A City Uprising: Propel the Church, Prosper the City

We are in the process of discerning some of the conversations that were had during City Uprising. We are classifying the conversations in three categories:

1) Personal Conversations- someone from the City Uprising team had a positive interaction with an individual during the week.

2) God- Centered Conversations- positive interactions that moved toward a discussion about God.

3) Gospel- Centered Conversations- These would be conversations that included a sharing of Jesus with the person.

There is more to come. These are just the stories for prayer cards, blogs and some team leaders. We are still waiting to hear from each of the 300 participants as they share their stories. SHARE YOUR STORY NOW!

Personal Conversations
• Logan stepped out of his comfort zone on numerous occasions and worked hard to engage the people of New York City. He also made an amazing connection with a man who was HIV-positive and personally invited him to Gallery Church.
• Words from Joshua: As they were cleaning up trash the park service people asked them why they were doing and they explained what was going on and the park service were extremely grateful! They even clapped as they left!
• From Shannon and Megan: The girls were passing out the HIV cards on the side of the street and a man in his car was trying to flag them down to get a card while he was driving. He ended up wrecking his car in the process of flagging them down and he still got a card from them and went and got tested! He told them “At least something good came from this.”
• Laura: Throughout the beginning of the morning when they handed us the cards to give to people, I felt like I had to give them all out and was fearful I couldn’t do it or would be turned down, especially since in New York you’re always being handed something. Later on after some good conversations and a couple cards handed out, yet still some rejection, I had this thought of: it’s not necessarily about how many cards you hand out or how many times they accept or reject them as if one is greater than the other. But it is about reaching out to people in love, God’s unfailing love. And just getting to know people and their stories of how they are where they are.
• Anna: While we were out taking pictures of the balloons for purity we also handed out cards to come visit the church and gallery. We had a bunch of interactions with people, and surprisingly they wanted to know more!
• Pray for Mike of Harlem, New York. He asked for prayer financially and for physical strength. I was unable to give my testimony because he had to leave. Pray that he’ll hear the message.
• Regina: until this week, I’d never been to the South Bronx unless it was for a Yankees game. I’ve never spent time hanging out on convent avenue. (did you know there was a convent avenue?) I’d never seen the campus of city college. I’d never engaged with strangers in Henry hudson park by the west side highway. I’d never seen the library of Rustin high school or been above its second floor. 12 people from flushing, MI; Orlando, FL; Yorktown, VA and Hendersonville, TN showed up here this weekend and felt more comfortable standing in the heat and talking to the people walking around the Bronx community pride center than I did. and I want to follow their example.
• Lana: I loved walking through the neighborhoods, talking to the people, and escorting people to the HIV testing center. It impacted my life to watch the people with fear stricken faces walking up the sidewalk toward me...searching for the door to enter. I would quietly say, "are you here to be tested today?" They timidly said, "yes, I am" then I would say, "follow me, it will not hurt, and it is quick, you will know your results in 20 minutes". Each person would thank us. The sweetest time was seeing the faces of many as they came out, changed, smiles on their faces. Fear displaced by gratefulness! I would give them a thumbs up & tell them to be retested in 3 months. They were so happy & thankful for our help.They walked away with confidence and peace of mind.
• Lana: I made friends with the store owner who said it was fine for us to do it in front of his store. We made friends with another guy that was obviously patroling his block. He would laugh at me because I would try to give him a card every time he went by. On the seventh time, I jokingly said, "we are becoming friends now, I've seen you way too much today & now I know you". He laughed but in a few minutes asked us about our bracelets. He said, "does everyone in your group have that color on?" I'm sorry but I know all about colors & being in the wrong territory & having the wrong color. He said, "we were okay." Good to know! He stood right there around us all day. He actually waved to us goodbye when he left. There were 3 guys there watching over us all day long.
• Lana: At the end of our day, I was speaking with a woman about being tested. Having a great conversation with her, smiling and laughing with her. I was tired and did not carefully plan my words. She asked, "why so often to be tested?" I said, "they say that in this area it is better to be tested more often." She picked out "IN THIS AREA" and took it as an offense. She went off on me, & went into a rampage saying, "did you hear that, she said in this area...." All I could do is apologize which I did & left her to her fit of anger. I had a sense of peace through it all, I walked away and stood my ground knowing that is all I could do. Then everyone started laughing at her. She soon disappeared. It was like Satan had sent her to destroy our work and our joy. It didn't happen! Apparently she was looking for an argument from the start.
• Jeff: The supervisor of the health clinic with which we worked expressed great hospitality by buying us pizza for lunch! Papa Johns has nothin' on New York-style Pizza! When I heard the reports of how the effort has impacted the city, it has become evident that Ali and I are a part of something much bigger than anything we could have dreamed.
• Rachel: I felt like we should go into this park, and this teen on a bicycle sought us out. This is not common in NYC. People pretty much ignore you. He asked what we were doing, took a card, looked us both in the eyes, shook our hands, and said "thank you so much." He took of riding in the direction of the clinic.

