In the recent atmosphere we have been living in, full of political strife and questions about leadership, I thought I would take some time and highlight someone who has been a very positive leader here at Emmanuel and whose guiding vision is showing up in our Community Center Project as well as our intern team.

I first met Josh Phillips on our first day of SPU, we were in a class called Christian Teacher, Secular World together and lived on the same floor. The professor thought his daughter had a crush on Josh; I thought every other girl in the class did. He is a man of charm and charisma, and a great deal of depth as well, which I found out as I lived with him for all four years of our college lives. We have shared many great memories and moments together and I am foremost blessed to call him a friend.

As he became increasingly involved with Emmanuel, I was excited to see him put his myriad skills to work helping his community. The Community Center Project in general was something that I could tell he had a major passion for, and I was happy to see him pouring himself into it.  I know the community center is still somewhat of an ethereal thing for everyone in the church, but the amount of construction that has gone on in that room throughout this summer has been immense. I have often come in and seen Josh working alone, not spiteful or upset about it,
just plugging away.  He works with a mindset of what the place is going to be, and the lives it is going to touch. This summer and fall, when I would put work in painting and working on the project, I would be encouraged by him telling me about his vision and what God would use this space for and how excited he was by the way the light spills in the windows or the location of the Café. It can be very transformative working under good leadership, and learning about all of this from my good friend Josh has been one of the major blessings of my time so far at Emmanuel.

We are blessed by three generations of the Phillips family who have given their unique skill sets to this church.  I hope you think about that now as you walk through the unfinished community center and see the process.  And someday when you are sipping on a mid afternoon coffee and the light is falling just perfect in that room, remember the man whose vision paved the way for those moments.

Trevor

Counseling Center Coordinator and Relational Ministries Intern