Hoover Elementary Outreach Update from Dean Hartman:
I accompanied the four teachers from the Chemnitz FEG team who visited elementary classrooms at Hoover and shared with them about German culture and education, answering many student questions. Minouche Bandubuila, the Hoover community liaison, introduced me to the students in one class and told how Stonebridge Church is involved with distributing food to Hoover families. Later when I delivered gifts from the Chemnitz teachers to Minouche, Principal Clint Stone shared with me how important the Stonebridge partnership is to their mission. He said they could not do it without us. In addition to helping with food distribution every other Friday, some of our Stonebridge volunteers helped with a clothing distribution.
Incidentally, in a back page story in the Gazette about an ISEA grant to Hoover School pantry, Stonebridge Church is mentioned as a community partner with Hoover.
Hawthorne Hills Pantry Update from Brenda Owens:
We continue to be amazed at what God is doing at Hawthorne Hills. We are seeing so many things happening. In approximately 1 month, we have given away 22 bibles. We don't push the bibles, but we have them sitting there. Recently, 6 bibles left the building in one day. Two of which were requested by two teenagers. I feel so blessed to witness this. Please join us in praying for this community that God clearly loves. There some opportunities to serve this community coming up, read below for more information on how to get involved.
Heart of Iowa Update from Gayle Woods:
It’s thrilling when we get to see God drawing the women to Himself and It’s a great privilege to get to pray for these women and be part of the hard things going on in their lives.
The weekly Bible study is like a roller coaster. Sometimes it feels like we’re plowing soil as hard as concrete and it’s really challenging. We never really know how the night is going to go until we step through the door on Monday night. Will there be just a few women? Or will there be three tables full and we have run out of Bibles to hand out? Will it be a quiet group? Or will they be totally engaged? Or maybe there will be some “disrupters”??
Through it all, we know that God IS at work whether we see it that night or not. One of the joys is that these women love to read the verses out of the Bible (especially if they have never read a verse in their lives!). In fact, we often have to be careful to make sure each woman gets a turn. How wonderful is that?
I think I can speak for both Yvonne and I, that teaching God’s Word at Heart of Iowa has made us better Bible teachers. Many of the words and terms in the Bible are completely foreign to the women, and it’s so good for us to think through what those words really mean.
Week after week we remind ourselves of God’s promise in Isaiah 55:11 "It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it."
This encourages us to leave the results with God and to just keep going, trusting Galatians 6:9, that at just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
Angel Tree Update from Karen Skow
I have been involved with Angel Tree for around the last 20 years and every year there is someone who really touches my heart. This year (2023), Melanie was that person.
As I spoke with her the first time on the phone, she began sharing her story with me. She literally cried her heart out to me, and I cried with her. She shared with me that she has been the guardian of her 4 year old grandson for 3 years while her daughter (his mom) has been incarcerated. Her daughter was pregnant again, expecting a baby boy in late November. Melanie would be bringing this newborn grandson into her home as well. Her heartache was so deep, yet her love for her grandsons was so evident. She told me she knew this is where God placed her, but she never would have thought she would be starting out her 50’s with a newborn and 4 year old and a daughter who was incarcerated.
When I hung up from our first call, I felt led to help Melanie and her family above and beyond the gifts for the kids. She had let me know that she no longer had any baby items except for a crib. I had items at my house that I gathered for her and I mentioned the need to a few other ladies who were so gracious and bought things to help out as well.
It was so sweet to meet her at the Angel Tree party on December 9. Pastor Brandon and Carissa were hosts and were paired up with Melanie and her family throughout the morning. They were able to welcome them and get to know her better. Melanie was so grateful for all the extra baby items that she received that morning as we packed her car full. When I hugged her goodbye, I told her I wanted to stay in touch with her.
Sometimes you just don't know who God will put in your path or for what reason, but when He does, trust Him! Thank you, Stonebridge for your generosity you poured out on our Angel Tree program this year! Join me in continuing to pray for Melanie and her family as well as all of the other families that we were able to minister to.
Recent Posts
I have to admit that I am frequently tempted towards discouragement when ministering the gospel to others given my desire to see change happen (a good thing) on my timeline (a not so good thing) and also with my specific strategies at play (a good and bad thing). There are counseling situations that are so complex and require the “long haul” perspective, that is, setting aside a desired or forced timeline to finish the counseling season to trust increasingly in the Spirit to work at some undefined time in the future. So how do we navigate these types of situations with faithfulness?
A Growth Group is 2 to 4 women meeting regularly with openness and vulnerability, to encourage one another to grow in becoming more like Jesus. They are designed for women to talk with one another about how what they are learning is directly impacting, challenging, and encouraging them in their walk with Jesus. It is so encouraging to hear how women’s lives are being transformed by these intimate groups filled with sisters in Christ spurring each other on.
As you reflect back on this past week, or month, it doesn’t take too long before you’re reminded that many people in your spheres of influence are facing trials. Many times these are situations that are over their head and the circumstances surrounding them are often complex. Life is hard and at the same time our God is always good and faithful though it all. When life gets hard, “counseling” is often mentioned as a default. How do we guide people to the next best step when life gets hard?