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SHCC SUPPORTS THE FOLLOWING MISSIONS
FOOD PANTRY
Don’t forget about our community food pantry. We have a collection basket in the vestibule, and are always in need of non-perishables. Thank you to all have donated, we partner with other local churches to help those in need in our community.
MISSIONS UPDATE - FROM BEN & BERT WENKE, CROSSROADS MISSIONS
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.
MISSIONS UPDATE – KAREN FLOWERS
There is a secret in the Egyptian culture, and it’s not that birth is painful, it’s that these women, when empowered, are very strong. I have been here long enough to know, they can be doctors, musicians, authors, artists, and they can do just about anything. A visit to any hospital in Egypt, you quickly come away with the impression that the Egyptian woman is weak, frail, and has no tolerance for anything beyond the slightest amount of pain. The culture teaches that pain is frightening and birth is an emergency and because of that, these women no longer trust their bodies to do what God made them to do. That trust has been transferred to a medical system that is built on what will go wrong, and medical care providers no longer learn what it looks like when everything goes according to God’s plan. Our first Birth Guardian Instructor Program was a huge success! Trainees came, not just from Cairo, but from cities and villages from all over Egypt. Our objective is to educate, not only the physical aspects of a natural birth, but also how the mother’s emotions and spiritual beliefs impact her ability to trust her instincts give birth. This new program focuses on certifying Egyptian women to teach other women their own social level, and in their own language, that they do indeed posses the ability to give birth naturally.
MISSIONS UPDATE – MATT AND HOLLY MELTON • ASU CAMPUS
The February winter conference was Holly's 21st and it was quite different from any other because it was virtual due to COVID. Over 6,000 students participated from around the U.S. Holly had 9 students in cabins to watch the conference virtually. The weekend impact was significant. One guy wants to join a summer mission. A group of men shared vulnerably about their struggles and the next steps for accountability. One young woman learned that who she is dating is not a believer. She is now deciding if she wants to pursue spiritual leadership or continue in the relationship with her boyfriend. Please pray for these students that they would take what they were challenged with and apply it to their lives.
Holly's discipleship class with young adults ended the same week as the conference. As a result of investing in 15 students over 18 weeks, 5 small groups will be started, and 6 students will take the class again to mentor 12 new students in the class. Many are more confident in sharing their faith and making it an intentional priority in their lives. They are no longer 'pew warmers' but passionate kingdom believers for God.
Holly is having intense migraines and Matt is experiencing weakness. Both are seeking medical advice and ask for prayers knowing when they are week He is strong!
MISSIONS UPDATE – ERIK & TERRI POWELL with SCRIPTURES IN USE
THE NET
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net. It was let down into the lake. It caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and gathered the good fish into baskets. But they threw the bad fish away. This is how it will be on judgement day. The angels will come. They will separate the people who did what is wrong from those who did what is right. They will throw evil people into the blazing furnace. There the evil people will weep and grind their teeth."(NIRV) I often wonder how those listening to Jesus would have responded as they heard him tell this parable describing the Kingdom of Heaven. Were they offended? Did they feel that the evil people got their just reward? Did it convict them of their own wrong actions? Perhaps, their responses would have been similar to that of one of the Muslim refugee women who recently heard and memorized, "The Net" in a weekly literacy and Bible storytelling class and shared it with a co-worker...
"So, do you think you are one of the good fish or bad fish in this story?" she asked our Muslim friend.
"I am a good fish, of course," she responded.
"Hmm"...said our co-worker, "I am not sure I could call myself a good fish."
"What? Of course you're a good fish!" exclaimed our Muslim friend. "You do so many good things for people!"
The co-worker smiled and said, "You see I know all the bad things that I have done and thought: Things that no one knows, but God. But there is one thing I do know for sure. I will never be thrown into the blazing furnace."
"How can you know this for sure?" our Muslim friend asked.
Our co-worker replied, "Because when, Nebi Isa, Jesus, died on the cross and rose from the grave He took all the wrong things I had ever done or will do on Himself so that I would never have to go to the blazing furnace for my sins."
"You know this for sure?" she asked.
"I do, and so can you."
May we never underestimate the power of God's Story, it is alive and able to transform lives everyday.
Blessings, Teri and Erik
MINISTRY UPDATE From WAYNE HUHTA Serving With REACH BEYOND
A letter from Wayne...
Dear Friends at SHCC,
This note is to thank you for your prayer and financial support during 2020. SonSet Solutions* had the privilege of helping 18,000 ministries in 60 countries use technology to spread the Gospel in their area of ministry. Another 8,000 SonSet radios were distributed. You folks are a vital part of this effort and very much appreciated!
Love in Christ, Wayne
*SonSet Solutions provides technology-based solutions to advance the Gospel worldwide.
