Have you ever experienced disorientation? We are, in this current season.
Walter Brueggemann suggests that human beings regularly find themselves in one of three places: a place of orientation, in which everything makes sense in our lives; a place of disorientation, in which we feel we have sunk into the pit; and a place of new orientation, in which we realize that God has lifted us out of the pit and we are in a new place full of gratitude and awareness about our lives and our God.
In the midst of disorientation the word of God bursts forth like a flower in the desert
"Do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand". (Is 41:10)
Antioch Network President
As I shared a few months ago. I am now the Antioch Network President. We remain support based so we are thankful each of you who give financially to make our work possible.
The work of A2J remains strong and a priority for us even with our new role
I continue to discover all that God has for us in my new role as President. It has been a joy to see our team grow. One recent highlight is having Jeff Skeens join the AN team.
I have known Jeff for twenty years when we first met through Young Life. He is a great friend and we share much in common with regards to discipleship and reconciliation within the body of Christ. We are partnering together in different initiatives here in Phoenix.
If you would like a overview of our past 9 years of work with Antioch Network click here
Noleen's Health
It's me again, Noleen. I have continued to have seizures every couple of weeks or so, but the cause still remains unknown. I saw my doc last month and he suggests I try third medication. I have not been on any medication for about 6 months because the first two meds I tried had such terrible side effects. I do covet your prayers once more for this process as I am extremely hesistant to start the third one.
The Prayer House and Our 'Dream' House
The God who allows us to become disoriented...
Wow, what an intense afternoon we had yesterday. The owner of the prayer house called and asked us to be moved out by Tuesday, we were expecting to have until the end of the month (We are still praying that God will miraculously provide a way for it to be purchased so we can stay).
Five minutes after this conversation the owners of 1322 (the house we have prayed for our family) texted us asking if we were still interested in his house because they are ready to sell (we had not heard from them in over 9 months). We have prayed for this house for almost 3 years. Our emotions are running wild. To quote George Miley, "What is God doing?" We don't know, although we know He is with us and bringing us to a place of of new orientation. We wait expectantly for God
'Community and Growth'
Beginning September 16th I will be helping facilitate an important six month study with Jeff Skeens (Kineo Urban Renewal/Antioch Network), Sanghoon Yoo (The Faithful City), and Chris Somers (Neighborhood Ministries). It will bring communities from diverse backgrounds together to learn together. We also hope and pray that a network for the good of our city will emerge out of this
Save the Date... Saturday November 8th! We will be celebrating six years of God's faithfulness in our journey and honoring Him and all of you who have been a part of this with us. We would love for you to plan on joining us. More details to come
"When I visit communities, I frequently ask, "How do you celebrate?" If they say, "We don't celebrate," then I know the community risks death." I think this is not only true for our communities but for our families and even our own souls. Vanier goes on to say, "We must learn to celebrate. I say learn to celebrate, because celebration is not just a spontaneous event. We have to discover what celebration is. We know quiet a bit about parties, where we are artificially stimulated by alcohol to have fun. We know what movies and distractions are. But do we know how to celebrate our togetherness, our being one body?"
Yesterday we spent our monthly A2J retreat focusing on Celebration. We spent a few hours acknowledging God's great love and work in our lives. It was a powerful time that breathed life into us that will enable us to continue to give our lives to God, one another and our neighbors.
Italy Report
Overview
Danny and I spent 10 days in Italy. We flew into Milan and drove down to Rome and back up to Trento, we drove over 900 miles and saw a lot Italy. Our friendship was strengthened through this trip. One of my personal highlights was to see Danny give his History of Church Divisions talk at the Wittenberg meetings. He did awesome, it was so well received by all of the European leaders.
Rome (A2J Partnership)
In October I was with the Kincaids on a scouting trip seeking the right place for them to live and the right ministry partnerships to connect with. They moved to Rome on Good Friday. Danny and I spent 3 days with them strengthening friendship, getting to know their kids, and praying and dreaming together how A2J Phoenix and A2J Rome can be grow in partnership and support. It was a great trip.
A key European leader made the comment during out times how interesting it is that a couple from Texas (Thomas and Amy, read their story clicking here) would be used of God to initiate the Wittenberg 2017 initiative. I thought a lot about this during the 5 day meeting and I came to the conclusion that it is here in America where the consequences of the body of Christ being divided is felt so extremely. We live in a time where a pastor in America can be quoted as saying,"if you don't like my church then go start your own 'damn' church." Lord have mercy.
Wittenberge 2017 addresses specifically the 500th anniversary of the division that occurred during the reformation, but the more we gather to pray and seek God's heart we become more convinced that we are called also to address the divisions that go back farther. The1054 schism between and East and West and ultimately to the first division in the Church between the Gentile and Jewish Christians in the first century. To read an excellent report from this gathering click here (then click on Trento pdf.)
Praying for Sister Joela
Sister Joela is one of the leaders of the Evangelical Sisters of Mary who have a branch in Phoenix (Kanaan in the Desert) click here to learn more
To see a lot more photos from Wittenberg 2017 Gathering click here
Greetings friends! We hope this note finds you living well! Thank you for taking the time to read this short update. We are excited to share some important developments with you.
