I have a dear friend who is in community ministry that is so sensitive to those times when God is working. She calls these God moments, and she has pointed me to an awareness of those times when you can only say, Ah, God; He's sooooo gooooood. This month we experienced some of those times - like the day when I arrived at the center after a long day of being alongside my husband having an outpatient medical test - I mean, you know how long you wait for those things, right? But just as I arrived, two expectant mothers - one who came to the center and another who called to talk - were needing that someone to talk to, to encourage them, to pray with them. God just takes my weariness and shows me His grace. I am humbled to be witness to His work.
Earlier this month, students from Lee High School collected food and youth from Eastmont delivered it to the center. What a joy to see youth reaching beyond themselves! ACA did the same - and a teen from ACA and Heritage is volunteering at the center, too, along with other teens that will be coming this summer.
Just this week, the G.A.s from Snowden Baptist came to the center to help sort and label cans with Bible verses. Earlier, they had made Valentine boxes for a young family whose children would not have had Valentines for school otherwise, and before that, had purchased and assembled items for a layette for a newborn baby. How sweet that these young ladies have caught a missions vision; and a huge thank you to their leader, Tammy Rolling, who has such a heart for missions.
Food Pantry Update
Celebrating the one year anniversary of our new client choice pantry called Harvest: A Galley of Grace
RALLY FOR THE GALLEY COMING AUGUST 8! ALL YOU BIKERS COME JOIN US!!!
Moving Forward in Ministry in 2011
"Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe" (Hebrews 12:28).
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
JANUARY 2010 UPDATE OF MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES
After a phenomenal December of ministry, partnering with other ministry centers in town, January 2010 has already proven that God is in the life changing business. We need to all get on board with what He is doing!
Doors have opened in several churches, giving me the awesome opportunity to share about the way God is moving in Montgomery. On the very first Sunday in January, a Sunday School class at Heritage invited me to share with them how they could "plug into" the ministry on an ongoing basis. Armed with my "laundry list of opportunities", I listened to their chatter prior to the beginning of our time together. And as the time came for me to share, I was struck with this Truth - relationship, with the Lord, and through Him, with others, is what it is all about. You see, they had "adopted a family for Christmas", a generous and lovely gesture for any one, but in the process, found that they want to do more. They asked me if it would be "Okay" to provide for the family a food box each month, and to make at least one monthly visit to the family. What a phenomenal way to capture the spirit of the great commission - to foster a relationship with a family in need! My laundry list was totally unnecessary - this group of people had been sensitive to the Lord's moving, and they were ready to join Him in what He is doing. That, you see, is what community ministry, is all about.
Here's a vision for us all to pray about: what if, in every Christian church in Montgomery, multiple people or groups of people caught this same vision - Christians mentoring others, developing relationships in order to share Christ's love and hope with people who are living in such dire need? What an impact for Christ's Kingdom would be made!
Thank you: Heritage SS, Youth, and Heritage CDC; Eastern Hills Mentors;
Thorington Road Senior Adults; Prattville FBC Youth, for your interest in the work at Forest Park Ministry Center, for your hard work and generous spirits, and for the joy of working alongside you and other MBA churches who share the vision of leading Montgomerians to a life change through Christ.
Here are some of the statistics for January 2010:
127 guests visited the center; over 40% were new guests who had not sought help before.
2 families who experienced the loss of everything when their homes burned were helped with food, clothing, household supplies, and partnering with other ministries and church members, furniture and so much more!!
Over 3,000 pounds of food were distributed to hungry families.
Best of all, one more child of God added to His Kingdom - praise the Lord!!
Finally, do you love to go to yard sales? Would you like to be a "Yard Sale Ambassador" for the center? You would be equipped with receipts to give to those who will donate their left over clothing to the center. Just ask them if they will do so, return to their home at the end of the sale, give them the receipt for their tax records, and bring their clothing to the center on Monday. What an asset this would be to both the emergency clothing and to the Good Samaritan Clothing Ministry at the center!
God bless you all. Have a great 2010; I am excited to see what the Lord has in store!
