North Michigan District - IVY Ministry Newsletter

Volume 5, Issue 4

Index
Jesus Touches
The World
Things Are
Happening
From the Director
Presents for Jesus
The Eccles Echoes

Editor:
Sue Schram
g_schram@
yahoo.com
(989)893-7896

December 1, 2014

Jesus Touches the World

Through N. MI Ladies
N. MI women are touching the world.
Tracy Lanning returned to the Holy Spirits destination for her. She visited
many of our churches and shared about the work she is doing. Many have joined her
team as prayer warriors and financial supporters as she works with the Karis people.
Joelle Mabay, Traverse City Bayview Church, took part in a medical mission
trip to Panama - November 8- 15. She is a part of Wesleyan Medical Missions, a
non-profit organization that was founded on bringing medical help to the
impoverished people in Third World Countries. The work is free to all those that are
in need regardless of religion, race or beliefs. The trips have covered the grounds of
Africa, Haiti, South America, Central America and the United States. The main core
of the trips is to provide medical help to the underprivileged, but the volunteers are so
diverse in different trades that they have and continually will provide dental,
electrical, optical and construction. As volunteers they treat a range of 300-800 people
in one day for a week at a time. Joelle goes annually to Haiti to give of herself.
Jamie Hazen, Midland Faith Church, went to the LaFond Area of Haiti to
assist Pastor Jacque, from Sept. 22 to Oct. 1. She carried 100 pairs of shoes for a
shoebilee. Jamie is working on a reach out ministry hoping to sponsor Haitian
students. Jamie lead a Poured-Out Mission Trip back to Haiti (Oct. 15-22). This team
was comprised of 3 couples and 4 individuals who installed over 40 water filters and
shared the gospel. A church wide rummage sale was held to provide funding for these
trips.

Midland Faith
Rummage sale for Hati
Poured-Out
Mission Trip

Connect - Channel - Change

Things are Happening

Bay City-Auction, funds to to support: N. MI low-income pastor, Christmas-baskets for shut-ins,
material for Baby Love, postage for monthly cards, year round outreach projects, 10 boxes of gifts to
WNAM Christmas outreach
Midland Faith-Auction for missions, Rummage Sale to sponsor Haiti Global Partners short term
mission trip, huge jar to collect change for water filters for Haiti, community August outreach toilet paper
to local low-income trailer park families Dec. outreach each trailer park family will receive laundry
detergent
Cadillac-Mitten/glove tree and boxes sent to Wesleyan Native American Ministries
Merrill-Sponsor Thanksgiving afterglow for community churches, collecting food and presents
though the local school
Central Mont Calm-snowflake bazaar to support MOPS program
Grant-Santas secret shop for low income individuals in the community
Operation Christmas shoeboxes- Brockway(31), Cadillac(51), Midland Faith, Merrill (158), Bay
View, and Central Montcalm
All through N. Michigan, churches and womens groups respond to Christmas through sharing and
activities. Families, communities and the world benefit. The Lord knows and is pleased!
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Connect - Channel - Change

From the Director

Merry Christmas! May each church and lady across our district feel His wonderful,
PEACEFUL, joyful presence during this crazy time of year. Behold I bring you tidings of great joy
Did you notice, Gabriel did not say, Behold I bring you a month of craziness, busyness or stress and
it shall be for all people (women included). For unto you is born this day in the city of David the Savior
which is Christ the Lord
Christmas is the Reason for the Season. Jesus is at the heart of Christmas. Bumper sticker
phrases abound. Is He really the reason for you? Christmas is all year for me! I am a clearance shopper
and planner. I write our annual Christmas program, often completed in the spring, refined in the summer
and handed to the pastor by fall. Christmas program practice overlaps our Harvest outreach. Being the
local IVY outreach director means gifts are wrapped and sent to many of our outreach ministries before
Dec. 1. Promotions for community giving and fund raisers fill bulletin boards. A tug of war ensues:
family gatherings, traditions, work parties, baking, wrapping, decorating, singing, practices, and you can
fill in any number of wonderful activities. My desire is to keep Jesus in the midst. Suggestion (not mine,
but I think it is a good one): The book of Luke has 24 chapters. Start Dec. 1, reading a chapter a day,
Jesus life will be recounted by Christmas Eve. His birth will mean so much more when you reflect on
His entire life. Dont add reading Luke to everything else, rather replace what you normally dedicate as
your devotional time with this glorious account.
This newsletter has been started and stopped more than traffic merging from 3 lanes to 1 during
I75 road construction on Labor Day weekend! Upcoming events became done deals. This overwhelming
year just continues. Ever had a YEAR like this? Parental challenges? Married children challenges? Your
life phase trials? Maintaining our routine activities, with additional funerals, illness, surgery, special
events, etc. and Satans attacks, is devastating. We struggle to sustain the victorious Christian life, completing tasks with ease, grace and joy. Not always successful? Something has to give! This newsletter
gave. Fortunately, it was not a permanent abandonment. I hope and pray this will encourage all of the
district womens groups and I want to say -

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to All.

Presents for Jesus
Christmas! What gifts? For loved ones? Is there a gift for Jesus? Giving is priority! Giving is a
spiritual gift! Giving pleases Jesus! Unique ways to share abound. God recycles His love through us to
the world! God gave Himself through Jesus birth, life, death and resurrection. What a gift! What do we
give back? No, giving is not the entrance requirement to heaven. But we can give to Him, as He
explained in His word: What so ever you do to the least of my brothers that you do unto me. Our
churches, groups and individually, we give. Close your eyes. See Jesus opening a gift and squealing at
the stuffed animal, coloring book or toy. Visualize a baby in the manger wearing the ducky sleeper, you
purchased for a pregnancy center. See Teen Jesus slipping on gloves collected on a tree set up in your
vestibule. A gray haired elderly Jesus wraps himself in a homemade throw or blanket. Or a homeless
Jesus sitting down at a soup kitchen table eating a warm meal provided through donations from groups
and churches. Christmas is His birthday and He loves to celebrate! Perhaps the season will provide an
opportunity to share the salvation message with the gift but if not: You can give Jesus a GIFT by giving!
Let me know what your ladies did to give Jesus a smile!
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