Well I'm finally able to spend some time doing updates. We are so excited about how God has allowed us to be vessels of His glory. We were able to partner with the NH Food Bank. This enabled us to expand our outreach to the community. We had been helping people with food on an emergency basis and paying retail. With the NH Food Bank we are now able to buy food way below wholesale and as a result have opened the KarenAngela Carter Food Pantry. We provide the pantry twice a month and on an as needed emergency basis. This has allowed us to not only provide Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets, but also supply every day needs for those who find out that their is to much month at the end of the money.
We also opened our Clothes Closet and through donations from individuals and partnering with One Warm Coat and Old Navy Stores we were able to provide winter clothing and outer wear to over 800 people. Praise God!
For more information check out our ministry pages.
This past year we handed out water at the end of the Manchester Marathon, hot chocolate and cookies at the Manchester Christmas Parade. It never ceases to amaze me that when we do these out reaches people can't believe that it is free and we do it because "God loves them and so don't we'.
Our ministry plan for this year is to be more active in our out reaches in the community. We truly believe that small things done in great love can and will change our city.
We are looking forward to opening a drop in center for students after school. We are at this time trying to obtain laptop computers for the students to use. Also we will be providing healthy snacks for them. With the economy in such a state programs are closing down for the kids after school. We feel that this is the next step in our vision and mission to the homeless and economically challenged.
During Thanksgiving and Christmas we were able to help so many families and individuals with food. But we just did not have the funds to help out families that called us looking for help with presents for their families. This really saddened my heart and I asked God to show us how we can do both this coming year. While reading a devotional from Tommy Barnett I read of a program he ran at his church. It was like God was speaking through the pages to me. As a result we have started: Operation Christmas Tree. Though we are a small church of under 20 people the Lord impressed upon me that if we started now then we would be able to help some families at Christmas. I have asked the people in the church to buy a toy valued at no less then $5.00 and bring it to the church. If we all did this then we would have almost 200 assorted toys by Christmas 2010. So far the response has been incredible. I am so blessed that our people who have very little themselves want to help those who have even less.
This year we will be doing Vacation Bible School during which we will go into the inner city and pick of those children who would like to attend.
Our hearts desire is to have at least a meal on at least one Sunday after church to feed the homeless of our inner city.
We would like to do free movie nights, continue to do Acts of Random Kindness in the community and to expand our outreach to the Military.
Well I know that this is an ambitious program but as it says in: Phil 4:13 that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
If you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, let me take this opportunity to introduce you to Him. Just say this simple prayer: Dear Jesus, please come into my heart and forgive my sins. I know that you are the only way to salvation and eternal life. Thank you Jesus for forgiving my sins, I love you Lord and need your help to live the life you want me to. Amen.
If you said this prayer and accepted Jesus into your heart, welcome to the family. Let someone know what you have done. Share this wonderful experience with them. If you want to either email us at pb@thearkcog.org,or call us 603 668-6226 or come visit us at 45 Manchester Street, Manchester, NH.
Grace to you,
PB
MT 25:40