Want to Help Us Transform an Old

Liquor Store?

MISSIONWACO•WORLD

1315 N. 15th StreetWaco, TX 76707

Non-Profit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 74

Return Service Requested

November 2017

The old iconic package store now belongs to Mission Waco, thanks to a Christian busi-nessman in Dallas who believes in our vision to continue bringing healing and change to the historic North Waco area. We’ve abated the asbestos, gutted the old walls, and cele-brated an architect who is currently donat-ing his own time to design the three units. Now we need to find the donations to ren-ovate the property. Interested? We would love the chance to share the possibilities and dreams of what lies ahead. If you would like to see the building and consider an invest-ment to “rebuild the walls” (Isa 58), let’s talk.

MLK Day Program &

Service Day Monday, Jan. 15Join scores of folks at 10:00am in the

Jubilee Theatre for a dramatic reading, the lunchtime “soulfood”

discussion on race (youth and adult locations), and then 2.25 hours (1:15-3:30) of service project opportunities

in Waco. Contact <jdorrell@missionwaco.org> for more information and registra-

tion or call 254.753.4900.

Advent &

AccoladesThursday, December 144:30-6:15pm - 1321 N. 15th

Refreshments in theWorld Cup Cafe and a brief time of Christmas Caroling

in the Jubilee Theatre

Volunteers and Donors are invited to come celebrate the goodness of God in 2017

and remember the birth of Christ.

December 15-17

Aquaponics attracting

Waco community

The Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce highlighted Mission Waco’s Urban REAP ef-fort in their recent magazine. Groups from all over Waco and the area are learning about organics grown in water, solar energy, rain-water catchment, water purification, and commercial composting. They are also learn-ing about the importance of a sustainable earth or “creation care,” a call to a lifestyle of protecting God’s good earth for generations to come. In addition, many of the neighbors are also learning more about the importance of good nutrition from eating organics that many have never tasted. There are weekly demonstrations of healthy foods from the Ju-bilee Food Market and Urban REAP offered by a volunteer who lost over 75 pounds from eating more intentionally. If you have not yet been over to see the project, bring a friend an get the short tour. You can also purchase organic foods like basil, Swiss chard, kale, collard greens, cilantro and others, as well as purchase compost and flowers.

Dickens’ classic tale is about Ebenezer Scrooge, a selfish miser who is visited by the ghosts of Christmases past, present, and future. Join Ebenezer on this music-filled adventure, as your heart is warmed by this Christmas classic told through a unique style of storytelling and a cappella Christmas mu-sic. This is a one of a kind Christmas show you won’t want to miss!

To purchase tickets go to: missionwaco.brushfire.com/events

February 20

Dr. Soong-Chan Rah to Speak at the Mission Waco Annual Banquet

Clean & SoberAnnual Manna House

Reunion Celebrates Again

Each year, the graduates of Mission Wa-co’s Christian-based alcohol/drug recovery program remember what God has done in their lives. The November luncheon and afternoon gathering celebrates a unique bond of men who have encouraged one another in some of their darkest seasons of life. The stories are powerful. The joy is free flowing. And the reminder is always present: “With the help of God, today I choose to be clean and sober!”

For over twelve years, Manna House has offered a holistic six-phase program to men who want change. It works...when they choose the lifestyle choices that bring healing and hope. Hundreds of men have made that choice and are now living mean-ingful and productive lives.

Manna House exists because of the finan-cial generosity of others who believe these investments are life changing. If you would like to be that kind of investor, let us know. Your donations make a difference.

Give Us Just One Weekend!

In just 42 hours, you can come to under-stand how almost 1/2 of today’s world lives. Over 24,000 participants have gone through Mission Waco’s “plunge” ex-perience into the wolrd of the poor.

Are you willing and ready? You can come in a group or by yourself. The weekend is of-fered 10-12 times a year.

Cost, dates and details can be found at:http://missionwaco.org/poverty-simulation/

Professor of Church Growth & Evangelism at North Park University (Chicago). Rah is an author and national speaker. He is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Cov-enant Church, Dr. Rah has seen firsthand the denomination’s significant growth in urban areas, and an increasing need for intercultural ministry. He was founding senior pastor of Cambridge Communi-ty Fellowship Church, Cambridge, Mass., a multi-ethnic, urban ministry-focused church committed to living out the values of racial reconciliation and social justice in the urban context. Rah has written several books, including “Prophetic Lament,” Many Colors: Cultural Intelligence for a Changing Church,” “The Next Evangelicalism: Releas-ing the Church from Western Cultural Cap-tivity,” and “Mercy and Justice:Growing Healthy Asian-American Churches.”

1319 N. 15th St.

MIssion World“Because of its complicity in the subjugation and exploitation of peoples of color, West-ern Christians tend to suffer from an accute sense of guilt, often leading to an inability or unwillingness to “give an account of the hope they have” (I Peter 3:15) to people of other persuasions. (Transforming Mission, p.3)

Reserve Your

Christmas Luncheon

Party Soon!

Christian Men’s Job Corp joins with Mission Waco’s “M-Powerment” Program

Will you “round up” the change on your next purchase to the next dollar to support

our non-profit store in a former food desert?

Just tell the Cashier!

Oasis Loyalty Card Now Available to All

Our CustomersGet $3.00 added each time you purchase $25 or more

Neighbors within 1 mile get $5/per $25

End of Year Donations1/4 of our total budget

NEEDED during november & december

Quality Christmas Gifts That Empower the Poor

World Cup Cafe& Fair Trade Mkt.

