Connecting Point – November 8, 2023

Hello Church Family,

In the months of November and December, we always take up a special Christmas Missions offering that goes directly to support missionaries, missions projects and missions ministries. I'm going to share information about that with you, and then my wife Vicki has a message for the Women of our Church about our upcoming Sweet Christmas events.

First, let me share with you about our 2023 Christmas Missions Offering. Our recent DIFFERENCE-MAKERS Conference was led by 3 of our Missionaries - men who are making a great difference in their respective countries and communities.

• Robert Barriger leads Life Missions, a ministry in Peru that starts Churches, helps compassion ministries (i.e., providing wheelchairs for the disabled, building homes for impoverished families, housing and caring for young traumatized women). He also leads a network of 300+ Pastors in that country, trains Pastors all over South America, and provides counsel and guidance to government leaders.

• Steve Kern leads Good News In Action ministries that oversee a network of Churches throughout El Salvador and also has congregations in Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. They have been very involved in training Pastors and Leaders and have seen over 400,000 people come to faith in Christ through their ministry efforts.

• Moses Odhiambo leads Echoes of Mercy, a ministry in Kenya that is involved in starting Churches, housing orphans, overseeing schools, and leading a nationwide ministry to widows (that recently resulted in 3000+ widows attending a Conference with them).

Those Missionaries and what they are doing represent the many Missionaries, Ministries, and Missions Projects that are supported by our annual Christmas Missions Offering. This year's Christmas Missions Offering will help provide support for:

• The building of 5 houses for homeless families in Guatemala

• 6 months of funding for our Life Transformation Center that ministers to children, teens, and senior adults in New Orleans' Hollygrove/Dixon community

• The construction of a Church facility in Kenya

• Training for 800 Pastors and Church Leaders in Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic

• Benevolence Funding for the elderly and disadvantaged of our region

• Supporting the Baptist Village ministry in Israel that is housing displaced people

• 100 Celebration Missionaries as well as 2469 North American Mission Board missionaries and 3552 International Mission Board missionaries

If everyone in our Church family would give an offering (above their regular Church gifts) the equivalent of what they would give to a family member for Christmas ($25, $50, $100 or $200) we would meet our Christmas Missions Offering goal. And we believe God blesses those who are generous in supporting causes like those mentioned above.

After reading this letter, please pray about what the Lord wants you to give to support these ministry and mission projects. As you receive direction from the Lord, plan to give generously to our Christmas Missions Offering. You can give online at www.celebrationchurch.org/give (select your campus, then designate Christmas Offering) or by using the Christmas Missions Offering envelopes that are found in our Worship Centers.

We thank God for your care and compassion for others, and for what you do to help our Celebration family bring the message and ministry of Jesus all around the world.