Chris and Kay McNulty's story from Watershed Charlotte on Vimeo.

Come to the water.
God's gonna settle the water,
so the old gospel hymn goes.
Let the holy waters come, let them settle in the soul.
 
Let the water do what it does best:
wash away old guilts, sins we've carried
for far too long, they begin to feel like a noose.
 
Let the water do what it does best:
cleanse us from the deep within,
that fountain of holy only God can provide.
 
Let the water do what it does best:
sustain us,
give us new breath,
send us out again
to take our first steps. 

If you are considering baptism, or know some who might be ready to take this step, please fill out the interest form here.

Poem by Shawn  Buxton

On a field tucked away in a quiet neighborhood, some two dozen people gather to kick around the soccer ball. The open practice, led by Soccer 945’s head coach, Peter Fink, always starts with a warm-up game of some sort. Usually, it has nothing to do with soccer. Except that it does. These lessons (disguised as games and challenges) teach players key concepts such as finding support, offering praise to others, and showing up.  The players: a mix of folks from Watershed (newcomers and veterans alike) and neighbors, the term The Urban Ministry Center, under which Soccer 945 is housed, uses to describe those who are homeless or on the brink.

The organization’s main mission is to create meaningful relationships. In Pete’s words, “homelessness is a breakdown in the community,” and most of the homeless players feel this truth acutely. Somewhere along the struggling path of their lives, these individuals have felt let down by someone they trusted, and as result come to Soccer 945 with walls built around them.  The goal then is to break down those barriers through relationships.

It is in this intersection of service and relationship that Watershed’s presence is felt. Each week, Watershedders (many form the soccer bloc) come to the free play and take part in the lessons.  Truth be told, the volunteers learn just as much as the players do, and by “really embracing the lessons,” Pete says, allow the homeless players to learn through observing these interactions as well. After each scrimmage, people circle up to reflect on the day’s lesson, and it’s apparent that both volunteers and players walk away with important life skills.

Another component of the organization that imparts these vital lessons is the mentor program, of which four or five Watershed members serve as mentors for players.  This involves an array of responsibilities, but essentially, the concept revolves around relationship. Watershed members demonstrate love through action, serve as an example of acceptance, and for many of the players, provide support that would otherwise not be there.  “I would say there’s probably about 15 Watershed people who’ve taken on a role of some sort, whether they know or not, of being a mentor, being someone they [the neighbors] can talk to. You can see it at the kick-arounds,” says Pete.  

The energy of goodwill and love is palpable at these practices, and the kick-arounds are largely successful due to the efforts of Watershed volunteers who show up. For Pete, “the great thing about Watershed is their willingness to give. They’re our go-to group when we need volunteers or we need people to show up or really anything. They’re our first call, and they always are able to provide such great experiences for our players.”

It may seem like just a scrimmage, but really it’s an expression of Christ love, a bringing of the Kingdom of God to earth. The proof is in the smiles, those tell-tale signs that walls are tumbling on down. 
 
Written by Shawn Buxton in collaboration with Pete Fink