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Thursday, December 29, 2005
New Schedule @ House of Prayer in Elgin
Receive periodic updates on new One Great City postings: subscribe@nppn.org / Subject: OGC Updates
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Chicago: South Side - Homeless Choir
Lifelong singer Marge Nykaza is bringing music and hope into the lives of homeless, abused, and addicted women living in shelters on Chicago's South Side. Inspired by her pursuit of pastoral studies, Nykaza founded the project "Harmony, Hope and Healing," as a way to help disadvantaged women find the path to personal healing. The program takes Nykaza to various shelters around the city training choirs -- some of whom perform in public. Judy Valente talks with Nykaza and choir participants about how this experience is making a difference in their lives. "So many women have been silenced, so they don't know their authentic voice," Nykaza explains. "So they don't recognize the beauty within themselves ... If they can come out and be themselves in front of people and sing, that's good ... It's not about the performance itself. It's about preparing the way to the performance. It's in the everyday living."
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subscribe@ nppn.org / Subject: OGC Updates
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Uptown Community Impacted By Burgers & Baptists
Crimewatch: "Burgers and Baptists"
A few months ago there was an announcement here of Positive Loitering at the corner of Wilson and Sheridan at the Uptown Baptist Church. Yesterday, "Crimewatch" on Channel 5 included a segment about that evening and the backstory. Here's a transcript of the segment (all transcription errors and typos mine alone):
Success Story: "Burgers and Baptists"
Narrator: One represents the Golden Arches, the other represents the Pearly Gates. Together, they're working to bring a little piece of heaven to a busy North Side street corner.
Pastor Phil Miglioratti, Uptown Baptist Church: My hope is that, as people come to this corner of Wilson and Sheridan, that even long after the commercial is past, they'll be saying, "This is a great place, I'm Loving It."
Narrator: The Uptown Baptist Church anchors one side of the corner on Wilson and Sheridan; a McDonald's restaurant anchors the other. Now the Baptists and the burger business are in business, together, to keep this corner clean and safe. They've officially adopted the corner through the city's Adopt-A-Street program.
Cmdr. Gary Yamashiroya, 23rd District: This is an unusual thing because it's probably one of the few times that you have a private corporation, a for-profit organization, like McDonald's, and you have a not-for-profit, the Uptown Baptist Church, who are both agreeing to work together to keep this area clean, and I think that, with the Police Department, I think that makes a great partnership.
Narrator: 23rd District Police conducted a roll call on Sheridan and Wilson as part of the Adopt-A-Street ceremony. The ceremony was held on a Wednesday in keeping with a new church tradition to gather outside every Wednesday night during the summer months.
Pastor Miglioratti: So every Wednesday we get together. We began in June by doing prayer walks, where we would just walk around in twos and threes, praying for people quietly, praying for the neighborhood, asking God to bring blessings.
Narrator: In July and August, the church added a lemonade stand to the prayer program. Anyone who passed by was offered a free glass.
Carrie Schwetz, Uptown Baptist Church: We have Prayer Night, we have Lemonade Night. It says, this is a good place to come into. We're not just feeding the spirit and the soul. We want to also bring about a quality of life in the streets.
Darnice White, Uptown Baptist Church: There are a lot of new people who've moved into the area and we want them to know, as well as the people who've been here a long, long, long time, that we're here as a community with them together, to work together with them.
Pastor Miglioratti: So it's been great to be in the community, to meet the community, and -- we hope -- doing something of need and substance for people.
Narrator: Uptown Baptist Church leaders were looking for something concrete they could do to improve the community.
Irma Perres, CAPS Community Organizer: We started to talk about what we could do and we came up with doing an Adopt-A-Street, a roll call. And in the meantime, too, we spoke to McDonald's, and McDonald's wanted to be involved. So I suggested that they form a partnership.
Angelo Karavites, McDonald's owner: And I think if all of the residents, as well as the business people and the organizers, we all get together, we can make Uptown the best community in Chicago.
Narrator: Nearly two years ago, this corner was Ground Zero for a drug conspiracy case called Broken Arches. More than a dozen people were indicted. Police say several of them sold drugs near or even on McDonald's property.
Deputy Chief Daniel Dugan, Area 3 Patrol: It was one of the highlighted street corner conspiracies that we brought up last year at the CAPS Oversight meeting. And it's been a success for this area.
Cmdr. Yamashiroya: What resulted from that were a lot of positive things. We've met with the owner of McDonald's and he's been wonderful. Very cooperative. He wants to be a great community partner. He put cameras up on top of McDonald's to make sure, and his security staff has been trained ....
Deputy Chief Dugan: Corporate McDonald's has stepped up to the plate. They've honored every request that the Drug & Gang House Section has made as far as improvements to the facility, security....
Narrator: Meanwhile, CAPS workers and volunteers keep up with their efforts to make sure the drug dealers don't return. One way to do this is to recruit community and faith-based organizations to join in the effort. Uptown Baptist is a tremendous boost to the cause.
Irma Perres: Actually, they were not involved, and since we started this, they really jumped on it and they've been great. They really love being out there with the community and working with the Police and CAPS. They really just have had a good time with it.
Richard Thale, Court Advocacy Chair: It's been a tremendous change, just walking up and down the street. It's much, much safer. We don't see the same guys hanging out, the same people who were involved last time we talked here. It's made a huge difference.
Narrator: And residents hope to see even more of a difference, now that Uptown Baptist and McDonald's are coupled with CAPS.
Pastor Miglioratti: So we're trying to work together. We're really just starting. So we're hoping that this partnership can have some things we haven't even thought of yet.
Cmdr. Yamashiroya: With McDonald's, with Uptown Baptist Church, and the Police Department, we're all going to make sure that Wilson and Sheridan is going to be a safe place for families, for children, for parishioners, for customers, for everybody that either lives in or visits this community.
There were a lot of crowd and group shots illustrating the story, and it was great to see so many familiar faces, right there on my tv. In addition the people interviewed in the story, I also recognized Meg Gilman of CAPS, Sandra Reed, and several neighbors I met at Clean and Green last spring. Nice positive story about the neighborhood.
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Major Motion Pciture Screening in Chicago
January 8, 2006 will mark the 50th anniversary of the deaths of Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Roger Youderian, Pete Fleming and Ed McCully on Palm Beach. Days before this remembrance, those who've lived this story and those who took part in bringing it to film will join with ministry leaders in 8 major cities for the Special Pre-50th Anniversary Leadership Screening of the award-winning film 'End of The Spear".
Special guests from the production & from the story will attend a one-time event at 7pm on January 5th. Seating is limited to Ministry Leaders & Media and their guests, and tickets are required. Click on your city for complimentary ticket information.
Dallas – 7pm January 5, 2006
Denver – 7pm January 5, 2006
•Chicago – 7pm January 5, 2006
New York – 7pm January 5, 2006
Los Angeles – 7pm January 5, 2006
San Francisco – 7pm January 5, 2006
Orange County – 7pm January 5, 2006
Washington, D.C. – 7pm January 5, 2006
This special engagement is limited to the cities listed, and RSVPs will be accepted on a first-come, first served basis.
Bearing Fruit Communications
7101 NW Expressway, Suite 725
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73132
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Monday, December 26, 2005
Lavishing Prayer on a Chicagoland Congregation
SEW Ministries ~ Spiritually Encouraging Works ~ invites you to an Evening of Holy Fire
Every month SEW Ministries picks one area church and invites the region to join us in lavishing them with prayer for thirty days.
As of December 13th The trumpet has sounded! The call to pray for New Life Community Church has been sent out to the region. As a part of the call SEW Ministries invites you to pray daily-or as often as you can set aside-for New Life Community until January 13th.
After saturating them in prayer for the thirty day time period, we assemble on location at their church, joining together hand in hand, ushering in a night of Holy Fire.
Please join us for a night of worship and prayer at New Life Community Church, it's congregation, and the community it serves. Come for any length of time on Friday, January 13, 2006. From 7pm to Midnight, at: New Life Community Church 2958 N. Damen Ave Chicago Il, 60618.
Included below is a bio of the New Life Community and a list of their perceived prayer needs. We welcome and encourage you to please send us any scripture, or what God may be saying to that church in answer to your prayer for them. In song we will use your prayer answers on the evening of the 13th by singing them to New Life Community Church. Please send us your prayerful insights as you get them until Jan 12th at Hfprayerfeedback@sewministries.com
Thank you for your participation, Phil Livingston, SEW Ministries
For more information about SEW Ministries or prayer for the Chicagoland church Click the headline above to visit our website.
