Sleeves Rolled Up

Two Churches Pool Resources to Make Huge Impact in Their Neighborhood

"This is just the beginning. We're trying to transform the neighborhood."

Teresa Neumann (October 14, 2007)

(Lancaster, Ca.)—Because two area churches put their heads and finances together to reach out to their community, two local schools and 44 private houses got fresh coats of paint last week, dozens of low-income kids got free dental checkups, and residents visited a free medical clinic.

According to a report in the Valley Press, about 1,000 volunteers from Neighborhood Impact, a joint ministry of Grace Chapel and Central Christian Church, turned out to refurbish an entire neighborhood.

"This is just the beginning. We're trying to transform the neighborhood," said Concepción Harris, minister of outreach and evangelism at Central Christian and the lead organizer of the neighborhood workday.

Read more of this inspiring story by clicking on the provided link.

Source: BCN & Titus Gee-Valley Press

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National Day of Thanksgiving

The National Day of Thanksgiving is a unique opportunity for Australians to celebrate and give thanks for our God given heritage as a nation and to demonstrate the God given values of honour, respect, thankfulness and gratitude towards our fellow man that have made us the great nation we are.

 

It is a day for us to pause as a nation and say thank you to God and to each other for those many things we often take for granted but which really make our lives worth living.  Let us use this day to be a blessing to those who have been a blessing to us during the past year.

Visit the website. Heaps of resources & ideas so start planning.

DATE:  SATURDAY 10th MAY 2008

Astute readers will recognise that next years National Day of Thanksgiving falls on Mothers Day weekend. 

Therefore in 2008:

We will honour all Mothers and thank those people throughout the community who nurture, train, teach, mentor or care for babies, children and youth."

This would include but not be limited to:  Workers in Babies and Children's homes, Pre-Schools, Youth Shelters, School Teachers and Chaplains, Youth Workers, Children and Youth sporting team coaches and administrators.

Get yourself ready & start thinking NOW.

Source: Australian Prayer Network

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FEAST AT THE EAST

WHEN?
Easter: Monday 17 April to Sunday 23 April 2006

WHERE?
Centre Stage, Eastland Shopping Centre
Maroondah Highway, Ringwood VIC Australia

WHAT?
RSVP: To Life! managed to secure the use of centre stage at Eastland Shopping Centre for one whole week (up to 60 shopping hours) in April 2006!

Aims and Objectives:

• To choose a number of themes and issues around popular books, films and subjects of interest – grace, identity, power, addiction, hope, redemption and community.
• To express and explore these stories and concerns through a wide range of high quality, crowd-friendly creative activities on the stage area.
• To engage a cross-section of the public in conversation (we consider this is a crucial part of the whole enterprise, not only our on-stage presence).

We used an inclusive/inductive approach, exploring life matters and life meanings together (based on our common humanity, God’s image, meeting and befriending people from all walks of life). It was therefore a community event.

Given our blend of ingredients, this was a new model for mission in the market place, and we hope this will become a template, a pattern, for elsewhere in Melbourne.

Around 200 people were involved, either in upfront participation or behind-the-scenes.

Would you like to do something similar in your neighbourhood?

Click here for more information about Feast at the East, including a comprehensive review.

You might also like to complete this form to be added to the RSVP mailing list.

[NB: We respect your privacy and your details will never be disclosed to external parties without your permission. According to the Spam Act 2003, you are free to unsubscribe from the mailing list at any time and details for doing so are included in each email sent.]

RSVP: To Life!
Director: Ian Whitehill
Email: info@rsvp.org.au
Phone: (03) 8711 3472 or 0418 142 645

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Men roll up sleeves for widows, sole mothers

By Lavinia Ngatoko in Challenge Weekly, New Zealand
Special to ASSIST News Service

AUCKLAND, NZ (ANS) -- A new and unique men's ministry to the widowed, solo parents and others with long-term needs in their churches and communities is being launched in a number of churches around New Zealand.

Promise Keepers New Zealand, with New Commandment Men's Ministries in the United States, is assisting churches from Nelson through to Tokoroa, Tauranga and Auckland to get the programme going.

