Tomorrow Mission Joplin will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. We could use extra volunteers because of a Christmas giveaway event being held at Forest Park’s Joplin campus for FEMA trailer families. You could help at either event…and bless a LOT of people who need healing, help and hope!
Forest Park is hosting a big event Saturday for families living in the FEMA trailers. (The event is not open to the general public.) We are putting together a toy store and a place to wrap gifts. We also have nativity sets to give away reminding people of the true meaning of Christmas. Second Baptist of Springfield brought us 120 nativities yesterday as well as 83 coats! My mom’s church, South Haven, donated a large number of nativities as well. We are expecting about 500 people and could use your help. We need about 400 gift bags as well as a crew of volunteers to work anytime Saturday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Those living in the FEMA trailers…
I heard some crazy stories about shoppers on Black Friday. Someone pepper-sprayed a group of people standing between her and an X-box. Someone else got stabbed! Maybe it’s a good thing that I didn’t put an ad in the paper for Mission Joplin which will be open tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Doorbuster Special: EVERYTHING IS FREE!” I enjoy some aspects of Black Friday (like saving money) but it’s a reminder of how our culture values material things more than God. When I arrived at our church campus on Sunday, there was no long line of people waiting to get in. Chew on that for a couple of days and see if you don’t agree with me that…
Saturday at Mission Joplin one of our volunteers met a young couple who were very interested in learning about becoming followers of Jesus. After finding a little booklet that describes how though faith in Christ our sins are forgiven, our volunteer gave this couple an opportunity to pray to receive the Lord and they did! We continue to find that meeting people’s physical needs opens opportunities to meet spiritual needs. Last week we served 141 families that suffered loss in the tornado and 88 other families with needs. We are short on bleach, dish soap, new socks and underwear, pots and pans, microwaves, electric blankets, canned fruit and meat, mac and cheese, sugar and flour. Because of the holiday, we…