September God's Grace in Every Season

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Phyllis Haynes
5 years ago
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our church ministry have felt so full of both joyful events and hard moments as we have seen God s grace and provision for us

1 Thank you for your continued prayers and support! View this in your browser September 2018 God's Grace in Every Season Summer Ministry Update The past three months of our church ministry have felt so full of both joyful events and hard moments as we have seen God s grace and provision for us in our transition as a church body. We praise God for how He has shown us more of Himself through this season of both transition and celebration. In July we said goodbye to the Russ family as they moved

to Scotland. Please continue to pray for their family as they adjust to life there. Last month we then had the joy of installing Pastor Leon as our Lead Pastor.

As we share the events and highlights of this summer below, we ask you to pray with us for God to continue to work in hearts of those we meet through our ministries and to pray for us as we continue

2 to Scotland. Please continue to pray for their family as they adjust to life there. Last month we then had the joy of installing Pastor Leon as our Lead Pastor. We praise God for his faithfulness in continuing to provide godly leadership for our church body. As we share the events and highlights of this summer below, we ask you to pray with us for God to continue to work in hearts of those we meet through our ministries and to pray for us as we continue in a new season of ministry as a church family. Thank you for all of your faithful partnership in this ministry as you labor with us in prayer and financial support! Please send any payments to: Mack Avenue Community Church P.O. Box Detroit, MI Spotlight Summer Camps! We are so grateful for the many resources and partnerships God has provided for us to be able to put on a variety of summer camp opportunities for kids to experience gospel centered fun! We hosted SpringHill again this summer, a Christian camp that travels around the area providing fun activities like a climbing wall and giant slip 'n' slide, and opportunities for kids to learn more about Jesus. MACC Sports hosted both a volleyball and soccer camp this summer where players learned the skills of the game and heard gospel lessons. MACC Lit held its summer camp in two three week sessions this summer

where campers work on their reading skills to counteract the "summer slide" and take field trips to great places like the Michigan Science Center and the Detroit Zoo!

3 where campers work on their reading skills to counteract the "summer slide" and take field trips to great places like the Michigan Science Center and the Detroit Zoo! Please pray with us that the campers from each of these camps, as well as their families, will stay connected to MACC and will desire to grow in Christ. Praises and Prayer Requests Seek the Lord in Thankfulness with Us! Praise the Lord for: Our annual 3v3 tournament in June, which was moved inside last minute due to rain. Despite the gym renovations not being completely finished, we were able to adjust our plans and host the tournament at our building! It was joyful to see the space used for a community event where teams had good competition and the gospel was proclaimed! The amazing mission teams that stayed with us this summer! They were a great help in projects around our neighborhood and we pray they are continuing to grow in Christ and in the lessons they learned here. Our summer interns, Roland and Mattie, who spent two months with us assisting with summer camps, mission teams, and so much more! Please pray for them as they return to school. A summer sermon series on relationships and our current series in the book of Nehemiah where we are looking at character and revival in the story of the Israelites returning from exile to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. The great time we had at a community event this summer, the Mack Alive Parade hosted by a nonprofit in our neighborhood! We are thankful for all that the Lord has done in our community but ultimately praise God for who He is. Praise the Lord with us to this end! Also, please be praying for: Our church members as we begin our new year of discipleship, that our hearts will be transformed by the renewing of our minds and that this ministry will be fruitful in growing disciples of Jesus. The MACC Lit tutoring year, which will begin in October. Pray for students to grow in their reading skills and to experience Christ as they attend tutoring each week.

The MACC Sports Fall Soccer Season, which will also take place in October. Please pray with us for this season to bring families in our neighborhood to join us at church on Sundays!

4 The MACC Sports Fall Soccer Season, which will also take place in October. Please pray with us for this season to bring families in our neighborhood to join us at church on Sundays! Please also pray for a new Program Director for our MACC Sports Program. The Commons to see an increase in foot traffic to both the laundromat and café, and that we could continue serving customers well with the resources we ve been given. MACC Development A Note from Executive Director, Ezekiel Harris Dear Friends, Praise God for the many opportunities he has blessed MACC Development with over the last couple of months since our last update! This has been a busy time of the year as we have settled into our new space and seen a glimpse of the goodness coming in the future. The Commons is fully operational and we have gone through many learning cycles as a team as we continue to discover all the different elements of operating such a unique business within our community. A big surprise to all of us has been how quickly people have taken advantage of the community space on the second floor. So far, we ve hosting class reunions, business leader luncheons, baby showers, graduation parties and even a neighbor's 86th birthday party. I am very hopeful in the resources this will bring our organization and the need this meets for our community. But as with any business we have a lot of work to do--one way you can support us now is to come for a visit! Furthermore, we were finally able to put the MACC Lit space to the test this summer during camp. 30+ little boys and girls did as expected - moving furniture around, climbing on

5 things, reorganizing our library - but all in all we made it through and can t wait until after-school tutoring starts in a couple of weeks. Please pray that our new permanent location has an impact on recruiting volunteers as we have found it difficult in the past. Lastly, this season I am really trying to focus in on the core essence of what I believe has allowed us to flourish up to this point as an organization. I ve notice the difference time and again of what it means to live within the community you witness to and at the time of writing this, 100% of MACC Development and The Commons staff reside in the I ve also noticed how God uses us or changes our perspective on an event when we seek Him first. As Christians who trust in Christ throughout any trials and tribulations we can t comprehend just how big our God is but that shouldn t prevent us from giving everything to Him. I myself am guilty of not recognizing how big He is but I am thankful for His grace. Please pray that we as a team will continue to be spiritually renewed and constantly reminded of God s magnificence. Pray for the upcoming seasons of MACC Sports and MACC Lit and the continued financial growth of The Commons. Pray for volunteers to support our work and to come with servants' hearts. Grace be with you, Ezekiel Harris Executive Director MACC Development Visit maccdevelopment.com/blog to read an update from each of our ministries. Updates from MACC Kids and MACC Youth To read updates from our young ones, visit the pages below: MACC Kids: MACC Youth:

6 Contact Pastor Leon Stevenson: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20 Copyright 2018 Mack Avenue Community Church, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these s? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

First Mennonite Church Bluffton, Ohio Vol. 65, No. 9 September 2018

First Mennonite Church Bluffton, Ohio Vol. 65, No. 9 September 2018 Gratitude and Thanksgiving Do you remember June 17? It was the last Sunday we worshipped together in the sanctuary at FMC before beginning