Bio: New Life Community Church
New Life Community Church, Lakeview, is one of eight satellite churches of New Life Community Church/Chicago.The church began in September of 2000 as a result of the former church that
occupied the building for many years, Galilee Baptist, giving us their
building because they were having trouble reaching the community. We began
the church with about 30 people and now have 2 English services totaling
around 350-400 people in attendance on Sunday mornings and 1 Spanish
service totaling 60 people. We have two Pastors that minister to the
English church and 1 pastor that ministers to the Spanish church. From the
beginning, we believed that this was a GOD ordained opportunity. Our
church has home or small groups that we encourage everyone to be involved
in for spiritual growth and community. Currently we have around 10
groups. A good majority of our congregation have not walked with the Lord
for that long.
We get a lot of people that come to our church, but don't stay. This
could be because of people being transferred out of Chicago due to their jobs.
The neighborhood we are located in is Lakeview. Lakeview is one of the
more wealthy neighborhoods in Chicago, perhaps second to Lincoln Park. In
the past 10 years, the neighborhood around the church has gone through
incredible gentrification. The majority of homes that line Damen Ave
(where we are located), have been torn down and new, 3 story brick condos
have gone up all selling for over $300.000 for 2 and 3 bedroom units. As a
result, the neighborhood has become mostly young urban professionals.
However, 3 blocks away is housing project for low income/welfare families,
mostly African-American. Lakeview has one of the largest gay/lesbian
populations in the city. Our church building is located a little over one mile from
most of the bars and hang-outs. I'm pretty sure that a lot of the occult
and witch-craft in Chicago is located in Lakeview, but I don't have the
facts on that.
Our goals and heart for the community.:
I'm not so sure if we have a real goal defined. However, there
have been attempts to get things started. One of the prayer request
is the Alpha ministry which we will be starting.
We have had block parties in the past, but they did not go
over so well. We also had several outreaches to the community this past
summer that did go well... a picnic at the Lathrop homes (the housing
project) where we went and had food for all, games for the children...we
just loved on them. Handed our water bottles at the gay pride parade. We
have a few people that are passionate about outreach and evangelism, I
guess they need prayer for more laborers and help.
Prayer needs:
● The purity of Sunday School teachers who teach kids every week
● Blessing upon "behind-the-scenes" workers of the church
(Maria, Neptali, Diana, Miriam. EJ, Stacy, etc.)
● Favor upon the Youth Group that is developing and meeting on Fridays
● That God would draw "fence" people to Himself
● Strengthen the unity between the members of the leadership team.
● Alpha Ministry
That God would equip and protect Dimitrios and Erin, the team leaders
That they would connect with the right people to form the core team
That Alpha would be effective in reaching unchurched/backslidden people
This Spring
That it would be a source of blessing to First Free, our partner in Alpha
● Worship Ministry
A rising spiritual temperature in the worship practices on Wednesday nights
A personal, deepening passion for God among the team members
Hungry worship leaders who are not afraid to lead people
● Leadership Team
Rising spiritual temperature among every member of the leadership team
Deep conviction regarding the importance of their spiritual and ministry example
Protection
● Learn dependence on God for the weaknesses and needs of the various ministries
● That God's people would not get caught in the American Dream, but in God's dream
● Passion for the worship team as they lead the congregation weekly
● Stability for the children's ministry: High turnover, burnout, understaffed, etc.
● Heart of service and teachability for professional types
● Home Groups
Increase in leaders and assistants
Increase in total church involvement in home groups
New types of affinity groups (support/recovery, service-orientation etc.)
● Children's Ministry
Each teacher and worker owning a deeper passion for the importance of their time
Teaching the children each Sunday
Increase in workers
Sense of team, enjoyment, purpose among children's staff
● Building
Wisdom regarding major renovation to front of church
Right time, right approach, spiritual/kingdom increase as a result
● Growth of leaders who desire to reach out into the community
● Guidance for college students who attend our services regularly
● Quality conferences or outside resources to take church into best practices
● A deeper hunger for the presence of GOD and faith that is lived out on a daily basis
● Repentance of materialism
● Outreach
Unsaved people in the church coming under conviction, responding to God
That Alpha would open a door to more creative outreach ministries
That every believer would respond to the prompting of God in sharing their
faith in their daily life
● Spiritual Atmosphere
Greater willingness to express brokenness and vulnerability during Sunday morning
Increasing sense of the presence of God when we meet
A Congregation more and more marked by spontaneous joy due to the increase of God's work in their daily life
Increase in faith!
Environment where leaders are raised and challenged constantly● Marriage/Family
Healthy growing marriages existing to serve others
Relationship healing
Live-in couples under conviction, responding to God and making things right
● Stronger spiritual community. There is a lack of this.
● A hunger for prayer and true worship. Prayer and worship that is Spirit-led and brought about as a result of understanding who God is and what HE has done and what HE desires to do through us.
● Repentance and deliverance over impurity
● A true understanding of what it means to be holy and to live as "strangers and aliens"
in this culture
● A stronger ministry of prayer, prayer gatherings, teaching people to process through
life's struggles through prayer
● Community
Birth of a ministry that will meet needs and care for the poor and broken
● Missions
Every missions team member in 2006 comes back with a greater sense of
consecration in their life
Called missionaries would discover their calling in this next season and move
move toward it
● Prayer
Prayer team for the 10:45 a.m. service
God's hand of favor on the gathering
*Receive periodic updates on new One Great City postings: subscribe@nppn.org / Subject: OGC Updates
Every month SEW Ministries picks one area church and invites the region to join us in lavishing them with prayer for thirty days.
As of December 13th The trumpet has sounded! The call to pray for New Life Community Church has been sent out to the region. As a part of the call SEW Ministries invites you to pray daily-or as often as you can set aside-for New Life Community until January 13th.
After saturating them in prayer for the thirty day time period, we assemble on location at their church, joining together hand in hand, ushering in a night of Holy Fire.
Please join us for a night of worship and prayer at New Life Community Church, it's congregation, and the community it serves. Come for any length of time on Friday, January 13, 2006. From 7pm to Midnight, at: New Life Community Church 2958 N. Damen Ave Chicago Il, 60618.
Included below is a bio of the New Life Community and a list of their perceived prayer needs. We welcome and encourage you to please send us any scripture, or what God may be saying to that church in answer to your prayer for them. In song we will use your prayer answers on the evening of the 13th by singing them to New Life Community Church. Please send us your prayerful insights as you get them until Jan 12th at Hfprayerfeedback@sewministries.com
Thank you for your participation, Phil Livingston, SEW Ministries
For more information about SEW Ministries or prayer for the Chicagoland church Click the headline above to visit our website.
Bio: New Life Community Church
New Life Community Church, Lakeview, is one of eight satellite churches of New Life Community Church/Chicago.The church began in September of 2000 as a result of the former church that
occupied the building for many years, Galilee Baptist, giving us their
building because they were having trouble reaching the community. We began
the church with about 30 people and now have 2 English services totaling
around 350-400 people in attendance on Sunday mornings and 1 Spanish
service totaling 60 people. We have two Pastors that minister to the
English church and 1 pastor that ministers to the Spanish church. From the
beginning, we believed that this was a GOD ordained opportunity. Our
church has home or small groups that we encourage everyone to be involved
in for spiritual growth and community. Currently we have around 10
groups. A good majority of our congregation have not walked with the Lord
for that long.
We get a lot of people that come to our church, but don't stay. This
could be because of people being transferred out of Chicago due to their jobs.
The neighborhood we are located in is Lakeview. Lakeview is one of the
more wealthy neighborhoods in Chicago, perhaps second to Lincoln Park. In
the past 10 years, the neighborhood around the church has gone through
incredible gentrification. The majority of homes that line Damen Ave
(where we are located), have been torn down and new, 3 story brick condos
have gone up all selling for over $300.000 for 2 and 3 bedroom units. As a
result, the neighborhood has become mostly young urban professionals.
However, 3 blocks away is housing project for low income/welfare families,
mostly African-American. Lakeview has one of the largest gay/lesbian
populations in the city. Our church building is located a little over one mile from
most of the bars and hang-outs. I'm pretty sure that a lot of the occult
and witch-craft in Chicago is located in Lakeview, but I don't have the
facts on that.
Our goals and heart for the community.:
I'm not so sure if we have a real goal defined. However, there
have been attempts to get things started. One of the prayer request
is the Alpha ministry which we will be starting.
We have had block parties in the past, but they did not go
over so well. We also had several outreaches to the community this past
summer that did go well... a picnic at the Lathrop homes (the housing
project) where we went and had food for all, games for the children...we
just loved on them. Handed our water bottles at the gay pride parade. We
have a few people that are passionate about outreach and evangelism, I
guess they need prayer for more laborers and help.
