|
Multiplying Blessings at Christmas
State of the Mart
Community Christian Church (Naperville, Illinois) values reproduction: of leaders, churches, and ministries. This past December the church’s nonprofit organization, Community 4:12, reproduced its Christmas Gift Mart, adding a second location to the program started in 2003.
Community partners with local schools to hold the mart, which helps low-income parents buy Christmas gifts, creates opportunities for church and community members to volunteer together, and generates income for a public school.
The school hosts the mart, identifies the needy families, and serves as a liaison to help with organization; hundreds of volunteers from Community solicit donations of new toys, staff the mart, wrap the gifts, manage parking, plan fun activities for children, provide holiday treats, and more. The $2 price tag for each gift makes it possible for parents to have the dignity and fun of purchasing presents for their children, and all the money from these sales goes back to the underresourced school.
Community 4:12 has created a “Gift Mart Overview” to help other churches coordinate a similar outreach—to reproduce it! Download your copy by clicking here.
www.communitychristian.org
Lesson Plans
The Institute for Christian Resources (San Jose, California) fights biblical illiteracy by providing online audio and video resources; options include a new DVD series on Bible study methods taught by ICR director Mark Moore. “We are developing a digital seminary which will effectively provide open (and free) access to advanced Christian education which is portable to iPods, DVDs, and telephone technologies,” the ministry writes. “Our vision is to turn the average commute into an extraordinary equipping experience.”
ICR has also created resource centers in Budapest, Berlin, and Prague. Its library/coffee shop environment “allows individuals a nonthreatening, ‘neutral’ atmosphere to investigate Christianity in a place that is welcoming, intellectually engaging, and culturally relevant,” says the institute. In addition to exploring the collection of books and DVDs, locals also use the resource centers as gathering places for children’s storytime, concerts, and seminars.
This May, in cooperation with Ozark Christian College (Joplin, Missouri), the institute is offering a “Pauline tour” through Turkey, Greece, and Italy. Moore and Mark Scott, Ozark’s academic dean, will team-teach the two-week experience. Visit www.icrnet.org for more information.
Impact in Canada
Polish Christian Church in Mississauga, Ontario (a suburb of Toronto), recently celebrated its first anniversary. Impact Canada and Global Missionary Ministries (also Mississauga) helped launch the congregation, and nearby Churchill Meadows Christian Church shares its building for Sunday morning services.
In September, church members visited the Polish Festival in Toronto and distributed hundreds of New Testaments and thousands of brochures about church activities. Grzegorz Bezubik serves as pastor.
www.polskamisja.com
Quick Study
First Church of Christ (Covington, Indiana) recently began offering the “Diploma of Biblical Studies,” a program designed by Summit Theological Seminary (Peru, Indiana). Senior minister Bill Cook writes, “The first group started in January of 2008 and has 11 students—seven from FCC and four from other churches. . . . A second group began the first of November and meets during the Sunday school hour. That group has six members, all from FCC. It is possible a third group will start, and that group will probably involve business and professional people from the city of Covington.”
The DBS program includes courses in theology and doctrine as well as a comprehensive Bible survey.
