Series: Buzz

February 8, 2011

Christian Standard

Free for All

By Jennifer Taylor Each year, thousands of people in the Peoria, Arizona, area experience the death of a family member””but only 13 percent attend any kind of church. Christ”s Church of the Valley extends the love of Christ by providing funerals for these unchurched people””at no cost to grieving families. CCV senior pastor Don Wilson began the program and lead neighborhood pastor Bob Fesmire leads it. “For many people, a death is their first experience with church, and it can involve a lot of expenses,” Fesmire says. “We have space dedicated to the services and provide the pastor, the music,

February 3, 2011

Christian Standard

Nevada Youth Raise Funds for Residents of Nairobi Slums

The youth group at Summit Christian Church (Sparks, NV) has raised more than $50,000 to help the residents of slums in Nairobi, Kenya. The youth group, called 1-Life, partnered with Christian Missionary Fellowship (Indianapolis, IN) to assist with health care, microfinance, and more. Last week the mayor of Sparks publicly recognized the youth for their work; student ministry pastor Bryan Smith accepted the commendation on behalf of the group. Read more here!

February 3, 2011

Christian Standard

Clear the Snow, Clear the Snow . . .

“February in Cleveland means snow,” says Momentum Christian Church (Garfield Heights, OH), “and snow means annual competition for Mo Groups!” This month Momentum encourages its small groups to clear snow from as many driveways in the community as possible; the activity blesses neighbors, builds friendships within the small group, AND offers bragging rights for the winning group. Stay warm up there, guys . . .

January 31, 2011

Christian Standard

New Church Plant in Brazilian Community of Toronto

By Jennifer Taylor Impact Canada is working with Jose and Regina Fernandes to plant a church in the Brazilian community in Toronto. As reported in the August 22 Buzz, Impact Canada continues to work toward a merge with Global Missionary Ministries and is pursuing approval of its new name, Impact Ministry Group. www.impactcanada.org ________________ Jennifer Taylor, one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s contributing editors and bloggers, lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Do you know of a church breaking new ground or leading innovative ministry? Contact bu**@*********ub.com.

January 31, 2011

Christian Standard

The Leadership Institute Offers College-level Courses

By Jennifer Taylor The Leadership Institute at Christ”s Church of the Valley (Peoria, Arizona) offers college-level courses from Hope International University (Fullerton, California) plus an internship program. Interns work with CCV staff pastors, attend weekly training sessions, and receive one-on-one mentoring. Participants may choose a one- or two-year internship; the two-year program allows students to earn their master”s degree from HIU. www.ccvonline.com www.hiu.edu ________________ Jennifer Taylor, one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s contributing editors and bloggers, lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Do you know of a church breaking new ground or leading innovative ministry? Contact bu**@*********ub.com.

January 31, 2011

Christian Standard

Cookson Hills Adds An Equine Program

by Jennifer Taylor Cookson Hills Christian Ministries (Kansas, Oklahoma), a ministry to abused and neglected children and their families, has added an equine program””and it”s much more than just riding horses. “In counseling, horses can be used to assess a client”s current mental status, stress, emotional tolerance level, problem-solving and survival strategies, and self-concept,” the organization writes. “The human responses elicited in the first equine assisted psychotherapy session can reveal truths about a client that normally would take 20 or more “˜talk therapy” sessions.” In addition to their therapy program, Cookson Hills provides opportunities for horsemanship classes, trail rides, and

January 28, 2011

Christian Standard

Series of Mission Trip Webinars Planned

Whether you are going across the street or around the world to serve on a short-term mission trip, the ideas and resources provided through a series of six free webinars presented by CMF International will equip you and your church as you plan, lead, and evaluate your short-term mission trips. Starting February 17, the topic will be: “Where to Go and How Best to Get There? (Tips on trip selection, scope, and travel logistics).” Future webinars will include resources on spiritual preparation, cultural intelligence, team development, development versus relief, and trip debriefing. You can register at http://cmfi.org/partner/missionsresources/tripresources/webinars.

January 28, 2011

Christian Standard

Sponsor An Evangelist In India

By Jennifer Taylor Central India Christian Mission not only offers the opportunity to sponsor children in northern India and Nepal (just $18 each month provides food, clothing, vitamins, school supplies and even extras like mosquito nets and sports equipment), but also allows groups or individuals to sponsor an evangelist. Between $200 and $400 per month (depending on the evangelist”s location) provides support for his ministry. “CICM”s evangelists faithfully serve existing churches and plant new churches in the villages, towns, and cities of central and northern India and the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal,” CICM writes. “The evangelists visit their

January 27, 2011

Christian Standard

Christian Missionary Fellowship”s Maasai Health Services

By Jennifer Taylor Christian Missionary Fellowship”s Maasai Health Services clinics recently received a grant of $516,000 from the U.S. President”s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief to provide HIV/AIDS services in the Maasai area of Kenya. In 2009 these clinics saw 71,000 patients, not including a large number of children who received immunizations and women who received follow-up pregnancy visits. In recent years the clinics have been run completely by Kenyans, many of whom were encouraged in their educational and career pursuits by missionaries from CMF, based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The funds will be dispersed to the clinics through September 2011.

January 27, 2011

Christian Standard

Missionary Re-Entry Fund

By Jennifer Taylor Pioneer Bible Translators (Dallas, Texas) created a Re-Entry Fund to provide help to missionaries returning home from a term of service overseas. Donations to the fund may provide help for missionary kids beginning college, missionaries needing counseling or retreat, or even missionaries who suddenly lose their support. www.pioneerbible.org ________________ Jennifer Taylor, one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s contributing editors and bloggers, lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Do you know of a church breaking new ground or leading innovative ministry? Contact bu**@*********ub.com.

