Missional Discipleship in Portland

Having food trucks coming to our evening program was one of the highlights of Portland SUFM last summer. Free food drew plenty of people, but we also heard stories of people for whom that was their meal for the day. Kids and parents were lining up many times because that meal was, potentially, their only one for a while. That got us thinking about the practical ways the SUFM team could serve the town.

With Portland Council making the decision to postpone all events until at least February 2021, we needed to think about what our team could do this summer. There are around sixteen churches in this regional town - not to mention the Council, and schools - all of whom know the places in town where people need some support, and the opportunities for us to show practical love.

We want Portland to see us as people who love and serve. As we’ve been planning, we’ve asked ourselves, what are the most effective ways to reach out into the community? We’ve pushed ourselves to think outside the box.

This year we have a very young team stepping up to be a part of the Portland community. We’re taking this opportunity to adapt the MAD (Make A Difference) Camp framework and set out on some missional discipleship of these young leaders. We’re making space for extended worship and small group time as a team, and some workshops for a lot of the younger leaders about things like how to share their testimonies, and how to put their faith into practical loving action. In the afternoons we’ll head into town and serve the community, in partnership with the local churches and schools.

I know a lot of the young people coming on team from church. Some of these young guys, I've seen grow in their faith over time, and I’m really excited to see the impact for them of this experience. I think that the number one thing for Portland SUFM this year is to reach out into the town and build relationships with people in the community.