Morning Star teams with Grace Dental Mission and Southeast Valley to minister in Jamaica
In August 2008, 18 adults and teens from Morning Star (Rockford, IL) joined
Pastor Joel Tetreau of Southeast Valley Baptist Church (Gilbert, AZ) and
Dr. Jack and Jenny Mitchell of Grace Dental Mission for about two weeks of deliberately-varied ministry in Jamaica.
By God's grace, they were able to put on a Gospel-preaching Bible conference for the training of area pastors, a Christian day camp for local youngsters, and an open free clinic
(with Gospel preaching and counseling) for anyone needing dental attention. Before coming home, many of the team members found themselves joining the islanders in
preparing for and enduring the pre-hurricane stages of the incoming storm Gustav. Even though they did not suffer through a full-force hurricane, it was unique
to be "in others' shoes" for once and get a small glimpse of what it's like to be on the receiving end of such potentially-devastating natural disaster.
HANNAH'S HEART adoption-financing efforts
Hannah's Heart began as the brainchild and burden of the now-non-existent single adults fellowship at Morning Star Baptist Church. Learn more
about it here.
Although it was actually launched just days before Hurricane Katrina hit (August 2005), Hannah's Heart now operates under
the auspices of Global Grace Missions. In keeping with the aims of Global Grace Missions, Hannah's Heart strives to facilitate
adoptions for Christian families. We've been able to help
several families,
the most recent being the Fosters, who adopted Alex, a Russian orphan with special physical needs.
Specific address
Global Grace Missions has its own address now:
Global Grace, Inc.
3430 Colony Bay Drive
Rockford IL 61109
Helping in Jamaica
Hurricane Dean's effects were devastating to a population that is already struggling to make ends meet. Global Grace has begun to partner with Southeast Valley Baptist Church in Arizona to provide aid to a couple of local assemblies in Jamaica. Travel costs to Jamaica are affordable, and we are convinced that several work teams could do a lot of good in a couple of needy communities. Chris Metras, Global Grace's director, has made two trips to Jamaica to assess the damages and determine priority projects.
Special delivery!
The team is planning to stop in Tennessee on the trip down south, so that they can give Jerrod and Amy Hawkins a large financial gift in person. The men hope to be an encouragement to the Hawkins family, who just moved in to a beautiful new home that was built for them.
Work and survey team
John Iversen, Chris Metras, and Ben Walsh left on Thursday, Sept. 14th, to work on a couple of houses in Bay St. Louis, MS, and to survey the surrounding areas for future ministry opportunities. Please be in prayer for them as they travel and work and seek the Lord's will.
Global Grace has a new director
Chris Metras is planning to stop in Tennessee on the trip down south, so that they can give Jerrod and Amy Hawkins a large financial gift in person. The men hope to be an encouragement to the Hawkins family, who just moved in to a beautiful new home that was built for them.
Donate to the "Thank God for Motherhood" Fund
Alpine Bank is joining efforts with us to help the family of Amy Hawkins, a Rockford native who was seriously injured recently during a tornado because she chose to protect her children. Amy's husband Jerrod is from Byron, and they have lived in Tennessee now for about 7 years. Their sons Jair (6) and Cole (3) were spared when Amy used herself to shield them. A wall fell on her, and she is paralyzed now from the waist down. The Hawkins family have lost their home, and Amy's life will never be the same.
This Mother's Day, we want to honor mothers, and helping and honoring Amy is one small token of our appreciation for the constant sacrificing spirit exhibited by so many mothers. To give toward this fund, you can walk into any Alpine Bank branch location and ask to make a donation to the "Thank God for Motherhood" fund; or you could mail a donation care of Global Grace, or Morning Star Baptist Church (PO Box 71, Winnebago IL 61088).
About Global Grace, Inc.
As a part of God's global Church,
the people of Morning Star Baptist
Church desire to serve as His hands and feet. Especially in light of the recent
hurricane damage in the Gulf Coast area, we have been burdened to organize, fund, and man
relief efforts.
While we note the importance of emergency supplies and want to help financially, we are also
struck with the needs for hospitality (possibly longterm) and pastoral care after a crisis of
this magnitude.
This website represents Global Grace,
a ministry of
Morning Star Baptist Church in
Rockford, Illinois. As a local church body, we feel the burden of God's commands to care for
the poor in their affliction and know that we ought to be directing our God-given resources
to worthwhile, eternally valuable causes.
"The
desperate need here is for mature
Christians to put their arms around
the
shoulders of these people and weep with
them. The need
here is for mature Christians
to sit down with victims and let them talk,
then
offer words of comfort, prayer and a witness
for Jesus
Christ. We have a horrible crisis
on our hands. We also have a
tremendous
opportunity to point multitudes to Jesus
Christ as their Lord and Savior."~ Roger Price, pastor in Lafayette, LouisianaOur hope
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the current disaster conditions in Mississippi and Louisiana, we have a main focus:
We hope to raise the finances necessary to help displaced families relocate to Rockford and other places where they can get back on their feet spiritually, physically, and emotionally. We want them to know safety, provision, and interaction with a community of believers. We want to help fund their transportation, housing, and necessities. We want to address the needs of the whole person, for the Gospel's sake.
Other ideas
We are planning to host a
blood drive at our meeting place this week. We are attempting to raise money for
air mattresses and other urgent requests. We are seeking other ways to get personally involved, whether through
traveling and
pastoral care ("counseling"), and/or
hosting families in our homes.
Rationale
We consider
helping the needy in a crisis
situation to be both a
biblical responsibility and a
redemptive investment.
We trust that God will bless and multiply the results of this project as He wills, both for
His glory and for our good.
[Read more:
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