Antioch Network President
I have been with Antioch Network (AN) for nine years. Wow! I have been part of the AN board for the past two years, and as of last month, I have been appointed the President of Antioch Network. I will maintain my current role with A2J and will grow into this new role with AN gradually. This is a good fit because I have worked so closely with George and Hanna (founders), which has allowed the values and passions of AN to take root in me. I have also had the unique opportunity to be on site in all of the areas around the world where AN is serving and I have a strong relationship with the staff. This role continues to move us toward the idea of spending some significant time as a family in Europe in 2016
We need your Help...
After almost six years of renting a house for prayer and inner-city ministry, the owner (an out of state investor) gave us no notice and has put the property on the market to sell!
Prayer House with for sale sign in front
We have spent thousands of hours in prayer here and havewelcomed many who have joined our pursuit of a life of prayer. We have been strengthened by the diversity of those who pray with us. One day it is the Director of Policy for the Governor, the next a homeless friend. All are welcome, but more, all are and necessary. We have had stood by Orthodox, Catholic and more Protestant streams than we can name. They have formed circles with our immigrant and refugee friends who are drawn to the hospitality and friendship ofour community. Here in this place we consistently pray for our city, for theChurch and for its for pastors and leaders by name. Here in this place we have been changed and so has our world.
Please pray that God will provide a way for us to keep this property or that he will provide another space for us. Pray for the owner, that God will reveal Himself to him
Here is a short video montage celebrating six years of life with Jesus at the Prayer House click here
God is at work!
As we grow in following Jesus, he is teaching us how to love. Love God, our brothers and sisters even when they wrong us, and how to love our neighbors. Many of our neighbors are the homeless that we live among. Some stay with us for a while and then are gone without notice or even a goodbye. We have learned not to take it personally but see it as a part of the deep brokenness of humanity that has, 'gone its own way' BUT others stay with us for a long time and become part of our family and bear witness to God's mercy to heal!
Shelly
We thank God for the transformation in lives like Shelly, who was homeless for almost 20 years. When we met her 6 years we invited her into our friendship and our pursuit of Jesus. She has grown in so many ways and after helping run our Hope House for 18 months we nudged her out to live on her own and find a job to be able to provide for herself. We rejoice with her, she has her first full-time job ever at Walmart (she is in her 50s). In tears last night, at our team meeting, Shelly shared how her whole life she believed the lies poured over her by parents who said she was worthless and would never succeed. She no longer believes those lies!
Shelly at work at Walmart
Anthony
We met Anthony six months ago, he was homeless, like many others we learned to earn his trust through hospitality and friendship. We have provided a place for him to live the past 3 months in our Hospitality Apartment and he is now preparing to graduate from St. Mary's Community Kitchen Culinary school this month. He is working and thriving and sharing the goodness of Jesus with whoever will listen.
Anthony praying with me for one of the 10,000+ guests who came to Hope Fest
Hope Fest
This is our third year partnering with CityServe, A2J had two prayer stations set up to offer prayer to the guests at this event that provides long-term services to the most poor and vulnerable in our city
click above to see more photos from Hope Fest
Woodland Community Garden
Home Depot came out in full force to help make our garden a jewel in the heart of the city. Check out this short video from ABC news about the project click here
Home Depot crew (click above to see more photos)
The Vision
A Movement and Way of Life with Jesus: Calling people pursue a distinct life of discipleship and mission that transforms individuals and communities
The Mission
Starting and supporting intentional discipleship communities networked locally and around the world
He Has Risen"I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live."
We hope this brief note finds you well and we pray you have a wonderful Easter! Thanks for the many ways you have expressed to us the love and goodness of Jesus!
Watch this Video
To watch a brief video from our Holy Thursday foot washing and our Good Friday morning prayer click here
Calling people to pursue a distinct life of discipleship and mission that transforms individuals and communities
The Mission
Starting and supporting intentional discipleship communities networked locally and globally
We hope this note finds you well. There is much to give thanks for:
Noleen is doing really well overall, she has not had a major 'episode' in more than three months and her minor 'episodes' that were occurring every two weeks are now only once a month. Her week at Barrow did not reveal any conclusive results because she did not have a seizure while she was there. We have a follow up appointment Tuesday March 18th. We are sensing God's healing hand has been on her. Thank you for your prayers and support these past eight months. After six months Noleen is driving again!
It has been over a year and a half since our neighbors down the street brought us into their home to see if we would like to buy it. It has been an up and down journey with set backs and disappointments with there follow through and the outlandish price they are asking. But we sense the Lord inviting us to a focus season of prayer again for this house. Please pray with us as the Lord would lead you!
A2J's Mission of Hospitality
God has given us the privilege of opening up the Hope House to women who have been detained and then released and given asylum. These women from Africa have a deep faith in Jesus and have blessed us more than we have them. I can understand why some say the Global South Church has much to offer the West. click here to watch a video of our friends from Africa singing at Morning Prayer
Spotlight on Anthony
Anthony was a man who had lost his way, we met him at CASS, (the homeless shelter right down the street from us). We slowly earned his trust by going down there and playing music and sharing our lives. He eventually started coming to our morning prayers and then started helping with the outreach to CASS. We have provided one of our Hospitality Apartments for him, and now he is off the street, and just last week got a job at a restaurant downtown.
