Fresno Rescue Mission * Maroa Home

Clovis Hills has been hosting a Christmas Party at the Fresno Rescue Mission for the residents of the Emergency Family Shelter for several years and this year is no different!

A ministry of compassion…
The number of families requiring emergency shelter, not just in Fresno but in the greater Fresno County area, continues to increase. Families who have lost their home due to fire, loss of job, economic conditions or other life crises need a safe haven where they can find the resources and assistance they need to get on with their life.The Emergency Family Shelter offers 14 to 30 day temporary shelter for families, including food, clothing, personal care, referrals to other agencies that can assist them, and most importantly love and hope through the teachings of Jesus Christ. Families are given food packages and other needed supplies when they leave the shelter, to assist them in starting over in an apartment.
It is the only emergency shelter in the greater Fresno area that accepts whole family units, including father, mother and children.

The Christmas party is just one way to begin sharing the love of Jesus...pray about joining us!

The Maroa Home is a Christian discipleship program located in The Tower District of Fresno, CA. The Maroa Home has been in operation since 1984. All of the men in the program are committed to changing their lives and helping others in the process. The Maroa Home has been restoring families for over 21 years and continues to this day with great success. This Christ-centered residential program offers structure, discipline, counsel, biblical instruction and life skills training to drug and alcohol addicted men in an extended family atmosphere.

Clovis Hills is serving at the Maroa Home this christmas by purchasing requested items as Christmas gifts for resident. Another way to serve is to give Christmas gifts for a family of a resident of the Maroa Home. Share the compassion of Jesus by serving the men of the Maroa Home.

Go to Miracles of Christmas for details on serving on mission with the Fresno Rescue Mission, Maroa Home or choose from the many options...check it out!

Angel Tree * Willow Creek Health Center

Angel Tree is a program of Prison Fellowship and a ministry of the local church. Angel Tree seeks to transform the lives of the children of prisoners, their incarcerated parents, and their families and to reconcile them to their heavenly Father and each other.

At Christmas, Angel Tree provides a specific opportunity to connect with families and begin to minister to them. People from Clovis Hills purchase and provide gifts to the children of inmates in their parent's name. With each gift delivery comes the opportunity to share the love and hope of Christ. The cost of Angel Tree Christmas is minimal, approximately $40 per child reached. Each child is to receive a minimum of two gifts. When we send you the children's names we will include a suggestion for one fun gift and one article of clothing that the prisoner picked out using our gift guide. When you contact the children's caregivers, you should get their approval of the prisoner's gift suggestions and find out if they have anything more specific to add to the request. Each gift must be new and valued at $15-20.

WILLOW CREEK HEALTH CARE CENTER

Many elderly people live in nursing homes, assisted care facilities and extended care centers for the remainder of their lives. Some are fortunate to have family and friends visit them regularly. However, many suffer through loneliness and no one around to visit them. Hence the mission of ministry of Clovis Hills at the Willow Creek Center. Folks from Clovis Hills visit residents at Willow Creek Health Center and participate in a Worship Service. This happens every month and there are various ways to serve. All elements of a typical worship service are available such as music, singing, teaching the message and fellowship. Prayerfully consider serving the elderly in our community by sharing the love of Jesus.

Go to Miracles of Christmas for details on serving on mission with Angel Tree, Willow Creek or choose from the many options...check it out!

Alamos Neighborhood * International Students

Clovis Hills served the Alamos Neighborhood during "Three Wishes for Clovis" in the Fall of 2006. This Thanksgiving we would like to continue the community involvement in a neighborhood by giving food baskets. Since Three Wishes, we've continued to stay involved in the neighborhood by participating in two block parties sponsored by the Clovis Police Department. Let's continue the relationships we've started by serving this Thanksgiving.

International Students is an opportunity to provide a unique holiday experience by hosting a Christmas or New Years party and invite international students from Fresno State University! Did you know that students from around the world come to the valley to further their education and many spend 2-4 years in the U.S. without ever stepping foot in an American home? The "ends of the earth" are here so practice your gift of hospitality and befriend an international student.

Go to Miracles of Christmas for details on serving on mission with Alamos Neighborhood, International Students or choose from the many options...check it out!

Juvenile Hall Christmas Party * Samaritan Women

Juvenile Hall Christmas Party is a ministry which offers an evening of Christ-centered fun for youth incarcerated at the Juvenile facility. This is done in partnership with the Mid-Valley Southern Baptist Association every year. It offers the opportunity to serve the youth by ministering to them during the holiday season. Consider being used by God by joining this mission on December 4, 2007. Several ways to participate are:

• Prepare gift boxes
• Prepare food
• Come out and share the evening by singing, playing games, and hanging out.

Samaritan Women empowers women who have expressed a desire to break the cycle of crime in their lives and to make choices that will help them fulfill God's purpose for them in their families and communities. One way Clovis Hills is ministering to the women this Christmas is by sponsoring a woman to the Clovis Hills Women's Christmas Luncheon. Consider sponsoring a woman by serving them in this way.

Go to Miracles of Christmas for details on serving on mission with Juvenile Hall, Samaritan Women or choose from the many options...check it out!

Operation Christmas Child * Feeding Fresno

Operation Christmas Child is a wonderful way to share God's love with a needy child in a third world country. Many, if not all, of the children have never heard the good news of Jesus Christ and the hope that can be found in a relationship with him. Through this mission Clovis Hills has the opportunity to serve as a growth group community which will impact children overseas. Now, if your growth group has chosen Operation Christmas Child then the next step is to...

