Community 4:12

Welcome, Obe!

I met Obe and his wife, Jackie, just about a year ago at an Aurora pastor's prayer gathering.  They had felt called to Aurora to plant a Hispanic church.  I sent an email to a couple of CCC staff after that meeting that said, "I think I may have just met our future East Aurora Campus Pastor."  Fast forward one year . . . Obe is starting his Leadership Residency with CCC tomorrow!  Over the next six months, he will be learning all about CCC and we'll be learning about him and then we can all discern together whether CCC is the right fit for Obe and Jackie.  I am just so excited for Aurora, because  with or without CCC, they are a powerful team committed to bringing Jesus to life for Hispanics in Aurora.   But I am super excited that they will be working with us at least for a season!

Thank you Community 4:12 Volunteers

Thank you so much Carolynn and Bill for all your hard work on our volunteer appreciation picnic today.  The weather was not in our favor, but it was great hanging out with those who braved the weather had a great time!

And a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has served with Community 4:12 this year.  The only way this ministry happens is because of the time and love and resources you so generously give!

If you look closely, you will notice the new Community 4:12 t-shirts that Carolynn and Bill are wearing.  Let me know if you'd like one!

Mentoring Partnership with the City of Aurora

Had an exciting (and bit intimidating) offer from the City of Aurora this week.  They have asked us to partner with them on applying for a 3 year, $500,000 Youth Mentoring grant.  If we get the grant, this would be the first time they have partnered with the faith community to provide youth services!  They want Community 4:12/CCC to serve as the liaison and coordinator with churches all over the area to provide mentors for 6th grade students at Waldo and Jefferson middle schools.  How could I say no to something like that?!  The grant is due in two weeks (they said that is typical of federal government grants--very short turn around time), so we're going to be busy.  If you have been part of, or know about, a great mentoring program that I could learn from, let me know! 

School Supplies in May

We are trying something new this year.  Every August we always do a school supply collection at Community to make sure the kids at Brady Elementary come to school prepared to learn.  This year we decided to try something that a lot of the surrounding school districts do . . . order pre-packaged kits that contain all the supplies for each grade level that the teacher requests.  It's great---no shopping and not being able to find the right things, no trying to stuff everything into one bag, no hauling tons of supplies from church to the school, and it actually ends up being a lot cheaper this way.  So, all a person has to do is say they will commit to sponsoring a child for $25.  The challenge is, we hve to place the order now for next fall.  People at Community are not used to this rhythm, so I knew we couldn't expect to get a lot of people to commit to school supplies NOW when they are thinking graduation, summer, etc.  So, I had to take a guess as to how many people I THOUGHT would sponsor children and lay that cash out up front.  Yikes.  I committed to 300 kits (about 1/2 the school) for this year.  That's $7,500.  Double Yikes.  Thankfully, I've been pleasantly surprised at how many people ARE willing to sign up now (and pay now) for supplies for the fall.  In fact, we have gotten some terrific feedback that people love this idea.  Everyone will get names of specific children that they are sponsoring, because Brady families will order a kit at registration in August (and pay a small amount so that this will still be a fundraiser for the school).  So, sponsoring families can actually write a personal note to the child(ren) they sponsored to help them start the year off right.  I have to attribute this brilliant idea to Ron Kelso who has done all the leg work to make it happen.  We have had a good response already, but we are no where close to 300 yet, so if you'd like to sponsor a child with school supplies for next year, email Ron at ronkelso@sbcglobal.net and let him know how many ($25/child)!

Habitat Groundbreaking

Three years ago, Ron Kelso's (2nd from left) life was shattered when his 19 year old son tragically lost his battle with depression and ended his life through suicide.  With the strength that only God can give, Ron committed to fulfilling a dream he and his son had shared---to build a Habitat for Humanity Home.  Ron sponsored a fundraiser and raised $35,000---enough to purchase land for a Habitat build.  Because of his ties to Community 4:12 and the work we are doing in East Aurora, he was determined to do the build in that community.  However, there has been no land available, so for the past 2 1/2 years, the money has sat in a Habitat account. 

