Happy New
Year! We are looking forward to what
God has in store in 2013 for His ministry at Forest Park Ministry Center. This past year has been full, and for me
personally, a great challenge due to added responsibilities regarding graduate
school and internship. With these
completed, however, I am excited to report to you that the outreach
opportunities into the community have the potential to expand in the coming
year through Forest Park Ministry Center.
First, I want to share some 2012 statistics
with you. 1,760 guests visited the
center for assistance, representing 4,277 family members who were assisted with
food and / or clothing. That translates to 46, 736 pounds of food given to
families in need during the year 2012.
62 of those families received financial assistance for utilities, at
least 90 of those families received baby items.
There were 15 newborn babies that we had the privilege to visit in the
home, pray and talk with the mom, and present them with a layette of beautiful
new necessities for the baby made possible by the groups who have so graciously
supplied the layette ministry throughout the year.
All of these
statistics are “small potatoes”, though, compared to the lives that have been
won for God’s Kingdom. During 2012, 14
people prayed during their visit to receive Christ as their personal
savior. All of the statistics above pale
in comparison to the fact that these souls that were lost and hopeless now know
the joy and hope of faith in Christ.
A stressful
year has ended with bountiful joy as we have seen God answer prayer in several
ways. A dear friend wrote on her
Facebook page about the reminder that God grows us in our trials. This is so
true – and those challenges are the very venues in which His glory shines! Friends and colleagues have had trials
followed by God’s grace and blessings, and my own family has been through
illness and healing as well. And here at
the center, God has raised some men who are seizing the opportunity to mentor
men in the neighborhood. Please pray for
these efforts, bathed in prayer, to be rewarded with fruit for the Kingdom!
We are so
thankful for your prayerful support. We
are all a team, including each of you, carrying out the Great Commission in our
community. May each of you have a
blessed 2013.
Joyfully serving,
Donna McCullough, Director
Forest Park Ministry Center
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