Congratulations!

Muskegon Pregnancy Services received our $5,000 local outreach grant!

• In 2008 they saw 618 new clients and booked 1613 service opportunities. The average client age was 18.
• The teen pregnancy rate in Muskegon & Oceana counties exceeds the state average by 30%.
• 49.1% of the babies born in Muskegon County are born to single moms.
• There were 444 abortions recorded in Muskegon & Oceana counties in 2007, which is approximately 1.85 per business day.
• MPS provides answers, truth, direction, support, encouragement and hope in the name of Christ for clients who choose to carry their baby and for women who chose abortion. (*All statistics are from MPS)

MPS offers a LifePlan program that allows volunteers to build long-term relationships with clients and share Christ’s love in words and actions.

The purpose of the grant is to update the LifePlan materials to more effectively teach  clients about pregnancy, the birth process, and parenting. The current educational materials are outdated and don’t relate well to MPS’ client base. The grant will also fund incentive items such as cribs and car seats which are earned through visits to MPS for the LifePlan program.

Here’s how we can pray:

• For abortion-vulnerable women and girls to see MPS as their first choice
• For discernment and guidance in empowering clients with truth but not enabling poor lifestyle choices
• That God will prepare the hearts of clients to receive truth and respond positively
• For the Board of Directors as they determine the course of the ministry
• For financial provision
• For the staff and volunteers who respond to the calling and equipping in Christ

We are grateful for our partnership with MPS! If you want to volunteer, there are opportunities for any time commitment from one-time services to once per week. Contact Priscilla Hinze for more info (231.726.2677).

They’re Doing Something. RU?

After the start> series, many adults are wrestling with what they can do to make a difference. Meanwhile, three students from SLWC are doing what they can right where they are.

• After seeing children without shoes while on a mission trip to Mukwalantila Africa, Rachel decided she could make a difference by giving TOMs shoes as birthday presents. TOMS Shoes was founded on a simple premise: With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need.
• Abby received a pair of TOMS from Rachel. That simple gift sparked an idea to get the entire SLHS 2010 graduating class to wear TOMS shoes to walk on graduation day. She’s since become a campus rep for TOMS and presented her idea to classmates. “There is already a buzz of excitement about it,” said Abby. “We’re even looking into providing financial assistance to those students that would typically find purchasing a pair of TOMS prohibitive. The idea that we could give over 200 children shoes, who don’t own a pair, is overwhelming. Without shoes these children cannot go to school, they can’t travel the miles to get to fresh water, or they do and end up contracting deadly diseases from the large cuts on their feet.”
• Emma was reading a recent post on this blog about how a simple letter from a sponsor could make a difference. She was so compelled by Jimmy’s sponsorship story and the letter his sponsor sent him that she wrote a letter to the child her family sponsors.

Simple. Easy. No one is trying to cure aids or save the world. They each simply saw a need and filled it. I love seeing a passion for doing something in our students. Do you know of stories of how other students are doing something? ~ Sheila

Gifts

Serving for the poor, fighting for justice, caring for God’s creation… it can feel like more stuff on my to do list.  Coming out of the start> series, is anyone else feeling a bit overwhelmed?  Don’t panic!  Help is on the way.

 

Beginning November 29 and leading up to Christmas the Teaching Team is tackling a passage in the Bible that will help us understand and start using our spiritual gifts.  We are calling the series Gifts.

The basic idea is that God gives each of us unique abilities to use in serving inside and outside the church.  When we know what our gifts are and start using them life is way less overwhelming.

I would love for you to begin praying now and asking God to prepare you to receive the gifts He has for you.  I would love to hear from some of you.  Do you know what your gifts are?  Have you ever been taught about Spiritual Gifts? ~ Peter

Once Upon a Christmas

Wondering what’s next after finishing the START> series?  I know a great way to get involved in our local church and in our community.  Why not volunteer to help with the Kids Hope USA Christmas Event?  It is an easy and fun way to hop on board so to speak.  The event, called “Once Upon a Christmas” will be held at SLWC on December 8 from 6-7:30pm.  Below you will see several ways you can serve.

 

 

4 people to greet Kids Hope USA families- arrive by 5:30pm and leave by 6:30pm

6 people to help in the kitchen with serving dinner and kitchen clean up.  Arrive at 5:30pm and leave by 7pm.

4 people to help with crafts- arrive 5:45pm,

4 people to help with book give away- arrive at 5:45pm

4 people to help with clean up after event.  Event is over at 7:30pm and it usually takes less than an hour to complete clean up.

If you are interested in helping that night, please email me at mbradford@slwc.org

The other way you can be part of the night is to bring a new elementary age appropriate book to the lobby of the church any of the next 3 Sundays.  We will be giving all children in attendance at the party a new book to take home.  Our goal is to have 100 new books for them to choose from.

Kids Hope USA is the best avenue I know that exemplifies reaching out to those around us.  Each week our church sends 42 mentors to our local school to develop relationships with children and families.  We get to be Jesus’ hands and feet every time we enter the doors of the school.