Prayer needs:
● The purity of Sunday School teachers who teach kids every week
● Blessing upon "behind-the-scenes" workers of the church
(Maria, Neptali, Diana, Miriam. EJ, Stacy, etc.)
● Favor upon the Youth Group that is developing and meeting on Fridays
● That God would draw "fence" people to Himself
● Strengthen the unity between the members of the leadership team.
● Alpha Ministry
That God would equip and protect Dimitrios and Erin, the team leaders
That they would connect with the right people to form the core team
That Alpha would be effective in reaching unchurched/backslidden people
This Spring
That it would be a source of blessing to First Free, our partner in Alpha
● Worship Ministry
A rising spiritual temperature in the worship practices on Wednesday nights
A personal, deepening passion for God among the team members
Hungry worship leaders who are not afraid to lead people
● Leadership Team
Rising spiritual temperature among every member of the leadership team
Deep conviction regarding the importance of their spiritual and ministry example
Protection
● Learn dependence on God for the weaknesses and needs of the various ministries
● That God's people would not get caught in the American Dream, but in God's dream
● Passion for the worship team as they lead the congregation weekly
● Stability for the children's ministry: High turnover, burnout, understaffed, etc.
● Heart of service and teachability for professional types
● Home Groups
Increase in leaders and assistants
Increase in total church involvement in home groups
New types of affinity groups (support/recovery, service-orientation etc.)
● Children's Ministry
Each teacher and worker owning a deeper passion for the importance of their time
Teaching the children each Sunday
Increase in workers
Sense of team, enjoyment, purpose among children's staff
● Building
Wisdom regarding major renovation to front of church
Right time, right approach, spiritual/kingdom increase as a result
● Growth of leaders who desire to reach out into the community
● Guidance for college students who attend our services regularly
● Quality conferences or outside resources to take church into best practices
● A deeper hunger for the presence of GOD and faith that is lived out on a daily basis
● Repentance of materialism
● Outreach
Unsaved people in the church coming under conviction, responding to God
That Alpha would open a door to more creative outreach ministries
That every believer would respond to the prompting of God in sharing their
faith in their daily life
● Spiritual Atmosphere
Greater willingness to express brokenness and vulnerability during Sunday morning
Increasing sense of the presence of God when we meet
A Congregation more and more marked by spontaneous joy due to the increase of God's work in their daily life
Increase in faith!
Environment where leaders are raised and challenged constantly● Marriage/Family
Healthy growing marriages existing to serve others
Relationship healing
Live-in couples under conviction, responding to God and making things right
● Stronger spiritual community. There is a lack of this.
● A hunger for prayer and true worship. Prayer and worship that is Spirit-led and brought about as a result of understanding who God is and what HE has done and what HE desires to do through us.
● Repentance and deliverance over impurity
● A true understanding of what it means to be holy and to live as "strangers and aliens"
in this culture
● A stronger ministry of prayer, prayer gatherings, teaching people to process through
life's struggles through prayer
● Community
Birth of a ministry that will meet needs and care for the poor and broken
● Missions
Every missions team member in 2006 comes back with a greater sense of
consecration in their life
Called missionaries would discover their calling in this next season and move
move toward it
● Prayer
Prayer team for the 10:45 a.m. service
God's hand of favor on the gathering
*Receive periodic updates on new One Great City postings: subscribe@nppn.org / Subject: OGC Updates
11 Congregations; 12 Hour Prayer for PADS of Elgin
Prayer for the homeless among us certainly knows no season
Daily Herald: Click headline for orgignial site
PADS of Elgin Inc. along with more than a dozen area churches is hosting a 12-hour community prayer event from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Jan. 6.
In its second year, the prayer event takes place at Messiah Lutheran Church, 500 Church Road, Elgin. The prayer event is followed by a community service at 7:30 p.m. at First Congregation Church, 256 E. Chicago St., Elgin.
During the prayer event, area churches host one hour of prayer at Messiah Lutheran Church. Participants from each church will pray for area homeless men, women and children and the challenges faced by the community’s poor. Prayer requests can be made through PADS of Elgin Inc. or through participating churches. Prayer request cards also are available during the event.
Last year, the 12-hour prayer event attracted more than 100 participants, following a snowstorm. Iced roads and heavy snow did not deter volunteers from commitments to pray for the needs of the Elgin community. Among the participants were homeless men and women, offering prayers for others less fortunate.
“This year’s event promises an even greater response,” said Marlene Daubert, parish ministry associate for Zion Lutheran Church and board member for PADS of Elgin Inc. “The homeless need our community support. Through the prayer event, we can powerfully give as individuals and as a community. Prayer for the homeless among us certainly knows no season but on Jan. 6, the day of Epiphany, we are reminded of Jesus’ poor and humble beginnings. On this day we celebrate that the light of Christ comes to all and we know that there is a special place in God’s heart for these men, women and children.”
Churches participating in the 12-hour prayer event include First Congregational Church, Seventh Day Adventist, Church of the Brethren, Epworth United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church, St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Christ the Lord Lutheran Church, Zion Lutheran Church, First United Methodist Church, Second Baptist Church and West Ridge Community Church.
PADS of Elgin Inc. is a nonprofit, community-based organization, which provides emergency, overnight shelter to homeless men, women and children within Elgin and its surrounding communities. PADS is a catalyst in fostering community and social service agency partnerships, which effectively and efficiently provide coordinated services for short- and intermediate-term customized care, targeting client growth, development and self-sufficiency.
PADS’ shelters are provided through a network of area churches. These churches provide facilities, free of charge, to accommodate the community’s homeless population.
PADS is supported through fundraising events, such as “Winter Harvest for the Homeless,” its annual dinner, dance and auction.
“Winter Harvest for the Homeless” will be held Jan. 21 in the Heritage Ballroom at The Centre, 100 Symphony Way, Elgin. Tickets are $60 per person or $540 per table of 10.
For more information, to make a tax-deductible contribution or to purchase tickets for Winter Harvest for the Homeless, call PADS at (847) 608-9744.
Receive periodic updates on new One Great City postings: subscribe@nppn.org / Subject: OGC Updates
Daily Herald: Click headline for orgignial site
PADS of Elgin Inc. along with more than a dozen area churches is hosting a 12-hour community prayer event from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Jan. 6.
In its second year, the prayer event takes place at Messiah Lutheran Church, 500 Church Road, Elgin. The prayer event is followed by a community service at 7:30 p.m. at First Congregation Church, 256 E. Chicago St., Elgin.
During the prayer event, area churches host one hour of prayer at Messiah Lutheran Church. Participants from each church will pray for area homeless men, women and children and the challenges faced by the community’s poor. Prayer requests can be made through PADS of Elgin Inc. or through participating churches. Prayer request cards also are available during the event.
Last year, the 12-hour prayer event attracted more than 100 participants, following a snowstorm. Iced roads and heavy snow did not deter volunteers from commitments to pray for the needs of the Elgin community. Among the participants were homeless men and women, offering prayers for others less fortunate.
“This year’s event promises an even greater response,” said Marlene Daubert, parish ministry associate for Zion Lutheran Church and board member for PADS of Elgin Inc. “The homeless need our community support. Through the prayer event, we can powerfully give as individuals and as a community. Prayer for the homeless among us certainly knows no season but on Jan. 6, the day of Epiphany, we are reminded of Jesus’ poor and humble beginnings. On this day we celebrate that the light of Christ comes to all and we know that there is a special place in God’s heart for these men, women and children.”
Churches participating in the 12-hour prayer event include First Congregational Church, Seventh Day Adventist, Church of the Brethren, Epworth United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church, St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Christ the Lord Lutheran Church, Zion Lutheran Church, First United Methodist Church, Second Baptist Church and West Ridge Community Church.
PADS of Elgin Inc. is a nonprofit, community-based organization, which provides emergency, overnight shelter to homeless men, women and children within Elgin and its surrounding communities. PADS is a catalyst in fostering community and social service agency partnerships, which effectively and efficiently provide coordinated services for short- and intermediate-term customized care, targeting client growth, development and self-sufficiency.
PADS’ shelters are provided through a network of area churches. These churches provide facilities, free of charge, to accommodate the community’s homeless population.
PADS is supported through fundraising events, such as “Winter Harvest for the Homeless,” its annual dinner, dance and auction.
“Winter Harvest for the Homeless” will be held Jan. 21 in the Heritage Ballroom at The Centre, 100 Symphony Way, Elgin. Tickets are $60 per person or $540 per table of 10.
For more information, to make a tax-deductible contribution or to purchase tickets for Winter Harvest for the Homeless, call PADS at (847) 608-9744.