Herb Reese established New Commandment Men's Ministries in Broomfield, Colorado, when he realised after pastoring in a number of churches that although the Bible talks about widows, single mothers, fatherless children and other people in distress, many Christians did not know how to serve them.

He made it a priority everywhere he served to encourage men who loved Christ to assist such people.  New Commandment ministries helps churches to recruit, train, organise and deploy teams of men for this purpose.

John Subritzky, communications director for Promise Keepers, says the programme is still in the beginning stages, with a few churches about to start sending out teams.

A team of about four men will give three hours of one Saturday morning a month to do chores such as cleaning carpets, windows and stoves, fixing plumbing, checking smoke detectors, lights, faulty taps and roofs and do any building work required.

All the teams must meet for prayer, Bible study and last-minute planning before going out. At the end of its visit, each team reads scripture, prays with those who have been helped and for other people in need on the block.

The thing that makes this ministry unique is that each team "adopts" a person and returns to the same person each month. So rather than becoming just another monthly project for men, the relationships built between the team and those helped and among the men on each team become powerful and compelling.

Mr Subritzky says that often when a person had gone through a crisis or traumatic ordeal such as the death of a loved one, everyone rallies around them for the first few weeks before moving on.

With this ministry, teams were permanent and their service could extend over months and years.  

"You are moving away from just meeting a need to showing the love of Christ," said Mr Subritzky. "You're actually caring for them. It is great to have men's groups so mission focused."

Although the vision of the ministry need not necessarily be limited to those in the Church, Mr Subritzky says those within the Church who need help will be given priority.

The safety and security of those helped and the helpers was of primary concern and a number of policies had been recommended.

These include: No team member should go to help alone or be alone in a room with a child of any age; if budgeting or debt relief is sought, the pastor or appropriate staff person should be notified and team members are not allowed to give investment advice. Group meetings should not be skipped before going to the care receiver's home.

Churches are also encouraged to do background checks on the men who are participating.

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STABLE ON THE STRAND

Getting into the spirit of Christmas with the family. Townsville’s beautiful ‘Strand’ park is transformed every year with a dramatic walkthrough, interactive display telling the Christmas story. Concerts, dancing, music and theatre are a major part of this special youth-oriented event.

Christians from the Churches in Townsville and Thuringowa join together to share the Christmas message with the people in the twin cities and surrounding districts. Stable on the Strand is an event for the whole family. Click on the pics to view some of the action.

Events Include

• VIP Night For seniors and those with disabilities.

• 5 Days Stable on the Strand Festivities featuring the re-enactment of the true story of Christmas in The Stable and bringing the message of Hope to our community.

• 5 Days Live at the Strand Live performances on the main stage.

• Carols at Sunset on Christmas Eve A time to reflect on the birth of our Saviour Jesus.

Contact info

Event Organiser: Anne Harley
Uniting Church in Australia

phone 4774 6089
fax 4774 6447

mail PO BOX 7070 Garbutt 4814

web http://www.stableonthestrand.com.au/index.php

email contact@stableonthestrand.com.au

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CHURCHES IN LAUNCESTON JOIN TOGETHER TO BLESS THEIR CITY THROUGH

SCHOOL MAKEOVER

Last September was Schoolyard Blitz day at Invermay Primary School. It was the weekend in the middle of a two week school holiday break, during which 550 volunteers did a total make over of the school. When the children returned from holidays they came back to a very different school that they had left a fortnight before.

The idea was borrowed from a school makeover in Adelaide a year or so previously. A group of pastors in Launceston wanted to give a love gift from the churches of Launceston to the city, for Launceston's 200th year celebrations. Contact was made with Tasmania's State Education department and Invermay Primary School was chosen for the project .At 117 years old, it is the second oldest school in Launceston and was badly in need of some drastic repair.

