IMMIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER NEWS The Immigration Resource Center offices (located on the 2nd floor of church CoffeeCan) is a recognized Board of Immigration Appeal (BIA) center providing legal services. Shellie Vascik has been appointed as Community Meal Coordinator for ICCOMPASSION’S Wednesday night “Gathering.” Shellie will be managing the kitchen, meals, and supervising an increasing number of volunteers for this vital weekly outreach ministry. This week, after coordinating 12 volunteers and serving 94 meals, Shellie Vascik wrote: "I was so overwhelmed with God's wonderful grace and provision tonight, I could not even leave the parking lot until I gave him praise and prayer for that goodness. I had prayed with Brenda and Mireya about 3:15 p.m. because I needed God to show up more than ever. I am so, so, so humbled to see just how He did that. Tonight His grace was so deep that I feel like it pulled me under. Each week, more and more I am convicted that I just need to let Him be God. I have been very recently confronted with writing a "blank check" with my life ... I know I did that to a certain extent the week of my birthday... but tonight in my van, I took another step by point blank telling God exactly that...a complete blank check. I just can't hold back any more... I don't have it in me. " We are so grateful Shellie for your obedience to God. Office “Walk-in” hours are posted at front door. We are pleased to welcome Cheryl Mason, attorney at law as a member of our immigrant resource team. Cheryl has had 13 years experience in immigration law and carries a sincere interest in the lives of those clients she serves. Teresa Stecker, ICCOMPASSION’S Executive Director commissioned Gail Behrens as the newest local Compassionate Ministries director in the Council Bluffs Church of the Nazarene last Sunday as part of the Iowa District’s 20/20 Vision of starting 20 new churches and 20 new compassionate ministry centers in 6 years. ICCOMPASSION is still reeling from the loss of James Thompson, our valued volunteer who was faithful in running a multiplicity of errands on a weekly basis. At this time, we are desperate to find a replacement! We have been amazed at the number of things that are now left undone because of James’s absence. (Yes, he is enjoying the sunshine at his new home in southern California!) If you know of a retired individual who has transportation and is willing to offer Tuesdays and Wednesdays, PLEASE contact Teresa ASAP! INTERN HOUSING NEEDED Our food pantry is open each Wednesday from 12 Noon until 4:00 p.m. Food donations are always needed and welcomed! Please contact ICCOMPASSION this week for information on current food needs, and ways you can make a lasting difference in people’s lives. We continue to need your food donations and additional volunteers. Last week, we served 61 homes! Washington Church, 1506 N. 5th Washington, Iowa Iglesia del Nazareno / Miguel Pineda • 1:00 p.m. The interactive seminar will continue on SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH AT 8:30 a.m. in the church CoffeeCan FOR ALL THE MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF OUR GREATER IOWA CITY CHURCH! Come join us and bring a friend! The reviews of this training opportunity are great! This is your opportunity to learn how to help fulfill Christ’s commandment to go into all the world and tell the story! Week Day Service Schedule Third Culture Youth / Kobe Lovan • Wednesdays @ 6:00 p.m. Iglesia del Nazareno / Miguel Pineda • Saturdays @ 6:30 p.m. Wednesday’s “Gathering” Community Dinner (Church CoffeeCan) @ 5:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. Activities: Children’s Bible Story Hour Adult Bible Study Third Culture Youth English Language Learners Michael Lynch • Tel. 319.321.4465 / icnazarene@gmail Miguel Pineda • Tel. 319.383.2780 / [email protected] Chapain Tosingilo • Tel. 319.936.5609 / [email protected] Teresa Stecker • Tel. 563.260.4541 / [email protected] Kobe Lovan • TEXT only: 319.775.5856 / [email protected] Taylor Getting • Tel. 425.298.3506 / [email protected] Chaplain Chris Lockeby • Tel: 319.530.4442 / [email protected] We are seeking to impact children, youth, adults and seniors— including those who are homeless, struggling and strangers to our community. For many of these, we are their church. ICCOMPASSIONS’ Food Pantry Sunday Worship Service Schedule Community (English) / Michael Lynch • 9:27 a.m. Open Door (English) / Teresa Stecker • 11:15 a.m. African (French) / Chapain Tosingilo • 12:30 p.m. Iglesia del Nazareno (Spanish) / Miguel Pineda • 4:00 p.m. New Church Plant (Coralville) Starting Soon Ray Neu and his bilingual team will be here in the Greater Iowa City Church THIS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH AT 6:00 P.M. to present a great seminar on the power of conveying the Gospel through the art of storytelling! New Church Plant in Coralville! Taylor and Stephanie Getting have been working preparing to launch