Outreach
SHCC Supports The Following Missions
Please pray for these missions. SHCC financially supports these missions through our church budget. So every time you give a tithe or offering, YOU are helping to share Christ with others. THANK YOU!
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Community Youth - Ex. Vacation Bible School
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Food Pantry
Crossroads Missions
Missions Update
The Mission held it's Christmas dinner on December 19th. Over 120 people came for food bags, loaves of love, stockings filled with candy, a hot ham meal, toys and Bibles. Each person received something to take home. Your gifts of food, finances and faithful servants* helped us to give to the elderly, young, abused and homeless. Thank you!
*Faithful servants - Gloria and Jim Small, Karla Cafarelli and Rory George.
Matt & Holly Melton: ASU Campus
Missions Update
Reaching Trans-Identified Individuals
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Holly met Azco at Panera, where Azco works, about 6 months ago. In June, Azco shared with Holly that she is transgender. She was born a woman but identifies as a man now. Holly knew she wanted to sit down and hear Azco’s story but didn’t see her for months. Finally, Azco was at work, and Holly awkwardly asked her if she’d go to lunch with her so Holly could hear her gender story. Azco was excited to share it.
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Over lunch, Holly asked if she could pray for the meal, and Azco said sure. Azco then shared that she wasn’t raised with any faith and had only been to church once (it just so happens to be our church!). She said she knows there’s a God because of creation. But she’s not sure she can fully trust God because of how many horrible things happen in the world.
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Holly then shared the gospel with her, starting in Genesis with the fall. She explained that when sin entered the world, everything broke, including our minds, emotions, and bodies. Just like Adam and Eve, we have shame about our bodies and try to hide them. Azco nodded in agreement. Holly then shared about Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and that if we trust in Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit, who transforms us from the inside out, giving us peace, joy, and hope. Azco was so facilitated by the conversation that they plan to meet again this week. Please pray that Azco will learn more about Jesus and place her faith in Him.
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Holly is halfway through writing her doctoral dissertation and is now beginning her book for a trans-identified new believer who wants to learn how to follow Jesus. It would be amazing if Azco came to Christ soon so Holly can disciple her and write as she interacts with Azco.
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THANK YOU for being part of this exciting time as we see how God will use us as we try to reach a people group the body of Christ has not really effectively engaged with.
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Personal Update
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We have exciting news: our first teenager is in the house! Please pray for Carter (and us) as we now enter a new season of parenting and discipleship.
From Erik & Terri Powell - Scriptures in Use
Missions Update
Fruitfulness
Lately, I have been thinking about this statement, "'God doesn't give you an assignment so you can perform it for the world. God gives you an assignment so you can steward it with devotion...whether the world notices it or not. Assignment can be lonely...especially in the early stages when the fruit isn't visible yet and nobody around you fully understands why you're building the way you are building. But...let me remind you...over time...the fruit tells
the truth." (Matt Gottesman)
Last Tuesday night, I completed my sixth year of ministry working for ELLA (English Language Learning for Adults) as their Bible storyteller and curriculum writer. My life has been so blessed by the 90+ women coming from 18 countries who have passed through our program over these years. As I sat at our closing ceremony squished between my two Iraqi friends on one side and my dear Somali friend on the other, I couldn't help but smile at what God has done in all our lives to bring us to this place of trust and deep friendship.
During the ceremony, Lubna, an Iragi woman shared with the audience that her favorite Bible story to memorize had been the story of A Tree and It's Fruit' from Luke 6:43-45
NIRV...
A good tree doesn't produce bad fruit. And a bad tree doesn't produce good fruit. You can tell each tree by the kind of fruit it produces. People do not pick figs from thorns. And they
don't pick grapes from bushes. A good man says good things. These come from the good that is stored up in his heart. An evil man says evil things. These come from the evil that is stored up in his heart. A person's mouth says everything that is in their heart.
Interestingly, on the day told this story in class one of the quieter Syrian ladies shouted out, "I love this story. It is so true. It's such a good story."
have thought a lot about this story in past weeks. As followers of Jesus our words and actions matter immensely...especially for those who have never been exposed to the Word of God. We need to pay attention... unbelievers are watching how we live. They are watching how we love. How we pray. How we deal with anxiety, stress and frustration. The words we say and those we don't say. How we respond when it's inconvenient. They are watching how we treat people, even those who can offer nothing in return. Anyone can quote wisdom but not everyone lives from it. My students are watching, your children are watching, the world is watching, but most importantly the Lord is watching. May the Holy Spirit's work in us bear much fruit so the harvest will be great.
Blessings, Teri and Erik
Elise Burk - Ethnos 360
Missions Update
Dear Sonoita Hills Community Church,
Hi all,
How’s it going?
My news for this email is that after over a year of working on it, all my paperwork is completed and turned in! I am now waiting for the consulate to issue my Brazilian passport, which they warned me will probably not be completed until the end of November, because of a new law requiring all passports to be printed in Brazil and mailed to the U.S. Once I receive it I can leave for Brazil.
The timing is a little problematic because Brazil takes their summer vacation from December through January, so if I were to arrive in December, all my colleagues who would normally be there to help me get set up and orientated in Brazil will be on vacation in other parts of Brazil visiting their family and home churches. I’m doing what I can to be ready to leave sooner, in case my passport comes earlier than expected, and beyond that we’ll just have to play it by ear.
