Beyond The Green

Some of you know over the last few years owner's Mike and Lisa have transitioned out of day to day operations of Living Water. While they still provide oversight and vision to the company, most days you won't find them tooling around the office. Mike did however get out and spray lawns on quite a few occasions this year. Whether it be to help get production caught up or to train his youngest daughter Amelia in the ways of LW, he still loves the work. His trick knee on the other hand, not so much. They still remain a vital part of the management team, so rest assured LW remains a local, family centered business.

Starting about five years ago Mike and Lisa started feeling that God was leading them to plant a church. After speaking with their pastor and graduating from Spokane Ministry Institute they started meeting in their home with a handful of people. Mike settled on a name for the group and called it City Church. Just over three years ago the group had out grown their home and was pressed to find a more permanent meeting place. Mike and Lisa felt the Lord lead them to the Garland District where they found a building that they could share with another church and thus began their ministry to the neighborhood.

The church is growing and thriving in a very diverse part of town. One of the major points of ministry for City Church has been to Willard Elementary. Lisa has spear headed this venture into the public school system. While it is very hard for a religious based organization to get any head way into the schools, Lisa has managed it with character and grace. Finding ways for City Church and LW to be involved while abiding by the federally mandated rules regarding church and state.

It started by simply bringing a group of volunteers to hang out with the kids at recess. Policing some of the goings on, or simply playing with the kids in some of their favorite recess games proved to be a perfect first step in cultivating a relationship with the staff and students. Rumor has it Mike has yet to win a game of wall ball. He swears it's that dang trick knee and not that he's on the other side of fifty years old.

This relationship grew over the following months and proved to be invaluable when the Willard family experienced tragedy in February of this year. I'm sure some of you remember the triple homicide that occurred close to the Garland neighborhood, the victims were students at Willard. Mike and Lisa were called by the principle and asked to provide a pastor's presence and counseling to the staff, families, and students. While something like this was never on their radar when they felt called to the neighborhood, they both agreed there couldn't have been a time when the love of God poured out through a local church was more needed.

There have been plenty of other ways that Mike, Lisa, City Church, and Living Water have served  Willard over the last few years, like serving at spaghetti feeds, organizing fundraisers, math nights, and back pack drives just to name a few. However, they would say that without God using you, their customers, to support LW through the years, this new chapter of ministry would not have ever been possible. Whether you realize it our not you are supporting this outreach and several others like it by simply being our customer. So, in conclusion, THANK YOU! We value your business.