The New Vulnerable
May 19 ⋅ by Gavin Lymberopoulos and Enrique Leal
For decades, the Lord has steadily introduced Tenth members to vulnerable people in Philadelphia. As we are all now aware, to use a word like vulnerable is now a massive understatement. Before the COVID-19 crisis, Tenth’s immigrants and homeless neighbors lacked basic resources. As we are now more than 75 days into the lockdown, any margin these neighbors built into their life has dissolved and the relationships developed through the efforts of Tenth’s Mercy Commission and other charities are essential.
This of course is not a one-sided situation. We as church members live to serve in situations such as this—not because we want people to suffer, but because our Master gives us a deeper wisdom than the world has to offer. We know it is more blessed to give than to receive. Hopefully you are taking opportunities to lean into this blessing through your personal network. As a church, we welcome you to give to our May Project of the Month, which is focused ...
Everyone Needs Mercy
Apr 28 ⋅ by Laura Layer and Phil Scribano
Jesus says that the greatest commandment is this: “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, and mind.” And the second greatest commandment is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Our Lord tells the parable of the Good Samaritan in response to the following question: “So, Jesus, who is my neighbor anyway?”
In t...
Changing
Apr 17 ⋅ by Gavin Lymberopoulos
We as a church have placed our hope in the “Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Nevertheless, because of the truly unprecedented nature of this moment, each week the pastors and ministry leaders have spent time changing. Changing plans. Changing expectations. Changing our strategy. What has not changed is our belief that all of us need t...
Passion & Resurrection
Apr 10 ⋅ by Colin Howland
The immeasurable significance of Holy Week is perhaps best attested by the amount of space given to recording its events in the gospels. From the total of 89 chapters in the four gospel accounts, 29 chapters are devoted to describing what Jesus said and did from Palm Sunday to Easter. Not only this, but each gospel is composed so the reader can clearly understand that there is an inexorable mov...
Easter Development
Apr 9 ⋅ by Travers Oliver
In a previous Tenth Press article, we spoke about the work the Lord is doing through our Global Partners and the two relief projects we’re supporting for our 2020 Easter Sacrificial Offering (ESO). If you haven’t had a chance to read it, you can find it here.
In that article we distinguished between relief work and development work. Relief work provides an immediate sol...
Easter Relief
Apr 7 ⋅ by Travers Oliver
Each year as we celebrate the Lord’s resurrection at Easter, the Global Outreach Commission seeks out beneficiaries for our annual Easter Sacrificial Offering (ESO). This offering is collected and distributed to those who are working to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the global church in some of the harshest parts of the world.
This year we’re excited to annou...
SPEAK
Mar 17 ⋅ by Ray Withers
On March 3, we presented a gift of chocolates to the adult ESL student who won the contest to name the onsite ESL program. Submissions were numerous and included the following words: speak, learn English, class, program, South Philly, and community. For now, though, I need to back up.
Tenth’s Mercy Commission includes the South Philadelphia Immigrant Commi...
Unhelpful Help
Mar 10 ⋅ by Kyle Mangum
“‘We are in the very bowels of hell,’ I thought to myself.” So said Brian Fikkert, development economist and founder and president of the Chalmers Center of Covenant College, recalling his observation of poverty so dire that surely anything—anything at all—he could do would help alleviate the suffering of the unfortunate souls so afflicted by it. Right?
...
Easter Sacrificial Offering
Mar 5 ⋅ by Gavin Lymberopoulos and Travers Oliver
Each year as we celebrate the Lord’s resurrection at Easter, the Global Outreach Commission seeks out beneficiaries for our annual Easter Sacrificial Offering (ESO). This offering is collected and distributed to those who are working to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the global church in some of the harshest parts of the world.
This year we’re excited to annou...