PLAN NOW to join the staff,
volunteers and homeless
from Good Works, Inc.
in our

Join us as we choose to abstain from shelter for one night
as one might otherwise abstain from food
in order to better understand the needs of the poor and homeless
and to draw nearer to God.

READ ISAIAH 58

WHAT IS A FAST FROM SHELTER? Since 1990, the staff, volunteers and many friends of Good Works have gathered in up-town Athens for 16 hours on Good Friday to "abstain" from shelter for one night as one might otherwise "fast" from food.

The vision of the FAST is to bring together people who are concerned about the needs of the poor and who want to learn more about what Jesus has to do with the poor what the poor have to do with following Jesus. Job 29:12 says "I rescued the poor who cried for help". It is our passion through the FAST to see people awakened to the cries of the poor both in our nation and in the world. Each hour we begin with a time of song, prayer and sharing for about 10-15 minutes followed by about 45 minutes of fellowship and just "hanging out". We take our theme for the FAST from Isaiah 58. In 58:7, Isaiah states that one of the meanings of 'true fasting' is this: "to share our food with the hungry and provide the poor wanderer with shelter...". At Good Works, this is exactly what we are giving our lives to do. By participating in FAST, you are placing yourself into a "context" where the Holy Spirit and other members of the body of Christ can stir you, nurture you and inspire you in your thinking -- moving you along the continuum from serving the poor to loving the poor to knowing the poor. At Good Works, we believe there is something "hidden" in God's truth regarding the relationship between loving the poor and knowing God. (Read Matthew 25:31-46)

Listen to the WORD of God:

"Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed." (Psalm 82:3) "The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends." (Proverbs 14:20) "The poor man is shunned by all his relatives -- how much more do his friends avoid him. Though he pursues them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found." (Proverbs 19:7) "He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done." (Proverbs 19:17) "If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered." (Proverbs 21:13) "He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses." (Proverb 28:27) "The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern." (Proverbs 29:7) "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." (Proverbs 31:8-9) "He (King Josiah) defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is this not what it means to know me says the Lord." (Jeremiah 22:16) "All they asked us that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do." (Galatians 2:10) Jesus said "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor." What does it mean for those of us who call ourselves Christians today to "bring good news to the poor?" (Luke 4:18-19) "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers, your relatives or your rich neighbors;if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind and you will be blessed. Although they can not repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." (Luke 14:12-14)

WHY GOOD FRIDAY?

When we begin the FAST in 1990, it was our intention to intentionally reflect on the suffering and death of Jesus in the context of seeking to better understand God's heart for the poor. The purpose of this FAST is spiritual education. It is not a protest or a vigil. This FAST is our intentional effort to grow in our understanding of "why" and "for whom" Christ died. We think it is a fantastic way to celebrate GOOD FRIDAY. Why don't you join us this year? If you would like more information about the FAST, you can contact us at 740.594.3339. Be sure to bring a sleeping bag and a bible. It is kind of an "urban camping experience". Finally, This is a FAST from shelter. Therefore, we do eat. We are not fasting from food (although no one is prohibited from doing so) Love is a verb, isn't it?

Click here for Fast From Shelter events and articles from the past

Click here for a month of scripture to prepare for the Fast