He shared recently with us,
...that it was our consistent friendship and our lives of welcome that made Jesus real and accessible to him. He saw in us something (Jesus) that he wanted first to be around and then later wanted to have himself.
(Anthony painting the hospitality room in the A2J Prayer House at last month's workday)
(below weekly outreach at CASS with Anthony in red shirt)
A2J Development
Brentwood - Next month Shannon Murphy,who has been with a2j for almost five years will be sent out to help establish a2j Brentwood with Amber Egleston. They move into a house a few doors down from the Malakowsky's next month
4-Plex - Daniel Getz continues to discern his role with A2J and what level of partnership his developing community will have with A2J
Rome -Todd and Chrisy Kincaid will be moving to Rome next month and want their new work to be part of A2J (Danny and I will go to Rome in May to strengthen this partnership this will be my second trip as I was just there with the Kincaids in October)
Philippines - Is God calling A2J to the Philippines? We believe so, Mike and Maureen Alianza who are part of the A2J leadership team have been called to the Philippines for many years. Mike grew up there as the son of missionaries. (There will be a key exploratory trip this Spring)
Thank you for your friendship, prayer, hands on help, and financial support
We hope this update finds you well. We are experiencing a season of genuine enjoyment of our life and the work God has entrusted to us. In the past month God has provided the financial support we needed to purchase a new insurance plan and now Noleen is scheduled to check into Barrow Institute's Epilepsy Monitoring unit February 18th. She will be observed and monitored around the clock in order to better figure out what is going on in her brain and come up with a more accurate diagnosis and plan for treatment. We are experiencing God's hand in tangible ways through this process. Thank You for your love and support!
Get Hanna Miley's new book for free
Hanna was interviewed on Tom Brown's program Koinonia (1360 KPXQ Faith Talk) which aired on Wednesday, January 29th. You can access the interview about her book A Garland for Ashes and her long journey to forgiveness on Soundcloud by clicking here.
Today is the last day for a FREE download of A Garland for Ashes to honor International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
The link for this download is supplied on George and Hanna's website by clicking
"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living".
-Psalm 27:13
A2J Woodland - Learning to live a life of discipleship in community through shared rhythms of Prayer, Study, and Service
Our rhythm of prayer is bearing great fruit as we learn to live a prayerful life in the midst of the business of daily life and inner-city brokenness. During our prayer times it is usual to have refugees, homeless, and neighbors join us. Ray a homeless friend said to Amber recently,
"A lot of people interact with the homeless by offering to give us stuff: food, clothes, and even money but what I have experienced in your community is that you offer us yourself and this has made all the difference in my life."
Come pray with us:
Monday 7:30-8:00am
Wednesday 7:30-8:00am
Friday 7:30-8:30am
Wednesday 11:30-12:30pm (city-wide prayer)
A2J Phoenix on the Move
Former A2J Woodland team member, Amber Egleston, after spending the last year in Guatemala has decided to join the Malakowsky family and the work of A2J in Brentwood. Shortly thereafter current Woodland team member, Shannon Murphy, received the call to be the very first team member actively being sent from one neighborhood team to begin a new work in another community.
This has been the vision for many years and we are now seeing it come alive.
God is on the move and He is faithful. Please pray for God's wisdom, protection and provision for this emerging work in Brentwood. It has a key role in the development of A2J becoming a movement.
The Vision
A Movement and Way of Life with Jesus: Calling people pursue a distinct life of discipleship and mission that transforms individuals and communities
The Mission
Starting and supporting intentional discipleship communities networked locally
We have had a good Christmas Season and continue to celebrate as we move towards the New Year. We hope yours was good and pray this note finds you well. As we reflect on the good gifts from this past year, we think of your friendship and are grateful.
As we move into this new year we continue to learn to trust God for the provision of this work. We are asking that you would pray and consider giving a year end gift. We are also in need of new monthly supporters starting in 2014. We are 50% supported through committed gifts. If you would like to support us or know of anyone else who might support A2J please email us and we can meet and talk with you.
With love and gratitude,
Ryan and Noleen
December- A month of loving and serving
Passing out about 50 presents to the homeless and our neighbors
Partnering with multiple churches for two events at the Prayer House for the homeless
Outreach to elderly at Ridgecrest
Singing Christmas Carols in our Community
Community Outreach in Ajo, Arizona
Offering Hospitality and Housing to a woman from Cameroon seeking Political Asylum
Anthony was a man who had lost his way, we met him at CASS, (the homeless shelter right down the street from us). We slowly earned his trust by going down there and playing music and sharing our lives. He eventually started coming to our morning prayers and then started helping with the outreach to CASS. We have provided one of our Hospitality Apartments for him, and now he is off the street, and just last week got a job at a restaurant downtown. 