The school was asked to provide a "wish list" of what would you like to see happen in their school if money were no object. Due to the enthusiasm of the cities Churches, the expert management of a local company, and the generosity of up to 70 local businesses, the wish list actually grew and grew well beyond what was originally given. By the time the work was completed, an estimated $500,000 worth of improvements were undertaken at the school. This was made possible by the over 550 volunteers who were involved, 80% of whom came from local churches.

The Rotary and a Lions Clubs, a motorcycle club; delegates (including some from overseas) from a local Christian mission college; staff, parents and ex-students of the school, also assisted and a local electrical business donated four tradesmen for the whole week!.

The Kindergarten was totally madeover inside and out: painting, flooring, furniture; lighting; new kitchen; new basins and toilets; new play equipment; extended computer network. The outside has a brand new sandpit and some modern brightly coloured play equipment, and a paved chessboard that will have large checkers to go with it. The staffroom was also madeover, since teachers are often overlooked when governments give money. Painting was done around inside and outside of the school, including two giant murals, one of which depicts the school's history. The grounds have been extensively revamped, both landscaping and sporting areas, and an amazing piece of new equipment, called a Spida, that can take up to 30 climbing all over it was erected. New signage completed the makeover.

The teachers, children and parents were all very excited. The Principal Paul Mulcahy was quoted in local newspapers as saying that he had "never seen such generosity" in his whole career in education, and also commented that everyone participating in the makeover had a smile on their face.

Editors note:  With the National Day of Thanksgiving coming up now is the time for budding entrepreneurs to inspire their Pastors and congregations to do something similar for their community. Who will accept the challenge? (APN).

Contact info

Glenn Turner Ph. 6339 3600

web http://www.launcestontogether.org.au/Invermay.html

email commch@southcom.com.au

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SPECIAL DAYS DESERVE SPECIAL ATTENTION

Consider the following community & family orientated days for which you could dream up special events for Church & community in '07.

• Australia Day - 26th January

• Valentines Day - 14th February

• Clean Up Australia Day - 4th March

• Easter - 6th to 9th April

• Anzac Day - 25th April

• Mothers Day - 13th May

• National Day of Thanksgiving - 26th May

• Queens Birthday - 11th June

• Fathers Day - 2nd September

• Remembrance Day - 11th November

• Christmas Eve - 24th December

• Christmas Day - 25th December

• Boxing Day - 26th December

• News Years Eve - 31st December

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What you can do with $100

CHIRSTCHURCH, NZ (ANS) -- Helping families in crisis, providing Easter packs to the hospital cancer ward, providing books for the Paparua Prison library and a women's pamper event are some of the ways families at Christchurch's City Apostolic church are using money they were given last year to develop new approaches to community ministry.

Every family in the congregation was given a $100 note and instructions to use the money to do good.  

Simon Martin

Operations manager Simon Martin says they started Project U because the church was not doing a great deal apart from a few flagship ministries.

"We didn't want people to be just doing a little bit now and again. We wanted people to take on a lifestyle of evangelism, to see opportunities around them wherever they are."

When the packs were given out without warning last October, Mr Martin says jaws dropped around he auditorium.

"Since then, I've been really encouraged to hear how people have taken up the responsibility. As the months unfolded, people started to get a grasp on the idea that it was down to them, and it was simple and straightforward. It wasn't about the money - that was just a catalyst.

"It's about earning respect and the right to speak to people. So many people's eyes are down, and they don't believe anybody cares for them. They don't believe anything can go right in their lives.

"In Project U we are seeing again and again eyes being lifted, that somebody does love them, that somebody does want the best for them. As soon as those eyes are open, the potential is tremendous." 

One of the first projects out of the blocks was the idea of Miriam Crothall, who has spent much of her life in Christchurch Hospital's children's and cancer wards. She and a friend made up gift boxes for Christmas and later Easter, which they took to children in the wards.

"I spent so much of my time in hospital, and I thought 'they need someone to go in there who knows what it's like'," she says. "I went in there a bit shy, but the smile on their faces - wow!

"I don't want to talk to just the kids, but maybe eventually get the parents to church, to know there's a friend who can be there for them."