Receive periodic updates on new One Great City postings: subscribe@nppn.org / Subject: OGC Updates
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Let's Take A Team to the Naitonal "CIR" ~ !!
Do you have a passion for seeing your city transformed by the power of the Gospel? CIR provides an opportunity to join with dozens of others of like mind.
Over one hundred cityreachers gathered last April in St. Louis for what proved to be a dynamic CIR. Our diverse and creative Design Team invites you to participate in CIR 2006 in Cedar Rapids, home to a sustained city-reaching movement of twenty years.
CIR Details and registr! ation
The National CIR is an annual learning community of all interested in serious city-reaching endeavors. "Pray for the city, because if it prospers, you too will prosper..." Jeremiah 29:7
The City Impact Roundtable (CIR) is a network of like-minded men and women, working in partnership with City Community Ministries of the Mission America Coalition, committed to bring kingdom leaders together in cities to engage in earnest prayer, collaborate evangelism and social justice. Cityreachers, representing varying streams of a growing paradigm of transformational change, want to see impact of God's kingdom on society that is both measurable and sustainable.
When?
From 1 PM Monday, April 3, to noon Wednesday, April 5
What's the Program?
Hearing the Word of the Lord. Francis Frangipane, one of the longtime spiritual fathers of Cedar Rapids, and well-known prolific author, will be this year's plenary speaker. Francis will bring us a creative word that is both prophetic and practical.
City Models. Based on extensive feedback from former CIRs, we will focus on our "main, plain" purpose: experienced practitioners unpack the core principles and best practices of city movements that have life, momentum and promise. As of today, we have five cities committed to present their models:
•Cedar Rapids
•Houston
•Tuscaloosa AL
•a regional model from El Paso TX, Las Cruces NM and Juarez MEXICO
•and Boston MA.
Extensive time will be given to hear these presentations and interact together about the strengths & weaknesses of these models. Presenters from these cities will be further available at two meals for "Table Talk" Q & A interaction. These presentations will involve a mix of pastors, men and women in marketplace ministries, emerging leaders, and social justice ministries.
Workshops currently on the pad:
** "What Veteran Cityreachers Wish Emerging City Leaders Knew"
** "Loving our Cities & Communities to Christ" (the "LC2C" strategy of the Mission America Coalition"
** "City AIDS Summits, Fall '06"
** "Issues Unique to the Mega-City" Movement
** "Social Justice Breakthroughs"
** "Global Day of Prayer & 90 Days of Blessing"
What Will the CIR Cost?
Early-Bird Registration (before February 1) $99
Regular Registration $125 before March 15
Late Registration $150 after March 15
Single Day registration $50 per individual
The registration includes a Monday evening banquet, Tuesday box lunch, and Tuesday dinner buffet. A free airport shuttle is also provided for arrivals and departures. We encourage you to take immediate initiative to book in accommodations for yourself and city team members at one of the following motels, at very reasonable rates.
(Please note: Registration does not include lodging.)
For accommodations, call
Corn Palace Hotel, 333-244-0909, $70 Single Occupancy, $80 Double
Iowa Hawkeye Inn, 222-555-7788, $80 single, $95 double.
For maximum benefit, we strongly encourage a city to bring at least three, and ideally 5-7 members of its leadership team.
So, friend, simply hit "REPLY" now to register your intent, and send in a deposit of $50 with the registration form that follows to
Attn: Carolyn O’Brien
Grace Church
9301 Eden Prairie Road
Eden Prairie, MN 55347
(Make check payable to Mission America Coalition)
If paying by credit card, fax registration form to 952-926-1885
You may direct questions to any of the following:
Tom White, Frontline Ministries, North American CIR Convener: tomwhite07@earthlink.net
Jarvis Ward, City/Community Ministries (MAC) jarvis@cityreaching.com
Phil Miglioratti "LC2C Strategy Team" (MAC) phil@nppn.org
________________________________
REGISTRATION FOR
The 2006 National Meeting of the City Impact Roundtable
April 3-5, 2006
2 Ways to Register:
Fax: 952-926-1885 (if paying by credit card)
Mail: Attn: Carolyn O’Brien,
Grace Church,
9301 Eden Prairie Road,
Eden Prairie, MN 55347
(if paying by check or credit card. Make check payable to Mission America Coalition)
Please fill out a separate registration form for each individual attending.
Individual registration:
-- Early-Bird Registration (before February 1) $99
-- Regular Registration $125 before March 15
-- Late Registration $150 after March 15
-- Single Day registration $50 per person
(Please note: This does not include lodging. Please see hotel information below.)
Title: ___Mr._______ Name: ___________________________________
Ministry Name: _______________________________________________
Mailing Address: _____________________________________________
City: ______________________ State: ______ Zip Code: _________
Phone: __________________Cell or other: ___________________
Email: _______________________________________________
____ I have enclosed my check payable to the Mission America Coalition
$________ (amount)
____ Please bill my credit card: ___ Visa ___ MasterCard ___ AmEx
$____________(amount)
Card Number _____________________________ Exp Date _____
Signature Authorization __________________________________
COST FOR HOTEL
Corn Palace Hotel, 333-244-0909, $70 Single Occupancy, $80 Double (+ tax)
Iowa Hawkeye Inn, 222-555-7788, $80 single, $95 double (+ tax)
Mention group name: Mission America City Impact Roundtable
info@cityreaching.com
* Phone: 952-224-3127 (9-noon Mon-Fri)
* www.cityreaching.com
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Thursday, December 15, 2005
Gatekeepers Pastors Share Christmas Pulpit
By CATHLEEN FALSANI, Chiacgo Sun-Times Religion Reporter
www.SunTimes.com
Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington may be closed on Dec. 25, but the megachurch's pastor has decided to preach on Christmas morning anyway.
Bill Hybels, senior pastor of Willow Creek, the largest predominantly white church in the Chicago area, will share preaching duties with the Rev. James Meeks in the pulpit of his Salem Baptist Church, the area's largest predominantly black congregation.
Late last week, at a meeting with a small group of other leading Chicago area ministers, Meeks invited Hybels to spend Christmas at Salem after Hybels talked about the controversy that has arisen (mostly in the media) over the decision by Willow and a number of other megachurches across the country not to hold services on Christmas Day, which this year falls on a Sunday.
"We were all making announcements and Bill said how Willow will be closed on Christmas Day. Then it was my turn to make an announcement and I said, 'Bill Hybels will be speaking at Salem on Christmas Day,' and everybody laughed," Meeks said by phone from an airport in Washington, D.C., where he was waiting for a flight back to Chicago. "Later I said, 'Bill, I'm really serious.'"
On Friday afternoon, Hybels, who was at O'Hare Airport waiting for a flight bound for Zambia in Africa, where he will spend this week at an AIDS clinic filming a pre-holiday sermon that will be beamed back to Willow next weekend -- they call it "Christmas on Location" -- e-mailed Meeks at the airport in Washington to say he'd be at Salem Christmas morning, with bells on, as it were.
"I talked with my wife and children about the idea and they loved it!" Hybels wrote in an e-mail to the Sun-Times a few minutes before his flight to Zambia departed. "So, this will be a very memorable season for our family!"
Hybels and Willow's other leaders believe it is better to focus the church's massive staff and volunteer resources on services the week before Christmas, rather than Christmas morning, when many families would rather be at home. It's a matter of being relevant and responsive to society, they say.
Their critics accuse the church of pandering to popular culture and cowing to the secular demands of the holiday.
"They're saying we canceled Christmas," said Cally Parkinson, spokeswoman for Willow, which will hold eight services in the week leading up to Dec. 25 -- including three on Christmas Eve. In all, they are expecting more than 50,000 people to attend, she said.
The last time Christmas fell on a Sunday, in 1994, Willow did have a service, but only 1,500 people came -- less than 10 percent of its normal attendance, she said.
Normal weekly attendance at the megachurch Hybels helped found 30 years ago is about 20,000. Salem draws more than 7,500 worshippers to its sanctuary in Chicago's Roseland neighborhood each week, according to Meeks.
For several years now, Meeks and Hybels have been getting to know each other as colleagues and friends. But they would like their congregations to know one another better as well, to build a bridge between the often segregated white and black evangelical Christian communities. Toward that end, in June, 50 church members -- half from Willow, half from Salem -- spent a week riding a bus through the Deep South visiting historical civil rights-era sites. They called it a "Justice Journey."
====>Click headline to read a report on the Justice Journey
This Christmas morning, as Meeks and Hybels share a pulpit for the first time, will be another step on that journey toward racial reconciliation in the evangelical church, Meeks said.
"To see us come together," Meeks said, "I think it speaks volumes."
