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Newsletters>
August 2007
August 2, 2007
Message from the Executive Director
I am blessed to have a terrific staff and talented
volunteers who work directly with the clients who call Love
INC. Because of that, I am able to focus on overseeing the
ministry, recruiting volunteers, raising funds, marketing,
maintaining relationships with churches and agencies, and
resource management. I want to take the space in this
column to publicly recognize one of our staff members, our
Clearinghouse Coordinator, Aubrey Nelson. Aubrey officially
began this job on April 1. She has been doing a great job
training and supervising our volunteers, reviewing and
analyzing information gathered during the intake process,
maintaining accurate client records, and determining how to
resource client needs.Aubrey’s compassion is very evident
in her dealings with clients. While holding people
accountable, she shows them love and compassion in the name
of Christ. Her motto is, “they may not remember what you
say or do, but they will remember how you made them feel.”
I am so thankful to God for bringing Aubrey to Love INC!
Terry
Clearinghouse Coordinator’s Report
Prayers Answered!
In the last few months we have enlisted your prayers for
our furniture ministry, and God has delivered! In the last
month Love INC has received over 170 donations for our
furniture ministry, blessing 50+ families from our ministry
list to date. We are still in the process of assigning and
delivering the items to their new homes. I want to take a
moment and share a “God Moment” furniture story with you.
This involves three clients, volunteers, a donor and a
local business. Try to follow along: :)
The three clients requested furniture from our ministry
and were willing to donate items back to bless other
clients. A donor called in for the last piece of the
puzzle, donating what we thought was a bunk bed. This is
the cycle of God’s love: one client donated and delivered
her twin bed to another client who then in turn donated her
toddler bed to another client, that picked it up. The
first client drove to pick up the bunk bed which turned out
to be only a twin frame. This was not our greatest moment.
However, God always prevails! After many apologies,
prayers, and a volunteers' phone call to our local Mattress
Store a brand new bunk bed was generously donated. Praise
GOD! This story alone proves the power of God and his
love. There is not one person I know that could have
orchestrated such an amazing blessing to so many people
without spiritual guidance. Aubrey
Did You Know?
The total average time an entire household watches
television is eight hours and 14 minutes per day.
Baby Items Needed:
We have had quite a few requests for cribs and other baby
items. If you have any baby furniture or baby clothing in
good condition to donate, please call the Clearinghouse!
Thank You!
The 2008 Love INC
Annual Dinner Auction
March 1, 2008
St. Patrick’s Parrish Hall
Board of Directors
President: Lisa Maples
New Life Community Church
Vice-President: Gerry Roberts
Central Presbyterian Church
Treasurer: Sherlynne Warner
First Baptist Church
Secretary: Teman Johnson
Christian Life Center
Laura Warner
United Methodist Church of
Merced
Renee Finister
Evergreen Christian Center
Frank Walterscheid
First Baptist Church
Two New Board Members!
Love INC of Greater Merced is blessed with two new members
for our Board of Directors. We are pleased to welcome
Renee Finister and Frank Walterscheid. Renee works at
Castle Family Health, is a mother of three, and is active
at her church, Evergreen Christian Center in Atwater.
Frank attends Merced’s First Baptist Church and is the
co-chair of the Deacons. Committee. Both of these new
members bring a wealth of experience and expertise to our
board.
The primary purpose of the Love INC Board of Directors is
to discern God’s will for the local Love
INC. God has chosen the board of directors to be agents of
discernment with the responsibility to govern and develop
policies that give direction to the activities of Love INC
and give credibility to the ministry in the community. The
board of directors is committed to the mission of Love INC,
willing to volunteer sufficient time and resources to help
achieve the mission, and understands and fulfills its
responsibilities. The board’s responsibilities include:
spiritual guidance, financial responsibility, personnel,
planning, continuity, policy and decision making, marketing
and public relations and evaluation. Welcome on board,
Renee and Frank!
Love Story
The Great Chicken Rescue
It is not everyday you get a call into the Clearinghouse in
Merced with a request for help with farm animals…but
recently we received one. A client called in with a
request for food assistance, but while she had a caring
volunteer on the phone she mentioned that she was very
worried about the baby chickens that were left behind when
her next door neighbors suddenly moved away. She asked if
we knew someone that could come and help catch the chicks!
The caring volunteer on the phone was Andy from Central
Presbyterian Church, and he said he would see what he could
do. First, he called the county animal shelter to see if
they could help. The young woman at the shelter said they
don’t handle farm animals, but she would give him a hand
after work if he could find a place for the chicks. Next,
he called a friend who he knew owned a few chickens. She
told Andy that she was down to only one chicken and could
sure use a few more…she was lonely! He also checked with
the property owner who confirmed the chicks were left
behind by his tenants and he would love for them to be
picked up. With a borrowed cage, a blanket, a basket and
the young lady from the animal shelter, Andy showed up at
the house ready to round up the chicks! In a crazy dash
around and around the yard they caught several of the very
scared chickens and delivered them to the lonely friend!
The “Great Chicken Rescue” was a success thanks to Love INC
and our wonderful volunteer!
Announcements
- Volunteers are needed in the call center.
Shifts are Monday through Friday, from 9:00am-12:00pm or
1:00pm-3:30pm. Our call center volunteers come from a
number of different churches in Merced and Atwater. This
is a great way to meet people from other churches as well
as be a tool to help build relationships with those in need
in our community.
- We are still in need of beds of all sizes and dressers.
Those two items are the most frequently requested. Call
the Love INC office if you have any furniture or appliances
in good condition to donate.
- The Dinner Auction Committee will soon be meeting to make
plans for our 2008 event. Committee chairs and assistants
are needed in many areas. Please call Terry Raley if you
would like to help plan this event.
- The Furniture Ministry can sure use a few extra hands
(and strong backs)! If you have a truck or van, or can
assist someone who does, please give us a call.
Help Brighten the Holidays!
It may seem too soon to be thinking about Thanksgiving and
Christmas, but they will be here before we know it. Love
INC is looking for individuals, families, church groups, or
businesses to sponsor a family for either of these
holidays.
For Thanksgiving, we need people to provide a family the
fixings for a meal. For Christmas, we are praying for
people to provide food for a holiday meal and/or gifts for
children.We also have a few seniors who could use a home
cooked meal delivered to them.
If you can help in any of these areas, please call Aubrey
in the Clearinghouse: (209) 383-7034. There are many
people in our community who need an extra blessing,
especially around the holidays.
Did You Know?
By first grade, most children have spent the equivalent of
three school years in front of the television.
Youth to Sound Off for Poverty on October 26-28, 2007
Our Love INC churches in Merced and Atwater have been
invited to participate in Love INC’s new national youth
program. The Love INC Sound Off for Poverty empowers young
people to learn about and help the poor in the United
States and our community. By conducting a “Media Fast”
(abstaining from electronic entertainment for a period of
time), youth tune out the distractions in their life and
tune into God’s heart for the poor. This event will help
raise funds and awareness for Love in the Name of Christ.
If you would like more information or would like to make
sure your church youth group is participating, contact
Terry Raley at 383-2439.
Did You Know?
The average American home has more television
sets than people to watch them.
“I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and
upholds the cause of the needy.” Psalm 140:12
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