Mary Beth

Disconnect II – start>ing to explore

A few days ago I mentioned here that I’ve been thinking about how I missed God’s heart for justice all these years. I also said that I’d be praying for direction about where to be a conduit of justice, and I have been. Since we’re all in this journey of learning, exploring and engaging together, maybe you can help me sort through my latest thoughts!

There are three primary ideas that’ve been simmering on the back burner for a couple weeks. I don’t know if any of them are “it” but they might lead to rabbit trails that lead to the real thing.

• Barnabas Ministries needs mentors for teens in the Tri-Cities. Building relationships with teens is not my strength, so I don’t think that I’m supposed to be a mentor. But I can do small groups, so I wondered about gathering a few of those teens and doing an art-and-justice small group. I like art (especially music and the written word), I’m getting a heart for justice, and I like teaching. Maybe it could give them a different way to process the things that happen in their lives – new avenues of seeing themselves and the world, and Jesus. And I think it’d be really cool to include two or three stable teens in the group – to give a glimpse of “normal” life, and to build friendships.
• Another idea was to put together a justice film festival at homes around the Tri-Cities. There are so many movies that deal directly or indirectly with the issues we’ve covered during the start> series. Slumdog Millionaire, Taken, The Soloist, I Am Sam, At the End of Slavery… and more. I guess this fits more with the “learn” phase, and it’s more of a one-time deal rather than something ongoing. Perhaps all I need to do is put together another blog post with movies related to these things and let y’all do your own thing with friends and small groups if you’re interested.
• The last thing is related to siblings of people with disabilities. I’ve thought about this idea for years, actually, because there were very few resources for my siblings and I as we grew up with a mentally impaired brother. I’m sure there are organizations out there, but my experience with a sibling-specific community was pretty limited. The most helpful support was a tiny book written by siblings of people with disabilities – I read it and felt like I wasn’t alone in the myriad of emotions and issues related to Ben. I still have the book, actually. So, today as we heard again from Joni Eareckson Tada, I wondered about creating a website dedicated to siblings. It would be a meeting place to share our stories, encourage each other, and then explore and engage with other ministries who care for the disabled, like Joni and Friends and Mercy Ships, among others.

So, that’s what I’m thinking about. Do those thoughts push any buttons for you? Make you think of something else? I’m open to rabbit trails.

~Jen B.

Caring for Creation

Week 5 in the start> series focused on caring for creation.

Here are 50 quick tips to get you started.

 

 

1. Turn off the faucet while brushing teeth or shaving.
2. Turn thermostat up three degrees (in summer) and down three degrees (in winter).  In the spring and fall, open the windows as often as possible.
3. Wash dishes by hand in a dishpan.  If you use the dish washer, only run with a full load and do not use heat for the drying cycle.
4. Wash clothes in the coolest water possible.
5. Always turn off lights, TV, radio and stereo when leaving the room.
6. Take a day of rest once a week – no shopping, no work, no driving.
7. Recycle everything possible; don’t buy over-packaged items.
8. Donate a box of books to the library twice a year.
9. Hand wash clothes instead of dry cleaning.
10. Clean out closets and donate clothes not worn in the past year.
11. Memorize one Bible verse about God’s love for his creation, such as Psalm 24:1:”The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.”
12. Install low-flow showerheads.  Take showers instead of baths.  (They use less water.)  Reduce shower time by two minutes.
13. Replace lights with compact fluorescent bulbs.
14. Clean or replace air filters every six months.
15. Disconnect the ice machine in the freezer.
16. Unplug TV and stereo when not in use or put them on a switched power strip to avoid “phantom loads.”
17. Donate old cell phones, computers and printers to a good cause, or take them to Staples for recycling.
18. Plant deciduous trees along south side of house to save on cooling costs.
19. When replacing appliances, purchase the most efficient (Energy Star), with the lowest yearly energy costs.
20. Ask your local utility to conduct an energy audit on your home and/or business and then heed their advice.
21. Visit the grocery only once each week.  Combine trips.  Carpool.
22. Air-dry laundry.
23. Avoid fast food restaurants; pack a picnic lunch when traveling.
24. Replace church light bulbs with compact fluorescents.  Recycle church bulletins.
25. Caulk and weather strip around windows and doors to plug air leaks.
26. Stock up on handkerchiefs, cloth shopping bags, and cloth napkins.  Avoid purchasing anything with the word “disposable.”
27. Wait a month before buying something you “need;” when you do make purchases, buy quality items that will last for many years.
28. Save unwanted catalogs and ask to be taken off their mailing list.  Reduce the amount of junk mail you receive by registering at www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailinglist.  It costs $1 – the best buck you ever spent!
29. Set up a “share board” at church or organize a clothing exchange.
30. Give away or sell anything and everything that is cluttering your life.  Donate the proceeds to charity.
31. Instead of a birthday gift or funeral flowers, send a donation to charity or plant a tree or shrub in their honor.
32. When replacing a car, consider a hybrid or one that gets great mileage and has low emissions.  Suggest the same for your church, school, business and city.
33. Organize a paint swap at church or the recycling center, combine unused portions of paint and use as a primer.
34. Organize a church-based public prayer event with emphasis on creation care and stewardship.
35. Start a study group on what the Bible says about caring for creation.
36. Hang thick or insulated curtains.  Close them during the day in summer; close at night in the winter.
37. Ask your children to “pare down” their toys periodically; give those gently used items to local charities or non-profit groups.
38. Vacation closer to home.  De-stress your holidays by staying home on one holiday when you usually travel.
39. Avoid use of pesticides and chemicals on your lawn and garden.
40. Pray for people whose forests and habitats have been destroyed by our material desires; ask God to help you become a better steward of His resources.
41. Spend at least ten minutes in nature “being still and knowing that I am God.”
42. Cut back on soft drinks by substituting tap water at least once per day.
43. Avoid covering radiators and vents with furniture or curtains; program thermostats to come on 30 minutes before waking up and coming home.
44. Plant a vegetable garden.  Support community agriculture.  Buy local.
45. Insulate your attic with a minimum of 10 inches of insulation; insulate your hot water heater if it’s an older model.
46. Write or call your city/county representative and state reps and ask them to consider conducting an energy audit in their offices; do the same at school and work.
47. Insulate your hot water pipes; it’s easy – just clip on the foam insulation.
48. Turn down the temperature on your hot water heater to the lowest setting.
49. Cut food before cooking; put the lid on pans; cook outside in summer.
50. Follow our grandmothers’ advice: “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.”

