• Mark Knetsch (Pastor of ResLife Church) • Posted in Evangelism, Events, Mission, Service
Missions:Together. It' something you've heard about. It's that thing Benjamin has talked about, and travels to D.C. and New York for. But you're probably still wondering: what exactly is M:T, and why should I care about this event on November 2nd? To help answer that question Mark Knetsch, the pastor of Resurrection Life Church (ResLife) at Apex Middle School and the visionary director for M:T has offered some helpful insight.
"Honestly, I sometimes hesitate to answer what M:T is, because I don’t want to come across like a salesman. As a church planter, I have given a pitch or two,…
• Benjamin Tangeman • Posted in News, Service, Suffering
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, and the daily updates informing us of the ever-expanding scope of devastation and suffering it has caused to our state, many of us have a pressing urge to do something. This is a good instinct; it's much like the feeling Jesus had when he looked and saw the crowds and "had compassion for them". It's right for us to suffer with our brothers and sisters who are suffering, and the thousands who don't have the hope of the gospel. Even if you don’t carry the burden of action, the burden to pray is appropriate.
Some of…
• Joy Sasser • Posted in Every-Member Ministry, Service
A year ago, the world came to a standstill. What stopped for you? Although universally impacted, the actual effects of the Covid 19 shutdown varied wildly from loss of life to loss of toilet paper. For many, the most challenging issue was isolation from friends and family. We either longed for those sweet reunions, or we got creative to make them happen. Even in this trial, there is much we can learn. As we begin to see an end to the COVID season, the church has an exciting opportunity! Let’s strategically think through how we can love our neighbor in…
• Daniel Baker • Posted in Sermons, Service
I mentioned this morning that Deuteronomy gives us seven principles in building a community of concern, a community of people who are caring for one another's needs in ways pleasing to the Lord. Here are those seven.
• Daniel Baker • Posted in Service
One of the realities of this COVID season is that we'll each be impacted uniquely. Even as we talk to different people within this church we're seeing it. Some are experiencing significantly reduced hours, others have had their jobs doubled. Lou Gregus, who helps organize our Side-by-Side Ministry dedicated to building bridges between our church and ministry in the community (and beyond), passed along a prayer that helps us remember how others might be faring in this season:
• Jeanne H. • Posted in Mission, Service
Many of our shoeboxes we packed last year were tracked to Togo and included a soccer ball and other items identical to the items in Kevin's shoebox. Through an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift and The Greatest Journey discipleship program, God opened the hearts of Kevin and his family to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That's why we love Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes which are effective tools to not only reach children but to multiply the Gospel to family and community.
• Daniel Baker • Posted in Childrens Ministry, Service
“We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done” (Psalm 78:4)
Each week dozens of men and women (and young men and women) give up hours of their Sunday morning to minister the Word of God to the next generation of the church. Why go to such effort? There are (at least) four reasons.
• Joy Sasser • Posted in Every-Member Ministry, Mission, Pro-life, Service
Thank you to all those who participated in the initial information meeting about Safe Families For Children!
Read below for the next steps for those who continue to have interest in helping with SFFC.
We'd like to know your level of interest and to get you on our email list. You can also RSVP for the training event at the Auer's Home this Saturday.
• Dawn Ruhl • Posted in Every-Member Ministry, Family, Mission, Pro-life, Service
We are excited to tell you about an opportunity to get involved in our community through a ministry called Safe Families for Children. Safe Families is a volunteer ministry that exists to provide biblical hospitality, love, and support to families in crisis, largely through providing parents with safe places for their children to stay while they work to resolve whatever crises that they are experiencing, such as unemployment, homelessness, or financial difficulty. This ministry equips churches like ours to create support networks for desperate people in our community who have no one to turn to in times of crisis. They do this through creating teams of people to come alongside of these families in various roles. This is one of the really neat things about Safe Families - that there are many ways to be involved.
• Jeanne Hinds • Posted in Mission, Service
Last November our church members sponsored 100 Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes for boys ages 10 -14. OCC receives the least number of boxes for this particular group so we choose to focus solely on packing quality boxes that included school supplies, comb, soap, socks, small toys, and either a soccer ball and pump or a small tool kit. The Mike Noel Home Group hosted a packing party and all 100 boxes were registered to be tracked as to their final destination. So where did they go?