Living with Purpose: What Are You Sowing?

Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

Matthew 13:8

What are you sowing?

Followers of Jesus are to teach, proclaim the Good News of salvation through Christ and be agents of God’s healing to a broken world. The words and deeds of all men and women sow something, for good or evil.   What kind of crop will your life produce?

We can sow deeds that announce the Kingdom of God has come.

By serving as the hands and feet of Jesus Christ, believers, through their serving, can bring the healing and restoration of the Kingdom of God to our neighbors in need.

It’s happening right now!

Members and friends of Christ Community Chapel (CCC) are answering the Serving Spree challenge with outpourings of God’s love to others.

One group responded to the need for work at Lydia’s Home, which will minister to women recovering from addictions.  The home is an outreach of Broken Chains Ministry.

Young people at CCC’s Edge student ministry group have committed to serve this summer at First Glance, which brings the love of Jesus to at-risk kids in Kenmore.  Recently, Edge hosted Noelle Beck, Executive Director of First Glance, who helped students better prepare for their serving commitment.

Meanwhile, members of CCC’s Encore women’s group collected over 1,200 pounds of food donated to help clients of the Haven of Rest rescue mission in Akron.

So, how can I sow?

By checking out the CCC Local Outreach ministry partners and the Serving Spree opportunities at each partner.  Go to: www.kingdom.ccchapel.com .

Or, you can contact Barbara Ammirati of CCC’s Local Outreach team at:  Barbara.ammirati@ccchapel.com .

Christ Community Chapel Serving Spree: God’s People Using Their Gifts!

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.

I Corinthians 12:4

God gives His people gifts so they can serve.

The Holy Spirit gives gifts so believers can serve in God’s name, bringing Him glory.

What happens when His people use those gifts in serving?

When the church serves in God’s name, we bring His Kingdom of grace, generosity, healing and restoration closer to a sin-sick world. Hands-on serving visibly demonstrates the reality of God’s love to those who are broken and hurting.

How is that happening today?

Through Christ Community Chapel’s Serving Spree, God’s people are learning more about new ways to use their gifts, and are actively putting those gifts to use in serving projects. The following are examples of the explosion of serving that is taking place.

 One Community Group volunteered to help serve meals at Haven of Rest.

Another group helped out with cleaning at Faithful Servants Care Center, which provides urgent care medical services to those in need.

Still another Community Group helped with painting needs at Truly Reaching You ministries, which helps those who have served their sentences successfully re-enter their communities.

It's no accident that these followers of Jesus are smiling. It is a thrill to be the hands and feet of Jesus for the less fortunate!

How can I get on board?

It’s simple. A broad array of Serving Spree opportunities is available, as seen on the website, www.kingdom.ccchapel.com .  These range from helping to clean the Faithful Servant’s Care Center medical clinic, to donating items needed by Haven of Rest clients, to visiting and prayer walking through Pregnancy Solutions & Services’ ministry center.

Whatever your gifts may be, there is likely a Serving Spree opportunity that fits for you. For more information, either visit the website, or email Barbara Ammirati of CCC’s Local Outreach team at: Barbara.ammirati@ccchapel.com 

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Serving Spree: Choices

But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

From Joshua 24:15

Believers have a choice to make.

Followers of Jesus may see Him as Savior, but He is also Lord.  If we recognize His kingdom authority, we will choose to serve in His name.

Believers have a divine appointment.

The choice to serve brings us to the question, but, how?  God has uniquely equipped His people with gifts and abilities that He intends for use in serving. 

Many times, the key to finding out where and how God would have us serve is as simple as trying something.  That is the premise of Christ Community Chapel’s Serving Spree, which encourages us to get acquainted with a broad range of CCC Local Outreach ministry partners.

Believers have many great opportunities.

One upcoming opportunity is the Blessings annual bike/hike fundraiser, which takes place the Saturday before Mother’s Day, May 13^th.  Blessings of Summit & Portage Counties is dedicated to promoting personal responsibility of teen mothers in completing their education.  This fundraiser generates critical money to provide child care for the teen moms.

You may have a divine appointment to bike or hike for Blessings. Participants are asked to collect pledges for a 3, 6 or 8 mile walk, run or bike ride, which begins at 10:00 AM at the Metro Parks trailhead at the Stow-Munroe Falls High School. For more details, go to: http://blessingsspc.com/events/ .

For more information on a diverse array of other serving opportunities, please visit the Serving Spree website at: http://kingdom.ccchapel.com/ .  Or, you can contact Barbara Ammirati of the CCC Local Outreach team at: Barbara.ammirati@ccchapel.com .

Please prayerfully consider how you, your family or your Community Group may be called to learn more about ministry opportunities.  We can bring the Kingdom of God to a broken and suffering world, and glorfy His name.

Serving Spree: You Can Give Hope to the Broken Hearted

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:3

Followers of Jesus recognize their spiritual poverty.

When we acknowledge that we are spiritually bankrupt, we may become open to receiving all the riches of God’s grace in Jesus.  This requires us to place all our trust in Jesus as our Lord and Savior as shown in the Gospel.

Because we are broken and forgiven, we share the Gospel with others.

Some of the most broken people are found in detention facilities.  Because they are dealing with the consequences of sin, they may be open to the Gospel message of God’s grace and forgiveness in Jesus Christ.

Richard White is in charge of the Restoration Chapel initiative

How can you help?

One avenue to explore is arranging a Wednesday night Serving Spree visit to Restoration Chapel by your Community Group.   This is an opportunity to attend worship services with the young men, and learn about the impact that Christ Community Chapel’s Restoration Chapel initiative is having. 

Any community group interested in attending should contact Barbara Ammirati of the Local Outreach Team by email. Barbara typically organizes a visit with participants meeting at the CCC Hudson Campus atrium at 5:45 PM to pray, and go over a few aspects of the visit.  Transportation to Restoration Chapel can be provided.  Visiting groups usually leave the CCC campus by 6 PM and return by 9 PM.

One community group from CCC recent made this visit, and was truly moved by the work God is doing at Restoration Chapel. This group highly recommends this visit to others, who will better understand how the Gospel is restoring the broken lives of so many young men.

A second community group has arranged to visit Restoration Chapel on April 12th.  

To learn more, email Barbara Ammirati at: Barbara.ammirati@ccchapel.com .

For information on current Serving Spree opportunities, see our website at:  http://kingdom.ccchapel.com .