Pizza Fundraiser & Free Rides Home at Domino's After OH-Fest 2017!

After OH-fest, stop by Domino's and buy pizza by the slice! Only $2.50 per slice and for every slice sold $1 will go to help fund #OneontaRides. Plus, the Kindness Team will be at Domino's with cars and vans to provide the community with free rides home.

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1954803661415794/ 

Since 2013, The Redemption Movement has served the community by providing free rides home after the OH-fest concerts, and weekends in general. This year, we'll continue to serve OH-fest concert goers with safe rides home, and we'll be headquartered at Domino's Pizza, 19 Clinton Plaza--this in addition to being on call for rides, 607-434-2564.

Historically, OH-fest has been one of the busiest nights for #OneontaRides, due to the concert at Neawha Park attracting thousands of people. This year promises to be another big night of giving rides and we're excited about partnering with Domino's to use this opportunity to raise some funds for the safe ride program.

For the past year, Domino's Pizza has been sponsoring The Redemption Movement by providing free pizza on Friday nights to feed the Kindness Team volunteers, as well the downtown bar crowd at closing time. We appreciate Domino's so much and a big thanks to #RamonWow for making this happen!

The Kindness Team with #RamonWow @ Domino's!

 

So There’s this Pile of Rusty Railroad Spikes in My Backyard...

There's a pile of rusty railroad spikes in my backyard from one of my favorite Good Fridays. Back not so long ago, when we did Friday evening gatherings in the ol' storefront, I preached a sermon about Jesus' death. That morning, I walked down Gilbert street to Oneonta’s old rail yard and collected a pile of metal spikes, enough for everyone. 

When it came time to preach, I passed out the spikes for people to hold. I then described the agonizing details of just how the Romans crucified their prisoners. Similar to how people handle and consume bread and wine as a physical illustration that memorializes Jesus’ sacrifice, I asked those in attendance to hold the spikes and allow for the texture of the metal to weigh on their hearts and minds. And then to remember that our Lord willingly had his hands and feet violently pierced by a similar object. It was a very sobering thought.

But that’s not all. While at the rail yards on that crisp spring morning, I also found a large, discarded chunk of a railroad tie. I deduced that this railroad tie has a similar look to the paintings of the crucifixion that I’ve seen. So I brought it home with me too.

Before that same Good Friday service, I chopped the railroad tie into several small pieces, enough for everyone. During the sermon, I passed out chunks of the old railroad tie along with the spikes. Then, in similar fashion to how I explained the spike, I asked each person to hold a piece of the tie and described the crucifixion.

The wood was coarse and it splintered easily, so I asked everyone to focus on the physical sensation of wood-on-skin. I then explained how Jesus’ entire body hung for hours on a similarly-textured wooden cross, and how Jesus felt the roughness of this wood on every part of his backside, due to his nakedness. Additionally, I mentioned how Jesus’ skin was extra sensitive against the splintery wood, due to the open wounds on his backside from a torturous whipping he received just hours prior. Truly a terrible thought. Yet, that is the terrible price he paid for my sins.

Today, there’s still those same railroad spikes in my backyard, and when I see them, I think of Jesus.

Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Volunteer With #OneontaRides

The Redemption Movement is a church plant located in Oneonta, New York, an upstate college town home to both Hartwick College and SUNY Oneonta. On weekends and special occasions, RM coordinates a volunteer group called the Oneonta Kindness Team that operates a hospitality table on Water Street, as well as provides free rides home to all who need one.

Anybody is welcome to join the Kindness Team, a group represented by students from the two colleges, members from multiple churches and different faith backgrounds, different community groups, and people of all ages. Why should you volunteer with #OneontaRides? Here's a list of our top 10 reasons!

1. You'll meet hundreds of people and make dozens of new friends.

2. You can eat as much food and snacks as you want from the Kindness Station.

3. You get to enjoy a 5-hour road trip to nowhere in particular. 

4. A free pizza party from Domino's every Friday night at last call!

5. You'll look super sharp in your blue blazer.

6. You'll quickly learn how to get around Oneonta.

7. People watching is more entertaining than television.

8. The sheer suspense of waiting for the breathalyzer to calculate someone's BAC.

9. That look on someone's face when you tell them, "Yes, it's really free."

10. And most importantly YOU, yes you, will be making a difference in the Oneonta community by making it a safer place!

To volunteer with the Kindness Team, join the Kindness Team Facebook Group and/or let Kaler know that you're interested by calling or texting 607-434-2564.