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Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Fox Valley Mini-Prayer Summit
Hello Fox Valley Pastors and Marketplace leaders, Re: Jan 10th, 2006 Fox Valley Mini-Prayer Summit
The past three July’s we have had a one day Mini-Summit in the Valley North area at Fox Valley Church of Carpentersville. Many asked if we could plan one in the Winter too, so here it is.
Pastor Bob Whitt from Elgin, Pastor Pat McManus from Aurora and Donna and I will be facilitating the event. It will be held at Family and Faith Church in Aurora. There will be no Registration fee for the event. More details are coming later, I just wanted to get it on your calendar.
RSVP to Pat McManus pat@house-of-praise.net or Tony Danhelka tonydanhelka@sbcglobal.net
Have a blessed Christmas and New Year!
tony & donna danhelka
•The Mini-Summit Schedule:
8:30 Coffee, Juice and Donuts
9:00 Welcome and Large Group Prayer
10:30 Small group prayer (Men and Women separate)
11:30 Large group
12:00 Lunch (At Family & Faith or go out to local Restaurant)
1PM Large Group Prayer
2PM Group Discussion – What did we hear in the Spirit about Fox Valley? Led by Tony & team
3PM Depart
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The past three July’s we have had a one day Mini-Summit in the Valley North area at Fox Valley Church of Carpentersville. Many asked if we could plan one in the Winter too, so here it is.
Pastor Bob Whitt from Elgin, Pastor Pat McManus from Aurora and Donna and I will be facilitating the event. It will be held at Family and Faith Church in Aurora. There will be no Registration fee for the event. More details are coming later, I just wanted to get it on your calendar.
RSVP to Pat McManus pat@house-of-praise.net or Tony Danhelka tonydanhelka@sbcglobal.net
Have a blessed Christmas and New Year!
tony & donna danhelka
•The Mini-Summit Schedule:
8:30 Coffee, Juice and Donuts
9:00 Welcome and Large Group Prayer
10:30 Small group prayer (Men and Women separate)
11:30 Large group
12:00 Lunch (At Family & Faith or go out to local Restaurant)
1PM Large Group Prayer
2PM Group Discussion – What did we hear in the Spirit about Fox Valley? Led by Tony & team
3PM Depart
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Monday, December 12, 2005
From Your Prayer Summit Leadership Team ~ RSVP
Merry Christmas from . . .
We hope this letter finds you well and enjoying the preparations for Christmas and the advent season.
The Chicago Prayer Summit is at a crossroads. John Erickson, the leader of the Prayer Summit Leadership Team accepted the call to pastor a church in Lafayette, IN. With John and Debbie's move and the fact that the attendance at the summit has decreased over the past several years, some on the Prayer Summit Leadership Team are feeling the need to re-evaluate our mission.
Since the last Prayer Summit in April the team has met several times to seek the Lord and discuss the future of the Summit. At the latest meeting (on November 3, 2005) we made several proposals that we want you to know about and to respond to your response is CRUCIAL for our decision making purposes.
We want you to know about the following events and require your prayerful response, where indicated:
•A Christ Celebration with David Bryant
The Prayer Summit Leadership Team has sensed the call to assist Pastor Lutzer of Moody Church to bring David Bryant to Chicago on March 26th and 27th and maybe 28th. The schedule is in discussion but it looks like there will be a Pastor's reception on March 26th at 3 or 4 PM with David Bryant, followed by a Christ Celebration at 6:00 PM. A Christ Celebration is somewhat similar to the Concert of Prayer that David became known for, but with a difference in emphasis and style. Then on Monday there will be an all day teaching by David. He has become driven by an idea to be drawn back to Jesus Christ and to reform the way that we are looking at revival and the church. We as a team heard a report from Jody Mayhew, our summit facilitator, about what David has done in Portland and believe that his teaching will be important for Chicago as well. We hope you will pencil in these dates and save them for this important event. At this time we are planning on having no cost except for lunch on Monday and an offering to cover David's costs.
•Prayer Summit 2006
We have chosen to give up our location for a summit at Cedar Lake. Due to the fact that Cedar Lake needed a commitment from us this fall with a substantial cash penalty if we cancelled, we released the venue. Because of the low attendance the last couple years and the cost of Cedar Lake we felt that we should look for a new location that would give us a bit more flexibility in the scheduling/deposit for the summit and a bit more freedom about our decision timeline. We are working toward a summit on April 17, 18 and 19th. Jody Mayhew and her husband Dan will be our facilitators this year. We originally planned the summit for the following week (April 24-26) but needed to change the date for scheduling reasons. We are exploring the University of St Mary of the Lake in Mundelein as the host location.
As we proceed, a few changes will be necessary to the registration process.
We have decided to take off the titles and go with those God is sending rather than beating the bushes trying to get a certain group to come. While in the past our emphasis has been on pastors and para-church leaders, over time that rule has relaxed and a mixture of Pastors, Para-Church & Prayer Leaders and Intercessors have attended. So it will truly be a Prayer Summit for all of Chicagoland and we hope you will continue to come.
We need to make this summit contingent on advance registration and payment. The cost will be $175 and will cover meals and lodging, an additional $25 donation would help to fund scholarships for those that are unable to pay the full amount. We are working to find other sources for the expenses of bringing in facilitators. In order to have a summit we need you to register and pay no later than March 1, 2006, though we would like to know your intention now, if you know what you are inclined to do. If we do not have the minimum number to break even on costs by March 1st we will not have a traditional summit. We believe the break even point is 40-50 people at this time. As we get closer to the date we will know more.
•Help Wanted
We as a summit leadership Team are confronted with the need for additional leaders on our team. With the loss of John and Debbie Erickson we are missing not only members but giftings that need to be replaced. There is also a feeling that some of the members of the team are being called to other ministries and need to step aside. So we would respectfully request that you pray about joining us in leadership.
As we left the last meeting, we all had a great sense that the Prayer Summit has a role to play in Chicago and its revival. We are jealous for the ground we have gained and want to persevere to see God's best for this summit and Chicago. We hope you feel the same way.
Please prayerfully consider this letter and respond to our four requests.
Name:_______________________________
Will you commit to coming to the prayer summit April 17, 18 and 19?
YES [ ] NO [ ] Please "X" the appropriate box.
Will you consider attending all or part the David Bryant event in March?
YES [ ] NO [ ] Please "X" the appropriate box.
Are you interested in either an all male Senior Pastor only prayer summit or an all women's prayer summit? This would be separate from the planned April Summit.
YES [ ] NO [ ] Please "X" the appropriate box.
Are you interested in having a discussion about participating in the Prayer Summit Leadership Team?
YES [ ] NO [ ] Please "X" the appropriate box.
Your Comments?
We as a team have been blessed to serve the Lord through the prayer summit, and we pray it has been a blessing for you as well. Thank you for reading our heartfelt call.
Sincerely,
The Chicagoland Prayer Summit Leadership Team
PS. Please return this response form to
Adam Shields,
5202 S Dorchester #3,
Chicago, IL 60615
or email the responses to info@chicagoprayersummit.org
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We hope this letter finds you well and enjoying the preparations for Christmas and the advent season.
The Chicago Prayer Summit is at a crossroads. John Erickson, the leader of the Prayer Summit Leadership Team accepted the call to pastor a church in Lafayette, IN. With John and Debbie's move and the fact that the attendance at the summit has decreased over the past several years, some on the Prayer Summit Leadership Team are feeling the need to re-evaluate our mission.
Since the last Prayer Summit in April the team has met several times to seek the Lord and discuss the future of the Summit. At the latest meeting (on November 3, 2005) we made several proposals that we want you to know about and to respond to your response is CRUCIAL for our decision making purposes.
We want you to know about the following events and require your prayerful response, where indicated:
•A Christ Celebration with David Bryant
The Prayer Summit Leadership Team has sensed the call to assist Pastor Lutzer of Moody Church to bring David Bryant to Chicago on March 26th and 27th and maybe 28th. The schedule is in discussion but it looks like there will be a Pastor's reception on March 26th at 3 or 4 PM with David Bryant, followed by a Christ Celebration at 6:00 PM. A Christ Celebration is somewhat similar to the Concert of Prayer that David became known for, but with a difference in emphasis and style. Then on Monday there will be an all day teaching by David. He has become driven by an idea to be drawn back to Jesus Christ and to reform the way that we are looking at revival and the church. We as a team heard a report from Jody Mayhew, our summit facilitator, about what David has done in Portland and believe that his teaching will be important for Chicago as well. We hope you will pencil in these dates and save them for this important event. At this time we are planning on having no cost except for lunch on Monday and an offering to cover David's costs.
