Month: November 2020

Ministry Opportunities Continue in Cebu

November 25, 2020 Shofar Missions Cebu

Get the latest ministry update from Shofar Mission Cebu!

STREET LEVEL MINISTRIES

As finals are approaching, many students are in “crunch mode.” Even though they are studying remotely, we have been able to connect digitally on Fridays for Street Level meetings. We have been studying the gospel of Mark during our Bible discussions. Most of the UV students who graduated last semester have been able to stop by the office for short visits after their trips to campus. There is always one more piece of paper, one more 2×2 photo, and a signature needed to process their graduation clearance. We had the opportunity to visit campus to update some of the SLR equipment… it’s quiet there. Very different than this time last year!

Issue 84 of Word on the Street Magazine has been sent to print and will be released digitally this week. We are planning to send out 500 copies of this issue to UV students with their modular learning packets next month. The members who volunteer for Street Level Radio have been producing teaching clips as internet and electricity allow. The connection can be unstable and some areas experience brownouts regularly.

SHOFAR CABLE TV

This month, Shofar Cable TV started broadcasting in Metro Cebu City! Shofar TV is channel 187 on Cebu Cable. We have been broadcasting in Balamban and Asturias on channel 37 through ATD Cable since 2012. Station programming includes Pastor Tim’s Sunday Services, local Filipino Sunday church services, along with various other programs. We are continuing to update programming.

EXPLORING CREATION SCIENCE

Exploring Creation Science virtual lessons continue. As of this writing, classes will remain online for Semester 2. Lessons with Grade 5 students at Banawa Nazarene School started this month. Next month students in Grade 6 will have a three-part series to end semester 1. As the “ber” months end and January rolls around we are hoping for a few more opportunities to visit with pastors and teachers at various churches/schools. Plans for Semester 2 also include curriculum for students in grades 6 or 12 that are moving up or graduating, along with four new curriculum sets.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Many churches are meeting at 50%. Please pray that everyone attending would be mindful of the protocols including the mandatory use of face masks, face shields, pre-registration (this is to ensure attendance does not exceed 50% as required by the government), temperature checks, and health declaration forms.
Pray for all the students and staff that we have had an opportunity to interact with. Pray that God would continue to work in them.
We continue to take time to grill and spend time getting to know those in our compound. Please pray for those we have gotten to know.

Children’s Ministry Fall Update

November 22, 2020 The Children's Ministry

Children’s Ministry Schedule

The Foundations Room continues to meet twice per month on the 2^nd and 4^th Sundays during the church service for children ages 5-4^th grade. On the other Sundays, children are able to join their families in the corporate worship service. The goal of this schedule is to provide them with an opportunity to study the Bible at their level and still offer regular occasions to engage with God along with the full church body. After all, we are all part of God’s church and He wants to speak to each one of us, young and old, through the preaching of His Word.

Christmas Card Project

During the month of November the Foundations kids have been working hard to prepare Christmas cards for the Philippines. Each child is making a card that will be sent to one of seven churches and organizations that Brittany and Laura have connections to in the Philippines. The kids have been praying for the people who will be receiving their cards. We hope the cards will be a blessing and encouragement to them!

Advent Ideas

As we approach the month of December, many of us are finding that our holiday traditions are being disrupted this year. On a personal note, our family is taking the opportunity to re-evaluate our traditions and try something new. This year we will be using the Little Village Family Advent Guide, which was created by The Village Church and is available for free. The purpose of Advent is to spend 4 weeks leading up to Christmas focused on preparing our hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

This particular guide is meant to be used once a week starting 4 weeks before Christmas. (This year that will be Sunday November 29). It also has a Christmas Eve reading and a 5^th week focusing on Jesus’ future promise to return! If you are interested in trying an advent guide but don’t need the family focus, click here for the regular Advent Guide created by The Village Church

If you have younger children and already own The Jesus Storybook Bible, another free option is The Jesus Storybook Bible Advent Guide. This guide includes a reading for the 24 days leading up to Christmas, plus ornaments to color for each day.

