Several years ago at our church, Tammy Beers heard current Fresno Unified School District Superintendant Larry Powell speak about Child Evangelism Fellowship and the ministry of Good News Clubs (GNCs) in the public schools. Tammy knew that the Holy Spirit was mobilizing her into action; and within a few months, she began the third GNC in the Clovis Unified School District and has sustained that ministry through the years.
In May 2009, God was calling her to become even more involved. She accepted the position of Coordinator of the local Chapter of the GNCs, and is now responsible for recruiting and training volunteers to teach and sustain the GNC’s in 21 Elementary schools in Clovis Unified. In addition, she established a GNC at Farimont School in Sanger Unified, and teaches a Junior High Bible Study for the Clark Intermediate area in her home.
GNCs typically meet after school for an hour and a half once a week. They engage children with Bible lessons, memory verses and Gospel activities, extending invitations to believe in Jesus Christ when the children realize their need for a personal Lord and Savior. This environment reaches lost children for Christ and helps disciple Christian children to grow in their faith.
Tammy has a sense of urgency in her work, as she realizes that eternal souls are at stake, and that the window of opportunity for GNCs to be in the public schools may someday close. She is responsible for raising 100% of her salary, so is greatly appreciative when people pledge to support her work on an ongoing monthly or annual basis.
This passionate crusader is also always looking for those who are willing to volunteer to be trained and then to work for GNC in the often spiritually dark mission field of the public schools.
If God is tugging at your heart as He did Tammy’s, then you should contact her at Child Evangelism Fellowship office: 226-5539 or email her at tammybeerscef@sbcglobal.net or check out the CEF website: www.fresnocefonline.com
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A friend's smiling face
- Mary Kate with some new friends
Our own Mary Kate Mannino, wife of NHC’s Director of Student Ministries Paul Mannino, visited Rohi Children’s Organization this past summer. Rohi is a children’s home in Nakuru, Kenya in Africa. Rohi, which has been growing rapidly since its inception, now includes a dorm that houses 150 kids, classrooms for up to 300 students, a chapel, a playground area, a dining hall, and a soccer field. In the property adjoining these facilities, Rohi has its own farm, which includes dairy cows, egg-laying chickens, goats, crops, and a greenhouse.
Mary Kate went on a missions trip to Rohi with a group of people from the Bay Area this summer (2010). On her trip, she spent an abundance of quality time with the kids. She attended several church services, in which members of the group travelling with her had an opportunity to share their testimonies. The group visited an imporverished dump area and delivered buckets of food to the homes there, worked on a construction project for a new school, did water tank projects in a nearby bush area, delivered Bibles to local churches, and showed the Jesus film in the local language. In addition, they visited the Cana Girls Rescue Home where the residents had been rescued from female circumcision and marriages to significanlty older men.
Mary Kate has a sincere heart for God, for service, for children, and for the worthwhile work of Rohi. She encourages everyone who senses the leading of the Holy Spirit to visit Rohi’s website (www.rohikenya.org) and prayerfully ask God about how He would have them involved.
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In James 1:27, we are told to “look after orphans and widows in their distress.” The Patty Project offers an opportunity to do just that!
On most Saturday mornings during the school year, a group of NHC ers (that is shorthand for attenders of New Harves
t Church) go to Webster Elementary School of Fresno between 9 and 11 am and spend time with school kids. Many of these children come from challenging family backgrounds. The NHC ers can play football, basketball, or softball with the kids. For the more sedentary types, you can also play cards or exciting games such as Candy Land with the youngsters; or, you can work with the kids on various art projects. Or you can even join them swinging from the bars in the playground!
The Patty Project may just be the door one needs in order to enter into involvement with missions! Definitely worth checking out.
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The last week of July, 2010, was a fantastic experience for thirty-five people from New Harvest Church who spent that time in Mexico serving God. As we often hear about in church, they went “across the border” to Rancho Agua Viva, in the hills outside of Ensenada, Baja California. They were involved in three different ministries which had been especially chosen for them by the staff at Agua Viva.
Some of the group led a Vacation Bible School for Mexican children. None of these children had ever been to a VBS before. The location was challenging; it was in an area where there had been no previous Christian influence of the kids. The children were blessed by hearing about Christ in a fun format, complete with costumes tailored to each day’s Bible story.
