Wording you might consider using as you extend the
invitation to like-minded acquaintances who you think might be interested or
inclined in serving as a Branch Coordinator for Patriot Saints.
Re: approaching you about the possibility of your becoming a Patriot Saints
branch coordinator or contact point in your area.
Hello ______________,
[personalized greeting] _________________
I am promoting the Patriot Saints movement. It might be thought of as the next
phase for what used to be called the American Study Group, which was designed
to help awaken people to a sense of the precarious plight we find ourselves in
at this juncture in history. It specialized in showing what the scriptures had
to say on the subject of freedom and the threats to it.
The Patriot Saints movement, as a "next phase," is designed more for
fellowship of those who are already awakened, to provide support in their
various endeavors in association with like-minded people. Its purpose is to
facilitate a gathering together on a local level of people who are both
"patriots" (meaning they love freedom and are zealous in its defense
and promotion) and "saints" (meaning that their hearts have been
changed through faith in Christ so that they desire to do what is right and to
be guided by the Spirit of God).
There are quite a few "patriots" out there, and quite a few
"saints," and there are even a few who are both patriots and saints,
though they are a more rare breed. Sometimes it can be awfully lonely. Though
ultimately we all need to trust in God and have a personal relationship with
deity, still we are not meant to have to always walk alone down here on earth.
Like-minded people can do much better by having fellowship one with another.
Our growth can be augmented in many ways by associating with people who are
more closely matched to us in knowledge, spirituality, faith, etc.
I believe, too, that there is a scriptural mandate for likeminded people to
meet together. Malachi said, "Then they that feared the Lord spake often
one to another."
The Internet has been a great blessing in enabling like-minded people to meet
"virtually" and associate together independent of location.
However, when things fall apart, that mode of communication and association
will most likely not be available any more. It will be the neighbor down the
street who will matter more in terms of a trusting relationship being of
value, through which we can come to the aid and support of one another on a
more profound level than if we are meeting each other for the first time.
As this Patriot Saints movement has taken shape in the past month, I have
thought about you and thought there might be a possibility that you would like
to be involved.
The purpose of this correspondence is to approach you about the possibility of
you becoming a contact point or a branch coordinator in your local area for
those of like mind who might wish to get together for fellowship, discussion,
activities, preparation, and greater implementation of the kingdom of God on
earth.
This idea of meeting together of like-minded people is certainly not new. Even
the idea of people who are both patriots and saints having association with
one another is not new, though such opportunities seem to be less frequent in
general. I'm sure you have had (or are having) these kinds of associations,
discussion groups, and even miniature Zion experiences (good and bad).
What is new about this approach -- or what we are trying to promote with this
movement -- is the expansion of the circle of people with which we associate.
At least we hope promote an awareness that there are others out there who are
allies in the cause, and that at some point it would be good to network with
them, as they are part of the body of Christ.
Perhaps you feel you are already doing far too many things and don't need to
be spread even more thin than you already are.
If you are not disposed at present to put much into this because you feel you
are already spread out too thin, there really would not be much of a demand
for your time. This position can be as small or large as you make it. In the
least-case scenario, you might be contacted once in a while from the listing
at http://www.patriotsaints.com/Branches;
at which point you could make arrangements to met them, and get to know them.
What you do from that point would be up to you. Perhaps this other person
would be more able and/or willing to take over the Branch Coordinator position
and/or become the contact point to be listed on the web site instead of you.
That way you have served as a catalyst to open the door for someone else who
may have more time or inclination to pursue this with more vigor.
The best contacts and connections are to be made through people you already
know, and the people they know, etc.
Perhaps there is even someone else around there that you know of who might be
more willing and interested in becoming a contact point or branch coordinator,
and you could forward this message to them. I trust your judgment.
Here in Manti, my wife, Cheri, and I have been serving as the branch
coordinators and contact points for our local meetings. We have been having
weekly meetings here at our apartment on Sunday evening.
I also run an announcement list for the various Sanpete Valley contacts I have
accumulated since going on-line. www.egroups.com provides a free e-mail list
management service that makes it easy to set up and administer. You can view
the archive of messages sent through our list by going to
http://www.egroups.com/messages/manti_asg
Each week we have met, we have enjoyed an almost entirely different set of
people showing up.
The most we've had here in one evening was about a dozen people. Most of the
time it has been more like two to six people besides us. We have loved getting
to know all these people on more of an intimate level.
The topic of conversation of each group has also been different from one to
the next, though the general topic is usually something to do with the
building up of the kingdom of God on earth as it relates to both the gospel
and the government of God.
Never have we had any contention, though at times our conversations do get
pretty exciting. Sometimes the Spirit of the Lord is with us in great
abundance.
Following the meeting, and prior to the next one, I provide a brief report of
the meeting along with an announcement of the next meeting and send it to the
e-mail list. That way, those who were not able to make it still feel involved
to a certain extent.
The e-groups lists is such that a person can unsubscribe at any time.
I am amazed at how few of the contacts I have on my list ever unsubscribe.
There might not be a lot of people show up at our meeting, which is fine, but
there are 33 people "watching on."
In checking the list just now, I was delighted to see three messages from
people offering various items to others. The Skeems were offering excess red
wheat soon to be harvested. And the Sharps were offering comfrey starts and
drying tips as well as colloidal silver for another associate who has cancer.
Yes, there are a lot of very neat people out there, dear friends we just
haven't met yet.
On the down side, I will be forthright in saying that "patriot
saints" types can be strong headed at times. Each person has a vision of
how he or she thinks things ought to be done or how the world ought to be
viewed.
One of the great challenges in facilitating the gathering of these patriot
saints is fostering unity amidst such diverse gifts and intense foci. But we
cannot let the toil involved scare us from forging ahead. Zion is not Zion
because it started that way. Zion is Zion because it is built to be that way.
Look at Israel. "Land of milk and honey!"? It is a desert rife with
contention! But God chooses his people to transform the dangerous desert into
a peaceful garden of Eden. It is hard work, even with the grace of God working
on our behalf.
Draining the swamps in Nauvoo was not easy task either. People got sick; some
even died. Tempers flared. But in the end a beautiful city emerged.
Let us not let the failures, humiliations, hurts and persecutions of the past
keep us from associating with neat people. There is so much to be gained.
What do you say? Are you willing to give it a shot?
If you would like to read more support material for this branch coordinator
thing, there is more info at
http://www.patriotsaints.com/Branches/Starting
http://www.patriotsaints.com/Branches/already.htm
http://www.patriotsaints.com/Branches/Coordinator_Tips
Also, you can subscribe to the Branch Coordinator newsletter that will provide
occasional tips and feedback. The newsletter home page is
http://www.egroups.com/group/PS_branchstuff
You can subscribe by sending an email to ps_branchstuff-subscribe@egroups.com
We will need the following information from you.
(1) what town/state you want your name to be listed at
http://www.patriotsaints.com/Branches
(2) How you wish for your name to appear. e.g. first, middle initial, last
(3) What info you want included for a contact point, e.g. e-mail address,
phone number, ICQ #, address. We will need at least one means of contact.
If you wish, you could create a sort of "home page" for your local
branch that we could post to the site with a link from your listing.
Let me know what you decide.
[your name] ______________
http://www.patriotsaints.com