Whatever the size of or ages in your family, I hope you are inspired by these resources to spend some focused time together preparing to celebrate Christ’s birth!

Prayer Requests

That the Christmas cards being sent to the Philippines would bless and encourage the churches and organizations receiving them.
That the children in our church would hear and receive the gospel at an early age.
For wisdom as we make plans for 2021.

River Falls Ministry News / November 2020

November 19, 2020 River Falls Ministry

Get the latest news from Believers Church plant and College Bible Study in River Falls, WI.

College Bible Study

When did it start getting dark before 5 pm? This semester is going so fast. It is almost over! UW River Falls will actually be going entirely digital after Thanksgiving. Although, the students still have the option to live on campus, so we plan to continue meeting in person while allowing students at home to virtually attend.

Some of the highlights from the last month include Ben and Sasha from Street Level Menomonie visiting and leading one of the studies. Also, some of the students were able to get together in the coffeehouse and paint pumpkins. It was a nice time of fellowship outside of the normal Bible study. Check out some of the pumpkins painted.

WOTS Update

We are also excited to have the River Falls fall Word on the Street (WOTS) issue mailed out to all of the freshmen on campus! A lot of people helped to make it possible for these to go out by folding, sticking, and preparing to mail the magazine. We ask for your prayers that these magazines are seen by the people God wants to see them.

Prayer Requests…

For the Freshman students that recently received the WOTS magazine.
That we would have continued guidance from God during these times.
That the students would grow in their relationship and commitment to God.

Further Information

Church Plant

Get the latest news from Believers Church plant and College Bible Study in River Falls, WI.

Kindred Singles Fellowship

November 16, 2020 Kindred Adults Ministry

What a blessing to have friends in Christ to share our lives with. In the last few months, the Kindred Singles went biking on the Wildwood Trail, hosted a two-day retreat, held a Friday night fire, and witnessed some spectacular stargazing…

Hanging Out Together

Ok… so Cory’s telescope didn’t give us quite that clear of an image of Saturn and Jupiter (those came from the Hubble), but we really could see the rings of Saturn and four moons around Jupiter. It was quite spectacular!

We close each of our fellowship activities by praying for each other and reading a Psalm together (picking up where we left off last time). Just to show God’s perfect handiwork, He had us in Psalm 8 following our stargazing activity…

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.”
Psalm 8:3-5 (ESV)

Simply Sharing Jesus

We also hosted a two-day retreat on Simply Sharing Jesus at the church campground. We got into some practical discussion on what sharing Jesus could look like personally in our day to day lives. We also had a little time to be silly…

Faye…

James???

Thank you to our Duluth brothers and sisters for joining us! Anytime we can get together with you, we are blessed…

Simply Sharing Jesus Download

Prayer Requests

That we might be able to continue to fellowship safely and creatively through the winter months…
That we can grow closer as brothers and sisters to the entire church, being an integral part of God’s great big family…
That we would not lose sight of our main mission, to simply share Jesus with the world around us… He certainly is worth sharing!

What’s Happening?

November 13, 2020 Believers Church Duluth

New Adventures

What have us north folk been up to? So we got to set up our stand at Boo at the Zoo! Every October our local zoo hosts trick or treating events with local businesses and organizations. For three Saturdays leading up to Halloween, we got to hand out candy to trick or treaters and church information to the parents. Then, all dressed up, on Halloween, we set up in four different neighborhoods to do the same thing. These ended up being a great way to meet our community. We look forward to hopefully doing it again next year.

While the teams were on the domestic trip, We took a brief pause on revelation and Jeremiah. During that time we were treated to a series on Kings and Kingdoms as well as a study in Joshua. The team came back to some really nice weather (like seriously it was warm), giving us the opportunity to catch up with them on some beautiful days. Now, winter has arrived, but October was not our last hurrah before it got cold. We’ve got some ideas on how we want to spend it together.

Campus Ministry

Street Level has continued to meet once a week as we go through Galatians. The Garage, Street Level’s meeting place, has been such a nice space and just what we needed. In addition to our Monday study nights, we’ve plans some other fun events. We joined in on the Halloween fun by having a party; complete with costumes, pumpkin carving, and old Halloween movies. Man, there were some intricate pumpkin carvings…they had some crazy skills! Next, we look forward to a retro video game night!

