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!

Miracles Of Christmas

Clovis Hills is currently going through the series called Miracles of Jesus. It's an awesome look into the miracles performed by Jesus...many opportunities to explore the Scriptures in a growth group and learn more about God and the saving grace that can only be found in Jesus.

Today, the opportunity to serve as a growth group on mission began with the Miracles of Christmas! Through the churchwide study of Miracles of Jesus many people will begin to realize modern day miracles of God throughout this study. Thus the vision is to begin praying about where God would have your growth group serve. The Missions Team at Clovis Hills has put together many ways to serve. It is our hope and prayer that as a growth group you will seek God's plan for the mission that He intends for your growth group to participate in. Then sign up and expect to experience God as he performs miracles in and through you on mission!

Sunil Sardar's Stop Caste Now

In about a month Clovis Hills has a team of 3 people who will join Sunil on mission in India. They along with others from around the U.S. will join pastors and lay leaders in India who are working towards caste reconciliation. View the video and prayerfully consider joining the team next year during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Vacation...God's Gift

I try to blog every week...mostly on Sundays when I get a moment. Blogging does not come naturally to me however, I'm beginning to appreciate the value in sharing some of my thoughts.

Well, I did not write anything last week because I was on vacation! Woo, hoo! It was a great time of relaxing, regeneration and just plain catching up on stuff around the house. I'm so busy most days that I don't spend a lot of time shopping for personal stuff much less household stuff. Then there is the car maintenance stuff that usually has to be squeezed into my crazy schedule and I get more stressed by it all. So, I decided that this vacation was to be a low key experience and I ended up catching up on a lot of "maintenance" in my life.

My last vacation I ended spending a lot of time dealing with some of my dad's needs - he has Alzheimer's and is living in a facility for now. So, needless to say that one was not very restful...in fact, I couldn't wait to get back to work! Certainly, I'm still dealing with dad stuff but I intentionally decided to focus on some time for me amidst everything else. It worked! I did get some "me" time and returned to work this past week rested and renewed...God is good! I also was able to travel for the weekend to the Grand Canyon with my old friend that I've known since the 3rd grade...we go wwwwway back! It was a great time with an old friend exploring an incredible creation of God. Awesome!

If you have not had a vacation in a while...schedule one ASAP and let God be your "travel guide"!

Lead: Going Global

Leadership is essential in the church. God has called all of us to lead in some capacity. The good news is you only need to be one step ahead to be a leader. So, I encourage you to:

• Maximize your serve.
• Become a leader.

Who me?!? Become a leader?!? Yes, YOU! Pastor Steve shares with us today as he completes the current series with LEAD - the last of the four areas of discipleship.

Jesus gave the church a mission to complete. The only way the church will complete the mission is to build a solid foundation of godly leadership. Leading as a disciple of Jesus reflects the value of Joyful Authenticity: Living from the heart. To lead our lives in such a way as to reflect the image of Jesus through our ability to live with joy even amidst adversity reflects a value of Clovis Hills.

In Acts 1:8 Jesus said:

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Clovis Hills is a part of a global plan to care for people who face the difficulties of spiritual emptiness, egocentric leadership, extreme poverty, pandemic disease and crippling illiteracy. We do this in conjunction with local churches worldwide. The first step is to become a "witness" of Jesus. Being a witness of Jesus is simply sharing what God has done in your life by sharing with others or through acts of compassion.

Now, as it applies to missions the vision is Going Global which is going on an international mission with your growth group. As a leader of your growth group you have an awesome opportunity to help lead your growth group on an international missionary journey. So, in your growth group begin praying about where God wants your group to travel on mission somewhere around the world. Then watch and experience God at work through your growth groups willingness to take the next step! It's an incredible experience with God!