SOS: Help Restoration Chapel Transform Lives for the Better

In May, CCC has been highlighting the Kingdom work done through Restoration Chapel, our featured Simple Opportunities to Serve (SOS) ministry. Restoration Chapel holds services, teaching and spiritual mentoring sessions at Cuyahoga Hills Youth Detention Center.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2

God is in the business of transforming lives.

He meets us where we are. But, by His grace and power, He doesn’t leave us there. He transforms us so we are suitable for an abundant life focused on His will.

How does this work?

God works through His people volunteering at Restoration Chapel to bring the grace and power of His life-changing Gospel to the young men. 

An example?

The following are comments from a young man who regularly attended Restoration Chapel and has been released. These are excerpts from a note he wrote to his volunteer mentors he met at Restoration Chapel.

‘Lots of things have been going on here on my end – good and bad – but nothing I can’t handle (with God on my side, of course).’

“I started at a new school in a new city with all new faces, which has made my transition much easier, considering that I don’t have to come up with an explanation for my unexpected 18 month absence. I had to buy a whole new wardrobe because none of my clothes fit anymore. I don’t mind because that just reinforces my new beginning! I’m earning all A’s in my classes and I got a part in the school play.’

The young man goes on to compare his old perspective with his new, Gospel-powered one:

‘I refused to accept that there was a God because I saw how much evil there was in the world. But now I see that He was with me all along. I see that He has given me these talents so that I can have an effect on the people around me and hopefully changing their lives for the better. And it’s been you two and all of the other volunteers that have helped me realize and understand this. You truly changed my life! Thank you for all that you do. I am forever grateful.’

Amazing. How can I help share God’s love in this?

Pray: Sign up to be a prayer warrior for Restoration Chapel. You will receive a monthly email with three prayer requests or praises to lift up to God throughout the month. To sign up, email Barbara at: Barbara.ammirati@ccchapel.com .

Give: Donate a new backpack or small duffle bag for the youth to have when they are released. They will be used for personal items or care packages with youth who will be going on to independent living. Email Richard White for more details at richard.white@ccchapel.com

Go: Attend a Wednesday night service at CHYDC from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Email Richard for further information at richard.white@ccchapel.com .

CCC's Richard White

To learn more about Restoration Chapel, go to: ccchapel.com/ministries/restoration-chapel .

Want more information about Local Outreach?

ccchapel.com

Lovinactionblog.blogspot.com

Facebook page: Love Like Crazy – Serve

PSS Ride for Their Lives Bike Event

"…he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will."

2 Corinthians 8:19, ESV

Sometimes God’s love is love in motion.

Just as the Apostle Paul had travel companions, CCC ministry partners look for fellow travelers. For Saturday, July 19, 2014 Pregnancy Solutions & Services (PSS) is looking for folks to help raise funds for its mobile ultrasound ministry.

Love in motion? How?

The Ride for Their Lives event is a bicycling fundraiser that starts at Christ Community Chapel’s Hudson campus through the beautiful paths of the Western Reserve. Proceeds from this ride will go toward saving the precious lives of the unborn by supporting PSS' mission of revealing the truth about life by mobile ultrasound units.

How do I do this?

Cyclists can choose from the following ride options:

All day 75 miles  Hudson to Squires Castle and back        8-4

¾ day 48 miles   Hudson to South Chagrin and back        8-1

½ day 30 miles   Hudson to Bedford and back                  8-11

Family ride          Eight mile loop to Brandywine Falls

There will be support vehicles stocked with water, snacks, fruit and lunches. Participants will have a dedicated web page that will easily link to e-mails, social media and help friends and family track progress.

You can register at no cost by going to www.PSSFriends.org . Navigate to the events tab, and click on the green button.

If you have questions, call 330.644.4490. For information about the route, call Don Adams at 330.618.9634

SOS: Restoration Chapel – Liberty for the Captive

This May, Simple Opportunities to Serve (SOS) is highlighting the Restoration Chapel ministry.

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me 
to bring good news to the poor…to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound…

Isaiah 61:1

God wants those in detention facilities to be freed.

The Lord has not forgotten the inmate, or the former offender. Indeed, all  have sinned, and been offenders.  All can be freed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

How does this look in our age?

Christ Community Chapel’s Restoration Chapel ministry offers inmates at Cuyahoga Hills Youth Detention Center spiritual liberation by ministering God’s grace through worship services, preaching of the Word and personal discipleship/mentoring on Wednesday evenings. The vision is to see young men come to faith in Christ and build their lives on the foundation of His Word.

CCC mentoring volunteers do what Jesus Christ did. Give up, go to, and be with those who are captive.