Serving joyfully,
Donna McCullough, Director
Forest Park Ministry Center
Doors have opened in several churches, giving me the awesome opportunity to share about the way God is moving in Montgomery. On the very first Sunday in January, a Sunday School class at Heritage invited me to share with them how they could "plug into" the ministry on an ongoing basis. Armed with my "laundry list of opportunities", I listened to their chatter prior to the beginning of our time together. And as the time came for me to share, I was struck with this Truth - relationship, with the Lord, and through Him, with others, is what it is all about. You see, they had "adopted a family for Christmas", a generous and lovely gesture for any one, but in the process, found that they want to do more. They asked me if it would be "Okay" to provide for the family a food box each month, and to make at least one monthly visit to the family. What a phenomenal way to capture the spirit of the great commission - to foster a relationship with a family in need! My laundry list was totally unnecessary - this group of people had been sensitive to the Lord's moving, and they were ready to join Him in what He is doing. That, you see, is what community ministry, is all about.
Here's a vision for us all to pray about: what if, in every Christian church in Montgomery, multiple people or groups of people caught this same vision - Christians mentoring others, developing relationships in order to share Christ's love and hope with people who are living in such dire need? What an impact for Christ's Kingdom would be made!
Thank you: Heritage SS, Youth, and Heritage CDC; Eastern Hills Mentors;
Thorington Road Senior Adults; Prattville FBC Youth, for your interest in the work at Forest Park Ministry Center, for your hard work and generous spirits, and for the joy of working alongside you and other MBA churches who share the vision of leading Montgomerians to a life change through Christ.
Here are some of the statistics for January 2010:
127 guests visited the center; over 40% were new guests who had not sought help before.
2 families who experienced the loss of everything when their homes burned were helped with food, clothing, household supplies, and partnering with other ministries and church members, furniture and so much more!!
Over 3,000 pounds of food were distributed to hungry families.
Best of all, one more child of God added to His Kingdom - praise the Lord!!
Finally, do you love to go to yard sales? Would you like to be a "Yard Sale Ambassador" for the center? You would be equipped with receipts to give to those who will donate their left over clothing to the center. Just ask them if they will do so, return to their home at the end of the sale, give them the receipt for their tax records, and bring their clothing to the center on Monday. What an asset this would be to both the emergency clothing and to the Good Samaritan Clothing Ministry at the center!
God bless you all. Have a great 2010; I am excited to see what the Lord has in store!
Serving joyfully,
Donna McCullough, Director
Forest Park Ministry Center
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Thank you, MBA Churches and ALL Others!!!
Wow, did God orchestrate a beautiful "symphony" of cooperation, enabling His Spirit to work through volunteers and guests at the first annual Ministry Centers Toy Sale this month! With the guests who shopped the sale and the families who were served afterward, at least 150 families were helped with Christmas gifts for their children. Thank you, everyone, for your enthusiastic support and generous hearts! Here are some great things that happened:
Parents who came to the sale were moved to tears to be able to shop themselves for their children's gifts at prices that were so nominal. All expressed appreciation for the opportunity. Many also were determined to give back to the ministry, so when their total purchase was, say $6.00, but they had budgeted $10, they gave the ten, asking that it be used to bless someone else. Now that is a special bonus - to give others the dignity of giving back. I personally was moved to tears myself over that. And rest assured, the money that was given goes directly back into the benevolence fund for the ministry to assist families.
One mother had been struggling with a job and school, having lost her more stable job due to the economy. She had returned to school with financial aid in order to learn a new skill for a better job. But then she lost her job again, this time due to scheduling conflicts between school, work, and children. So a volunteer prayed with her on Saturday that God, who sees her need already, would show her an opportunity for a job - she was needing one so badly! And the very next day, a job offer came literally to her door, not only a better job than she had before, but working around her school hours and in the field that she is training. What a tangible evidence of God's providence!
Back at the center, one of our volunteers was talking with and praying with a young man about his unemployment. They prayed for God to open a door of opportunity - he wanted to work so badly - and before he left the center, he made a phone call to a business where he had applied; he was told to report the next morning to the job site! Talk about immediate answers to prayer!