start> Opportunities

November 8 is the last Sunday of the “start> Becoming a Good Samaritan” series here. It’s a little bittersweet; the last six weeks have been sprinkled with exclamation points of spiritual growth, a deeper understanding of global issues, and tender hearts toward the hurting. But, just like high school graduations, the end of this series is actually a commencement! From here we will continue learning, exploring and engaging in the issues that God puts on our hearts.

There will be ministry information in the Lobby Café on Sunday morning so that everyone has a chance to “start>” doing something.

• Food pantry
  Grab a reminder for a specific item needed in our pantry.
• Prison ministry
  Be a pen pal for an inmate we are visiting through our prison ministry.
• Refugee ministry
  Join our refugee ministry. We have a new family coming.
• Kids Hope USA
  Grab a reminder for a Christmas gift for one of our Kids Hope USA families.
• Anti-trafficking
  Sign a postcard petition to send to our law makers to stand against human trafficking or purchase anti-trafficking jewelry. Want more information, contact Wendy Sale at wendysale@charter.net
• Reusable bags
  Purchase a reusable grocery bag to help care for the planet. Want more information, contact Jen Boerema at jboerema@slwc.org.
• World Hope International
  Sign up to sponsor a child through World Hope International.
• Muskegon Pregnancy Services, our local grant winner

We will also have copies of the book The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns.

Maybe you’ve found other ways to serve during this series. How has your heart been motivated to do something?

~ Jen B.

Disconnect

One of the questions I’ve been pondering during the start> series is, “How can I have spent years pursuing a relationship with God and yet I’ve missed his heart for social justice?” I mean, I grew up in church and in a Christian family, so I was always familiar with the two commandments to love God and love people. I knew it was important to be generous and nice. I spent time in the Bible. And I certainly heard and internalized God’s passion for a relationship with all people.

But I didn’t really get the point that God takes justice seriously. Or, at least, I didn’t make the connection that He intends me to be a conduit of justice. And it’s not just in my sphere of daily life, it’s globally. As a Christian, I have a responsibility to use my resources and influence for justice.

I’m not sure how my life will change after the start> series. I’ve been praying that it  will be clear so that I know where to put my time, resources and energy – on the one hand, I know that any step toward justice would be a step in the right direction. But I also know that God has prepared good works for my particular set of strengths and weaknesses, and I want this to be a heart change, not just a guilt response.

Hold me to it.

~ Jen B.

* Update: Disconnect II

Modern Day Slavery

Here is a national news headline that caught my eye.

52 children rescued in nationwide sex-trafficking raid. Federal officials arrest almost 700, including 60 pimps, in a three-day crackdown on child prostitution. The youngest victim was 10, authorities say.   [read more]

~Jennifer

start circles

Seen any of these around town?

It’s just one way our team is working on getting the word out about:

• Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry on November 6 from 5-7pm
• Church @ Work Community Service Projects Day on November 7 from 8am-12pm

My small group is canvasing one neighborhood near church to hand out informational postcards about the Mobile Food Pantry, but there are more homes than we can cover.

If are interested in helping out, contact Tana Anderson at tanderson@slwc.org 616.842.9022 x304

If that’s not a fit, perhaps you can give us some link love on Facebook and don’t forget to invite your friends:

Mobile Food Pantry
Community Service Day

You can learn more about these events at www.slwc.org/start

Thanks to Spring Lake, Ferrysburg and Grand Haven for permission to place the chalk circles around town to help promote these events. ~ Sheila