•Prayer Summit 2006
We have chosen to give up our location for a summit at Cedar Lake. Due to the fact that Cedar Lake needed a commitment from us this fall with a substantial cash penalty if we cancelled, we released the venue. Because of the low attendance the last couple years and the cost of Cedar Lake we felt that we should look for a new location that would give us a bit more flexibility in the scheduling/deposit for the summit and a bit more freedom about our decision timeline. We are working toward a summit on April 17, 18 and 19th. Jody Mayhew and her husband Dan will be our facilitators this year. We originally planned the summit for the following week (April 24-26) but needed to change the date for scheduling reasons. We are exploring the University of St Mary of the Lake in Mundelein as the host location.
As we proceed, a few changes will be necessary to the registration process.
We have decided to take off the titles and go with those God is sending rather than beating the bushes trying to get a certain group to come. While in the past our emphasis has been on pastors and para-church leaders, over time that rule has relaxed and a mixture of Pastors, Para-Church & Prayer Leaders and Intercessors have attended. So it will truly be a Prayer Summit for all of Chicagoland and we hope you will continue to come.
We need to make this summit contingent on advance registration and payment. The cost will be $175 and will cover meals and lodging, an additional $25 donation would help to fund scholarships for those that are unable to pay the full amount. We are working to find other sources for the expenses of bringing in facilitators. In order to have a summit we need you to register and pay no later than March 1, 2006, though we would like to know your intention now, if you know what you are inclined to do. If we do not have the minimum number to break even on costs by March 1st we will not have a traditional summit. We believe the break even point is 40-50 people at this time. As we get closer to the date we will know more.
•Help Wanted
We as a summit leadership Team are confronted with the need for additional leaders on our team. With the loss of John and Debbie Erickson we are missing not only members but giftings that need to be replaced. There is also a feeling that some of the members of the team are being called to other ministries and need to step aside. So we would respectfully request that you pray about joining us in leadership.
As we left the last meeting, we all had a great sense that the Prayer Summit has a role to play in Chicago and its revival. We are jealous for the ground we have gained and want to persevere to see God's best for this summit and Chicago. We hope you feel the same way.
Please prayerfully consider this letter and respond to our four requests.
Name:_______________________________
Will you commit to coming to the prayer summit April 17, 18 and 19?
YES [ ] NO [ ] Please "X" the appropriate box.
Will you consider attending all or part the David Bryant event in March?
YES [ ] NO [ ] Please "X" the appropriate box.
Are you interested in either an all male Senior Pastor only prayer summit or an all women's prayer summit? This would be separate from the planned April Summit.
YES [ ] NO [ ] Please "X" the appropriate box.
Are you interested in having a discussion about participating in the Prayer Summit Leadership Team?
YES [ ] NO [ ] Please "X" the appropriate box.
Your Comments?
We as a team have been blessed to serve the Lord through the prayer summit, and we pray it has been a blessing for you as well. Thank you for reading our heartfelt call.
Sincerely,
The Chicagoland Prayer Summit Leadership Team
PS. Please return this response form to
Adam Shields,
5202 S Dorchester #3,
Chicago, IL 60615
or email the responses to info@chicagoprayersummit.org
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Go Narnia . . . Go to Jail ! (?)
Inviting a neighbour to go to the cinema In England to watch "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" will soon be a criminal offence carrying up to seven years in prison.
The British Government is on course to make all C.S.Lewis books and films criminal before Christmas this year.
The Racial and Religious Hatred Bill will provide no consideration of a person's intention when considering whether an offence of religious hatred has been committed. READ MORE
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Austin - Pursuing John 17:20 Unity
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
For those who are receiving this announcement for the first time, welcome! The School of the Prophets is an ecumenical group of men and women from many backgrounds who have been meeting together since January 2000.
Our aim is to pursue the unity of believers that Jesus prayed for in John 17:20:
“I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
We begin our time together at 7 a.m. with worship and prayer, followed by teaching from the word of God. This Saturday Rev. Eugene Flowers will be bringing us the word. Rev. Flowers is the co-founder of the West Side Ministers Coalition, an organization that seeks to bring churches together to effect change in Chicago’s West side neighborhoods. Rev. Flowers is also a tireless volunteer at Austin High School, where he and others are fighting to keep young men and women in school and off the streets. Please pray with him as he prepares to bring us a word from the Lord. We will allow plenty of time for discussion and questions.
We meet at 7:00 a.m. Saturday December 3 at 823 S. Cicero Avenue.
If you can stay, breakfast will be served at around 8:30 a.m. for a cost of $5.
To the glory of God!
Bro. Bob Marsh
630-290-2388
bob@marshdesign.biz
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Fox Valley CIty Reaching Goes National
The Fox Valley City Reaching Facilitation Teams . . .
http://www.foxvalleycityreaching.org/
. . . Are one of eight cities/communities that will be recognized as Pilot Cities in the new "Loving Our Communities to Christ" initiatives. Please accept this invitation to be on the call ~ Let's see what our Chicagoland collaboartion can do! Phil Miglioratti
An Invitation from Paul Cedar . . .
This is an exciting time of ministry for the Mission America Coalition (MAC) as we launch the mission of "Loving Our Communities to Christ" (LC2C) in some eight pilot cities. We’ve prayed together and earnestly sought the Lord’s direction in what cities He would have us choose and we believe He has answered!
I want to personally invite you to join me in a special MAC National Committee conference call – the first we’ve ever done - on December 15th at 11 a.m. Eastern (10 a.m. Central, 9 a.m. Mountain or 8 a.m. Pacific).
We’ll make the formal announcement of the LC2C cities, commit those cities to the Lord and then commit ourselves to prayerfully and enthusiastically serve the leaders of those cities as the Lord directs.
To participate in this call, please RSVP by clicking on the headline above.
http://www.missionamerica.org/Brix?pageID=16721
(If you have any trouble with this link, please contact lc2c@missionamerica.org.)
Our call will be hosted by Rev. Jarvis Ward and Rev. Phil Miglioratti, MAC National Facilitators of City/Community Ministries. We will be joined on the call by leaders from each of the LC2C pilot cities.
You’ll hear more about the next steps for LC2C, have the opportunity to interact and share encouragement with the city leaders and offer assistance and resources from your ministry as they reach into their community.
I hope you’ll join me in being part of this very important call on December 15th. To participate, please RSVP.
Thank you for all you’re doing to equip Christians around the nation to pray for, care for and share Jesus Christ with those who don’t know Him. We look forward to watching God work in 2006 – as we pray and work together toward our mission of “The Whole Church taking the Whole Gospel to the Whole Nation – and to the World!”
Prayerfully and expectantly yours,
Dr. Paul A. Cedar
Chair/CEO
Mission America Coalition
paulc@missionamerica.org
PO Box 13930, Palm Desert, CA 92255 | Ph: 760-200-2707 | Fax: 760-200-8837
www.missionamerica.org
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Tuesday, November 29, 2005
URGENT Prayer Needed for Great Britain...
URGENT: Please Pray for England
For the first time since at least 890 A.D. (yes EIGHT 90)..over 1000 years, Christians will be the TAIL and not The Head under British law. Local town councils which spent billions promoting Diwali (Hindu), Ramadam (Islam) and every foreign god, plus Halloween have banned CHRISTmas and public Christian worship. Please, READ MOREMonday, November 28, 2005
Report on Hunger & Homelessness
I came across this report about homelessness in America (2004) and thought it might be of interest ... as something God may be leading the church of Chicagoland to address. Here is a summary and the link to the entire report...
---}Click headline for a .pdf version
4Him, Pastor Donald Moy, Chinese Church of Chicago
- - - -
Summary
To assess the status of hunger and homelessness in America’s cities during 2004, The U.S. Conference of Mayors surveyed 27 major cities whose mayors were members of its Task Force on Hunger and Homelessness. The survey sought information and estimates from each city on 1) the demand for emergency food assistance and emergency shelter and the capacity of local agencies to meet that demand; 2) the causes of hunger and homelessness and the demographics of the populations experiencing these problems; 3) exemplary programs or efforts in the cities to respond to hunger and homelessness; 4) the availability of affordable housing for low income people; and 5) the outlook for the future and the impact of the economy on hunger and homelessness.
Among the findings of the 27-city survey:
HUNGER
Officials in the survey cities estimate that during the past year requests for emergency food assistance increased by an average of 14 percent, with 96 percent of the cities registering an increase. Requests for food assistance by families with children increased by an average of 13 percent. Requests for emergency food assistance by elderly persons increased by an average of 12 percent during the last year, with 72 percent of the cities reporting an increase.
