALWAYS worthy of God's Love!

THANK YOU Noon Day Ministries for providing the Love of Christ to the Needy on a Daily basis. 

All Nations Assembly of God

Assemblies of God were first part of the revival Pentecostal movement. In the early 1900's, tent revivals sprang up all over parts of the U.S. as a way to breathe life into stale Christian worship. The Assembly of God denomination came about in 1914, when people from the movement sought to organize the revivals into the structure of a permanent church community. Evangelism and missions are at the foundation of the Assembly of God Church.

The Assemblies of God have a four-fold Mission:

1. Evangelize the lost.
2. Worship God.
3. Disciple believers.
4. Show Compassion.

I attended the Sunday evening 6:30 service of All Nations Assembly of God. A small chapel, within a block of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. All Nations is a church dedicated to evangelizing the gospel to people of all the tribal nations.  

ALL ARE WELCOME IN GOD'S HOUSE

It was a small group but a big and powerful message. Pastor Marleen Mercer has been preaching the word of God amongst the Native Cultures for almost 40 years. It opened with a prayer and songs. People shared their praises and a young woman recited John 3:16 in Navajo ~ it was very meaningful and touching. 

Pastor Mercer gave a powerful and moving sermon. She spoke of our Spiritual Body Armour - Armour of God that helps us withstand in the battles against evil and self destruction. She made the illustration that negative thoughts are like runaway wild horses and God is what you must use to reign them in. When we are clothed in the breastplate of Jesus, we are righteous. It is difficult to allow ourselves to believe that we are righteous because we judge ourselves on our own actions and our limitations. We are righteous, however because it is Jesus that is righteous for us. This she affirmed, is the armour that will defend you against the World and allow you to shine God's love. 

Shall they that receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, even Jesus Christ. ~ Romans 5:17

We closed the service with a prayer circle. We joined hands and prayed out loud for the person on either side of us, for the group, the community...The room was truly filled with the Holy Spirit. It was an amazingly uplifting service to be a part of. I now know why they call them Revivals!

THANK YOU All Nations Assembly of God for showing me that we are all part of God's Tribe. 

Faith Lutheran Church

The Lutheran church was founded rather unintentionally in 1517 by the German Monk, Martin Luther. In an attempt to reform the Catholic Church, he published 95 Theses in protest to the practice of indulgences. Instead of serving as an inspiration for reform in the church, it led to his excommunication. Despite threats to his life, he continued his studies and teachings which turned into Lutheranism. 

One of the largest and oldest denominations of Protestant Christianity. Lutherans number over 70 million worldwide, According to the Lutheran World Federation.

I did not realize this but there are actually many different types of Lutheran churches. There are Evangelical ELCA, Missouri Synoid LCMS, Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ  LCMC, and possibly even more. LCMC is a very small denomination of the Lutheran Faith with only 820 congregations worldwide. 


I attended Faith Lutheran's 5pm Saturday service. Their sanctuary is very spectacular and bright with expansive high windows that allow the Sandias to watch over during service. 

Faith Lutheran is a member of the LCMC and teaches the Lutheran themes of "grace alone, faith alone, word alone and Christ alone." 

Holy Communion is only conducted on the first Sunday of each month but is done so as an "open table" - all Christians who truly repent of their sins are welcome to join in receiving the Lord's Supper.

The service started with a prayer and then greetings - I have to say I love when churches have members greet each other during the service - adds a great warmth to the whole situation. 

SHINE their performance youth group performed a skit that illustrated how modern trappings such as hobbies or gaming can put a distance between you and Jesus. They did a fabulous job and showed great talent and pride in their faith. 

The sermon was based on Romans 12. Associate Pastor Jerry Watts spoke to the congregation of being mindful of that which truly rules your life. Are we allowing ourselves to be distracted by the modern conveniences and amusements of daily life? Rather than allowing external influences to guide our lives we should allow the Eternal to transform our lives ~ He encouraged us to let the Glory of God be brought out into our lives and shape our passions. 

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind

~ Romans 12:2

Saved by grace through faith - Pastor Watts

Note: Because of the gorgeous sanctuary and view - it also seems to be a popular place for weddings. 

THANK YOU Faith Lutheran for sharing your worship service with me.