Greetings from our Kids at Grace Place Cambodia

Thanks to John & Bobbie Campbell.  You can watch our kids from Grace Place Cambodia sing two songs:

• O Holy Night (Khmer)
  
• Silent Night (English)
  

My favorite part is after the songs when they shout out, "Merry Christmas!"  I love the choreography too. 

Merry Christmas to you litlle ones!  We love you!

Commissioned to go

Linda Kline was commissioned at New Community tonight.  She was already commissioned by her Children's Church on Sunday, December 13.  Keep Linda in your prayers. She travels over 30-hours to get to Phnom Penh, CAMBODIA. 

Pictures from give-a-christmas 2009

Christmas Concerts for the Community

First Christmas, portrayed vingettes from a variety of stories.  Whether a mom hiding in a bathroom from family and new additions to the family Christmas or a mourning spouse dealing with the loss of a loved one for the first time at Christmas, the segments would appeal to many in our community.

One other story so poignant is the first Christmas while a family deals with a divorce.  The storyteller shared how Christmas was not about a small tree or no tree.  It was about being together as a family and working through the challenges of a split home.  Our program tried to speak into the lives of those who are facing a Christmas in a first-time kind of way.

Interspersed throughout were timely songs emphasizing the message of the birth of Christ.  You can glorify God even when your Christmas is not what you expected it to be.  When everything changes for the worse, what next?  Trust Jesus. 

I wonder if you invited someone to the Christmas program.  Please let me know. I'd love to hear your story and pray for your friend who came. 

Give-A-Christmas 2009

This morning Wooster Grace mobilized 151 people to reach out to 59 families: delivering 29 decorated Christmas trees, 238 gifts, and dozens of Christmas cookies to families in our community who would have nothing for Christmas this year.

Times are hard.  It's difficult for a lot of people.  But praise God we were able to help families in our network of relationships here in Wayne County.

My family delivered gifts to two families. Both families were so appreciative.  They listened to our presentation of the Christmas story from Luke 1 and heard the Gospel message as well.  We asked for prayer requests and they gave the following:

• Pray for good health
• Pray for a job for anyone in the family
• Pray for disability insurance paperwork to be approved
• Thank God for your church for helping us out
  

Making plans for trip to Cambodia: August 2010

photo by mackaysavage
I met with David James today to discuss the plans for a missions trip to Cambodia.  The tentative dates are August 13-29, 2010.

David James is on a special assignment with GBIM for Cambodia.  Roger Snyder and David James are part of the Community Transformation Ministries.  Together with Dr Paul Wan and his wife Rebekah these four are the crux for the USA team.  Their Cambodian partner is Wooster Grace's Kevin Kane. 

Last year's Cambodia Camp served in the following areas: food preparation, sports, teaching English, connecting with Khmer campers.  This year's camp will include teaching a section on first aid as well as teaching from the Cambodian Ministry Partners.

As David shared from his previous trips to Cambodia (his first trip was October 2005), the Cambodian people are gracious, warm, loving, outgoing people.  This team is planned as a joint venture between Wooser Grace and Ashland Grace Brethren Church.  More detailed information will be provided as things solidify. 

I was clueless to the many ways God works--11 numbers

Here are some numbers from my semi-annual report to our board.  I was clueless how much God has done through our church. 

• 57--Wooster Grace partner  with 57 missionary partners
• 21--Of those missionary partners 21 are missions or community organizations
• 36--we partner with 36 missionary partners (single adults, married couples, or families)
• 15--Wooster Grace has partnerships in 15 countries (including the USA)
• 26--missionary partners are here in the USA
• 118--is the number of people sent out from our chruch on short-term missions trips
• 12--international locatoins received our peoples' ministries
• 7--national locations received our peoples' ministries
• 132--people attended our internationals thanksgiving dinner
• 19--countries were represented at the dinner
• 4--we devoured four whole turkeys