In the afternoon, some of Paul Mannino’s youth group led a sports ministry. This too was hosted in a challenging location – yet it was still fun for all.
Some of the 35 worked on a construction project on a faithful Christian family’s house perched on a hillside above Ensenada. Marielana’s family responded with hospitality and a delicious lunch for the entire NHC group each day.
On Wednesday night, the group traveled to a remote barrio to participate in their midweek worship service. Our own Pastor Pat Evans gave his message: “Every Day, Every Way, Extreme Faith.” The area’s small band of believers lives in the midst of demonstrable persecution for their faith.
Thursday morning before breakfast, the group took a short hike up to the cross at the tallest point of Rancho Agua Viva and celebrated a time of worship led by Chris Denning.
The group worked hard, played hard, and gave all the glory to God for using them during their week of service. They made new friends, ate a multitude of beans, and learned more about their loving Lord.
Filed under: Across the Border, Agua Viva Ministries | 2 Comments
sincerely your friend
Just thought I’d share a note of thanks from Valerie F. Davis, the President of the Fresno Unified School District Board of Education…
“My dear friend, Pastor Mitch Ribera and New Harvest Christian Fellowship Church,
Thank you so very much for the time and effort you give to our students at Webster Elem. School. Our children are blessed because of you.
Train up a child in the way he should go; and, when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
Sincerely your friend,
Valerie”
Our service across the city through the Patty Project is being noticed. 🙂
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si tuvieras fe
I love the simplicity of a song that I learned in Ensenada a couple of summers ago:
“‘Si tuvieras fe como grano de mostaza,’ eso lo dice el Senor. ‘Tu le dirias a la montana, ‘Muevete, muevete.’ Esa montana se movera, se movera, se movera”
Translation:
“‘If you have faith as a mustard seed,’ thus says the Lord. ‘You say to the mountain, ‘Move, move.’ That mountain will move, move, move.”
It’s going to be an amazing challenge wrangling together this team that God is bringing together for our Ensenada Mission Experience to Agua Viva Ministries this summer. From where I’m sitting right now, it’s somewhere around over twenty adults and twenty kids. What a crew! This is going to be on a scale that I’m a little freaked out about!
That being said, I know that God is bringing this group together. I’m excited because tonight is our first team meeting (there will be two more on Sunday, May 23 and Sunday June 6). To see all the people who are going in one place is all of a sudden going to place a sense of reality on this whole thing that, quite frankly, no sign-up sheet, list, or even auction can create.
How is God going to use our group? How is God going to get all the details ironed out for our trip to be safe, successful, and surrendered? How, how, how! I don’t know some of those answers, but I do know that if I have faith “as a mustard seed” (just tiny…but able to grow through all of this) mountains are going to move.
Filed under: Across the Border, Agua Viva Ministries | 2 Comments
reclaim. restore. equip. repeat.
To kick off the first blog entry for New Harvest’s mission, I want to share my experience at the Fresno Street Saints luncheon that took place at Westside Church of God in Fresno on Wednesday afternoon, April 28, 2010.
Mary Kate showed up early to take pictures of the event. Brian King, the CEO of Fresno Street Saints, even told MK that she was supposed to stand when the “street saints” were introduced to all the dignitaries, business leaders, and sleeve-rolled-uppers. So, now it’s official, my wife is a saint.
On a more series note, it was amazing to see the diversity and collective power and voice in that room. It was an interesting blend of people from the private sector (PG&E representatives, bank people, real estate people), people from the world of politics (our mayor, city planner, and others), and people who simply do the tough work in the inner city (non-profits and church people).
The food was awesome (yes, this matters to me), and the main speaker was Gus Newport who (in his lifetime) has worked alongside Malcolm X, led one of the most famous urban revitalization projects in America, been the mayor Berkeley, and served to help communities reach their potential.
He was optimistic (and so am I) that Fresno has the right people in leadership to make changes that are going to reclaim, restore, and equip people in the inner city of the ‘No.
Knowing the Fresno Street Saints crew in only the brief amount of time that I’ve gotten to know them, I have seen their hearts to make a sustainable difference in some of the toughest communities in west Fresno. Check out their website at www.fresnostreetsaints.org.
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New Harvest Church's Mission Blog 