Dear Table Nation,

So much has been happening this year and although I missed writing you last month, I want to thank you for remaining faithful in your prayers and support!

I am currently in Asia teaching on the Book of Mark from The Biblical Imagination Series with Michael Card.  My heart is full and even composing this email is such an inspiration to me.  Right now, I am overlooking the city of Manila in the Philippines, which is a Hyper-City of over twenty million people. While we drove from the airport through the inner city poverty, I was reminded of my days as the Missions Pastor at Christ Community Church. The sounds, smells, and look of poverty really does not change and I could have closed my eyes and been in Jakarta, Delhi, Lusaka, Lima or a host of other wonderfully tough places where the Gospel is taking root through folks like you who continue to give your support! Michael Card and I performed a concert last night encouraging our audience to take seriously the call to stay “Within Reach” of the poor… That proximity to injustice is where YOU come in and Linda and I could not maintain The Safe House without your help! Please pray as we take The Franklin Table and Scott Roley Music just across Glass Street and on to South Korea this coming week.

On the home front, we had the best Sonrise Service in recent memory as The Pastors of Synago and The Empty Hands Fellowship gathered together to hear preaching, teaching, singing, praying and other elements of worship on a glorious Easter morning!  I want to say a big “thank you” to everyone who worked so hard to serve the various congregations.  The diversity was wonderful as 15 different congregations were represented.   It had the obvious look of the New Heavens, New Earth and New City with every nation, tribe, tongue and people group together worshipping the Lord!

Charles Robinson and The Red Road are gearing up for their summer, which will be spent out west bringing “The Baskets of Hope Ministry” to Native people living on the Reservations.  Please get in touch with TRR concerning this vital work at http://www.theredroad.org.  Charles is the featured speaker this week on First Person with Wayne Shepherd. I was in the studio during the interview and I can promise you won't want to miss it!  His interview can be heard at this website:  http://www.firstpersoninterview.com.

New Hope Academy has decided to continue with an annual concert in the spring to help with scholarship funding.  Sheryl Crow is graciously giving of her time and talent on April 19-21 at The Franklin Theater.  More info can be found at http://www.franklintheatre.com [2].  Powered by Hope Team is also running the Music City Marathon to raise money for the school.  Please pray for a wonderful weekend spent building the Kingdom and our health.  http://www.nhafranklin.org/

The Hard Bargain Association will be building more houses on our Mt. Hope Street property and we will soon begin working on another new home on Ninth Avenue. I believe this will be the eighth home to be built!  Last month’s HBA banquet was a huge success.  Pray for Brant Bousquet, Ashley Pope, and Harry Shields as they lead this community.  The food programs out of the Nashville Family Church have been spectacular and special thanks goes out to Chris Whitney and his faithful crew!  Kevin Riggs has put together another “Jobs For Life” group, which are meeting twice a week for classes and training at Ty's House in Hard Bargain.  As spring has arrived, we are thrilled to announce we have tilled and planted the HB organic garden and are excited to see folks getting behind growing their own food!

All in all, TFT Relationships are growing daily throughout the neighborhood and outside of our tiny community of change as well.  We are learning to trust each other more and more. Please know how important you are to this work.  We covet your prayers as we seek the Peace of the City, by doing what Jesus is doing, and not just what we think needs to happen.  

Blessings and deep love,

Scott

Rev. Scott Roley 

Director, The Franklin Table

959 Glass Street

Franklin, TN 37064

615-642-7428

I look forward as Jesus leads us ..."acting in line with the truth of the Gospel."   Galatians 2:14

 To receive monthly updates from The Franklin Table [3], please send your email to scott@scottroley.com [4].

Please join us in praying for: Against The Grain, Barefoot Republic, Empty Hands Fellowship, Feed Franklin First, FrankTown Open Hearts, Graceworks Ministries, High Impact Teen Ministry, Ken Turner Ministries, Jobs For Life, McCann, Hubbard & Solomon, Mercy Community Healthcare, New Hope Academy, R.E.A.L. Christian Foundation, The Samson Society, Shepherding The Next Generation, Stites & Harbison Law Offices, Synago Pastors Fellowship, The Family Dynamics Institute, The Hard Bargain Association, The Red Road, The Timothy Center and Thriftsmart.