How can I help?

It’s simple.

Pray: Sign up to be a prayer warrior for Restoration Chapel. You will receive a monthly email with three prayer requests or praises to lift up to God throughout the month. To sign up, email Barbara at: Barbara.ammirati@ccchapel.com .

Give: Donate a new backpack or small duffle bag for the youth to have when they are released. They will be used for personal items or care packages with youth will be going on to independent living. Email Richard White for more details at richard.white@ccchapel.com .

Go: Attend a Wednesday night service at CHYDC from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Email Richard for further information at richard.white@ccchapel.com .

CCC's Richard White

To learn more about Restoration Chapel, go to: ccchapel.com/ministries/restoration-chapel .

Want more information about Local Outreach?

ccchapel.com

Lovinactionblog.blogspot.com

Facebook page: Love Like Crazy – Serve

  

Blessing Blessings

Blessings of Summit and Portage Counties is a unique non-profit program that reaches out to teen moms, with the underlying belief that people grow in four ways: physically, mentally, spiritually, and socially. To nurture this growth, Blessings combines the expertise of church, school and community.

Blessings was created in 1995 to offer teen parents:

*financial assistance for day care

*help with school to graduate

*a mentor role-model

*religious support

Christ Community Chapel~Stow Campus partners with Blessings to help in practical ways. For example, there is a monthly Life Skills meeting where the participants share a home cooked meal together, and learn some different practical skill.   One of the community groups of the Stow campus has taken on the ministry of providing this meal each month. In March, Bernie and Sandra Roth delivered a delicious meal.

And also at the March Life Skills meeting, a CCC member taught the teen moms how to make a large pot of nutritious soup for $5.

On the Saturday before Mother's Day each year (this year MAY 10th) Blessings holds its annual Hike/Bike Charity Event at Stow-Munroe Falls High School. Entry fee is only $5 (waived with $150 in pledges). You can choose your distance of 3, 6, or 8 miles AND you can walk, run, bike or stroll!  Call 330 678 9019 to register for the event!  

This school year, Blessings is supporting three teen moms.  It costs $7200. to provide day care for one child so that mom can stay in school. To make a financial donation, make checks payable to:

Blessings of Summit and Portage Counties, Inc.

5915 Rhodes Rd

Kent, OH 44240

For more information, visit their website at www.graceinkent.org/blessings

 or contact Randy Fasnacht, CCC ministry coordinator at www.rfasnacht@gmail.com

SOS: Faithful Servants & Friends: Faithful in the Big and Little Things

One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much…

From Luke 16:10

Jesus is looking for followers who are faithful in little things.

Simple Opportunities to Serve, or SOS, is all about small ways God’s people can make a difference in the name of Jesus. In April, SOS is featuring Christ Community Chapel ministry partner Faithful Servants Care Center, which provides Christ-like, compassionate emergency medical care for those in need.

So, how can I be faithful in the little things?

Here are a couple of simple examples.

* Donate over the counter meds. Better yet, invite friends and family to donate with you. This small basket of goods was donated at a family and friends Easter celebration.

Mini donations can add up 

* Have your community group volunteer to help with a special one time need. One group recently became aware of a need of Faithful Servants to have equipment  relocated to help the ministry expand its impact.  No medical training required to help!  So, they had the pleasure of being the hands and feet of Jesus in transporting the equipment. One hour of volunteer time = huge help to a ministry like Faithful Servants!

 Some of the volunteers who helped with the mini-move

* Stay in touch with the CCC Local Outreach Ministry Coordinators, like Kathi Bertolini, who knows the ongoing needs at Faithful Servants.

In what little things might I be faithful?

You can prayerfully consider the following:

PRAY – Sign up to be a prayer warrior for Faithful Servants Care Center. You will receive a monthly email with three prayer requests/praises to lift up to the Lord throughout the month. To sign up, email Barbara at Barbara.ammirati@ccchapel.com .

GIVE – Faithful Servants is in continual need of over-the-counter meds to help those in need of medical care. Items needed are Hydro-cortizone cream, Tylenol, and Motrin. Drop your donation in the Hudson campus SOS container located in the hallway on the way to the Gym from the Atrium. Mark your bag: 'FAITHFUL SERVANTS'.

GO – Prepare and deliver a meal for 10 to the Faithful Servants volunteers.  These men and women often come straight from their day jobs and begin a 4 hour volunteer shift at the Care Center. They take a half hour time slot from 5-5:30 PM to eat and pray before the first patients arrive. Your simple meal would be a tremendous blessing to them! Email Kathi Bertolini for more details at kbertolini@gmail.com .