Faithful Servants & Haven of Rest: Collaborating for the Kingdom

Christ Community Chapel Local Outreach ministry partners Faithful Servants Care Center and Haven of Rest will begin teaming up on October 17^th, 2013 to benefit our Akron area neighbors in need.

Faithful Servants, whose care center is located in Tallmadge, provides urgent medical care services with Christ-like compassion to those without insurance and the economic means to access traditional health care. The ministry has just celebrated its first full year of operation. The Faithful Servants team typically sees about 20 people per night. Many who come to the Tallmadge care center are dealing with hypertension or diabetes.

By contrast, Haven of Rest of Akron has served the homeless in Northeast Ohio with meals, shelter and clothing since 1943. Haven serves up to 400 meals per day, operating on a large scale. In many cases, those served by Haven of Rest are also struggling with medical concerns. This need has prompted Haven and Faithful Servants to collaborate in bringing much needed medical services to the less fortunate in Akron. Initially, the two ministries anticipate they will see about 30 people per night at the Haven of Rest facilities in this joint effort.

The CCC Local Outreach Team is excited to see two strong local ministry partners combining forces in the name of Christ to benefit the communities nearby. Would you please prayerfully consider how you might support these fine ministries through volunteer work, prayer support or financial giving? For more information, please visit:

http://faithfulservantscarecenter.org , or

http://www.havenofrest.org

Faithful Servants – Black-tie and Blue Jeans Gala

Christ Community Chapel Local Outreach ministry partner Faithful Servants Care Center marks completion of its first year of providing urgent health care for the uninsured via the Black-tie and Blue Jeans fundraiser on Saturday, October 5^th, 2013. The event is a chance to mix diamonds and denim, jackets and jeans for a celebration of great food, friends and fun benefitting the care center. Dinner and dancing will commence at 6:00 PM at the NEOMED Banquet Center (Northeast Ohio Medical University, 4209 Ohio Route 44, Rootstown, OH 44272).  The evening will include stories about the blessing Faithful Servants has been to the uninsured community, and to volunteers who have made available their hearts and talents to serve.

Funds raised will allow Faithful Servants to continue providing compassionate, Christ-centered healthcare, with a special focus in the coming year on empowering mobile clinics to take care to patients who are unable to travel to the clinic, supporting operational expenses, and providing flu shots to this population in the fall. The gala will not only raise funds, but also will increase awareness of Faithful Servants’ mission and promote recruitment of new volunteers.

Faithful Servants Care Center has recently raised its profile in Tallmadge with new signs, and an improved website, www.faithfulservantscarecenter

If you’re interested in attending, please contact Faithful Servants at FaithfulServantsCare@gmail.com.  The cost to attend is $100 per person. Checks should be made payable to Faithful Servants Care Center.

A Scarlet Cord - Rahab Ministries' 2013 Annual Benefit Concert

Mark your calendar for November 8th, the night of Rahab Ministries' fundraising event, which will take place at Christ Community Chapel's Hudson campus.  The evening will include a rousing concert, worship, a silent auction, and inspiring stories of Christ's transformation of broken women's lives. 

Tickets are $30 in advance ($50 at the door, and $20 for pastors and individuals involved in full-time ministry.)   Rahab Ministries also would welcome auction items, including various goods and services.

God continues to do great work through the volunteers and staff at Rahab, helping women ensnared in drugs, crime or human trafficking to find new lives in Him.

You can contact Rahab by phone at 330.819.3326, or get more information on their website, at:  http://www.rahab-ministries.org/trafficking.htm

Broken Chains Ministry: Making the Difference

Christ Community Chapel Local Outreach ministry partner Broken Chains will celebrate its 10^th anniversary on October 11^th, 2013, with a Public Awareness & Benefit Dinner. The fundraising event will take place beginning at 6:30 PM at Guy’s Party Center’s South Ballroom, at 500 East Waterloo Road in Akron.

Broken Chains goes “hands on” in helping men and women transition from incarceration to community. The Christ centered mentoring provided by Broken Chains has been instrumental in the spiritual transformation of many lives, and in reducing recidivism.   Speakers at the Making the Difference banquet will give testimony to the life-changing power of Christ working through Broken Chains mentors.

To get tickets for the event, RSVP by October 4^th to Dennis Shawhan, Executive Director of Broken Chains, at 330 472 1166, or at info@brokenchainsministry.org .  For information on being a table host or Corporate Sponsor for the event, please contact Dennis Shawhan.

Urban Vision : A Night to Bridge the Gap

On September 5^th, Christ Community Chapel ministry partner Urban Vision celebrated its calling to bridge the gap in the education of the at-risk kids in the North Hill area of Akron. The event was a fund raiser specifically targeting two Urban Vision initiatives: the Set on Success after school tutoring program, and the Beacon Christian Learning Center, which provides a focused and tailored learning program for Urban Vision participating kids in grades K-12.

Jodi Matthews

Urban Vision founder Jodi Matthews explained that among the 30 Beacon CLC students, some are currently bringing their academic performance up one grade level per month. The kids no longer need to be concerned with their physical safety, or with negative peer pressure that can discourage learning. And with strong, individualized encouragement from Beacon teachers, the kids are becoming confident in their ability to learn.

Jodi Matthews spoke about Urban Vision’s passion for showing the love of God to at-risk children.  Jodi described the river of life coming from God’s throne, and stressed how blessed believers are to receive the abundance of God’s grace, power and love. From that abundance, an overflow from the staff and volunteers at Urban Vision then blesses the Urban Vision kids.  Jodi cites Jesus’ mandate, “Let the children come to Me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Jodi gave an example of how Urban Vision kids in turn bless their community with the overflow they have received. Jodi was volunteering at a local public school, challenging a group of first graders to assemble a 100 piece puzzle. Only one of the kids in the group was an Urban Vision child.  The kids were overwhelmed with the task. However, Jodi explained that if the kids focused on the work, and persevered in their work, they could accomplish the task.  At that point, the Urban Vision child in the group proclaimed how God’s love also perseveres and never lets go of us.  Jodi silently cheered this child’s witness to God’s love, which was overflowing into the community from the child’s life.

How has the overflow of God’s persevering love impacted your life?  Please consider how God might be calling you to share the overflow of His love and power in the lives of our neighbors in need. For more on Urban Vision’s ministry and volunteer needs, please go to: 

http://www.urbanvisionministry.org/volunteering1.aspx

Urban Vision Volunteering Opportunities

Urban Vision continues to reach out to one at-risk child at a time on behalf of Christ in Akron’s North Hill area.  Urban Vision is constructing a bicycle Pump Track (for more on the UV track, see: http://pumptrackproject.com/ ), which is a magnet for kids. Recently, three local kids came to ride on the bike track, and stayed to hear Urban Vision’s message. They heard the Gospel in a small group. As one observer said, "They came with bicycles, and left with Bibles." Please pray for Urban Vision’s work in the city.

However, helping our neighbors in need through Urban Vision is not limited to those with carpentry or speaking skills.

If you love to cook, please consider opportunities to help Urban Vision with meals for local kids. Urban Vision (UV) serves more than 890 meals per week as part of its ministry. Please click on the following link if you’re interested in learning more about preparing either full meals, or portions of meals, or serving for UV programs and events:

http://www.urbanvisionministry.org/our_current_needs.aspx