Thank you for your support and the support of your congregation for the growing ministries of the International Council of Community Churches: support by prayer, by involvement and by material gifts.
CELEBRATE! I.C.C.C. IN MISSION TOGETHER!
CELEBRATE! MISSION ACCOMPLISHED – TOGETHER!
Special Report to the Christian Community from Past President Rev. Dr. Bruce N. Merton and newly elected Council Secretary.
Churches, ministry centers and individuals of the I.C.C.C. – CELEBRATE!
CELEBRATE the successful completion of a mission together unlike any we have had in recent memory!
CELEBRATE the fact that we have done in mission together what no single church, ministry center or individual would do alone!
CELEBRATE the fact that our gifts have already helped to save hundreds, maybe thousands, of lives!
CELEBRATE our embrace of Jesus’ words: “As often as you have done to the least of these, you have done unto me.”
CELEBRATE our acceptance of tangible global responsibility in the name of Jesus, the Christ.
In April of this year our Executive Director, Phil Tom, received a mission and ministry challenge from Austin Chu, Manager of Global Cause Partnership, UNICEF USA. It called for the I.C.C.C. to become a contributing partner in the UNICEF effort to raise 1.3 million dollars to purchase lifesaving equipment to immediately aid Covid victims in India. Beyond immediate lifesaving aid the equipment would continue to benefit the seriously ill for years to come.
In May of this year our Board of Directors set a mission together goal of $13,400 to help purchase the equipment that would bring relief to and save lives of those suffering from Covid in India. Our Executive Director said, “During my three and a half years working with the I.C.C.C., we have never taken on a mission project of this scope.”
I can certainly affirm what the Executive Director said and add that in my 18 plus years’ experience with the I.C.C.C. we had never set, let alone met, a mission goal like our Board approved.
Our Executive Director and our Board are to be commended for considering and approving such a significant mission endeavor especially in the face of the continuing financial challenges that the I.C.C.C. is facing. Their action, backed by a $3000 contribution from our annual budget, challenged churches, ministry centers and individuals to look beyond self to the needs of others and contribute the other $10,400. In doing mission together the clarion call of Jesus to serve others is embraced and the life example of Jesus is emulated.
Our Executive Director noted, “I set this goal ($13,400) that would challenge our members to give, but not too high a goal that we would not reach.”
I personally found the Executive Director’s comment to be extremely optimistic. Past years have seen the I.C.C.C. set numerous mission goals with little or no success in bringing them to fruition as an example of doing mission together. In short, I was one of little faith based on my past experience.
I have certainly learned an important lesson. The past does not need to define our present or our future! Our mission together has proved this conclusively! Our Executive Director impressed the lesson on me. “I wanted our mission funding to succeed, and we did!”
YES, we did it! For the first time in many years, we met and surpassed the established goal by doing mission together. To date we have contributed $22,252 to support the caring, healing, lifesaving work of those ministering to Covid victims in India.
We have not seen the people that have been saved by our gifts.
However, we can be assured of the fact that there are children that still have moms and dads because in mission together we cared, and we gave!
CELEBRATE!
We can be assured that there are men and women that can still be called “mom” and “dad”.
Their sons and daughters have survived the deadly virus because in mission together we cared, and we gave!
CELEBRATE!
We can rejoice and be glad because in mission together the equipment our dollars purchased will continue to save lives for years to come!
CELEBRATE!
Our Executive Director said of our accomplished mission together, “I expect that this successful campaign will give our I.C.C.C. family the confidence to take on another mission project.” To that statement I add a heartfelt and enthusiastic “AMEN” along with the promise of my support. I hope and pray that the I.C.C.C. will join me in like emotion and support because in mission together we serve God, serve others and become what God, in Christ, wants us to be!
CELEBRATE!
