Christ Church Missions eNews – Issue 1
Dear Christ Church, EPC Family and Friends,
In an effort to better communicate with Christ Church and friends about our local and foreign missions endeavors, the Missions Committee will begin sending you regular updates about the missionaries, organizations, and church plant that we support. If you would prefer not to receive these newsletters via email, please reply to this message and let us know.
In this first issue, we will be presenting information about our church plant, Christ Church Elijah (Iglesia de Cristo Elias in Spanish), in Playa Grande, Honduras. In future issues, we will also be presenting information and updates about other foreign missionaries and local missions that Christ Church, EPC supports.
2010 Playa Grande Adoption Program
One of the ways that we have been called to nurture our daughter church, Iglesia de Christo Elias, is to assist in the support of the education of the children of Playa Grande. This adoption program focuses on the children of Playa Grande who are a part of our church plant. Before we started the adoption program, most children in the village did not have the option of going beyond an elementary education. Most children are forced to work immediately after elementary school to help their families make barely enough to survive – they are on track, at a very early age, to spend the rest of their lives as laborers, fisherman, or farmers. Most see no other option than to escape to the United States, as their fathers and mothers did, in order to support their families. This inflicts immeasurable damage upon the family members left behind.
We have been given the chance as a church to help change this cycle of hopelessness. It is our hope that higher education can be used by the Lord to tear down the strongholds of abandonment and poverty that the enemy has long held over the children of Playa Grande. Education can help to break the cycle of abandonment by teaching how to provide locally instead of leaving to go to the United States. This creates a stronger understanding of what it means to be a family – which is crucial because healthy family units are the major building blocks of a thriving church. Additionally, faithful support strengthens the relationship between Christ Church, EPC and Iglesia de Cristo Elias.
If you have participated in the adoption program in the past, your continued support is greatly needed. If you have not given to this program in the past, this is the year to start. The annual cost of sponsoring one child is $600. This amount should be your goal if you plan to participate. However, any amount that you can give is greatly appreciated.
If you are interested in participating in this program, please respond to this email or call Mike Dipasquale at 864.261.7272.
A Church Building In Playa Grande?
This is an exciting time for our church plant, Iglesia de Cristo Elias. Through much grace from the Father and after many years of faithful work by Phernando Acosta, the leadership at Christ Church, EPC believes that it is time to construct a church building for Iglesia de Christo Elias. And your help is needed!
The construction of the church is tentatively planned to take place in the summer of 2010. Many things must happen before this project can begin. A team of workers must be assembled, a foreman must be assigned, the construction must be designed and planned, and funds must be raised to buy the construction materials and to transport the workers to Playa Grande. This is where you come in…. YOU might be one of the construction workers. YOU might be one of the people that goes on the trip not to work on the building, but to minister to the people of Playa Grande. YOU might be the foreman. YOU might be the designer of the building. YOU might be a financial benefactor. Most importantly, YOU might be a prayer warrior that intercedes for the project.
If this project excites you, please contact us immediately. Our entire body needs to be involved in this project, so whether or not you think you can go to Honduras in 2010, we can find a way for you to help. Reply to this email or call anyone on the Missions Committee: Danny Bryant – 864.617.6661, Mike Dipasquale – 864.261.7272, Ingrid Parker – 864.221.6341, or Danny Nelson – 864.897.9345.
Funds Raised for Playa Grande Church Building
$1,112.82 – 11% of initial $10,000 goal.
If you would like to contribute to the Playa Grande building fund, please make checks payable to Christ Church, EPC with the designation “P3G” (short for Playa Grande Giving Goal). You can drop your check in the plate at church or mail it to:
Christ Church, EPC
3120 N. Highway 81
Anderson, SC 29621
The Missions Committee
The Missions Committee is currently made of up Mike Dipasquale, Danny Bryant, Ingrid Parker, and Danny Nelson, chairman. Please contact any of us if you have questions or concerns about missions at Christ Church, EPC. If you are interested in serving on the committee, please contact us about that as well.
