A letter that is worth reading

hello Church,

WOW!

serving The Lord has never been so much fun!

the Womens Ministry at CRPC is reaching out to women incarcerated in jail. we provide Bible Studies three times a month. and a clear Gospel presentation is given everytime using the 5-point Evangelism Explosion training materials by EE Certified Trainers.

so far this year over 400 women have prayed to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior! and now we want to increase our mission field by following up with their children!

Angel Tree Projects will provide EE materials and Christmas presents delivered to the children of women in jail by Certified EE Trainers.

the field is white unto harvest!

pray how you may support this opportunity. call the Outreach Office today and get involved!

to God be The Glory!

sincerely,
ellie van der velden

What is Sacrifice?

The answer to this question has been difficult for me to define lately. I often wonder is my life truly an example of a Holy and Living sacrifice. I don't know, but I want it to be. Does that desire count for something? I want to say yes, but with no immediate action on my part, it's hard to reconcile. Tonight I will head out to "Love Bags". Collectively we will continue to fellowship and help feed our communitie's homeless. I will "sacrifice" my time or at least that's what I will tell myself. Is it a sacrifice though? Maybe. What if it were truly a Blessing? And I just can't see it. So often I wonder, what is God doing? Oh how I wish I knew. When I don't know, does it mean something different to me? I hope not, but I'm afraid that is too often the case. With that said, I've been thinking a lot about Abraham. His faith and trust in our Lord was truly remarkable. Will I ever have deep faith like that? I want to believe I would. I want to believe I would take all that I am, all that God has given me, even those things I hold so close so precious, like my Only son and offer it all to God. Will I ever truly sacrifice like Abraham? Will I ever see that sacrifice as a blessing? Abraham did and he didn't even flinch. He never wavered. He just rose and went out in faith! "Here am I", he said, "Here am I"! What will we say? God's Blessings.... Brent W.

What is Avondale?

What is Avondale? Every week people ask me about Avondale. I thought it might be important to explain what and why we are in are in Avondale. Avondale is a neighborhood in Pompano Beach, Fl. The neighborhood is located across the street from John Knox Village. The neighborhood is comprised of multiple ethnic groups. Recently, I was approached by OneHope (formerly Book of Hope) to participate in a community transformation project with Calvary Chapel. Calvary has been in this community working for over eight years they have started Calvary House a rehabilitation center for men with addictions. They have also planted a Church called the "Refuge". Since we agreed to participate in this project we worked together as we did the Health Fair. We are going to do a Thanksgiving project together. So why are we working in this community. It is clear that our church is committed to working in our city. As our pastor has spoken from the pulpit many times, it is our mission to strive to renew the world both physically and spiritually. Avondale needs renewal. Presently Avondale has 187 incidents of crime per 1000 people, compared to the national average of 34 per 1000. Avondale on a scale from 1 to 100 for the crime index, Avondale is a 1 which is the worst ranking of any community within South Florida. As we learn from our experience in this community it is our goal to collaborate with other churches and share what we learn. Coral Ridge will be a church who is committed to encouraging ministries and churches to participate in our city together. So let's begin.

Hope Pregnancy Center -Walk For Life 2009!

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

the fruit of the womb a reward. -Psalm 127:3

This month 'Hope Pregnancy Center' hosted and celebrated the 'Walk For Life' event,which to God's glory was a huge success. Over $86,000 was raised, and the donation lines are still open through the end of October at: www.friendsofhope.com

The 'Walk For Life' event opens doors of communication for women who may have been through an abortion, or know someone who has, or is contemplating one. Often times these women later become strong volunteers because of their personal experience which equips them to minister at a deeper level.

Laura Oates, a registered RN who offers her skills at the Hope Pregnancy Center, explained to me that performing ultra sounds on young girls is an emotional experience for them, and for her. The goal of course, is to encourage mom's to go to term with their babies, but unfortunately even the heart beat of a child on a screen doesn't always bear the fruit of a birth.

Laura also shared that 'Hope' display tables at church have the potential to draw women in to be vulnerable and speak about their sometimes painful pasts. This in turn has healed entire familes and set the stage for new volunteers. Post abortion seminars are also extrememly effective in healing deep wounds.

For more information, please visit: www.hopewomancenters.com

-Robin Revier

Blue = West Culuture vs. Red = Eastern Culture

A College Chinese Girl compares two cultures after living in Germany.

The Boss

Conflict

Party

Punctuality

State of Life

Opinion

The Next Evangelicalism

I just recently started to read a book that truly challenges my assumptions about the practice of church. Here's a quote, "How substantially differently would the Church look if measured success on the parable of the sheep and the goats of Matthew 25 or self-sacrificial community of Acts 2 instead of measuring success based upon cultural values of consumerism and materialism?" The author of the book "The Next Evangelicalism" is Soong-Chan Rah sounds angry with the Western Church. As I was reading I was discounting what he was saying because of the tone it was delivered, but as I began to examine myself it is clear that he is correct on many of his assertions. We need to reexamine our value system about money, status and success.

"Love Bags".... More than you can Imagine

Last Tuesday I went to an Outreach opportunity that CRPC is a part of. It's called "Love Bags"! Love Bags is headed up by Ryan Alexander from another local church. More than 50 people showed up from the surrounding area's churches, including CRPC, with bags in hand. CRPC also helps to provide the food. The Goal of this outreach is simple.... To build personal relationships! Though not first with one another, but with the homeless. Although it is an opportunity to feed the homeless and build unity amongst the group, it is first an idea centered around investment. A personal investment in another, yet the idea continues to grow. The focus.... the bag you bring filled with the things that helps to meet their specific needs, hence the name "Love Bags". The most interesting and personal thing is not so much the items in the bag, but the personalized message you write on the bag to that person your trying to get to know. This is the best part. The "Love" part. Now this person is not just homeless, but a friend! Someone you care about and invest in. Someone you provide for. Someone you love, as we have been loved by Christ! Is this not the hope and desire for our own church community? I left thinking about that verse in James, verse 2:15, "If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?" Now I'm pretty positive that describes me, who I am, what I might do, but it is definitely Not who I hope to be!

For our good and His Glory,
Brent W.