January 20, 2011

Christian Standard

Blogging About the NACC

Join the NACC conversation! Not only is the North American Christian Convention a great annual gathering, it”s also a great thought-provoker. This year convention leaders are thinking about the challenging themes of this year”s convention main sessions. Read and comment on their blog posts at a new site, NACC Conversations, every week between now and the convention, July 5-8 in Cincinnati.

January 19, 2011

Christian Standard

Preacher, Crew, to Climb Volcano

Greg Nettle, senior pastor at RiverTree Christian Church (Massillon, OH), is one of nine guys climbing a volcano in the Andes Mountains this month! Nettle and his team leave for Ecuador tomorrow; while there they will climb four mountains including Cotopaxi, the second-highest summit in the country and one of the highest active volcanoes in the world. The last 5,000 feet of the climb will be over the world’s largest equatorial glacier! The nine climbers, all part of RiverTree, are raising $100,000 for ChildReach Ministries and Compassion International. Click here to watch Greg and two teammates discuss the trip and

January 14, 2011

Christian Standard

Challenge: Spend Less than $2 per Day for Food

This week, Community Christian Church (Naperville, IL) challenged all attendees to spend less than $2 a day per person on food; the $2 a Day Challenge is designed to raise awareness and compassion for the 20 percent of the world living in poverty and the almost 50 percent of the world”s population living on less than $2 a day. Participants are encouraged to journal throughout the experience and share questions and thoughts with their small group at the end of the week.

January 14, 2011

Christian Standard

Colorado Church Wins Long Court Fight Over Land Use

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled it would not hear an appeal from the Boulder County (CO) commissioners in their case against Rocky Mountain Christian Church (Niwot, CO). In a Denver Post article, RMCC lead pastor Alan Ahlgrim said this final, conclusive win for the church could have legal implications for at least 160 other churches around the country. The dispute centered on the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. The county will be required to pay the church”s legal fees; most of the $1.5 million will be covered by the county”s insurance.

January 14, 2011

Christian Standard

Church of Christ Couple Among Tucson Shooting Victims

Dorwan Stoddard, a member at Mountain Avenue Church of Christ (Tucson, AZ) was one of six people killed in last Saturday”s shooting that also severely wounded Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Stoddard was hit by the gunfire while protecting his wife, Mavy; Mavy was shot in the leg and was in stable condition as of Tuesday. The Christian Chronicle, a news blog of the churches of Christ, has updates here. * * * Tucson area news reports have also shared responses from several local churches, including Chandler (AZ) Christian Church and Central Christian Church in Mesa. Several of the congregations

January 7, 2011

Christian Standard

Hope Partnership Kids Making the Grade in Kenya

This past week, Christian Missionary Fellowship (Indianapolis, IN) received word that of the 96 kids from the Hope Partnership who sat for their high school entrance exam, 93 passed””a 97 percent pass rate! This is the second consecutive year that 97 percent of Hope Partnership students passed, in a country with an average pass rate of 40 percent. “These kids are all from the slums,” says Executive Director Doug Priest. “None of them are children of privilege.” The Hope Partnership is an initiative that serves the poor in Nairobi, Kenya, with Community Health Evangelism, a microfinance program, child sponsorship, and

January 1, 2011

Christian Standard

Playing It Forward for Families, Churches

By Jennifer Taylor The team from Cartwheels & Coffee has been asked to open new locations in Colorado, Kentucky, and even Portugal. “The best ideas come from creative solutions to problems,” says Chris Barras, lead pastor at Area 10 Faith Community (Richmond, Virginia). The idea was doubling the use of a rented space to both minimize costs and maximize community engagement. When Barras and his team planted Area 10 in 2008, they were fortunate to score the famous Byrd Theatre as a meeting place. But the location had no room for a children”s ministry. “We wanted to have low overhead

December 30, 2010

Christian Standard

New Members Light Candles

This past Sunday, Crossroads Christian Church (Newburgh, IN) celebrated the year and encouraged new decisions for Christ. After covering the stage in the worship center with unlit candles, church leaders invited all those who had become a Christian or a CCC member over the last year to come forward and light one of the candles. At the end of his sermon, senior pastor Ken Idleman extended an invitation for anyone who wanted to make one of those decisions that morning to also come forward and light a candle.

December 24, 2010

Christian Standard

Church Offers Year-End Offering Opportunity

“Being a part of this church has changed my life! I am in a very difficult financial place right now so finding an extra $20 is hard. I do, however, have these rings to give. Thank you, I have been able to make it through the darkest time because every Sunday you are all here for me.” Inspired by this note, the team at 2|42 Community Church (Howell, MI) created a special year-end offering opportunity””“The Original Christmas Gift.” Just as the wise men gave gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus, members were encouraged to bring their gold (in

December 23, 2010

Christian Standard

Canadian Church Hosts Celtic Christmas

Churchill Meadows Christian Church (Ontario, Canada) held its annual Celtic Christmas celebration this past weekend. The event features fiddlers, bagpipe music, authentic step-dancing, and other ancient elements. Popular Celtic songs and traditional Christmas carols are performed and CMCC minister Jim Tune shares a Christmas message.  Read more about this and other ways churches are celebrating Christmas in this week”s Buzz!

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