Life Groups Update
Greetings church family!
Jesus once said, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” This abundance Jesus spoke of is not abundant wealth or abundant possessions, it’s abundant fruitfulness! Jesus has come that we might bear abundant fruit for God’s glory (John 15:8). And just like any fruit bearing tree, in order to bear abundant fruit we need to be planted in the right soil containing the right nutrients and the right amount of exposure.
This is precisely what a Life Group is designed to offer, the goal being that we would all bear abundant spiritual fruit for God’s glory!
May God bless our individual and collective efforts to BE DISCIPLES and MAKE DISCIPLES!
Pastor Dan Patterson
Life Group Info & Sign-Ups
Announcements
Married/Engaged Couples Painting Night. Friday, March 7, 6:30pm. Looking for a fun, creative way to spend quality time with your spouse or fiancée? Join us for a Couples Paint Night where you can unleash your artistic side, enjoy some yummy tacos and some laughs together! No experience needed! This event is open to both married couples and those who are engaged. Childcare will not be available for this event.
*We are currently at capacity and cannot take any more registrations at this time. If you would like to be added to our wait list in case we have cancellations, follow the link below:
Worship Night, Sunday, March 30, 6pm.
MISSION TRIPS
2025 Mission Trips (Ensure your passport is current or start the process now to obtain one)
- Tecate, Mexico: May 2-4 and October 10-12 (approximately $260). Join Pastor DanO in the Children’s Elementary room after service this Sunday for an informational meeting.
- Honduras: July 30-August 7. See Greg Stanford for information.
MIDWEEK MINISTRIES
- Moms in Prayer. Mondays, 10am in the Youth Room. We are mothers who, together, bring all our concerns before our Heavenly Father. Let us stand with you in prayer for your children and their schools. We also meet every other Tuesday night (opposite Women’s Group nights) at the home of Marianne Jones at 6pm. Click here for more details
- Biblical Peer Counseling, Wednesday, 1pm-4pm. **This ministry is currently on a break**
- Youth Ministry, Wednesdays, 6:30pm. The High School and Junior High ministry invites all 6th through 12th grade students to fellowship with us. This ministry builds relationships with God and people through discipleship, serving, studying the bible, and worshiping Jesus! Our mission is TO KNOW JESUS AND MAKE HIM KNOWN! Click here for more info
- Men’s Small Group Study Tuesdays, 6:30pm. Join us as we walk through the book of Revelation. This will be a deeper dive into the message from the prior Sunday. To review last Sunday’s message, click here.
- Women’s Small Group Study. Tuesday, March 25, 6:30pm. Join us for our Spring Women’s Group study, “Ordinary Women, Extraordinary God, Lessons Gleaned from Women of the Bible”. Click here for more info
LIFE GROUPS
Jesus said, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” This abundance Jesus spoke of is not abundant wealth or abundant possessions, it’s abundant fruitfulness! Jesus has come that we might bear abundant fruit for God’s glory (John 15:8). And just like any fruit bearing tree, in order to bear abundant fruit we need to be planted in the right soil containing the right nutrients and the right amount of exposure. This is precisely what a Life Group is designed to offer, the goal being that we would all bear abundant spiritual fruit for God’s glory! Click here for more info
OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE
- Children’s Ministry. Our Children’s Ministry is growing and with that grows our need for teachers, assistants, and toddler care.
- Church Cleaning Ministry. For more information see Pastor DanO or click here.
- Broadcast/Soundbooth. We are in need three teams of 3-4 people to be trained up and serve in the broadcast, sound and/or Proclaim (worship lyrics) parts of our ministry. For more information see Sean in the soundbooth or click here.
- Other opportunities to serve
Allison Gibson Missions Update
So, What Will You Be Doing in Tanzania?
Well, I’m glad you asked!
As you’ll recall from my recent updates, I’m preparing to travel with one of KidZ at Heart’s short-term training teams to Tanzania in June. Since that time is fast approaching, I thought you all might like to learn a little bit more about what we’ll be doing when we get there.
Our main thing we do on KidZ at Heart short-term trips is to present our Transforming KidZ Ministry training program (an 8-module, seminar-style presentation where each module takes about a full day to complete). It is designed to equip the leaders, teachers, parents, grandparents, and church volunteers of the region with tools and techniques that they can easily implement in their churches, homes and classrooms to help both them and the children they impact develop a deep, personal relationship with Jesus.
