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Newsletters>
April 2009
April 5, 2009
Baby Ministry
Diapers & Wipes: The need for diapers has sharply increased over the last six months. At this time, when a client requests diapers we are able to provide 10-12 emergency diapers to help them for a few days. Diapers can bring a real relief to a family struggling at the end of the month. This ministry has blessed so many families and it has the potential to bless many more. Please support this ministry by donating diapers, any amount and size, to Love INC. Drop them off at the Central Presbyterian Church Hoffmeister Center,1920 Canal Street (Please include the name of your church—this is very important for our Love INC records.) Include your name/address if you want a donation receipt.
Clearinghouse Prayer Volunteer
We are in need of volunteers with the gift of prayer. It is important that all the clients that call know they are being prayed for. Due to increased call volume, it would be a blessing to have someone come in at least once a week to pray for specific needs. If God has blessed you with the gift of prayer, please consider joining us in the Clearinghouse. It would be a blessing to the staff, volunteers, and community.
Love INC National Conference
April 23-26, 2009 Minneapolis, MN
Our director, Terry Raley, Clearinghouse Coordinator, Aubrey Nelson and volunteer, Edward Huddleston, will be attending the training conference this year. Our affiliate has been asked to pray during the weeks leading up to the event. Join us in praying that God will be glorified in everything said, taught and felt. Pray for the attendees, speakers, musicians, workshop leaders and the hotel and staff. Pray for the National Headquarters staff. Pray for the ministry of Love In the Name of Christ - that it will built up, equipped and empowered to reflect Christ’s Glory. Thank you!
Thank you!
Our Annual Dinner Auction was a huge success thanks to a terrific team of volunteers, board members, churches, businesses and community partners who supported Love INC. God blessed us with over $30,000 for our general budget and $4,000 for our budget counseling classes. Our deepest thanks to all who made this event such a success!
Smart Money Class
The next six-session Budget Counseling Class is scheduled to begin April 29. It will be held on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Merced. Childcare and transportation is provided if needed. The classes are designed primarily for any low income person that is interested in learning how to more effectively manage the financial resources they have. Both classroom instruction and one-on-one sessions with a budget mentor are included. Call the Love INC office if you would like brochures for your church or know someone who would like to enroll.
Budget Mentors are needed for the class
We train caring Christian to come alongside an individual or couple to lead them through the process of creating a budget and guiding them as they learn to stay within it throughout the class series. The budget mentors are an integral part of the Smart Money Classes. We can only enroll as many client as we have Budget Mentors. Please prayerfully consider volunteering in this ministry. Mentors agree to participate in the class from 7:15-8:00 p.m. for the entire 6 wk session. We offer the class four times a year. Call for more information.
Volunteers Needed for Transportation and Childcare:
Love INC offers transportation to and from the classes and on-site childcare. If you would consider lending your services in either of these areas, please call.
Aubrey
Clearinghouse Volunteers
The staff and board have been praying for more volunteers for our Clearinghouse to help build a solid foundation for our Clearinghouse and expand relationships in the community. It is with great excitement and praise that we report God has answered this prayer! The following volunteers are in the Clearinghouse weekly to be a friendly Christ-centered voice offering help and hope to those in need:
Sherrie Andrews: Creekside Evangelical Free Church
Delma Bartlett: Valley Baptist Church
Peggy Cater: Yosemite Church
Mary Castro: Bear Creek Community Church
Leslie DeLosReyes: First Baptist Church
Louise DeVries: First Baptist Church
Kelly Goodwin: New Beginnings Fellowship
Linda Gilbreath: Central Presbyterian Church
Carol Hallenbeck: Central Presbyterian Church
Lois Halstead: Gateway Community Church
Edward Huddleston: Second Baptist
Stephen Kramp: St. Patrick's
John LeVan: Central Presbyterian Church
Cheryl Mello: Bear Creek Community Church
Susan McCall: Gateway Community Church
Lorraine Morris: United Methodist Church
Dennis Northern: Holy Cross Lutheran-Atwater
Gerry Roberts: Central Presbyterian Church
Daniel Swenson: Creekside Evangelical Free Church
Andy Tolsma: Central Presbyterian Church
The following shifts are waiting to be filled:
Monday: 9-12p.m. (1 phone or office volunteer needed)
1-3:30p.m. (1 phone volunteer needed)
Thursday: 1:3:30p.m. (1 office volunteer needed)
Friday: 1:3:30p.m. (1 office volunteer needed)
ANGEL FOOD MINISTRIES
HOST CHURCHES ARE NEEDED NOW!