- CARENET Crisis Pregnancy Center in Sierra Vista
- Crossroads Nogales Mission
- CRU – Matt and Holly Melton on the ASU campus
- Evangelical Free Church of America
- Reach Beyond – Wayne Huhta
- Resource Exchange International – Karen Flowers
- Scriptures in Use – Erik and Terri Powell
- Community Youth – example: Vacation Bible School
FOOD PANTRY
Don’t forget about our community food pantry. We have a collection basket in the vestibule, and are always in need of non-perishables. Thank you to all have donated, we partner with other local churches to help those in need in our community.
MISSIONS UPDATE - FROM BEN & BERT WENKE, CROSSROADS MISSIONS
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.
MISSIONS UPDATE – KAREN FLOWERS
There is a secret in the Egyptian culture, and it’s not that birth is painful, it’s that these women, when empowered, are very strong. I have been here long enough to know, they can be doctors, musicians, authors, artists, and they can do just about anything. A visit to any hospital in Egypt, you quickly come away with the impression that the Egyptian woman is weak, frail, and has no tolerance for anything beyond the slightest amount of pain. The culture teaches that pain is frightening and birth is an emergency and because of that, these women no longer trust their bodies to do what God made them to do. That trust has been transferred to a medical system that is built on what will go wrong, and medical care providers no longer learn what it looks like when everything goes according to God’s plan. Our first Birth Guardian Instructor Program was a huge success! Trainees came, not just from Cairo, but from cities and villages from all over Egypt. Our objective is to educate, not only the physical aspects of a natural birth, but also how the mother’s emotions and spiritual beliefs impact her ability to trust her instincts give birth. This new program focuses on certifying Egyptian women to teach other women their own social level, and in their own language, that they do indeed posses the ability to give birth naturally.
MISSIONS UPDATE – MATT AND HOLLY MELTON • ASU CAMPUS
The February winter conference was Holly's 21st and it was quite different from any other because it was virtual due to COVID. Over 6,000 students participated from around the U.S. Holly had 9 students in cabins to watch the conference virtually. The weekend impact was significant. One guy wants to join a summer mission. A group of men shared vulnerably about their struggles and the next steps for accountability. One young woman learned that who she is dating is not a believer. She is now deciding if she wants to pursue spiritual leadership or continue in the relationship with her boyfriend. Please pray for these students that they would take what they were challenged with and apply it to their lives.
Holly's discipleship class with young adults ended the same week as the conference. As a result of investing in 15 students over 18 weeks, 5 small groups will be started, and 6 students will take the class again to mentor 12 new students in the class. Many are more confident in sharing their faith and making it an intentional priority in their lives. They are no longer 'pew warmers' but passionate kingdom believers for God.
Holly is having intense migraines and Matt is experiencing weakness. Both are seeking medical advice and ask for prayers knowing when they are week He is strong!
MISSIONS UPDATE – ERIK & TERRI POWELL with SCRIPTURES IN USE
THE NET
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net. It was let down into the lake. It caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and gathered the good fish into baskets. But they threw the bad fish away. This is how it will be on judgement day. The angels will come. They will separate the people who did what is wrong from those who did what is right. They will throw evil people into the blazing furnace. There the evil people will weep and grind their teeth."(NIRV) I often wonder how those listening to Jesus would have responded as they heard him tell this parable describing the Kingdom of Heaven. Were they offended? Did they feel that the evil people got their just reward? Did it convict them of their own wrong actions? Perhaps, their responses would have been similar to that of one of the Muslim refugee women who recently heard and memorized, "The Net" in a weekly literacy and Bible storytelling class and shared it with a co-worker...
"So, do you think you are one of the good fish or bad fish in this story?" she asked our Muslim friend.
"I am a good fish, of course," she responded.
"Hmm"...said our co-worker, "I am not sure I could call myself a good fish."
"What? Of course you're a good fish!" exclaimed our Muslim friend. "You do so many good things for people!"
The co-worker smiled and said, "You see I know all the bad things that I have done and thought: Things that no one knows, but God. But there is one thing I do know for sure. I will never be thrown into the blazing furnace."
"How can you know this for sure?" our Muslim friend asked.
Our co-worker replied, "Because when, Nebi Isa, Jesus, died on the cross and rose from the grave He took all the wrong things I had ever done or will do on Himself so that I would never have to go to the blazing furnace for my sins."
"You know this for sure?" she asked.
"I do, and so can you."
May we never underestimate the power of God's Story, it is alive and able to transform lives everyday.
Blessings, Teri and Erik
MINISTRY UPDATE From WAYNE HUHTA Serving With REACH BEYOND
A letter from Wayne...
Dear Friends at SHCC,
This note is to thank you for your prayer and financial support during 2020. SonSet Solutions* had the privilege of helping 18,000 ministries in 60 countries use technology to spread the Gospel in their area of ministry. Another 8,000 SonSet radios were distributed. You folks are a vital part of this effort and very much appreciated!
Love in Christ, Wayne
*SonSet Solutions provides technology-based solutions to advance the Gospel worldwide.