Even without a Palau festival this year, the Season of Service efforts continue

By JOHN FORTMEYER
CNNW publisher
   PORTLAND — Last August saw a very, very big party taking place on the city’s waterfront, preceded by a first-time major campaign of Christian service in local communities.
   Even though the huge Portland CityFest with Luis Palau won’t be repeated this year, the emphasis on Christian service continues and could even grow beyond last year’s impressive numbers.
   Plans for the second run of the Season of Service outreach will be outlined on Thursday morning, Feb. 26, by Portland-based international evangelist Luis Palau and his team in a special free event for church pastors and ministry leaders.
   The meeting is from 9 a.m. to noon at Hinson Memorial Baptist Church, 1315 S.E. 20th Ave, and concludes with a box lunch.
   As outlined on the Palau association’s web site, www.palau.org, the Season of Service is a new component to the Palau model for festival evangelism. It debuted in Portland last year, and offers a new focus on sustainable, repeatable, culturally relevant outreach opportunities.
   As an extension of a Palau festival, it is designed to be more than a festival. It seeks to “stimulate the mindset” of local believers, empowering them to have a long-term impact in their city for Christ.
   This year’s Season of Service runs from May 1 through Sept. 30.
   Kevin Palau, son of Luis Palau and executive vice president of the ministry, said the Feb. 26 gathering will have workshops related to the five areas of focus for the Season of Service:
•public schools.
•homelessness
•free medical and dental clinics.
•hunger and poverty.
•the environment, in partnership with SOLV (Stop Oregon Litter and Vandalism).
   The session will include a message from Luis Palau and a panel discussion with Pastors Frank Damazio of City Bible Church in Portland, John Bishop of Living Hope Church of Vancouver, Wash., and Rick McKinley of Imago Dei Community in Portland. There also will be comments from the mayors of Portland and other local cities, including formal declarations of the upcoming Season of Service.
   Also taking place that morning will be a special presentation to the Portland city government — a gift of offerings taken during the recent Christmas season by churches participating in Advent Conspiracy. Pro-moted by McKinley and other pastors, Advent Conspiracy seeks to demonstrate worship to Jesus through compassion rather than consumerism.
   Kevin Palau acknowledged that today is a time of economic challenge for local churches, many of which are having to cut back on staff and programs. But he said it is also a great time for churches to commit themselves to another Season of Service.
   “Especially in this time of economic criss, where everyone’s stretched, including our churches — what a time to demonstrate the love of Christ,” he said. “What a better time to gather hundreds of churches and say to our civic leaders that we are continuing this.”
   Last year 26,000 people from a wide range of churches participated in more than 300 different service projects. “We hope we will have even more people involved in this year’s Season of Service,” said Palau, who is personally spearheading much of the effort in his hometown this year.
He said the Season of Service concept will be expanded in the coming two years to other cities, including Little Rock, Ark., San Diego, Calif. and Phoenix, Ariz.
   “We don’t see doing a festival in the United States or Latin America without doing the Season of Service,” he said.
   Reservations for the Feb. 26 event should be made with Megan Palau at 503-614-1575.