In the meantime, I’m hoping to start meeting with a local Brazilian girl a few times a week to practice speaking Portuguese, and I’m still doing my best to get in at least 5 hours of Portuguese study every day. So hopefully I won’t need to spend as long learning the language once I get to Brazil.
Praises:
For access to so many Portuguese language resources
For summer monsoons and slightly cooler weather
For a loving God Who cares what happens to us
Prayer Requests:
For wisdom about my departure timing, and that my passport will come quickly!
That my Portuguese conversations with the Brazilian girl will be a blessing to both of us
For wisdom how to use my final time here well
Thank you for your prayers! As always, I pray for you all daily so let me know if there’s anything specific you’d like me to pray about.
May this next month be for you a time of green pastures and still waters,
and may He restore your soul!
~Elise
Global Training Network - Ron & Shar Rushing.
Missions Update
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
It has been a busy month with lots of things happening in life and ministry. Our 16 year old granddaughter was rear ended on her way home from school. She is okay apart from being shaken up and bruised. The car was totaled and the other person received a ticket, and accepted full responsibility for insurance purposes. The grand children are doing well in school. Liam’s sessions for his eating issues have begun and seem to be going well. Please continue to pray that he would catch up in growth for his age. I had a regular follow-up with my endocrinologist. My A1C was a bit elevated and they adjusted medications. I don’t like having to take more Ozempic but if I have to, I have to. Shar has been taking different medications to maintain her blood pressure. Temperatures in Omaha have been cooling off and we got down into the lower 30’s not long ago.. It feels good to see Fall coming on. I picked all my green tomatoes in preparation for a frost/freeze. So I guess we will be making green salsa. We also picked Stephanie’s “Cherokee/Appalachian” squash (one grew over 18 inches in length and about 8 inches in width).. We roasted some and it tasted really good! We are preserving seeds in hope of sharing and growing more next year.
I have been teaching in Pakistan for the past month. It is quite challenging to try and teach Homiletics by zoom. The students are not very responsive on zoom!!!!! So it is hard to determine if they are getting anything or not. I give them assignments but don’t receive anything back from them. So I don’t know if they are doing or getting anything other than hearing me lecture. They each have to preach a sermon or give a lesson as part of the class. We will see how that goes or if they do it. I am just not certain at the moment what is going to happen. That will start in a few weeks.
The Omaha Chinese Christian Church where I serve as English Pastor (part time) had its annual Evangelical conference (in Baptist circles, it would be called a Revival). The Chinese speaker (who is from Kansas City) preached in Mandarin as people invite friends, family, and neighbors to hear the gospel. I invited one of my former students (a Grace University graduate as well as DTS too) to come in and share with the youth (sessions were in English). The youth have their own retreat since many of them are not fluent in Chinese.
I continue to meet with several men who serve in ministry to encourage and help them in their lives and ministry. It is a joy to be able to help other people become what God wants them to be. I spoke at Cornerstone Christian School chapel for the K-2. I will do it again for 3-5 in a couple of weeks. Shar and I help with elementary lunches on Fridays as well.
Myanmar Bible College asked me to teach two classes before Christmas, but only have 3 students for each class. That would mean two months of teaching for only 3 students. I decided that I would take a break. While I am totally open to teaching only 3 students, I thought I need some time to rest and build strength. I was able to send funds to the school to help with the students and their outreach. I will include some pictures from their outreach in church planting and baptisms that resulted.
In Myitkyina, I have had one or two more people volunteer to teach. That is helpful. We still need more people but I am thankful for those who are volunteering. It is a challenge for Myanmar Bible College and Faith Theological College and Seminary to recruit students. MBC has shrunk in size to about 50 total students. FTCS has done better in enrollment (they are out in the country away from the city) but still face challenges. The military is still forcibly conscripting young men into service. So, young men who show up to a Bible College are liable to be snatched by the military at a moment’s notice. FTCS says they have lost several people to the military. The men who want to study the Bible have to flee the country (generally to Thailand or India) to get education without being forced into military service. This has greatly reduced the number of young men who are able and willing to attend Bible College in Myanmar.
Several of my co-laborers from GTN were able to go to Yangon. They paid for the bus fare and rooms to bring people in from Mandalay and Yangon to help train them. While travel in Myanmar is warned against by the US State Department, travel to Yangon is relatively safe. Outside the area, it can get quite hazardous. My friends in Myitkyina say that there is no longer any airfare or buses into the city. However, a number of the pastors that we support in Mandalay were able to attend and were so grateful and greatly encouraged that we provided a way for them to have fellowship and get some training.
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Praises: 1. Autumn was protected during her recent car accident. 2. We praise God for His protection and provision for all of us. 3. For life and opportunities to minister to others. 4. For God’s continual grace and mercy.
Prayer Requests: 1. Shar’s blood pressure has been elevated at times and her knees have been bothering her. Please pray for her new medication and healing. 2. Continue to pray for Liam to have a healthy physical growth pattern (he has had a slow growth pattern in recent years). 3. Please pray for wisdom regarding ministry decisions. 4. Please pray for our overall health and ability to serve others .
I value your partnership in the Lord and thank you so much for your prayers and support. I know that your reward in heaven with be great!!!! I continue to pray for you DAILY!
In Christ,
Ron & Shar