What if we celebrated the go-ers and servants and doers and wipers of noses and holders of hands rotted by leprosy and the diggers of wells and lovers of souls as we do the pretending actors of the movies?
What if we made t-shirts for "Team Bob" who visits the prisons each week, driving 100+ miles each way just to tell people who hurt that God loves them and has a plan for their life; a plan of freedom no matter their place?
Or sat on benches outside of a glittering theater to yell for our favorite life-in-a-backpack world changers?
What if we rolled the red carpet for each kind heart, selfless servant, orphan caretaker, prostitute discipler, or warrior who steps into to rescue child sex slaves on Bangla Road; these reclaimers of light in darkness?
What if?
Why not?
Guess what…it is happening. Adventures in Missions and their partners are prepping the Fox Theater to celebrate people who serve and seek no applause – an epic celebration of rag tag disciples known as the Epoch Awards 2013, October 28, 2013.
In 2011, the inaugural Epoch Missions Gala was launched to connect, honor, and celebrate the past, present, and future of missions. Over 400 nominations from 25 countries were submitted to recognize domestic and global go-ers and world-changers.
More than sparkly dresses, slicked back hair, and bow ties – hope was present as hundreds of people showed up in Atlanta to worship – not one another – but a God who inspires their work and service. (See the first Epoch Missions Gala recap-in-a-minute here.)
$50,000 in grants were awarded to recipients in six categories of service:
Innovative Start-Up
and People's Choice
Recipients included Atlanta's own Beltline Bike Shop where kids trade community service for the tools and instruction to fix donated bikes – bikes that they will work/serve to own. Practical, community-building, dignifying opportunities to get to know and disciple kids who might other been wandering downtown much the like the "sheep without a shepherd" Jesus encountered (check out Matthew 9:36).
Care for Aids, Trash Mountain, Shaun King/Twitchange, Word Made Flesh, and Urban Impact each received Epoch grants in 2011.
A world of good. A world of healing the broken hearted and setting captives free.
Two years later and thousands of lives loved, the 2013 Epoch Awards are "Celebrating Unsung Heroes" and it's your chance to nominate people and organizations you know who are out there – offering fresh water, building shelter, working to free and protect. Essentially, you and I are invited to recognize the folks who never seek their own applause – many who work "miracles" with little resource, but the passion and power of a God who made his home with prostitutes and tramps like us.
Nominate.
Pray.
Become a partner.
Plan to attend and bring your friends because a celebration of God's kids going about his business in the dusty, broken, dark corners of the world…is sure to be epic…EPOCH AWARDS 2013.
Allie-
I hope you are keeping warm!!
When are the nominations due- the information is not on the website.
Pam