Introducing First Glance, a new CCC Ministry Partner!

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

We are not saved through works, but by God’s grace.

First Glance, a new Local Outreach ministry partner of Christ Community Chapel, operates under one main principle: they love people the way they are. First Glance staff and volunteers don’t impose their Christian values on those who are not yet followers of Christ. Because First Glance demonstrates grace, students who may not normally come to a church are able to approach those who minister at First Glance without hesitation.

At-risk youth in the Kenmore area need a bridge to God’s love.

First Glance serves as a bridge between the unchurched and the church. By building loving and genuine relationships, First Glance aims to show local youth the love of God and the hope He offers through the Gospel.

 First Glance staff and volunteers are all about forming authentic relationships with young people in need.

How does this work?

First Glance’s mission is to connect local students and their communities to Christ and the church through real, loving and non-threatening avenues. Here’s how First Glance describes its way of ministering:

 “We do this by providing a safe and loving environment where our students can come, hang out, and be loved the way they are - not the way we may want them to be. We have a skate park, basketball court, computers, video games, and more. We also have several specific programs that are designed to provide our students with the opportunity to have fun with their friends and mentors in a safe, supervised environment.”

Basically, First Glance aims to provide at-risk youth with a safe place where they can talk about their personal and spiritual needs.

Where might I come in?

If you have a heart for those who need to hear the life-changing message of the Gospel, there are volunteering opportunities at First Glance. Every week, about 100 volunteers bring God’s grace and the blessing of lasting relationships to young people in Kenmore. Since 2000, First Glance has come alongside thousands of youth who need real relationships and visible, tangible evidence of God’s love.

All about relationships: Photos of some of the students First Glance staffers and volunteers are currently lifting up in prayer.

If First Glance sounds like it might be a place for you to serve, please contact:

Barbara Ammirati of CCC’s Local Outreach team at: barbara.ammirati@ccchapel.com .

Or, for more information about First Glance, go to their website at:

http://firstglance.org/volunteers .

Celebrate with True North: Every Chain Is Breakable!

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands.

Acts 12:7

With God, the chains of bondage can be broken.

All have sinned; all are offenders.  However, the Gospel gives us the promise of freedom from the bondage of sin.

What does this look like today?

It looks like the work God is doing in the lives of young people through True North Ministry.  True North, a Christ Community Chapel ministry partner, works with young men and women who have been incarcerated, but now are alive to the liberating power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

What does this have to do with me?

You have a great opportunity to support the work of True North by attending their banquet on Thursday, April 23^rd.  At the event, youth from True North will relate how the love and grace of Jesus Christ have set them free.  For details, please see the graphic below.