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CCY CONNECT FEBRUARY 2023 EDITION

Written by Brian Mitchell

1 Corinthians 1:4-6 NIV

4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you.

As I start my internship here at CCY, I reflect on how much your support has been part of my journey. I started out as an over-the-road truck driver, then a house cleaner, and now I am a college student studying to be a pastor. How could this high school dropout turn into a college student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in ministry? God truly has a sense of humor! My experiences here at CCY have encouraged me along this path.

My journey has not been a smooth one. God had to close many doors and humble me in order to get me to see His purpose for my life. I'm a hard nut to crack, but on a mission trip to Guatemala, God literally knocked some sense into me! My prayer has always been "God, use me", and as I slowly let down my guard, He has. The opportunities given to me at CCY and the people who have supported me along the way helped me recognize God's calling.

With the subtle prodding of my wife (Jennifer) with comments like “you would make a great pastor” and the confidence given to me by my CCY family, I did a google search one day during the Covid lockdown. “Google, what does it take to become a pastor?” and I was off and running. My prayer of “God use me” was answered. Now, I am blessed by your support once again as I start my internship.

I thank God for leading me to such a Christ-centered church. Where the people make a difference, and the motto of win, build, send is so much more.

by Rose Miller

I was not prepared for a life of ministry. Having not been raised in the church I had no idea what it looked like to be a pastor’s wife or what the expectations would look like or how to handle them as they came. I had no idea what I was getting into and after a rough start, which took its toll on my marriage and my mental health, I never wanted to be a part of it ever again. After stepping away from our last church I swore I would never be in the pastor’s wife position again, it wasn’t for me, someone else needs to do it. A year later, after watching Chris apply to jobs he would hate, he got two job offers for a youth pastor position from churches in the OKC area. Both churches had senior pastors named Clay, married to a “Jen” with two boys in the youth. You can’t convince me that’s not a God thing!

I gave in but kept my walls up. Upon interviewing with CCY I made it very clear that I would not be a part of anything and that my involvement would be beyond minimal. The leadership that we spoke with was very supportive of that decision and it gave me a sense of peace that I hadn’t had before. Within months of getting to Yukon, I felt the Spirit moving me to be open to ministry in a way that allowed me to use my talents. Before I knew it, I was asking leadership if I could paint some murals and they graciously let me. The next thing I knew, I was painting more. Then they let me start playing with the lights on Sunday mornings. Then they trusted me enough to let me decorate and paint the stage in the sanctuary. I opened the cafe for the youth, I was allowed to cook some meals and eventually I noticed myself finding immense joy in being with the youth group and acting as a leader in that realm. I allowed myself to let God use me where my gifts and talents could be used, and now I can’t imagine not being involved anymore.

As I have learned to listen God and less to people, I have found myself relating more to Isaiah 6:8 which says, “I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me.’” I find myself volunteering for more and with each new task, comes more joy. Our world lives in such a “fast paced, gotta be busy all the time,” mindset, but I think it’s important to remember that we are called to spread the word and to further the church. If you are nervous to start, or if you have been burned as a volunteer before, find someone to talk to about it. You will receive nothing but encouragement, kindness and the grace to take your time to find where you need to be.

There is a spot for everyone and a place that will emphasize the gifts you have been blessed with. And if there isn’t a spot you feel called to, but see a need where you can be part of a resolution, talk to leadership. Our leadership is really awesome and wants the best for the church, and who better to do a project that you feel passionate about than you? Remember, “The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). Allow yourself to step in where your spiritual gifts can bring glory and learn to fall in love with ministry again! I didn’t think it was possible, but a lot can be accomplished when you step aside and let God take the lead.”

By Tori Lambert

Jesus calls us to become like children to enter the kingdom of heaven. But what does it look like for us, the church, to welcome children the way Jesus did? One of the biggest ways for us to do this is to engage with the children. It can be as simple as saying hello or even allowing them to serve right beside you and teaching them how to do the task at hand.

I got to witness an example of these a few weeks ago when one of my students approached me before Sunday school and told me he was going to be late for class. I asked him why and he told me he wanted to give greeting a try. I was so proud of him for stepping out of his comfort zone to do this. Our greeter that morning was so good with the young boy. I watched from a distance as this adult told the boy the names of each person coming through the door so he could greet them by name as they came in. When this student got to class you could see the joy on his face. He was so excited and as his teacher, it was so encouraging to see him feel included in the important jobs at church.

GUATEMALA TEAM UPCOMING FUNDRAISERS

Chili Cook-Off

Hi everyone! We're excited to announce our Chili Cook-Off fundraiser to support our Guatemala Mission Team. This is a great opportunity to raise funds, get to know other members of our church community, and enjoy some delicious chili!

Here are the details: The cookoff will be held on Wednesday, February 15th at 6:00 pm in the South Building. There is no entry fee, but we ask that each chili dish be enough to serve 10-15 people. There will be prizes for the best chili, as well as a crowd favorite. Donations will be accepted and there will a silent auction for sweet treats. To sign up to cook a chili or donate a sweet treat for the silent auction, click the button below. We hope to see you there!

CHURCH-WIDE GARAGE SALE

Christ's Church of Yukon is having a church-wide garage sale to raise funds for the Guatemala Mission Team! The garage sale will be held on Saturday, March 4th from 8 am to 2 pm. Please consider donating items that will attract people to the sale and help fund the mission. Items such as furniture, dishes, and tools seem to be popular. Also, consider donating your time for setup and teardown. It will be happening concurrently with Christ's Closet, so the more volunteers the better. So come on out on March 4th and support the church while getting some great deals!

YOUR PART OF THE MISSION

by Jennifer Mitchell

All hands on deck! To have a successful mission, we need support from our church. Support comes in so many ways. The Guatemala team needs your help with the garage sale. We are looking for large furniture, appliances, baby items, and anything that will sell well. It’s time to clean the house! Some of us struggle with the overwhelming task. If that is you, I created a fun, easy, and not as daunting way to get this done in my blog. It is a 6-week challenge decluttering your house. I break it down into 30-minute increments each day. Weeks 1-4 focus on the house itself, week 5 focuses on the garage, and week 6 is a deep cleaning of the house. The garage sale is on March 4th. You still have time to go through your home. It can be a win-win for all. How amazing this would be! You will bless this ministry, and your house will get tidied up.

The mission of Christ's Crew is ministering grace to our CCY widows in times of need and helping with things they cannot do themselves. To meet necessary and basic needs in their home; as well as, loving and remember her and blessing her day throughout the year. By meeting these needs, she will be encouraged and see God's provision through the hands and feet of Jesus

Marjorie Magers Testimonial

UPCOMING EVENTS AT CCY

CHRIST'S CLOSET | SATURDAY FEBRUARY 4TH, 2023

The Christ's Closet ministry at Christ's Church of Yukon provides free clothing to those in need. The closet is staffed by volunteers like us and we will be open this Saturday, February 4th from 11 am-2 pm. Now is a great time to get involved, come and volunteer and help us share God's love through this ministry.

CCY PARTICIPATION

RESOURCES

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620 W. VANDAMENT AVE, YUKON OK 73099 | 405-354-0245 | INFO@CCYOK.COM