God is So Good!

     April was a month of rejoicing and a month of introspection.  At a time when we were placing special emphasis on the celebration of our Savior’s resurrection, God provided both bounties of blessings and grave reminders of the depravity and need of the human condition. 

     A 50% increase over the previous month in the number of families served through food, clothing, and /or financial assistance has been a sobering reminder that, in Jesus’ words, “The poor will always be among us.”  We are exhorted over and over in scripture to be aware of the needs of others and willing to clothe, feed, and encourage in Christ.  April was a powerful illustration of such need.  If you are spring cleaning, please remember Forest Park Ministry Center to donate clothing – any sizes, styles, or season.  Also, we are always in need of food; as the months progress and summer nears, families who depend on free or reduced breakfast and lunch for their children’s nutrition will be all the more in need of food.  Historically, numbers of families increase greatly during the summer and fall.  We are in special need of canned meals (pastas, soups, stews), varied vegetables, canned meats.  Don’t forget – if you are a gardener, you can tithe your produce!

     In addition to celebrating Christ’s resurrection, we celebrate this month because of God’s provision in numerous areas.  Food drives have kept us supplied with food, Heritage hosted a beautiful Layette Baby Shower, following a winter Layette Baby Shower that Thorington Road had hosted.  Rise Up 2012 (did you see it on YouTube?) resulted in 600 pairs of new shoes donated to 11 ministries locally and throughout the state and abroad.  Forest Park was the blessed recipient of several dozen pair, and already there are those with no car who walk everywhere, those who needed shoes for school and work, reaping the benefit of such generosity.

     And the week following Resurrection Sunday, one of our moms being mentored first through the Layette Ministry and now through M&M Bible Café each week prayed to receive Christ.  She was baptized last week, has already attended a class for parents desiring to raise their children in the Lord, and plans to dedicate her one year old son along with other parents on Mother’s Day.  Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

     This summer, in addition to the food and clothing ministry and classes which meet at the center, there will be a number of children’s opportunities.  We are blessed to have two student missionaries joining us for the summer.  Jordan Holley of Montgomery, an active member of the Baptist Campus Ministry at AUM, and Charlotte Walker from Boone’s Chapel, a student majoring in social work at Mississippi College, will be planning and implementing a number of opportunities including Bible studies, literacy, and sports camps, and will be contacting youth groups in MBA churches to recruit teams to assist each week.  Please pray for these young women as they give of themselves and their talents this summer to community missions and ministry.

                                                                                   Blessings along the way,

                                                                                   Donna McCullough, Director

                                                                                   Forest Park Ministry Center

Springing Forward...........

     Do you love this time of year?  I do, because everything feels so fresh and new.  From the gentle green sprigs of new growth of asparagus in the ministry center garden to the bright new colors of the first azalea blooms in the front yard, God points us to His design for new life in His creation. I pray that each of you, as we continue to celebrate Christ's resurrection, experiences a renewed sense of His purpose for your life!
     New life - changing the old worn out life that isn't "workin' for ya" to God's design for His people, a life abundant with the knowledge and joy of His protection, His guidance, His everlasting love - that is what doing missions at Forest Park Ministry Center is all about.  We are so grateful for God's people with vision for missions who plug into Forest Park Ministry Center.  There are fifteen MBA churches who specifically sponsor the ministry center - Cloverdale Baptist, Dalraida Baptist, Eastdale Baptist, Eastern Hills Baptist, Eastmont Baptist, Heritage Baptist, Hunter Station Baptist, Lakeview Baptist, Lapine Baptist, Mt. Zion Baptist, Southlawn Baptist, St. James / Holt Crossing Baptist, Thorington Road Baptist, Trinity Memorial Baptist, and Westside Baptist.  These churches provide food for the food pantry, and several have members who volunteer during each week to assist guests who come for food and clothing assistance, teach classes, or visit guests with special needs.  Members of these churches and many other churches in our association and in our community donate clothing and household items that we are able to provide to those in need.  Each gift, each labor of love, is a beautiful expression of God's love and of your desire to be His hands and feet to those in need.
     Increasing numbers of families reaching out to the center for help; ministry partners who use "out of the box" methods to reach people for Christ; seeing a precious young mom turn her life over to Christ; God's provision for help to see that the ministry to children this summer continues and thrives; I am frankly overwhelmed (But I shouldn't be.  After all, we serve a mighty God!) and so pumped to see what the future holds.  Please continue to pray for wisdom, that we will be open to God's leading in the days and months ahead.
Joyfully serving,
Donna McCullough, Director
Forest Park Ministry Center

Improvements Coming - Praise the Lord!

        I just experienced a sweet celebration last night with a sister ministry, Samaritan Inn Ministry, praising and thanking God for a year of successful ministry and His provision when the director, Debbie Jones, had to step out in faith because the need was so immediate.  And in days just prior, I spent time in conference with fellow ministry center directors across the state and then with fellow Mission Service Corps missionaries. - And I am reminded of how blessed I am to have such partners - ministry partners with whom we share praises, prayers, needs, and fresh ideas; prayer partners who are so faithful to lift God's work in prayer; volunteer missionary partners who consistently and faithfully invest time and talents each week; financial partners who give selflessly to the Lord's work at Forest Park Ministry Center.  Each is such a blessing and so vital to the furtherance of Christ's Kingdom work.
        A special thank you to the trustees from the former Forest Park Baptist Church.  There have been so many much needed repairs and improvements at the center, and thanks to their vision and support, these are being accomplished - meaning no more leaky roofs, floors without cracks, better water pressure, safer electrical service, more efficient utility service - thanks so much - and to God be the Glory!
         As I think about the M&M Bible Study, the young families that we are reaching, the life styles and bondage that so many live in, I am reminded of a story that storyteller Jack Day related to us while in conference in Shocco (Jack's version is so entertaining - he is a master storyteller!):
         Jack tells of the years that he and his wife and children lived in Brazil as a missionary family.  They were fascinated by water buffalo that were ridden, used as beasts of burden, and even used by the Brazilian military.  These animals average 1,800 - 2,600 pounds each, are massive and powerful with tremendous horn span.  The interesting thing is this - this massive animal can be tied to a post by its owner using thin strips of leather or nylon, about the size of a shoe lace.  One would expect such an animal to pull against such a flimsy restraint and break free.  THEY NEVER DO.  This is because as infant animals, they are restrained by the same cords.  As babies, they do not possess the strength to break the cords and so give up the struggle.  Interestly, as they mature and strengthen, they do not attempt again; they have given up and are convinced that they cannot break free.
         How like these fascinating creatures are members of the human race.  Whether poverty, abuse, neglect, poor self esteem, or poor choices, we find those every day who have difficulty seeing themselves break free of the bondage that their life has become.  Praise God that through the blood of Jesus, our sin is forgiven and true freedom in Christ is possible.  Please pray for the precious guests who visit Forest Park Ministry Center, that they will realize the unique and loved creation that they are and allow Him to help them to break free and live a life of abundant love in Christ Jesus.