Team
Coordinators: Dave Potter & Reiner Mueller
Mission is not always what many people
think! It does not mean knocking on doors or accosting
people in the grocery store. It can be much more subtle
than that, yet very effective!
If you wear a shirt with our church
logo on it while you run your errands or if you drink
your coffee at work out of a mug with the church name
on it, that's Mission. You never know when someone might
just ask you about our church! If we put clever sayings
on the church sign to catch people's attention, that's
Mission. If we put news of what's happening at First
Church in the newspaper, that's Mission. If you talk
about what a great time you had at the last potluck
or at the Christmas Party, that's Mission!
Having a smile on your face and being
welcoming to our guests - whether at worship or another
function at church is very important to reaching out
to others. Also making our church grounds and facility
look warm, cared for and inviting can be a big influence
on outsiders.
If you have a heart for sharing your
faith with others, please consider joining one of the
following Mission teams:
- All
Small Groups
- Ministry's
in Action
- Church
Marketing
- Visitor
Callers
Mission
Ministry Update! (Feb 2010)
Through generous contributions of nonperishable food
items and money, over 25 food baskets for over 125 individuals
were packed and delivered at both Thanksgiving
and Christmas. We thank the over 30 volunteers
who assisted with the sorting and packing of the food
baskets. We would like to give special recognition to
Lauren Mincik for all of her leadership, to Marsha Stephens
and Steve Hengeli for securing the boxes used, and to
Bob Strong for assisting with set-up. We also give thanks
to the congregation for its nonperishable donations
and its cash donations, and especially to Confirmation
youth, under the direction of their Mentors in a HUGE
collection from area neighborhoods. Finally, we thank
Don Nielsen and his co-workers at Curtiss Wright Flow
Controls, who donated turkeys, stuffing, and pies. Recipients
of the food baskets included individuals and families
from Southwest Outreach, Children Who Witness Violence,
and church members.
Our
Christmas Sharing Tree provided 112 gifts that
went to 46 children in need within Strongsville, the
Children Who Witness Violence program, and within our
congregation. We thank Connie Nielsen and her “elves,”
including new member Janeen Leon and her daughters,
Corina & Nicole, for their volunteer efforts.
Interfaith
Hospitality Network update: The weeks for FLC
to support Christ the Redeemer in Brecksville are February
28 – March 6, July 25 – 31, and September
26 – October 2. Volunteers will be needed for
several evening hours during those weeks to help prepare
and serve meals and provide comfort and support. The
Interfaith Hospitality Network is a partnership of congregations
within the faith community helping families who are
facing homelessness by providing food, shelter, and
transportation at local churches on a rotating basis
to help those families get back on their feet. Please
contact Pat Sauernheimer (440/891-1505) to volunteer
for this important Mission Ministry.
The
Annual American Red Cross Blood Drive, held
on November 8, was a success. Our goal was 30 units.
We had 32 donors, 6 were deferred for a net of 26 usable
units. While we were down slightly from last year, this
was not surprising with the early flu season. We also
had many donors who had given within the previous 60
days. American Red Cross was very pleased as other drives
were down significantly.
In
Christ,
Dave Potter & Reiner Mueller
Co-chairs
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