www.covfcc.org
www.summit1.org
Jennifer Taylor, one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD's contributing editors, lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
PREVIOUS COLUMNS:
Surprising and Successful
‘Your Class Ring Could Save a Life’
Helping Victims of Abuse
A New Way to Raise Funds Via Golf
Teaming Up to Spotlight Homelessness
Helping Students Here and Abroad
Adding a Satellite Campus
‘Close Interaction that Doesn’t Fit a Formula’
‘The Best Link Between the Generations’
A Multicultural Model
Inspired by James 2
Putting Feet on Our Faith
Enriching the Neighborhood
Helping in Hard Times
Rooftop Exploit
A Network of Care
‘Training Rooted in Our Movement’
Accomplishing the Mission
Coming Together
Training and Resources
Musical Partnerships
Online Services
More Than an Event
"An Explicitly Theological Agenda"
A Partnership with the Community
Hmong Worshipers Move into Own Place
Coffee with a Mission
Impacting the Community
Encouraging Entire Families to Attend
‘Festival Evangelism’ to Muslims
Growing Opportunities
Church Design Lauded
Prayers and Exercise
Fun Ways to Make Connections
Getting Away with God
A Model for Future Ministry
Florida Gator on the Go
It Never Hurts to Ask
"A Natural Connection"
Working Together in Kenya
New Ways to Serve
A Natural Connection
Following David’s Example
Doing Double Duty
Turning the Tables on the Teens
A Partnership of Churches
Introducing Couples to Christ
Illinois Hunters Feed the Hungry
Major Move Leads to Better Opportunities
11-18-07 -- Multiple Improvements Planned
11-4-07 -- Multiplying Missional Impact
10-21-07 -- The Church Van with ‘Free Stuff’
10-7-07 -- Emotional Times for Missionary Moms, Dads
9-9-07 -- A Place for Prayer, a Place for All
8-26-07 -- Cookouts, Bibles, and VBS
8-12-07 -- Changing Lives in a Day Or Less
7-29-07 -- Reaching Out to Arabs
7-15-07 -- A Second Site with Curb Appeal
7-1-07 -- Developing a Desire to Dig Deeper
6-17-07 -- Growing Leaders
6-3-07 -- Vacation Ministry School, Anyone?
5-20-07 -- Uniting to Serve
5-6-07 -- Real Struggles, Real Solutions
4-22-07 -- The Ministry of Giving Back
4-8-07 -- Cultivating an Interest in Missions
3-25-07 -- Morning Worship for Teens
3-11-07 -- From Preschoolers to Teens
2-25-07 -- From Christian School to Art Studios
2-11-07 -- A Ministry to Parents
1-28-07 -- Reversing the Sexual Trend for Teens
1-14-07 -- An Airline Industry Ministry
12-31-06 -- Partnership in Nebraska
12-17-06 -- Taking Jesus to the Community
12-3-06 -- Musical and Spiritual Training
11-19-06 -- Missions and Mentoring
11-5-06 -- Help for At-Risk Kids
10-22-06 -- Cardboard Catacomb
10-8-06 -- Community Building
9-24-06 -- 'Grace-Driven' Ministry
9-10-06 -- Introducing Skateboarders to Jesus
8-27-06 -- Reaching Families . . . With VBS!
8-13-06 -- Communicating Ideas About God
7-30-06 -- A Ministry of Clothing
7-16-06 -- Strengthening Marriages
7-2-06 -- Balloon Ministry Blesses Children
6-18-06 -- Church on the Move
6-4-06 -- Bold Moves Paying Off for Everyone
5-21-06 -- New Ministries for Hurting Families
5-7-06 -- Sharing Jesus' Love Through Daily Donations
4-30-06 -- Georgia on My Mind
4-9-06 -- Bringing the Old Testament to Life
3-26-06 -- Experiencing Exciting Adventures
3-12-06 -- Connecting God to a Wider Culture
2-26-06 -- Churches Using Dogs for Outreach
2-12-06 -- A Bike a Child Can Call His Own
1-29-06 -- Comforting Those Who Are Grieving
1-15-06 -- Preschool for Teens
1-1-06 -- Servant Evangelism for All Ages
12-18-05 -- How Will Your Church Celebrate Christmas This Year?
12-4-05 -- The Hot Place for Teens
11-20-05 -- Linking Adults with Young People
11-6-05 -- Stories of Successful Partnerships
10-23-05 -- Serving Specific Groups
10-9-05 -- An "At-Home" Mission Trip
9-25-05 -- At Work in New Orleans
9-11-05 -- An Evening to Remember
8-28-05 -- Up, Up, and Away
8-14-05 -- Growing Despite Limited Space
7-31-05 -- Christians Come Together Along Rio Grande
7-17-05 -- Reaching Into Downtown Savannah
7-3-05 -- Considering God's Call to Service
6-19-05 -- Community Involvement Being Noticed
6-6-05 -- Spring VBS Gets Great Response
5-22-05 -- 'We Call It Cyber-Evangelism'
5-8-05 -- Production Company Evangelizing Through Film
|