1321 N. 15th St. 254.757.1748

During the holidays, faith-based non-profit orga-nizations often get squeezed in the tension be-tween trusting God for the resources needed to carry on their ministries and “marketing” them-selves to donors to appeal to their goodwill. There is usually an annual dialogue about the biblical encouragement to “make one’s needs known” versus the repeated example of George Mueller’s deep prayers and silent trust that God would provide for his orphans without asking. In an American culture that has rapidly grown wea-ry of constant appeals from organizations need-ing funds and a growing younger post-modern culture that rarely gives sacrificially, many churches and non-profits panic this time of year, especially since their annual budget (and fu-ture!) may often depend on the last few weeks of the fiscal year when more and more wealthy persons wait to give. With the emotional tugs of holiday needs, such as Christmas toys for poor children, turkey meals for low-income families, and frequent requests for special needs, often written in passionate “prayer letters,” some do-nors have “giving fatigue.” This year,when hurri-canes, earthquakes and fires have bombarded people of goodwill, the challenges intensify.

As Mission Waco’s ministry and bud-get grow, we recognize several things:

1. Extreme stewardship of donations given to us is more important than ever. Transparency and accountability must be our normative practice.2. The resources are ultimately God’s, and we are to find peace and joy in whatever is given.3. Sustainability must continue to grow in our ministries, i.e. responsible social enterprises.4. We must continue to learn to ask, yet trust God, according to his will to be done. We must seek to avoid manipulation.5. We must never see other groups as com-petitors for the available resources, especially Christian ministries and churches.

World Cup Cafe Honorable Mention

OVERALL RESTAURANT

https://www.charitynavigator.org

Rating: 95.2%Accountability: 100%

Financial 92.96%

GIVING BACKMW Participants Learn To Serve, Not Just Be Served

Teens do work projects & help

with “King’s Club” on

Saturdays

Our kids in Urban Expressions do art with the elderly in

nursing homes.

These three Haitian children get to go to school from funds donated by Waco’s

homeless

CMJC’s mission is, “To equip, build, and sustain men for personal, professional, and spir-itual growth. Mission Waco only adds one word to their statement, “women.” In a recent positive display of collaboration, the two programs are now merging to meet the needs of the unemployed in Waco. Mission Waco has long admired the “mentoring” compo-nent of CMJC, which brings mature, local Christain volunteers to encourage and teach lower-income men. After years at their Columbus Ave site, their board worked out a common vision with Mission Waco to bring the best of both job programs to the Meyer Center, 1226 Washington Ave. So if you or someone you know needs to find a job, we’re working together to help! Call 254.753.4900 and ask for the job training program.

“The greatest among you will be your servant.” Mt:23:11

Oct-Dec 2017 <www.missionwaco.org> 254.753.4900

MISSIONWACO•WORLD

Children’s Center Expansion ContinuesProgram Seeks to Serve

More Children

Biker Toy Run to collect new toys from local churches for

Christmas Toy Store ZOOM, ZOOM ZOOM...Early on the Sun-day morning after Thanksgiving (11/26), the roar of motorcycles leaving Flying J’s around 8:00am will break the silence of the morning while children and adults listen for the bikers to ride in to their church to collect hundreds of new, unwrapped toys for lower-income families. The annual event includes around 20 churches who support Mission Waco’s Toy Store approach, which allows struggling fami-lies the dignity to purchase toys for their own children at an 80% discount. The Toy Store opens December 1-2. Parents attend an orien-tation to receive their discounted voucher.

The bikers pray for each church and allow the children to sit on their cycles before zooming off to the next church.

It’s hard to say ‘not yet’ to the scores of parents who want to enroll their children in Mission Waco’s outstanding program. By Spring, the children’s center (known as The R.O.C.K.) will finally have hundreds of square feet more space due to the gener-osity of our donors. The program for low-er-income kids not only offers after-school tutoring and Bible stories, but dance, mu-sic, chess club, visual and performing arts, field trips and even engineering classes. The summer adds swimming lessons, camp outs and more. Director McKenzie Miller and her assistant Shay Harris have been directing the program for years with the help of hundreds of volunteers from Baylor and the community. The expand-ed building will also provide more space for the numerous mission groups coming at Spring Break and summer to serve our children. The final challenge is finding the funds to update the old playground equip-ment for the children. Soon...very soon!

Thanksgiving Day Lunch with the

HomelessAnnual Event Begins

with 11:00 Worship in Chapel at Meyer Center

For a few hours, you may come to realize that many of those who are struggling the most in life are more thankful than those who come to serve them on Thanksgiving Day. Mission Waco’s annu-al feast serves over a hundred men and women who sleep in shelters, in “camps” or wherever they can find comfort from the elements. So it often confuses middle-class volunteers who hear them deeply celebrate God’s goodness in the worship time prior to the meal and fellowship. But it also convicts many of those who come to serve how little we forget to thank God for the daily blessings we experience.

Mission Waco’s Thanksgiving Day with the home-less is provided by volunteers, some who have been coming annually for over ten years. Do-nated turkeys, pies, and “fixin’s” are cooked and served by volunteers. And then there is the post-meal “bingo” time with scores of “elves” who bring to items to donate to the winners. What a day!