CALL THE TERRY AT LOVE INC FOR MORE INFO
Love INC is very excited to be a partner in helping to introduce this new food ministry to Merced County. Angel Food Ministries might be called a “shares or co-op” type program because participants order their monthly Angel Food boxes ($27.00—$30.00) from their local Church host site and return later in the month to pick up the boxes. Each box contains both fresh and frozen items with an average retail value of $60.00. Generally one unit, or box of food assists in feeding a family of four for a week or a single senior citizen for about a month. There is no income requirements. For more information visit. www.angelfoodministries.com.
Menu for April 2009
1.5 lb. New York Strip Steak
(4 x 6 oz.)
2 lb. Chicken Breast Stir Fry
(Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast Chunks)
2 lb. Breaded Breast Fillet
1 lb. Steak Fajita Strips
20 oz. Supreme Pizza
28 oz. Jumbo Beef Patties With Gravy
1 lb. All Meat Hot Dogs
10 oz. Individually-Wrapped Cheese (16 slice)
1 lb. Mixed Vegetables
2 lb. French Fries
12 ct. White Corn Tortillas
1 lb. Rice
15 oz. Peach Halves
6 oz. Pancake Mix
32 oz. 2% Shelf Stable Milk
Dozen Eggs Dessert Item
Love Story:
Testimony Shared at Love INC Dinner Auction on Feb 28
Before we attended the budget classes provided by Love INC, my wife and I were what I would call BB’s (Budget Busters!) We would make a list of what we were going to spend and then completely ignore it! Love INC not only helped us to straighten out our finances but unknowingly helped to bring us closer together. When my wife and I started the classes we were living in separate houses, driving separate cars, spending our separate money, making our own separate debts. I guess you could say it came to a point where we had to decide, “Were we going to continue to try to do it our own way, which was leading to disaster both emotionally and financially, or to do it God’s way, which would lead to joy, happiness and contentment?” By the time the class was over, we had become one house and one family under God!
Love INC’s part in this was that they gave us some movie passes. Now, I haven’t been to the movies since they made cameras. The cost of going to a movie seemed outrageous to me, when I could stay at home and wait for it to come on TV. We went and saw a good comedy named, “Shrek.” I think we actually held hands. God with His miracles did something. I don’t know what, but it’s still working and it gets stronger everyday.
While attending budget classes, we were introduced to the Merced County Hunger Task Force. My wife and I became volunteers. Being involved, I found a possibility of employment and immediately called Aubrey and Terry at Love INC and asked them to pray for God to favor me with this position.
Today, through God’s will and their prayers, I am now a member of the Merced County Community Action Agency working at the Homeless Shelter. I want to remind you that all of this happened because we came into contact with Love INC. I want you to know that the class instructors are professional and knowledgeable. I still remember what one of our instructors, Jay, said: “If you don’t name you money, it will name itself.” My money used to name itself, “Goodbye!” That was how fast it left my pocket. Now it says “hello,” and hangs around a while.
God, working through you allows Love INC to reach out to help people in many areas that you and even they sometimes are not aware of. You give hope to those who think their situation is hopeless. You give love to people who never really knew what love is because they have never seen it in action. YOU, by your actions live out God’s commandment, “Love others as
you love yourself.” Walter
Our mission is to mobilize the Church to transform lives and
communities In the Name of Christ.
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