God-Centered Conversations
• Words from Elizabeth: At one point in our walk, I was separated as I stopped to talk to a “do-you-like-standup,” guy. She then proceeded to tell him about the purity in the city experiment.
• Words from Christina: I saw the simplest instance like an explanation of purity balloons with a stranger. This truly is an example of how God is in everything.
• I ran into a mom today that loved what we were doing. She thought it was Amazing. Her husband and daughter are saved just like she is. However her two sons are not. She asked it we all could pray that they become saved. Their names are Wesley and Evan.
• Due to the nature of what goes on at one of the test sites a man decided not to get tested. I pray the Lord gives me the right words to say to help people see past their prejudice and see the importance of them finding out the truth about their status and the truth about Jesus Christ.
• Pray for the lady who mocked me and spit at me. Pray for the Holy Spirit to soften her heart and for her to hear the Gospel.
• Anna: I was holding out a card and made eye contact with a man, who I would guess was in his 50s. He stopped, took the card and looked at both sides, and then looked up at me and said: I think evangelical Christians are to blame for most of the world's problems. Then, he said: So, you really think that there is a God who created the universe, created all of us, and is control of everything? And, I said: Yes, I do. Then, he said: So you think that Jesus was God, came to earth, and let himself be killed? Again, I said: Yes, I do. He said: I think that is really arrogant that you think that Jesus was God, came to earth, and let himself be tortured and killed for you. I said: I know, that is what is so amazing-He did that for me, and I don't deserve it. When I did answer a statement that he made, he looked disgusted and said something like: We'll just leave it at that, and started to turn away. I put my hand on his arm, and he turned back to me, and I looked in his eyes, and said: You take care.
• Russell: I am currently in a hotel in Queens, New York and more specifically Fair Field Inn in Long Island City. This afternoon I had the opportunity to distribute fliers promoting free HIV testing at a clinic in south Manhattan. I posted myself on the corner of Delancey and Essex slightly after 10am and began distributing. Not long after 11am a woman approached me and I offered her a flier to which she immediately responded that she had the virus. She began to tell me how she contracted the virus and how it had affected her new born child. The baby, I do not know how old, was in a coma as a result of being born with HIV. She began weeping and I tried to reassure her that God loved her still and forgave her, but I was too afraid to speak actual healing, so I think. It could be possible that through the Holy Spirit she received some small fragment of healing as a result of our interaction, I may never know. But I do know that I was in some large way crippled with fear. We continued talking and she reached her hand towards me to thank me for what I was doing (soli Deo gloria) and I looked towards her wrinkled and lovely hand, yet I noticed a spot of blood upon it.As I shook her hand a million thoughts raged through my head concerning this disease.
• Jeff: While working, I loved getting the chance to meet Larry. He lives on Long Island and is a maintenance worker at the school since 1969. He has three kids several grands, a wife of 42 years, and is looking forward to retired in two years. We had a great conversation about life and kids, and I am sure he was a bit suprised by my strong, southern drawl. It was such a thrill to tell Larry the reason we had traveled to New York to work in his school for the day.
• My partner and I had a blessed morning. Many, many people took cards from us. When we returned to “base,” our contact at the clinic said we had done a great job. Maybe too great–they were running out of test kits! This contact kept referring to “The Universe”: “The Universe has brought us together,” “The Universe will show you where to go.” I hope our small group of Jesus-followers pointed him to the Maker of the Universe.
• The woman supervising us was so excited to have help and had no idea who we were or where we were from. We got to explain that we’re a bunch of kids from Texas and Tennessee working with a church who paid to come and help her out. I hope our conversations and our work lead her eventually to Him.
• Walking into a park, a group of black men sitting on a bench stops us. “I just wanted to tell you that we believe in what you’re doing. Thanks for coming out here. You’re doing good work. May the Lord bless you.” I smile as my heart warms. “May He bless you too, sir!” I approach a couple on a bench with some cards. “The HIV clinic across the street is offering free movie tickets if you go!” I announce as I give a big West Texas smile. The young couple decides they’d like free movie tickets, so they yell to their child that they will be right back. Rachel and I have to leave soon, so we walk them to the clinic. We got to see the girl leave a short time later–she is negative.

Gospel-Centered Conversations
• AC shared Jesus with Grant. He had just left his wife, by the end of City Uprising he was convinced that they best thing to do was to get back with his wife. Gallery/ City Uprising helped him get back to Virginia where his family is. Grant says that he is a believer in Jesus, but, in AC's opinion, there has not been any real fruit evidenced in a long time. Pray that Grant would start attending his church in Virginia and pray that he truly does know Jesus.
• AC Shared with C. C is a life-long resident of NYC and has a very influential job. AC has shared with C on many occasions, but C has not responded yet. Please pray.