On average, 20 percent of the requests for emergency food assistance are estimated to have gone unmet during the last year. For families alone, 17 percent of the requests for assistance are estimated to have gone unmet. In 48 percent of the cities, emergency food assistance facilities may have to turn away people in need due to lack of resources.
Fifty-six percent of the people requesting emergency food assistance were members of families – children and their parents. Thirty-four percent of the adults requesting food assistance were employed.
The overall level of resources available to emergency food assistance facilities increased by 18 percent during the last year in the cities registering an increase. Forty-four percent of the survey cities reported that emergency food assistance facilities are able to provide an adequate quantity of food. Sixty-seven percent of the cities’ emergency food assistance facilities have had to decrease the number of bags of food provided and/or the number of times people can receive food. Of these cities, 63 percent have had to increase the limit of food provided. Eighty-one percent of the survey cities reported that the food provided is nutritionally balanced.
In 100 percent of the cities, families and individuals relied on emergency food assistance facilities both in emergencies and as a steady source of food over long periods of time.
Unemployment and other employment-related problems lead the list of causes of hunger identified by the city officials. Other causes cited, in order of frequency, include lowpaying jobs, high housing costs, poverty or lack of income, medical or health costs, substance abuse, high utility costs, mental health problems, homelessness, reduced public benefits and high childcare costs.
HOMELESSNESS
During the past year, requests for emergency shelter increased in the survey cities by an average of 6 percent, with 70 percent of the cities registering an increase. Requests for shelter by homeless families alone increased by 7 percent, with 78 percent of the cities reporting an increase.
An average of 23 percent of the requests for emergency shelter by homeless people overall and 32 percent of the requests by homeless families alone are estimated to have gone unmet during the last year. In 81 percent of the cities, emergency shelters may have to turn away homeless families due to lack of resources; in 81 percent they may also have to turn away other homeless people.
People remain homeless an average of eight months in the survey cities. Forty-six percent of the cities said that the length of time people were homeless increased during the last year.
Lack of affordable housing leads the list of causes of homelessness identified by the city officials. Other causes cited, in order of frequency, include mental illness and the lack of needed services, substance abuse and the lack of needed services, low-paying jobs, unemployment, domestic violence, poverty, and prisoner re-entry.
Officials estimate that, on average, single men comprise of 41 percent of the homeless population, families with children-40 percent, single women-14 percent and unaccompanied youth- five percent. The homeless population is estimated to be 49 percent African-American, 35 percent white, 13 percent Hispanic, two percent Native American and one percent Asian. An average of 23 percent of homeless people in the cities are considered mentally ill; 30 percent are substance abusers; 17 percent are employed; and 10 percent are veterans.
In 56 percent of the cities, families may have to break up in order to be sheltered. In 52 percent of the cities families may have to spend their daytime hours outside of the shelter they use at night.
HOUSING
Requests for assisted housing by low- income families and individuals increased in 68 percent of the cities during the last year. Thirty-two percent of eligible low-income households are currently served by assisted housing programs. City officials estimate that low- income households spend an average of 45 percent of their income on housing.
Applicants must wait an average of 20 months for public housing in the survey cities. The wait for Section 8 certificates is 30 months, and for Section 8 Vouchers it’s 35 months. Fifty- nine percent of the cities have stopped accepting applications for at least one assisted housing program due to the excessive length of the waiting list.
THE OUTLOOK
Officials in 88 percent of the responding cities expect requests for emergency food assistance to increase during 2005. Eighty- four percent expect that requests for emergency food assistance by families with children will increase during 2005. Officials in 88 percent of the cities expect that requests for emergency shelter will increase next year. Seventy-eight percent expect that requests by homeless families will increase.
Even with an improving economy, city officials believe that economic conditions will continue to have a negative impact on the problem of hunger and homelessness.
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---}Click headline for a .pdf version
4Him, Pastor Donald Moy, Chinese Church of Chicago
- - - -
Summary
To assess the status of hunger and homelessness in America’s cities during 2004, The U.S. Conference of Mayors surveyed 27 major cities whose mayors were members of its Task Force on Hunger and Homelessness. The survey sought information and estimates from each city on 1) the demand for emergency food assistance and emergency shelter and the capacity of local agencies to meet that demand; 2) the causes of hunger and homelessness and the demographics of the populations experiencing these problems; 3) exemplary programs or efforts in the cities to respond to hunger and homelessness; 4) the availability of affordable housing for low income people; and 5) the outlook for the future and the impact of the economy on hunger and homelessness.
Among the findings of the 27-city survey:
HUNGER
Officials in the survey cities estimate that during the past year requests for emergency food assistance increased by an average of 14 percent, with 96 percent of the cities registering an increase. Requests for food assistance by families with children increased by an average of 13 percent. Requests for emergency food assistance by elderly persons increased by an average of 12 percent during the last year, with 72 percent of the cities reporting an increase.
On average, 20 percent of the requests for emergency food assistance are estimated to have gone unmet during the last year. For families alone, 17 percent of the requests for assistance are estimated to have gone unmet. In 48 percent of the cities, emergency food assistance facilities may have to turn away people in need due to lack of resources.
Fifty-six percent of the people requesting emergency food assistance were members of families – children and their parents. Thirty-four percent of the adults requesting food assistance were employed.
The overall level of resources available to emergency food assistance facilities increased by 18 percent during the last year in the cities registering an increase. Forty-four percent of the survey cities reported that emergency food assistance facilities are able to provide an adequate quantity of food. Sixty-seven percent of the cities’ emergency food assistance facilities have had to decrease the number of bags of food provided and/or the number of times people can receive food. Of these cities, 63 percent have had to increase the limit of food provided. Eighty-one percent of the survey cities reported that the food provided is nutritionally balanced.
In 100 percent of the cities, families and individuals relied on emergency food assistance facilities both in emergencies and as a steady source of food over long periods of time.
Unemployment and other employment-related problems lead the list of causes of hunger identified by the city officials. Other causes cited, in order of frequency, include lowpaying jobs, high housing costs, poverty or lack of income, medical or health costs, substance abuse, high utility costs, mental health problems, homelessness, reduced public benefits and high childcare costs.
HOMELESSNESS
During the past year, requests for emergency shelter increased in the survey cities by an average of 6 percent, with 70 percent of the cities registering an increase. Requests for shelter by homeless families alone increased by 7 percent, with 78 percent of the cities reporting an increase.
An average of 23 percent of the requests for emergency shelter by homeless people overall and 32 percent of the requests by homeless families alone are estimated to have gone unmet during the last year. In 81 percent of the cities, emergency shelters may have to turn away homeless families due to lack of resources; in 81 percent they may also have to turn away other homeless people.
People remain homeless an average of eight months in the survey cities. Forty-six percent of the cities said that the length of time people were homeless increased during the last year.
Lack of affordable housing leads the list of causes of homelessness identified by the city officials. Other causes cited, in order of frequency, include mental illness and the lack of needed services, substance abuse and the lack of needed services, low-paying jobs, unemployment, domestic violence, poverty, and prisoner re-entry.
Officials estimate that, on average, single men comprise of 41 percent of the homeless population, families with children-40 percent, single women-14 percent and unaccompanied youth- five percent. The homeless population is estimated to be 49 percent African-American, 35 percent white, 13 percent Hispanic, two percent Native American and one percent Asian. An average of 23 percent of homeless people in the cities are considered mentally ill; 30 percent are substance abusers; 17 percent are employed; and 10 percent are veterans.
In 56 percent of the cities, families may have to break up in order to be sheltered. In 52 percent of the cities families may have to spend their daytime hours outside of the shelter they use at night.
HOUSING
Requests for assisted housing by low- income families and individuals increased in 68 percent of the cities during the last year. Thirty-two percent of eligible low-income households are currently served by assisted housing programs. City officials estimate that low- income households spend an average of 45 percent of their income on housing.
Applicants must wait an average of 20 months for public housing in the survey cities. The wait for Section 8 certificates is 30 months, and for Section 8 Vouchers it’s 35 months. Fifty- nine percent of the cities have stopped accepting applications for at least one assisted housing program due to the excessive length of the waiting list.
THE OUTLOOK
Officials in 88 percent of the responding cities expect requests for emergency food assistance to increase during 2005. Eighty- four percent expect that requests for emergency food assistance by families with children will increase during 2005. Officials in 88 percent of the cities expect that requests for emergency shelter will increase next year. Seventy-eight percent expect that requests by homeless families will increase.
Even with an improving economy, city officials believe that economic conditions will continue to have a negative impact on the problem of hunger and homelessness.
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Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Community Impact - Talk With National Ledaers
"Last Tuesday" ~: Featured Cities' Conference Call
Each month, on the "last Tuesday," Dennis Fuqua and Phil Miglioratti interview leaders from a city experiencing collaboration followed by a discussion with city reachers from across the nation.