Another main element of our training trips is the process of developing a local training network. This involves helping to identify and build up local leaders and put together a team in that region that can continue training people in a more ongoing way. Part of this process is encouraging and building relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ in the area.
In Tanzania, we will be doing a lot of both of these things. We look forward to re-connecting with contacts in the country (who we have been unable to visit for the past two years due to Covid restrictions). We also plan to present modules 3 and 4 of the training with one group, and modules 7 and 8 with another. It’s always exciting to see participants complete module 8, since that is when they get the opportunity to practice what they’ve learned in all the previous sessions, as well as receive their certificates and “graduate” the program.
For me specifically, like I was able to do in El Salvador last November, my main job will be to run around with a camera the whole time. One of my goals at KidZ at Heart is to expand our media library so that we are better able to share with people what we do, as well as what God is doing through these amazing training networks all over the world. I am always amazed and blessed by the stories I hear on these trips from the participants about the way the training has impacted their lives and ministries, and it is an honor and a joy for me to be able to capture them and share them with a wider audience.
I am still looking to raise some money to cover my travel expenses, so if the Lord lays it on your heart do do so, feel free to donate online at the link below, and select Staff – Allison Gibson under the Project Designation.
And as always, I am so grateful for your prayers as well!
A Global Look at the Ministry of KidZ at Heart International
Allison and I want to announce the start of our annual spring fundraising campaign. If you have financially supported Allison, watch for a letter in the mail late next week. Inside, you will find a note from me describing several exciting developments within KidZ at Heart International in our 20th year of ministry.
Our campaign, Serving the Under-Served Church…to Reach the Unreached Child, encapsulates the ministry of KidZ. Whether in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, or our own urban, rural, and suburban settings in the U.S. and Canada, KidZ trains local leaders to help kids fall deeply in love with Jesus.
What’s an under-served church? The vast majority of churches have less than 80 members. Smaller churches are wonderful places to fellowship and worship, but often have limited resources and are frequently overlooked by those who provide children’s ministry training and tools.
Your generous gifts make it possible for KidZ at Heart to provide top quality training for churches who might otherwise not be able to afford it. We serve all churches, but especially the under-served church, so that leaders around the world will be equipped to reach unreached children of their own communities.
I appreciate your loving support of Allison, and I would never want you to reduce those gifts. However, if you are one who can manage a special gift and the Lord lays it upon your heart to do so, we would appreciate you prayerfully considering being part of this campaign.
– Gordon West, President/CEO
A Personal Update
If you’re looking for me next week, you’ll find me in Arizona for KidZ at Heart’s Spring Staff Retreat. This is one of the main times during the year that we get together as a staff in person to pray, seek the Lord, make plans, and fellowship together. It’s always refreshing, after interacting with each other exclusively over email and Zoom to actually be face to face and develop relationships as a staff outside of virtual meetings. I will be driving to Arizona from my home here in Orange County, CA, so I would welcome any podcast recommendations you’d like to send my way!
Prayer Requests
- Pray for God’s provision and protection as we prepare to travel to Tanzania
- Pray for our staff as we meet together for our retreat in Arizona next week
- Pray that God would bring the right people to join our team as we continue to expand the ministry
Financial Support Update
Monthly Support
- 98% currently covered by supporters (Thank You!)
- 2% still needed
One-Time Gifts
- $3,000 needed above monthly support for travel to Tanzania!
Special Note: If you are already donating monthly, and have not yet switched over your information into our new giving platform, please do so as soon as you can! You should have received an email from me last week with instructions on how to do that. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions about the process.
Join My Support Team
Updates and Prayer – Are there others you know who would like to receive my monthly updates? Please contact me with details so I can verify contact information and their desire to be connected. You may view my blog, connect with my personal Facebook page, and email me using the icons below.
Finances – Would you prayerfully consider giving to KidZ at Heart as we help children fall deeply in love with Jesus? Donations are received securely online or by check.
- Checks – payable to KidZ at Heart and noted for Allison Gibson; mail to address below
- Online – GIVE HERE
Opportunities to Serve
For I (Jesus) have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. (John 13:15-17)
Here I am Lord… send me! I am interested in serving in (required):
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