The Work of Missions
The call to Love God and Love Others keeps the North Modesto Church family active in local ministry opportunities and keenly interested in the work of Global Missions. Beyond tithing of our congregational income to the work of the Church of God locally and nationally, each year we hold a Faith Promise Convention which raises pledges to support a variety of local and global mission agencies. We'd like to introduce you to this year's supported groups:
Ben & Kelli Shular, career missionaries with the Church of God, are our new living link missionaries. Both born in Vancouver, Washington, Ben and Kelli became acquainted as children at Vancouver's First Church of God. They were always interested in missions but thought they would be involved primarily as senders of others and occasionally as work campers. However, God began to speak to them individually about being more than senders. Being missionaries themselves did not seem possible, but after praying together, they started down the path in faith that if God was calling them, the doors would open.
Read more...
The Modesto Gospel Mission had its beginnings in 1948 when Mr. John Haine saw the need to feed hungry and homeless men with food for the body, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ for their souls. Leftover funds from Billy Graham's very first crusade (in Modesto) provided the seed money, and a group of Christian businessmen became the first Board of Directors.
Read more...
Haitian Disaster Relief
This report just in from Church of God Ministries, Anderson, Indiana...
The need for disaster relief is expected to be significant as a result of the devastating effect Tuesday’s earthquake has had on the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince and the surrounding area. In respond to this immediate need, Church of God Ministries is coordinating the advancement of $10,000 in Disaster Relief funds. These funds will be provided to Phyllis Newby, national leader of the Haitian Church of God, and to John and Jodie Ackerman, our career missionaries in Haiti, to respond to the immediate needs within the Church of God there. The Church of God (Anderson) has a significant presence in the country, with 233 congregations and 32,000 constituents. Church of God Ministries will continue to monitor the situation and assess the need in order to determine how best to respond as more information becomes available from national leaders and missionaries.Read more...
Drug abuse, alcoholism, homelessness, over-crowded housing, gangs and crimes – are everyday problems in the South of Market area near the Tenderloin district in San Francisco. It’s also home to the city’s highest concentration of children - almost 4,000. Their role models? Pimps, prostitutes, drug dealers, alcoholics and gang bangers. Their alternative? City Crossroads.
David and Barbara Miller are Regional Coordinators for Latin America for Global Missions of the Church of God, Anderson, Indiana. Dave and Barbara are no strangers to Church of God missions or to Latin America. They first went to South America with the Missionary Board of the Church of God in 1980, the same year that they were married. After a year of language study in Costa Rica, they moved on to Bolivia, where they stayed and ministered for the next twenty-one years, during which the Bolivian church expanded at a steady pace from eighty-two churches to more than two hundred local congregations.
Keep up with the ministries of the Millers on their blog (TravelTrailers).
Birthdays: David - May 6 Barbara - January 6
Anniversary: February 2