Tuesday, November 29th, you can hear how the Church in Boulder, Colorado, is learning that, “Good deeds, produce good will, which gives entrance to the Good News!”
Join us at 9:00am (Pacific) by calling 563-843-7429 (access code: 579732#).
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Loving Our Communities to Christ - Leaders with a Citywide Vision Take Note!
Chicagoland City-Reachers -- Hold These Dates! --
April 2-5, 2006
Annual City Impact Roundtable
Who?
Collaborating Practioners of city or regional movements of prayer, unity and outreach, leaders of congregations and organizations, men & women with marketplace callings, intercessors.
Where?
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, home to a longstanding city-reaching movement, and a delightful place to visit in the spring!
When?
The CIR will begin @ 1:30 Monday, April 3rd and conclude at noon Wednesday, April 5 (no lunch). Attendees of any former CIR are welcome to join us for pre-CIR fellowship and prayer Sunday night, April 2 @ 7:30 and Monday 9 AM to noon.
What?
The CIR has four components--
1) Plenary Presentations and/or Panel Dialogues
** Francis Frangipane, longtime resident of Cedar Rapids, will be one of our keynote speakers. Additional presenters are still under consideration.
** Panel: "Cities Breaking Through, and Why"
2) City Models
We have current commitments from Cedar Rapids, and the unique regional model developing in El Paso TX, Las Cruces NM and Juarez MEXICO. Three additional cities are under consideration.
3) Relevant Workshops & "Table-Talks" (@ meals)
~~ What Veteran City-Reachers Wish Emerging Cityreachers Knew
~~ Unique Dynamics of the Mega-City Movement
~~ Initiating & Implementing Mission America's "LC2C" strategy
("Loving our Communities to Christ")
-- Righteousness and Justice, Essential Issues for City Transformation
~~ Global Day of Prayer & 90 Days of Blessing (June 4)
-- City AIDS Summits, gathering pastors and Christian leaders in cities in the
Fall of 2006
~~ Building Strategic Partnerships with Marketplace Ministers
~~ "Trench-Talk:" Issues Common to Veteran City-Reachers
4) Roundtable, Intra-City Dialogues
Sitting @ tables with leaders from different cities, sharing journeys, hearing God & discerning relevant take-aways.
Cost?
A reasonable registration (TBA) will be charged to cover meals & conference expenses. Hotels and motels in Cedar Rapids are cheap and lovely! Full shuttle service will be provided to and from the airport.
Please give serious thought and prayer to participating in the 2006 CIR. For maximum benefit, we strongly advise that at least three leaders from your city mix take this in together. Five to seven is even better. If you or fellow city team members plan on coming, simply hit REPLY right now to indicate your intent to participate.
The following are serving on the current CIR Design Team: Tom White (Corvallis, OR), Jarvis Ward (Pearl MS), Glenn Barth (Minneapolis MN) Charles Daugherty (Cedar Rapids), Lynn Heatley (South CA), Tony Danhelka (Chicago), Barney Field (El Paso), and Minh Chau (Washington D.C.). Please pray for us as we seek the Lord for His final touches on the CIR.
"Thy kingdom come!"
Tom White
Convener, City Impact Roundtable
Jarvis Ward
City & Communities Team, Mission America
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New Motion Picture Screenings ~ Dare to Make Contact
Phil,
Thank you for your enthusiastic support of the motion picture END OF THE SPEAR, opening January 20 at Chicagoland theatres and across the country.
Film website: www.endofthespear.com
Ministry Resource website: www.daretomakecontact.com
As Chicago Representative for END OF THE SPEAR, I am calling upon the churches in Chicagoland to arrange DVD screenings for influential church leaders and youth group ministers. These screenings are to take place now through December. The purpose of these screenings is ultimately for these leaders to organize large group ticket sales for the opening weekend of January 20. If a church is interested in a DVD screening, here is my contact information:
Margo Lange
email: margo@capstonefilmreleasing.com
office phone: 630-480-0799
cell: 630-440-8391
home: 630-462-7479
Thanks again Phil. Your assistance is deeply appreciated and welcomed, Margo Lange
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Saturday, November 19, 2005
A Note From Phil...
City Reachers & Prayer Warriors Rejoice!
Your efforts over the years at praying for and working towards the whole Church showing and telling the whole Gospel to the whole City, community by community, neighborhood by neighborhood, have not gone unheard by the Lord nor unnoticed by the Spirit ~
•School of the Prophets meets monthly in the Austin community, bridging the gap of urban/suburban, black/white
•PUSLE brings church leaders together in the Naperville community
•Catalyst is casting a vision across Lake County for collaborative evangelism (over 150 met for a day of inspiration, instruction and interaction this past week)
•Three city reaching facilitation teams line the Fox Valley from Aurora to Tri-Cities (St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia) to Elgin.
•Eight "Anchor Church" pastors have been meeting this past year with the intention of calling hundreds of pastors together to work together for the advancement of Christ's Kingdom
•Several thousand saints met for an evening of prayer in the UIC Pavilion, hosted by a network of pastors that have been praying together out of a John 17:23 vision; black and white; city and suburb
•Several Houses of Prayer are recruiting intercessors for 24/7 prayer on behalf of the church and the city, such as the Furnace in Chicago and the HOP in Elgin
•A citywide gathering of pastors is underway for March that will call for a return to the supremacy of Christ
•The Mission America Coalition, through "Loving Our Communities to Christ," will bring national resources (denominations and servant ministries) to Fox Valley's community transformation efforts
•A new Prayer Summit Leadership Team has formed that will once again offer a citywide/regionwide prayer gathering
•Pastors' Prayer Groups continue to meet for prayer, fellowship, and meeting the needs of lost neighbors (Add your praying group to our internet directory ~ Click the headline and type in your information)
•...and there is more - Meetings and activities you can add to this list (Email your report to me at phil@nppn.org)
The vision of "One Church, Many Locations, Diverse Expressions" is seeping into the DNA of the Church, one pastor at a time, one prayer warrior at a time, one community organizer at a time . .
Keep praying.
Keep communicating.
Keep anticipating...
Phil Miglioratti, for One Great City
** Receive periodic updates on new One Great City postings: subscribe@nppn.org / Subject: OGC Updates
Loving Our Communities to Christ ~ New Collaboration
Loving Our Communities to Christ
"For Such a Time as This"
“LC2C is a process. It’s about developing relationships.”
Dr. Bob Lowman, Metrolina Prayer Network, Charlotte, N.C.
“LC2C offers a way for all of us to work together. The whole concept of these national ministries serving us is such a different concept instead of us being used by their ministry – it’s amazing.”
Rev. Charles Daugherty, Serve the City, Cedar Rapids, IA
In recent months, we have seen the Lord's hand focusing the members, resources, and strategy of the Mission America Coalition on Calling God's People Together to Love Our Communities to Christ.
As a result, Loving Our Communities to Christ (LC2C) is now a major initiative of the Coalition. Under the leadership of the Lord and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we believe LC2C has the potential to transform the communities of America both spiritually and culturally – city by city, region by region.
Loving Our Communities to Christ provides a framework for cities and communities to come together to share the love and grace of Jesus Christ.
Read an overview of LC2C @
Loving Our Communities to Christ
"For Such a Time as This"
“LC2C is a process. It’s about developing relationships.”
Dr. Bob Lowman, Metrolina Prayer Network
Charlotte, N.C.
“LC2C offers a way for all of us to work together. The whole concept of these national ministries serving us is such a different concept instead of us being used by their ministry – it’s amazing.”
Rev. Charles Daugherty, Serve the City
Cedar Rapids, IA
In recent months, we have seen the Lord's hand focusing the members, resources, and strategy of the Mission America Coalition on Calling God's People Together to Love Our Communities to Christ.
As a result, Loving Our Communities to Christ (LC2C) is now a major initiative of the Coalition. Under the leadership of the Lord and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we believe LC2C has the potential to transform the communities of America both spiritually and culturally – city by city, region by region.
Loving Our Communities to Christ provides a framework for cities and communities to come together to share the love and grace of Jesus Christ.
Read an overview of LC2C at
http://community.gospelcom.net
/missionamerica/assets/LC2C.pdf
Click the headline to view the LC2C blog.
FAQs at
http://community.gospelcom.net/Brix?pageID=13458
Please be praying for MAC leaders as they prayerfully choose the pilot cities for Loving Our Communities to Christ. The official announcement of the pilot cities is expected in the next few weeks.
Receive periodic updates on new One Great City postings:
subscribe@nppn.org /
Subject: OGC Updates
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