What's cooking with teen moms?

Teen moms and their mentors recently attended a "hands on" cooking class in the home of a CCC Local Outreach team member.  Four recipes were made in only two hours' time.  Using similar ingredients, the moms were shown how several different recipes can be assembled in one cooking session and made freezer-ready for future use. 

Isn't it every busy mom's dream to have a meal already prepared to throw into the oven at the end of a long, tiring day?  

Do you have a basic life skill you would be willing to share with a young mom? To learn more about Blessings of Summit and Portage Counties, visit their website www.graceinkent.org/blessings or contact Barbara Ammirati, (Barbara.Ammirati@ccchapel.com).

"And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."
Micah 6:8

Celebrating Blessings

The CCC Local Outreach team recently joined family and friends of Blessings of Summit and Portage Counties in celebrating the academic progress of teen moms under their guidance. Blessings currently is focusing its life skills training on a life map for the young parents. This past year, the students each made a beautiful personal quilt which helped them see milestones and goals, with a special emphasis on God’s plan for their lives, including a vision for a career.

In defining her life map, one undergraduate young woman identified with the Bible story of Solomon, in which two women fought over a baby. This story made the teen mom think of the custody battle over her daughter. Looking to the future, she now has a vision of a career as a special ed teacher.

Another teen mom’s high school graduation was celebrated. She began her journey with not much of a church background. However, through the Blessings mentoring program and a growing relationship with Jesus Christ, she has become a better mom to her two year old son, and is able to put her worries and struggles in God’s hands. With the help of Blessings, she now has a vision to go on to attend college.

Perhaps the high point of the gathering was a short talk by one woman who recently earned a master’s degree. Having been where today’s teen moms are, this successful Blessings alum encouraged the girls to dream on – about their own futures, and those of their children. Through Blessings, this alum gained the encouragement and faith to overcome many obstacles. And through personal experience, she is uniquely qualified to cheer on her younger counterparts in the assurance that “God is great, He is good, and He will give you a vision and carry you through, just as He promised in Jeremiah 29:11, saying: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” This remarkable single parent was the first of her family to graduate from high school. She later became the first to get a college degree, and has now completed her Masters degree.

The Reverend Bruce Chouinard, Chair of the Blessings Board, gave a brief message based on Jesus’ forgiveness of the sinful woman in Luke chapter 7. 

Blessings helps teen moms understand the depth and breadth of God’s forgiveness, and helps them grow in the knowledge and hope that He indeed has a plan for their lives. Would you prayerfully consider how you might help Blessings continue its efforts in the lives of young parents, either through volunteer work, or through contributions toward helping young moms with their child care expenses?

 For more information, please contact:

Michael Ammirati

Michael.Ammirati@ccchapel.com…330.650.9533 x340

Barbara Ammirati

Barbara.Ammirati@ccchapel.com…330.573.5951

One blessing after another at Blessings...

One of the local outreach ministries Christ Community Chapel (formerly Hudson Community Chapel) supports is Blessings of Summit and Portage Counties. Blessings was founded in 1995 to offer help to teenage parents in their journey to becoming capable and independent citizens by providing practical support, role models, and Christian discipleship.  Funding for child care, for example, is provided so that these young people can finish their high school education.  An intimate nurturing relationship with a mentor teaches them to function as a family unit as they learn practical life skills and basic parenting skills.  There are weekly and monthly accountability requirements, as well as the requirement to remain in school with acceptable grades and attendance, and attend a Bible-believing church. 

Currently there are two high school girls in the Blessings program.  Stephanie has a spirited little boy, Andre, and Nicole has a beautiful baby girl, Charlotte.  Another gal, Janessa, has graduated from the program and is currently attending college and has come back to share what she has learned with the current participants.  

Once a month, the Coordinator of Blessings, Jeanette Abell hosts a life skills dinner and meeting in her home for the participants, the children, and the mentors.  Both food and child care are provided and the evening lasts about 1 1/2 hours.  

In a society where an unplanned teen pregnancy can be aborted legally, it is not always an easy decision to do the right thing and choose life.  Blessings exists to support those who make the choice to keep their babies and at the same time move on with their lives in a new context.  Helping the girls finish high school and prepare for the future beyond the crisis of the moment is of utmost importance to Blessings.

What specific things you can do to serve this ministry now:

1)  Prepare a meal for about 12, serve it, and eat at the table with the group during the monthly life skills meeting.  The time commitment is 6-7:30 pm and the following dates are available:

Tuesday Feb. 8, Tuesday March 8, and Tuesday April 12.

Praise the Lord - all of these dates have been fulfilled!

2)  Teach a cooking class for the two girls, as they have both expressed a desire to learn how to cook.

Another answered prayer - someone has stepped forward and offered to teach a cooking class for the girls!  Thank you! 

3)  Teach a basic car maintenance session so the girls will be more aware of what they need to be doing to care for their vehicles.

Again - thank you!  Someone has offered to teach the girls about maintaining their cars. 

4)  Provide career mentoring.  For example, one of the girls has expressed an interest in becoming a nurse.

5) Pray!  For the girls, the children, the mentors, for the Blessings staff and for servants to come along and help the cause.  

If you can serve in any of these capacities, please e-mail Jeanette at abf.sam@gmail.com with a copy to barbara.ammirati@ccchapel.com, and mention that you saw these opportunities on this blog. One of them will contact you.

A recent example of Love in Action...

This past holiday season, some members of Christ Community Chapel provided an opportunity for the girls to have Christmas photos taken with their children.    A simple gift of love that will be cherished for a lifetime.   

"From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another."  John 1:16