Similar ideas were developed by a LifeWorks coach, who gave gift parcels to students in desperate situations; and a woman who provided pamper parcels to young Filipina women who have come to Christchurch for nursing training.

Several mercy helps are among the stories being told by church members.

A woman who works as a counsellor arranged for assistance to help a woman and her three children who were burgled while out of town. The family was particularly devastated by the loss of three bicycles which the mother had saved sacrificially for and had only just presented to her children as joint birthday presents. The counsellor arranged for several church families to pool their Project U money to provide help.

Apostolic pastor Sheridyn Rodgers and his wife Jan used their $100 to help a family they met through their children's school, who had to make an emergency trip to

Auckland's Starship Hospital with a child suffering a life-threatening illness.

A "She" women's expo is the largest single project so far resulting from Project U. Several families pooled their money to run a pamper event for women in the community.

Nail and hair treatments were among the evening's offering, and a local fashion store sponsored a "What Not to Wear" fashion parade.

Mrs Rodgers says it was pleasing that the majority of the women were not from the church. Some came through contact with a woman's refuge, and some through contacts made in the church's regular Friday night ministry to street sex workers.

"It was very obvious they had not experienced something like this much before," she says.

Encouraging as the initial projects have been, Mr Martin says he is hoping to see more long-term projects.

"One of the things I am still looking for is a big project within our community, like a school or community centre that needs perhaps gardening or redecorating, that we can go into as a whole church.

"The stories we've heard so far have been an encouragement for people to start thinking who had not done anything yet. Some of these are probably waiting to formulate longer-standing, recurrent projects.

"But I appreciate that it's a first attempt for our congregation; they're just getting a taste of it."

By John McNeil of Challenge Weekly, New Zealand
Special to ASSIST News Service

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COMMUNITY OUTREACH DAY

Riverstone Baptist Church organised a community outreach day, last year in September, where they delivered home made cakes and slices to people that live in the street in which their church is located. They invited children to come to a Saturday morning children's games activity and then finished with a free community BBQ. A simple expression of love to the community.

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Young New Zealanders Bring Pizzas and Flowers

to Say "Thank You" to Local Police

"...we just wanted to go in there and make a difference, to show the police there are some young people who appreciate them."

The North Shore Police—night shift—weren't quite sure what to expect when they spotted a group of young people approaching their station. But the group, from City Impact Church, New Zealand, was gathering with only good intentions. "They did seem a bit apprehensive as we approached," said the church outreach manager Shelley Vitali.

After all, it's not often that 150 to 200 youth "descend on a police station" to say "thank you." But according to Lynley Smith, a correspondent with Challenge Weekly, New Zealand, the young people brought "baskets of food, flowers, drinks and hot pizzas, all to congratulate the staff on the great job they are doing."

"It ended out a very pleasant surprise," said Sergeant McMeeking.

Ms. Vitali said about a third of the church's youth got together to present the gifts, which had been gathered by the whole youth group.

"The majority of police are great people doing a great job," she said. "We knew there had been an incident the day before at a party, and we just wanted to go in there and make a difference, to show the police there are some young people who appreciate them."

The initiative was part of the church's Paint the Town Red program of outreach to communities.

North Shore police commander, Inspector Les Paterson, confirmed both the delight of the police in the gifts, and the trigger for the initiative; a nearby beach party on the Saturday attended by about 1,000 people.

He said while the gifts were really appreciated, the police had rules about accepting gifts. "I think the pizzas were eaten by the night shift, but the non-perishables were handed on to a struggling local school in the name of the church," he said. "I guess they got a double strike."

P.S. Always check as what conditions or restrictions may be involved in giving gifts etc to Government departments etc so that your act of love can be properly received. Steve.

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Canadian churches share how they

unite to show kindness

AUCKLAND, NZ (ANS) -- A member of a Canadian evangelical group says efforts by New Zealand churches to find groundbreaking ways to reach out to their communities has in some ways put them ahead of churches in his own country. 

By Lavinia Ngatoko in Challenge Weekly, New Zealand
Special to ASSIST News Service

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