ICCC Churches in Action
We are blessed in that we are located, in the center of downtown Florence, Alabama. Serving the community is one of our main endeavors. Hunger is everywhere and affects more people in our community than one might expect. For more than ten years the Tennessee Valley Community Church and Center Family has hosted an annual winter food giveaway. The idea of feeding the hungry was initiated by church member, Mrs. Katie Anderson. The entire church family agreed that it was a fantastic idea! More than ten years later, the TVCCC Family hosts the annual food giveaway. Each family receives enough food to feed them from five to seven days. Items included in the giveaway are: Ground beef, chicken, salt pork, butter, can goods, cereal, snack cakes, soups/soup mixes, dried beans, peanut butter, jelly, bread, potatoes, fresh fruit, sugar, and kool-aid. Previously, paper products have also been given away. Often times, larger families are given even more food. The only stipulation is that each family receives only one food giveaway package per household. On Thursday and Friday, the week of the giveaway, foods are purchased and sorted into two large boxes per household. Cold foods are added on Saturday morning. As soon as all boxes are complete, the doors of the Tennessee Valley Community Church and Center basement are opened, and the giveaway begins! At past giveaways, as many as one hundred forty families have been served. February 2019 one hundred twenty-five families were served.
d, to return on the following Sunday, after worship service, to receive additional items. Because shopping for clothes can be tiring, shoppers were given a brown paper bag lunch to go. On the outside of the bag was a sticker, with the times of Worship Service and Bible Study at Tennessee Valley Community Church and Center.
Above, most of the PCC Volunteers pose for a photoWe are a small church but we prefer to think about what we can do, not what we can’t do, as we remember our reason for being – we exist to follow the commands of Jesus to love God, love our neighbor, and encourage others to do the same.
No one is quite sure how long Good Neighbors has been doing Christmas food baskets; we do know that Good Neighbors has been helping families in the Norris area in various ways for over 80 years. The 2017 Good Neighbors Christmas Food Basket and Toys Project is a great story about the community working together to accomplish something important, needed, and worthwhile.
Good Neighbors provided food boxes to 111 families comprised of about 240 individuals (plus vouchers to ten seniors to choose their own food). Angel Tree gifts, coordinated by St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, were given to around 89 children from 38 families.
The success of this year’s project is due to the generosity of the churches, clubs, and individuals who donated funds and Angel Tree gifts; the area schools; and the many individuals from throughout the community who provided labor. A lot of labor is involved.
Again this year, the five area schools participated in several inspiring ways that taught good citizenship, helping others, and working together. The food drive involved the four schools of Andersonville Elementary, Fairview Elementary, Norris Elementary, and Norris Middle, which together collected around 123 milk crates-full of mostly canned goods. Half of these donations went toward filling the food baskets and the other half went to the Norris Food Pantry and the Community Action Commission of Anderson County for use in their food distribution programs.
Special recognition goes to the twenty-seven Seventh Grade students from Mrs. Horak’s 1st Block Class from Norris Middle School who ably and enthusiastically helped fill the baskets. A big thanks to a delegation from Anderson County High School for doing the heavy work of delivering the baskets and surplus donations. And, appreciation is due to the Community Ecumenical Youth Group who helped with sorting and filling.
Besides donated food, the food baskets also contained items like pasta and peanut butter, purchased from the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee; and staples like flour and sugar, produce, and a ham purchased from Archers Food Center. Also, some toys and clothing had to be purchased to supplement the Angel Tree donations so-as-to round out each child’s Christmas “wish list.”
The Good Neighbors team gives a heartfelt and most sincere thanks to our financial contributors and to the many persons from throughout the community who helped in one way or another. You should feel great about your part in making this past Christmas a special time for families in need.
Best wishes for a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2018, from your friends at the Norris Area Good Neighbors Bob Gregory, Coordinator.
Good Neighbors is a joint ministry of the Norris Religious Fellowship and area churches, including the Angel Tree gifts coordinated by St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Tax deductible donations may be sent to Good Neighbors, c/o NRF, PO Box 267, Norris TN 37828. For information, call the church office at 865-494-7131. Sign-up for 2018 food baskets and toys is scheduled for Tuesday, October 16, 2018, 9 to noon, at the Fellowship Church.