It is sheer joy to be able to participate in God's work through Forest Park Ministry Center. Yes, there are days when we weep, and there are days when we rejoice, but always God is sovereign and in control. Here are statistics that may interest you for the year 2009: over 1,500 guests visited the center(representing over 6,180 familiy members), nearly 36% of whom had not visited before. This points to the severity of the economy this past year and how it has touched the lives of those who had not experienced poverty before. During 2009, 36 people were led to Christ during their visit to the ministry center; food for life, not just for the tummy! And over 38,870 pounds of food were distributed in addition to fifty complete Thanksgiving meals and over 200 sack lunches during the summer. In addition, Reading4Character is ongoing in three Montgomery Title I schools, the apartment ministry is on board to begin in 2010 (we still need volunteers!!!!), and ministry to the Mixteco population in Montgomery is growing both at Forest Park Ministry Center and in several MBA churches and other ministries. God is soooo good.
I pray that each one who reads this will experience God's presence, His peace, and His power this Christmas and always.
Love in Him who is able to do exceedingly more than we can ask or imagine,
Donna McCullough, Director
Forest Park Ministry Center
Parents who came to the sale were moved to tears to be able to shop themselves for their children's gifts at prices that were so nominal. All expressed appreciation for the opportunity. Many also were determined to give back to the ministry, so when their total purchase was, say $6.00, but they had budgeted $10, they gave the ten, asking that it be used to bless someone else. Now that is a special bonus - to give others the dignity of giving back. I personally was moved to tears myself over that. And rest assured, the money that was given goes directly back into the benevolence fund for the ministry to assist families.
One mother had been struggling with a job and school, having lost her more stable job due to the economy. She had returned to school with financial aid in order to learn a new skill for a better job. But then she lost her job again, this time due to scheduling conflicts between school, work, and children. So a volunteer prayed with her on Saturday that God, who sees her need already, would show her an opportunity for a job - she was needing one so badly! And the very next day, a job offer came literally to her door, not only a better job than she had before, but working around her school hours and in the field that she is training. What a tangible evidence of God's providence!
Back at the center, one of our volunteers was talking with and praying with a young man about his unemployment. They prayed for God to open a door of opportunity - he wanted to work so badly - and before he left the center, he made a phone call to a business where he had applied; he was told to report the next morning to the job site! Talk about immediate answers to prayer!
It is sheer joy to be able to participate in God's work through Forest Park Ministry Center. Yes, there are days when we weep, and there are days when we rejoice, but always God is sovereign and in control. Here are statistics that may interest you for the year 2009: over 1,500 guests visited the center(representing over 6,180 familiy members), nearly 36% of whom had not visited before. This points to the severity of the economy this past year and how it has touched the lives of those who had not experienced poverty before. During 2009, 36 people were led to Christ during their visit to the ministry center; food for life, not just for the tummy! And over 38,870 pounds of food were distributed in addition to fifty complete Thanksgiving meals and over 200 sack lunches during the summer. In addition, Reading4Character is ongoing in three Montgomery Title I schools, the apartment ministry is on board to begin in 2010 (we still need volunteers!!!!), and ministry to the Mixteco population in Montgomery is growing both at Forest Park Ministry Center and in several MBA churches and other ministries. God is soooo good.
I pray that each one who reads this will experience God's presence, His peace, and His power this Christmas and always.
Love in Him who is able to do exceedingly more than we can ask or imagine,
Donna McCullough, Director
Forest Park Ministry Center
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Ways You Can Partner with Forest Park Ministry Center
* Have a food drive in your church
(get list from Donna)There is a dire shortage!
* Hold a Baby Shower for new moms who come to
the center; we need supplies for 12 layettes by October!
* Be a prayer partner and pray for our guests needs
* Need larger sized mens and womens clothing
must be in very good condition
*Hold a Paper supplies shower for the center
*Need a data entry volunteer once a week
*Need a small desk for the receptionist in the waiting area
(get list from Donna)There is a dire shortage!
* Hold a Baby Shower for new moms who come to
the center; we need supplies for 12 layettes by October!
* Be a prayer partner and pray for our guests needs
* Need larger sized mens and womens clothing
must be in very good condition
*Hold a Paper supplies shower for the center
*Need a data entry volunteer once a week
*Need a small desk for the receptionist in the waiting area