Citylights - Waitangi Weekend '09

Never been to Citylights??

Lots of people are buzzing out about social justice right now, its not a new movement tho..God's been walking out this kind of activism in our world since it began. We're just aware of our precious Auckland community and want to be a part of what He is doing in it. So if you want to put some arms and legs on your prayers and all that talking then roll your sleeves up and get rego'd, its gonna be wild.

"City Lights is about loving neighbours and taking ownership of deserted places. About privileged insiders dropping walls, and reaching out to the excluded. About providing a context for churches city-wide to work in unity.... and it all grew out a café get-together with a few key people with the right networks.

At its heart, City Lights expresses a simple truth; You don’t have to go to Asia or Africa to be of service. Just respond to the needs in your local community.

It was just a few friends getting together and saying to one another ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could do something?”

They had just recently been instrumental in setting up a safe-home for young women and were amazed at the willingness of people to give their time and efforts to a worthwhile cause. After this experience, these friends sat down over a coffee and asked the simple question, “What’s next?”

And so City Lights began in the summer of 2006 as a call to the Church in Auckland to make themselves available to serve the poor and marginalised of their city. City Lights gives Christians the opportunity to live out the songs they sing about their faith. By combining action with worship we are bringing summer to the perpetual winter of peoples’ poverty.

There are so many people who in their hearts and thoughts desire to reach out in some form to help those in need, but don’t know how to take the initial step. Over the past three years, nearly 1000 young people have volunteered their time, resource and talent to demonstrate love to forgotten people and places of Auckland, all because City Lights has created the connection points for them to do so.

And so City Lights began in the summer of 2006 as a call to the Church in Auckland to make themselves available to serve the poor and marginalised of their city. City Lights gives Christians the opportunity to live out the songs they sing about their faith. By combining action with worship we are bringing summer to the perpetual winter of peoples’ poverty.

There are so many people who in their hearts and thoughts desire to reach out in some form to help those in need, but don’t know how to take the initial step. Over the past three years, nearly 1000 young people have volunteered their time, resource and talent to demonstrate love to forgotten people and places of Auckland, all because City Lights has created the connection points for them to do so."

CityLights is a great place to kick-start a reformation in your lifestyle, walking out the heart of this movement has become a part of my daily life. I challenge you to think about how capturing this Spirit can be a part of your life too.

Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart is Your journey. Passing through the Valley of Weeping they make it a place of springs; the early rain also fills it with blessings.. -Psalm 84

For I will leave in the midst of you a people afflicted and poor, and they shall trust, seek refuge, and be confident in the name of the Lord. The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Mighty One, a Saviour! He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest and in His love He will be silent and make no mention of past sins or even recall them; He will exult over you with singing. Behold, at that time I will deal with all those who afflict you; I will save the limping ones, and gather the outcasts and will make them a praise and a name in every land of their shame. At that time I will bring you in; yes at that time I will gather you, for I will make you a name and a praise among all the nations of the earth when I reverse your captivity before your eyes, says the Lord.. - Zephaniah 3