the next church congregation partnering with the Greater Iowa City Church! Virtually every day, progress is made toward the official launch in the first of the year. Pastoral Staff However, as numbers increase, if you feel God lead you to help out by providing donation of food, we now have a sign up sheet in the CoffeeCan hallway. Thank you for your ongoing support of this partnership between ICCOMPASSION and the Greater Iowa City Church. Where the World Comes Together! Satellite Worship Sunday VOLUNTEER NEEDED! Our community meal volunteers experience great blessings as they see God at work. We continue to serve over 350 meals a month on LESS THAN $200! [Reminds us of Christ miraculously multiplying a small boy’s lunch of 5 loaves and 2 fish, eh?] If you feel God prompting you to make an monetary donation, please mark your offering: COMMUNITY MEAL. A Multicultural Christian Community Part of the International Church of the Nazarene 1035 Wade Street, Iowa City, Iowa 52240 / Tel: 319.338.3313 icnazarene.org On Tuesday, November 18th, both the Greater Iowa City Church and ICCOMPASSION have been invited to the campus of MidAmerica Nazarene University to recruit students to serve as volunteers and interns in our local compassionate ministry center and multicultural ministry. There are two options before us: Shepherd Community, our flagship CMC in Indianapolis recruits students for Spring Break missions service. This is an option we will be exploring. Needed housing would be over the week of Spring Break—the week of March 16th. Secondly, we are looking at summer internships that will need housing for up to 3 months. Our ability to access much needed interns and the talents they offer is dependent on us providing accommodations. Want to help? A wonderful upscale coffeehouse space has been negotiated on the main highway in Coralville. This space will house weekly worship and fellowship on Sunday mornings. An official name for this church has been selected and is scheduled to be announced next week! Websites and media sites are being acquired and contact information secured. Taylor and Stephanie’s new church telephone number is: 425.298.3506. Partnering with the Christian Culture Community— Home of ICCOMPASSION Teresa Stecker, Executive Director Tel: 319.330.9883 [email protected] ICCOMPASSION A Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Center 2400 Towncrest Drive, Iowa City Referrals Mentoring Clothing Food Pantry (Open Wednesdays) Immigrant Resource Center Kaleidoscope Christian Preschool English Language Learning (Wednesdays) Community Meal (Wednesday) You may email them at: [email protected] This new church plant will be geared to young adults who are looking for a fresh experience of the church and a relevant Christ-centered world-view. The Gettings are now identifying members of their new ministry team that individuals who are interested in joining their initial core group. Taylor and Stephanie will be back in Iowa City November 13th. Taylor will be spending 2-3 weeks preparing for their move from Seattle and set the stage for their first meetings. Interested! Please contact Taylor today! Children’s Bible Story Hour Bear with each other and forgive WHATEVER grievances you my have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." -Colossians 3:13 Chaplain Chris has submitted an extensive report on hospital and home visitation. Due to the great opportunities we have in the Greater Iowa City Church, Chris will be working to put together a Chaplaincy Team to assist in her work. Our chaplain would love to hear from you. Chaplain Chris will be away from the office from September 10—25th. Email at: [email protected] or Call: 319. 530. 4442 Our Wednesday evening Children's Bible Story Hour started out with a game of "hot and cold". Doreen hid some tiny livestock in different places in the room and the children had to find them. The kids had a blast with this game and Elijah was one of our winners by finding the sheep. Our lesson was entitled: "Jacob Returns Home". Annual Greater Iowa City Church’s Service of Gratitude Sunday, November 23rd! We will be! organizing a great combined choir for that occasion and are looking forward to participants from all our partnering congregations in a great sound of joy! Invite your family and friends early! Community Church Potluck this Sunday THIS SUNDAY, November 2nd is the next Community Church Potluck Lunch in the CoffeeCan. Food will be served immediately following the 9:27 a.m. worship. Please bring dish to share. Gospel Sing Next Sunday The monthly Gospel Sing group will meet next Sunday afternoon at 4:30. All are welcome! DON’T FORGET TO TURN YOUR CLOCKS BACK! Doreen related the story to the children and they all knew by the end of it that Jacob had "cattle, donkeys, sheep and goats, and many many servants". Jacob seemed to think if he shared his wealth with Esau then maybe Esau could forgive him for stealing his birthright, but Esau didn't want Jacob's livestock and