This spring, Habitat decided to embark on a project they had not done before . . . rehabbing a foreclosed home.  It is on the East Side of Aurora and the approximate cost?  About what Ron had secured in cash and in-kind donations.  Ron got to meet the Craft Family (mother and 2 teenage twin daughters in this picture) and immediately knew this was the family "Kevin's" home had been waiting for.

Today was the groundbreaking ceremony.  Even though the house is built, it was gutted to the studs due to extensive mold damage and so for the next 2 months, every Thursday and Saturday teams of volunteers will work to build the Craft Family their new home.  If you'd like to participate in one of the build days, click here to contact Ron. 

I am so proud and humbled to have Ron as a dear friend and long-time leader with Community 4:12.  Thank you for your faithfulness, Ron.  I can just see Kevin's smiling face, and I know his loving and generous spirit is being built into this home.

Parents United in Action goes to 2 more schools!

Thanks to the generosity of Community attenders during out Celebration Generosity, I have the funding to significantly expand our Parent Mentor program next year.  We will continue at Brady and Bardwell and will take it to two other elementary schools in the same geographic area, Beaupre and Rollins.  I had a wonderful meeting with the Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education this week, and it was so encouraging to hear her say they would like to work with us to find a way to take this program to all 12 elementary schools in the district.  For now, though, it was so fun to be able to tell the principals of those two schools that they can have the program at their schools next year if they are interested.  I don't think I've ever heard a quicker, "YES!" before (they knew about the program from hearing the principals at Brady and Bardwell talk about it).  So, thank you Community for providing an opportunity for 30 East Aurora parents to have a life changing experience next year!

And the People Gave . . . Very Generously!

What an amazing weekend at Community!  We collected about $230,000 as part of our Celebration Generosity service to be used for the Jesus Mission in East Aurora, Uganda, Philippines, and Church Planting efforts through our New Thing Network.  The Neighborhood (East Aurora) Team raised over $72,000!  That will allow us to expand our Parent Mentor program, bring on a Leadership Resident for our future East Aurora Campus Pastor, hold 4 large community events, continue to support our tutoring and educational programs and begin some School for the Arts opportunities in the coming year.  A huge thank you to all of you who were part of this amazing celebration of generosity!

Celebration Generosity!

It is going to be a historic weekend at Community.  For the first time ever, every penny that we collect through our weekend offering, at all 9 campuses, will go towards HPFTHWBTG and eradicating poverty in Uganda, the Philippines, East Aurora, and through our NewThing Network.  Our attenders were asked to join one of these four teams several weeks ago, and this weekend they will have an opportunity to support those teams financially.  I have lots of dreams for what we'd like to do in East Aurora through Community 4:12 and the "Neighborhood Team," so I am excited to see what will be possible because of the generosity of Community attenders!

Introducing Serving Jesus Blog!

I'm really excited to introduce a brand-new blog at CCC.  Our Small Groups Director, Eric Metcalf, has created a site so that small groups and others can stay informed about upcoming service opportunities offered through a variety of ministries.  Click here to check it out!

Casting a Lighthouse Vision

The vague vision and dream is starting to feel more real.  Tonight we held our Neighborhood Team Vision Dinner in the building that we dream will one day become The Lighthouse.  About 200 people gathered, some from Aurora, some from CCC, to hear about our vision for the church and community center we hope to open in East Aurora.  I am obviously pretty biased, but it felt like a powerful night . . . like God is really up to something.  I still really don't know what is going to happen, but I think after taking this vision public and asking 200 people to join us in this mission, we've got some serious momentum building.  Now I just pray that God keeps us moving in the right direction.  If we are moving this fast in the wrong direction, we're in for a serious trainwreck; but if we're moving where God is leading, it feels like we are heading down the runway about to take flight!  If you happened to be at the dinner tonight, I'd love to know what's stirring in your spirit about all of this.