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
  

Here's a flyer to help you invite others

Thanks to Janet Beaver, our ministry specialist--publications, provided this for me. I am posting it here so you can invite others to any one or all of our events this holiday season. 

You can email me at dbutler@woostergrace.org so i can send you the pdf file for printing on your own. 

Invite your neighbors to our Christmas programming

Christmas is so busy. If it's not school events, it's work events, and then on top of that, you have family events, let alone church or community events.

But please review your December calendar and see if you can make room for inviting a friend, co-worker, or new acquaintance to one of our many events here at Wooster Grace.

• Baptism Wed Dec 2 @ 7pm  If you want to observe how people make a public demonstration of their faith in Christ, then please come tonight.
• Christmas series: Sundays this month! A Reality Christmas is our series of messages on the true core of the Christmas season--the birth of Jesus.
• Christmas Concert: Dec 11, 12, 13 at 7pm Our Celebration Choir and Orchestra along with the Children's Choir will share songs and a skit about the true meaning of Christmas--the birth of Jesus.
• Christmas Eve: We have four times for you to come join us to refocus on the birth of Jesus. Traditional services are at 6pm and 8pm in the Worship Center. Contemporary services are at 6pm and 11pm in the Student Ministries Center. Childcare is available through age 3 at 6pm and 8pm.

So choose any one and invite a friend, co-worker, or new acquaintance to one of our Christmastime events.  You'll be glad you came.

Pray for Sara

This past Sunday, November 29, Sara Roseler shared in our services about her upcoming short term medical missions trip to Peru with Malone University. The team travels from December 31 through January 9, 2010. Please pray for Sara as she prepares to go. She will send me a link for their team's blog in the weeks ahead.

Day of Generosity

I want to praise God for the amazing offering given by our church. Those giving above and beyond their regular offering gave $7,559 for the Day of Generosity Sunday. There may be more given in the weeks ahead from our church. But we praise God for a church that gives. May God use our offerings along with many other churches and individuals to help encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ who are nationals within their countries to reach their own people for Christ with these resources.