servants. Esau forgave his brother and welcomed him and his family with open arms. Doreen had a jar filled with blue liquid and that liquid represented our sin, she poured in another liquid and began to stir. Little by little the blue faded until it was crystal clear. The clearing solution was God's forgiveness. In Colossians, the Word indicates that there is no limit on what offenses we are required to forgive. In fact, it plainly states "WHATEVER grievances". I feel like forgiveness is a topic easily overlooked, and perhaps avoided, by many adults. We seem to be okay with talking about love, peace, and joy, but what about forgiveness? As I watched our children and I thought of my experiences with my own children I realized how much easier it seems to be for children to forgive. I think that years of being hurt, lied to, forgotten and rejected hardens us as adults and we go into a self preservation mode vowing "never to be hurt again", and so we hang on to offenses and allow Satan to rob us of true spiritual freedom. We live in an age where everyone seems to be offended about something and we cannot bear to let anyone "get away" with offending us, but what we often forget as Christians is that instead of building a wall of protection we are building a wall between us and God. We need to get back to the basics. We need to forgive freely and leave the protecting to God. I am learning so much from our children and realize just how deep Jesus' words ran when he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." In Christ, Amy-Children's Ministries Department Youth on the Move! / Revival Scheduled! NYI President Kobe Lovan announced details this week of the upcoming Third Culture Revival Generation event on Saturday, November 15th at 6:00 p.m. Kobe writes: “In one night of praise and worship our goal is to see youth from all parts of Iowa and surrounding areas come together to lift up the name of Jesus. We want to see the Kingdom of God established in the hearts of the youth transforming them from the inside out and that this transformation will not stay in the four walls of the church but we will see youth going to the schools, work places, homes, and community serving as ambassadors of God establishing His Kingdom out in the world. “ Kobe created the Revival Generation 2014 event page. We are asking everyone to go online and sign up for the event. Already 100 people are either attending or giving consideration to participating. Flavia Flores, who serves as an adult sponsor will be visiting the Community Worship Service this Sunday with a sign-up sheet, asking for your help with this event. The Greater Iowa City Church and ICCOMPASSION will be presenting a workshop on Immigrant Communities—Hope for the Declining Church during the upcoming M15 Conference in Kansas City, February 9-11, 2015. Work has just begun on the necessary preparations, which will include a exhibit booth on the floor of the Kansas City Convention Center. We are pleased to announce that the Iowa District has agreed to sponsor the exhibit booth and provide the resources to represent the vision for Iowa. At this time, we are planning for all of our pastoral ministry staff to be present and assist in the promotion of this ministry. Pastor Chapain has been asked to attend to represent USA/ CANADA’s Multicultural Ministries Department. This will enable Chapain and his family to join the delegation from Iowa City. Among many goals, we will be pursuing a program for professional relocation, internships, mission volunteers and trained leaders to staff the vision for the future of our ministry partnerships. OPEN DOOR CHURCH Flavia needs adult sponsors who will: • • • • • • Agree to join prayer group during service Join prayer team for altar invitation Safety patrol the parking lot Serve as ushers and greeters Serve in kitchen and Coffeecan for afterglow snacks Promote event The new Open Door Church will be hosting their renown monthly Soul Food Potluck lunch NEXT SUNDAY November 9th and preparing for their 1st anniversary on Sunday, December 14th! Descriptions that our youth leadership team are sharing call for a very high-energy, concert-like format that will seek to capture the imagination of our youth. Promotions and invitations will be kicking in this week! The countdown has begun! If you are willing to participate in this spiritual event in any ways, please use the sign up sheet distributed this Sunday. There are only a little time to prepare for what may be a night of many memories as our youth make life-long decisions to follow Jesus Christ. Velma Crum captured a moment at Arlene Troyer’s birthday party at Lantern Park last week. Arlene has been a faithful part of our Greater Iowa City Church for many years. Michael Mendoza % MidAmerica Nazarene University P.O. Box 9227 2030 East College Way Olathe, KS 66062 Div Tosingilo % MidAmerica Nazarene University P.O. Box 9222 2030 East College Way Olathe, KS 66062
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