As I mentioned on Sunday Elevation family member Peter Moore is currently incarcerated over the hill in San Jose. We hope and pray he'll be home with us soon. I visited Peter last week and he gave me an open letter for the church to encourage us. Peter is doing well, is in good spirits and ministering to the other men locked up with him. It would be excellent if we bombed him with letters from home to encourage HIM. Here's where you can write Peter.
Santa Clara County Dept of Corrections
Peter Moore
pfn: DZW657 CEN: 10031707
701 South Abel Street
Milpitas, CA 95035
The first letter of Peter to the church of Elevation
From Peter, a humble servant of God striving to become a new person through Jesus Christ to my friends and family at it's church body known as Elevation in the city of Santa Cruz.
Greetings my friends from the confines of cell number 44 here at Elmwood Milpitas (correctional facility). Rejoice with me for the Lord God is good and has delivered me from myself. The past few weeks have been nothing short of amazing and totally thought provoking. I can truly say that never have I felt as close to God as I do at this moment!!
While being here, for however long God deems he needs me, is affording me the opportunity to both grow on a personal level and share the word of God and the message of His forgiveness to a "captive" audience in a way that most people and churches cannot access. I know a large percentage of the people who believe they will change once they reclaim their freedom will fall back into the comfort of their "old ways", but even then I hope that the message of God will be like a seed planted in the back of their mind that will one day germinate and start to grow.
It occurred to me the other day that some people pay thousand's to go away to mountain retreats to find solace and peace and here I am receiving the same "for free" except I can't leave when I choose to - all for free. The freedom to study the bible, meditate and reflect is a treat. I hope all of you will afford yourselves the luxury of trying. I know from now on that this will be an essential part of my life as a living, active and able follower of Christ.
Should this letter get to Chuckk, and therefore you all, before Sunday July 4th then I wish you all a very Happy 4th of July Independence day. Just spare a thought for us Brits amongst you as a reminder, for you to win we had to lose!! Even with the current state of the economy, I am not sure if it was such a gain after all.
I look forward to receiving news of our first mission as a church to Mexico. I know we are just at the start of the adventure of our lives. As I have said to Chuckk, we should find a way to capture our journey so that we may share it with other new churches and indeed established churches to show and proclaim what an amazing thing we have accomplished through and for God. It seems hard to believe that 12 months ago we were destined to be homeless and penniless and look where God has put us!!
So my friends, I wish you all well and ask that we take stock of our lives and give thanks to God on a continuous basis for the blessings that he has given us that we simply take for granted in our normal everyday lives. I find it interesting that some of the most disadvantaged seem to be the most appreciative amongst us. Perhaps there is a lesson in there for all of us.
For those amongst you who have prayed for me and helped me undertake some essential changes while I am here I say a deeply heart felt thank you. To those of you who are "on the sidelines" I ask that you get involved and see where God leads you. We know his promise to us is good and it is up to us to ask for his help and guidance, he is the constant. It is us who vary in commitment to him.
To Omar and "the band" I miss you greatly, unfortunately some 20-30 guys singing verses and hymns doesn't quite compare, but the thought and hope is there if nothing else.
I look forward to being reunited with you all very soon.
Your friend and fellow servant in God,
Peter
Keep Peter in your prayers and know that a letter from you would be huge!
Hebrews 13:3 Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
