Reader's Digest Names Portland's Season of Service Best Service Project in America
PORTLAND, Oregon, June 15 /
Christian Newswire/ -- Evangelist Luis Palau's Season of Service (SOS) is singled out in the July issue of Reader's Digest as the "Best Group Service Project" in America. In a cover story entitled "Best of America," the monthly magazine celebrates 75 reasons Americans should love their country.
The article praises SOS for mobilizing throughout the greater Portland/Vancouver area some 550 churches, 68 nonprofit organizations and local businesses, and 27,000 volunteers to tackle 300 community service projects in 2008. The second SOS in Greater Portland is now in full swing, running May 1 through October 31.
These projects are an unprecedented collaborative effort among churches, nonprofit organizations, government, and businesses. SOS is designed to be sustained in each city long after a Palau festival concludes.
"It's a practical way to expand the reach of the Gospel," explains son Kevin Palau, the Luis Palau Association's executive vice president and key SOS architect. "At the festival, Dad clearly proclaims the Good News of Jesus Christ. And in the months leading up to the festival, Christians unite to tangibly demonstrate the love of Christ."
Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish said SOS has provided Portland with a new understanding, mutual respect, and a spirit of cooperation between the evangelical faith community and government.
"All involved recognize that we are walking a fine line between separation of church and state, but it's a line that must be walked because of the monumental social and economic challenges facing our communities," said Kevin Palau.
Communities around the world are now benefiting from Palau's updated model for festival evangelism, including Oaxaca and Huatulco, Mexico; Guatemala City, Guatemala; Kigali, Rwanda; and Little Rock, Arkansas.
For more than 40 years LPA has been a powerful force for bringing hope and instigating change in communities, cultures and nations around the world. It has presented a clear case for Christianity to more than 1 billion people through television, radio, print and live events.
