Phoenix Arizona

Neighborhood ministries fall begins

Dear Praying Partners,

The silence between our last letter and todays has been filled with the preparations for this Fall, and ministry here, taking many forms.  I wanted to squeeze a note out to you today, because

tonight

Kids Life begins with its 500 kids and 120+ leaders. 

 

 

First, a few things we have been doing since we last talked …

 

What happened in …

AUGUST

q       Back to School shoes and The Parent Volunteer Store – Over 450 back to school shoes were distributed along with multiple sets of school uniforms, back packs and school supplies for our kids parents who serve here through the parent volunteer program.

q       Headstart

            After years of prayer and many possible contracts, N.M. entered into a great working relationship with HEADSTART, the famous federally funded program that works with pre-schoolers.  16 … 4 and 5 year olds, belonging to  “our moms” (young women who have grown up in this work) get picked up all over town to attend here, and soon we will begin our own designed “wrap around” part to the Headstart day, an hour and a half that is just for us, giving us spiritual time with our small children.  It has been an amazing journey to get from there to here, and we thank God for all he is doing with us and Headstart.

q       Rest

A little rest for some, a little more for others, and hardly any for a few.  The evap cooling broke in our girls intern house just down from the property … August was unbearably hot this year … and summer is such an intense time of ministry  … because Fall is just around the corner and we need this month for preparation, there are those among us, who only take a short breather and then, bang, we’re off again.  Pray for those that began again, still tired.

 

What has been happening in …

SEPTEMBER

q       Board Retreat – early in September we had an extended week-end away for vision, direction and wisdom regarding this next season of ministry, we believe God has called us to going deeper and wider with the almost 1000 lives God has brought to The Neighborhood Center.  Funding all of this is still new to us, and we are greatly challenged by it.

q       Equipped for the Task – we just finished a weekend of training, inviting folks from other partner ministries … it was an urban mini-conference and the response was very positive … we will do this again, for sure.  Now that the ministry is so diverse with people working with teens, pre-schoolers, young adult parents, and a host of other programs and needs, it felt great to be together and under one roof, if just for a few days.  The weekend was bilingual, Spanish and English!!!

q       Tuesday nights is Junior High night – our program night for junior highers began last week, with 140 Junior highers on our roles … each kid is in a small group and our home grown curriculum has been adapted just for them

q       Wednesday nights is High School night – and over 100 are being tracked here.  They also began last week and we marveled at how good God is to let us know and love so many older teens.  95% of these teens have literally grown up in this ministry.

q       Mom’s Place Saturdays and Bible Studies – Wednesday nights is also Bible study for the young moms who are the first class of moms in the program directed toward the parenting years of young adults in our ministry.  A new class of teen moms will begin in the monthly Saturday gatherings.

q       I Can Do It groups starting up (next month we will have a visit from Amy Sherman, researching two latino works in Phoenix, who are doing education programs with urban kids and youth)  We are always so thankful to share with others what God is doing educationally among N.M. children and youth who are not only staying in school but excelling.

q       Parent Volunteers – are everywhere, doing everything that needs doing at The Center.  Their Bible study meets on Tuesday mornings and the next P.V. store is Christmas.

Important Prayer Requests coming out of all of this:

Ø     Headstart needs a CDL liscened van driver (it pays a little)

Ø     The Parent Volunteers need a Spanish speaking Bible teacher on Tuesday mornings

Ø     We need a coordinator for The Christmas Party where more than 2000 will attend

• and The Church at The Neighborhood Center is critical to all we do here … pray for Jorge and Billy as they continue to give leadership and vision

 

Kids Life,

sometimes called Monday night church

and we start tonight!

v     the Kids   

    490 kindergarten through sixth grades come for the best  night of their week.  Over the years this program has become a focal part of our ministry  week as well as a chance to reconnect with lives and each other.  "One young man when he was in jail, once said that he used to mark the weeks with Mondays, wondering  what is happening at church?"

    ...love, community, accountability, begin known, being found, resources, fun, family, hope, receiving THE good news, acceptance, breakthrough, joy, hard work, investment, long-term relationships ... all these words describe the heart and passion of Kids Life for kids...

    pray for these kids ... as they start back to Kids Life tonight that this year would meet them right where Jesus knows they need to be met 

v     Small Group Leaders    

     75 (or more) small group leaders are matched with  4-5 kids in a small group, in a class of the child's age.  Classes are in Spanish and English and kids are known in these small groups personally. 

    pray for these small group leaders ... as they make a commitment to "their" kids all year, that they would grow to love and know and pray for their kids, making the most of the time they have with them during "Monday night church"

v     Teachers    

     12 teachers prepare every week to teach the Bible lesson that has been written for our kids.  Each teacher is a veteran teacher for this work and knows that preparation and prayer are necessary for an important night.  

    pray for these teachers ... that their hearts and minds have the luxury of time alone with the Lord that they might come prepared and ready to give their kids the Word with power and authority. 

v     Bus Drivers and Van Drivers    

     12 drivers  sacrificially give 5 hours every Monday, to drive the streets of Phoenix, "looking" for the kids on their lists.  Often, a kid might have already moved, even though we have just begun, and the looking begins.  Lost kids are the business of Jesus, and He gives these drivers great compassion and commitment to their busload or vanload.  The vans and buses become a little mini environment that gets nicknamed or cared for ... just like a friend. 

    pray for these drivers ... for their attentiveness to the safety and needs of their route.  Pray that kids might be found easily and lost kids recovered.

v     Hub Team and Kitchen Team 

    This team organizes the night.  Paperwork, kids with needs, medical problems, food delivery to every class, supplies, details ... all these items pass through this team.  Without them -- we are in trouble and the night experiences more chaos than it should.

    pray for this group that their service will be joyful and that they would find fellowship with one another in giving such a great gift to the rest of the program. 

v     Curriculum Development 

    we are so thrilled to finally be at the stage where the development of our curriculum is specific for our kids, their needs and an overall plan to walk through the Bible, both Old and New Testaments in four years.  This year we begin with the life of David.  

    pray for the writing of the curriculum as it continues, that it would be inspired and clear. 

v     Activity Leaders 

    basketball, soccer, art, hip hop dance, boys crafts, and other learning activities are offered every Monday night.  This year there is new focus on these activities creating an environment where kids are challenged and inspired to develop in areas in which they are gifted.

    pray for those leaders that take on this great responsibility that they might have energy, creativity and focus for each group, each night. 

v     Worship Team 

    during the week, kids sing the songs of Kids Life.  Jesus songs that speak great truths and give great comfort.  The worship team commits to making this time with the kids meaningful, fun and powerful.

    pray for this team, to be devoted to the task and to be prepared spiritually for this great work of bringing a song to a child's heart. 

thank you for your faithful praying., we need you so much.  God is revealing Himself through your intercession. 

Love, Kit 

  

Isaiah 42:5-7

This is what God the Lord says -- he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:  I the Lord have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand.  I will keep you and will make you to be a light ... to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.