After thanksgiving, many students will not be returning to campus as all classes will be online. But some students will be staying in the area. We will continue to meet after thanksgiving. Also, we hope to print and mail WOTS to every UWS students very soon. Street Level has been quite blessed this year with not only a neat meeting space and opportunities, but an awesome core group. We are excited for the rest of the semester.

Prayer Requests

Please pray not only opportunity to continue to reach students and our community, but that real strong relationships would be a distinguishing part of who we are; for us to continue to grow in unity and love for one another. Also, please pray for our leaders as they continue to seek God’s direction.

I Want to be With My Dad

November 10, 2020 Pastor Jesse Moss | Duluth

When I was growing up my dad drove truck on the weekends to earn some extra money. He’d get up at three AM, get in the truck, and head to the coal dock in Superior. Once there, he’d load up the first of three loads to be brought to the Iron Range. I remember asking one Friday night if I could go with him. I had no idea what I was getting into. What boy wouldn’t want to spend a day around big trucks, seeing front end loaders, and exploring the inner working of power plants? The next morning I woke up earlier than I ever had, grabbed my lunch box, and followed my dad, him with his thermos of coffee and mine full of hot chocolate.

I’d get very little sleep. The days would be long. The seats would be uncomfortable. Believe it or not, the excitement of big trucks and heavy equipment wasn’t enough to hold my attention and desire. But the presence of my dad in the seat beside me had me going day after day. To the best of my memory, there wasn’t a trip my dad took that I didn’t go with if I could. The lack of sleep didn’t matter. The discomfort of sitting in a truck seat didn’t matter. I didn’t care that there was nothing to entertain myself with. It didn’t matter where we were going, I just wanted to be with my dad.

I loved those trips. I’m sure there were difficult days. Days when the truck wouldn’t start, days with flat tires, days where my dad or I irritated each other. But I got to spend time with my dad. I got to know him better than ever. I got to go where he was going and do what he was doing. He didn’t need my help. In fact, in some ways, I am sure his day would have been easier without me, but he let me come. My dad was going to work and I was going with him.

God invites us along

There is no doubt that God is at work in the world. We don’t always know what that work is. Nor do we have a perfect understanding of how to do the work and yet God as our perfect heavenly Father invites us along. He will open up the passenger door and ask if you are getting in. You can pass if you want. He won’t force you to spend time with Him. But if you don’t spend time with Him, you will not know Him. If you don’t go with him, you won’t do what He is doing.

There will be days where being with God is going to cost you. You’ll lose sleep. You will be uncomfortable. There will be days you don’t even know where you are going. There will be days where there seems to be no earthly reason to continue on. Is the presence of God enough to keep you going? If you know Him as the Father He truly is, His presence alone is enough. The presence and closeness of God is what we should treasure most.

The Presence of God is the Point

In Exodus 33 the Israelites are in the wilderness after God has delivered them from Egypt. They are a sinful and rebellious nation. In the previous chapter, they had created a golden calf as their preferred god to worship. Needless to say, they were not being ideal children. God tells them to go into the promised land full of great blessings, comfort, and riches. He even says that He will send His Angel before them to drive out their enemies. He guarantees the Israelite’s earthly desires. But then says that He is not going to go.

Moses replies saying, “If your presence is not going to go with us, please don’t make us go.” He knew that to enter into a land full of blessings and riches but without the presence of God is far worse than staying put in the harsh wilderness with God at their side. He knew that it is better to be anywhere with God than in paradise without Him.

Will You go With

Getting in the passenger seat with my Dad was a little intimidating. I had no idea what was in store or where we would end up. I didn’t know how long we would be gone. But I did it and never regretted it. The same is true of going to work with God. It’s more than a little intimidating, it’s terrifying. You never know where He might take you or what He might expect you to do along the way. Do you want to be with your Father? If you’ll go, you will find He will take you on the ride of your life.