Tell us briefly how Beautiful Day began.
Beautiful Day started out as an idea. We felt that if we lived and loved like Jesus we could have a huge impact on the surrounding community. We began with simple projects that would reconnect us with local schools…addressing whatever needs they had. It grew from that to a creative collaborative of compassion and service ideas that spread across the county and, eventually, across the country.
Beautiful Day brings together people from all walks of life with a unique focus on compassion, why do you think that is?
It's crazy how compassion brings people together. Serving those in need unifies people in ways we would never dream possible. From different faith denominations to opposing political parties, to people with a wide range of values that would otherwise divide, we find people coming together. I believe that it's because all mankind has the DNA of compassion inside of them. You can be from different countries, faith groups, political parties, or economic backgrounds. Whatever the case may be, when you see someone in need, most people respond with compassion because we are all made in the Image of God and because God is compassionate, we therefore are intuitively compassionate.
What's one of your favorite memories?
I have so many memories of Beautiful Day it's hard to name just one, but I do have fond memories of watching 5th graders who recycled aluminum cans for 6 months purchase a brand new washer and dryer for the HIV/AIDS community center and drop it off to the shock of the clinic. They were stunned that 5th graders would do such a thing. People just froze and watched 5th graders struggle to get these newly acquired appliances through the door of the facility. Tears welled up in the clients eyes as they heard the story of 5th grade-level compassion heroics. It's a sweet memory.
As the big event approaches, tell us what has you excited this year.
2011 is going to be a big year. I say that every year, but something about this one is different. It has huge risk and danger…which is the way I like it. We have tackled some of the largest projects that require "compassion sweat" like we’ve never seen. We are taking on the hotspots that the city has identified and asked for help, we’ve partnered with the Catholic church and with new faith communities that want to work with us. And, we’re trying new projects that are just a bit out there in terms of creativity. My prayer is that Beautiful Day and our expression of who Jesus is in all of us, hits the South Bay like we’ve never seen before.
What's your vision for the future as Beautiful Day continues to grow?
My vision is corporate and personal. Corporately we’d see faith communities tackled the hardest problems that the city cannot solve. We would work side by side with city officials, schools, and businesses to address the very real needs of the city and that other cities would take notice of faith communities expressing Christ's love in the city. On a personal note, my desire is that individuals would embrace the idea of Beautiful Day and be always looking for an opportunity to “love their neighbor.” You don’t have to wait for an event to do something heroic in someone's life, you just need to jump in and do something.
Jon Talbert is the Compassion Pastor at WestGate Church and leader of Beautiful Day. He loves listening to his kids sing and would be a happy man if you delivered him a medium-well Victoria filet and garlic mashed potatoes from Outback Steakhouse.
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