1. Begin by picking up a shoebox (or use any standard size shoebox) and an Operation Christmas Child brochure from the SERVE table located in the courtyard during weekend
   services or go to Samaritan's Purse for details.
2. The brochure will give you the information you need to prepare a shoebox.
3. Filled shoe boxes need to be returned to the Clovis Hills Community Church SERVE table no later than Sunday, November 11. If you miss this deadline then between Nov. 11 - 18, please take the shoe boxes directly to Baseball Greats Sports Cards, 442 Pollasky Ave. in downtown Clovis: Mon. - Sat. 10 am - 6 pm and Sun. 12 pm to 5 pm.

Then expect God to do miracles in the lives of your growth group as you "go global"!

Feeding Fresno is another way for growth groups to serve in our local community. Feeding Fresno reaches out to churches, families, and organizations in a concerted effort to put food on the tables of economically disadvantaged individuals. Over 100,000 bags of groceries are given every year! If you can sort food, stock supplies or greet folks with a smile then THIS may be your local mission.

Go to Miracles of Christmas for details on serving on mission with Operation Christmas Child, Feeding Fresno or choose from the many options...check it out!

Serve: My Community

Serving is more than volunteering. It's investing in eternal things, making an impact in people’s lives and serving from a grateful heart. SERVE is the third of four areas of discipleship being discussed in the current series. An amazing thing happens when you get connected to God through serving in an area that uses the gifts and talents that God has equipped you with...then add passion - watch out world...God is at work! It is truly awesome to encounter God through serving...try it - you won't regret it!

Serving as a disciple of Jesus reflects two of our values at Clovis Hills. One is Grateful Service: A generous heart and the other is Open Acceptance: A heart for the lost. To serve in a ministry of the church AND to be part of a growth group on mission is the way to reflect the values of Clovis Hills. I appreciate and agree with Rick Warren when he states that there are really two essential parts of serving: ministry - service to believers and mission - service to unbelievers. The important balance to maintain is to find where God wants you to serve in ministry and mission. Not sure where to begin? Pray and think about the following outline as you discover your place of service:

Submit to God’s service
Experience God’s blessings
Reflect God’s son
Validate God’s calling
Expand God’s kingdom

Jesus stated in the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19, 20:

"…Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Making disciples begins at home, in our church and in our community. Now, as it applies to missions the vision is My Community which is serving on mission in our local community with my growth group. So, in your growth group begin praying about where God wants your group to serve on mission in our local community. Then watch and experience God at work through your obedience!

World Changers

Serving on mission in our community is an awesome way to experience God in our backyard. Often times in our busy lives it's hard to imagine how we can find the time to serve God on mission. Certainly, this is a constant challenge for all of us but with God it is possible. One way for us to serve in our community is through World Changers this summer!

• Saturday, June 23rd – Saturday, June 30th
• 18 homes in the Clovis area will be repaired, painted, roof work, fence replacement, and more!
• Churches can participate in this project by “adopting” a crew for the week!

“Adopt-a-Crew”

1. Host them on Sunday, June 24th by leading them to your church for service. After church, provide lunch, encouragement, prayer and then take them to meet their “homeowner” for the week.
2. Throughout the week Monday, June 25th – Friday, June 29th provide lunch at their worksite for about 15-20 students and adults.
3. Attend the Celebration event on Friday evening, June 29th to glorify God!
   

18 churches are needed to “adopt-a-crew” – will yours be one of them? For more information, contact Terry Maldonado at 559.297.2600 ext. 19 or email: terry.maldonado@clovishills.com

Christmas Missions

Clovis Hills serves on mission through various Christmas projects. I've written about the Juvenile Hall Christmas party already so wanted to also tell about some of the other Christmas missions. I'm pretty new at this "blogging" stuff...so bear with me! Anyway, enjoy the update!

Operation Christmas Child - 175 boxes donated in October! Then for the first time folks from Clovis Hills went to the LA area and spent a Saturday sorting boxes at the west cost distribution center! This project was completely run by a small group.

Refugee Home Visits - 10 youth and adults went to visit a family of 12. They learned a lot about the Hmong culture and had some way cool rice according to Greg Goodwin! This is an incredible opportunity to create relational bridges for the future.

Maroa Home - A Clovis Hills small group has adopted this as their Christmas mission! They give each man a shoe box filled with toiletries, socks and goodies - 34 in all. Then each of the men that get to go home for the Christmas receive a gift for their family members…all purchased and wrapped by Clovis Hills folks.

Angel Tree - 200 angles were chosen to receive gifts! These were delivered by the team of volunteers on Saturday, December 16th. Along with the gifts each family received an invitation to Clovis Hills outreach services and Christmas Eve services.

Fresno Rescue Mission - Christmas party will be happening this Thursday, December 21st and lots of goodies and gifts for the families who are spending Christmas at the missions' Family Shelter. If you would like to participate then email michelle@pellerin.com soon!

Okay, this has probably been a long post...but lots going on! I am very excited to see what God's doing in the life of our folks and what he has done - not to mention how he will continue to use those willing to step outside their comfort zone!

Juvenile Hall Christmas Party

I participated in the Juvenile Hall Christmas Party last night and it was AWESOME! Clovis Hills has been a part of this mission since we began as a church. The Mid-Valley Southern Baptist Association has hosted this mission for many years now and as a result over 300 people from the central valley will participate this year!

Marcela, Missions Coordinator, facilitated and orgainzed our party. We had about 17 of our folks serve by playing games, providing food, reading story, sharing the gospel and basically just hanging out with these teens who are living in Juvenile Hall. I was priveledged to share the story of Jesus birth and crucifixion. I felt it necessary to highlight the two criminals being crucified alongside Jesus. It seemed relevant. It seemed an opportune time to help these guys realize God's love when they choose to accept Jesus. In fact, they too can hang out with him in heaven if they so choose. 20 young teenagers accepted Jesus last night! Woo, hoo!

Praise God!