Reach | Volume 4 - Issue 1

reach publication

volume 4 | issue 1

HARDSOILplantinG WHeRe tHe HaRvest seems impossible

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run (&eat) to givealso in tHis issue

FAMILIES HOPEpaGe 16

STANDING in the RIVER

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SNEAK PREVIEW SCREENING

Friday, March 23 · 7:00 pm

Sunday, March 25Special Guest Speaker Sean McDowell Calvary Church Sunday Morning Services Celebration 8:45 am & Elevation 10:45 am

Sean McDowell is a gifted communicator with a passion for reaching the younger generation with the Gospel message. He connects with youth in a tangible way through humor and stories while imparting hard evidence and logical support for viewing all areas of life through a Biblical worldview. He serves as Head of the Bible Department at Capistrano Valley Christian Schools where he teaches Philosophy, Theology, and Apologetics.

Reach out and invite a friend to join you at Calvary as Sean shares a message on “A Conversation about Eternal Life.” Learn more at calvarylife.org/table

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HARD SOIL: Reach Global Week 2012

Reach Global Week 2012 Schedule & Opportunities

BIO Joseph Handley Asian Access Letter

Elam Ministries Elam Ministries Letter

BIO David Yeghnazar

Missionaries At Reach Global Week Men & Women’s Breakfast

Where’s the App for that?

Urbana 2012 Short-Term Opportunities

Easter at Calvary Church

Run (& Eat) to Give Families Hope

Angel Tree - Bailey’s story

A Fresh Start: Launching a New Food Box Ministry at Calvary

5th Sundays

Standing in the River

12 Ongoing Ways to Serve

THERE was a time when obedient Christians packed their worldly belongings into a pine casket and sailed to distant lands.

The casket served as a daily reminder of the missionaries’ total commitment to take up Jesus’ cross among the poor and the lost. There was no turning back. Before they departed, these Christian servants would scribble their last letters in ink and tears. They wrote in Bibles and on parchment to explain their divine compulsion to give up everything and everyone to serve the lost and the hurting.

No reserves. No retreats. No regrets.

This was written in the flyleaf of William Borden’s Bible. Born into a family of privilege, Borden (1887-1923) was determined to become a missionary. As a high school graduate he traveled the world looking for potential ministry opportunities. He found his goal - Chinese Muslims. His preparation for ministry led him to Egypt for language study. While in Egypt, Borden contracted spinal meningitis and died at age 25. His lasting legacy is the singular focus with which he pursued his goal – to reach the lost with the Gospel.

Today we are challenging our future missionaries to take up their crosses daily and follow Jesus…into the slums of India, into HIV hospices of Africa, into the child labor underworld, into waterless villages, into garbage-dump cities, into lands ruled by extremist regimes, into the least-reached villages, and into the most crime-ridden neighborhoods in cities around the world. Are you one that would consider this your future role? Come hear from missionaries that have done or are doing these very things. Be challenged to do more – to pray, give, go. No reserves. No retreats. No regrets.

As you read through this publication we hope that it will motivate you to REACH out in a new way this year – in your neighborhood and around the world.

c o n t e n t

Liz Gold, Reach Global Director (Husband Roger)

Matt Doan, Reach Local Pastor (Wife Marie and children)

reach _ volume 4 | issue 1 03

How many of us can identify with hard soil?

A nice patch of ground in the back yard that looks just right for planting vegetables, but when you try to dig, it doesn’t even budge! Sometimes, water helps, but there are times when it seems impossible for anything to grow in that old dirt.

There are areas of the world where sharing the Good News of God’s love seems impossible. The threat of imprisonment, or worse, can keep a believer’s mouth shut when it comes to telling someone about Jesus. But there are those who are willing to tell the story of salvation in these hard places, even when it seems life threatening or impossible. Our keynote speakers for this year’s conference know first-hand about hard spiritual soil. They oversee agencies whose work is in Japan and Iran; two extremely hard places when it comes to growing a Christian harvest.

Japan has long been identified as the “grave yard” for missionaries, because it was such a hard place for people to come to faith. Asian Access has planted multiple churches using national pastors. This was a key factor in reaching this country and developing leaders for future churches. Joe Handley will share with us how this work has taken off since the Tsunami in 2009 and how many hundreds are coming to Christ as a result of the love shown during this tragedy.

Iran – the very word can cause fear. But even now over 1 million people claim Christ as Lord! Many after reading the “smuggled in” Word of God. Pastor Farshid,

who ministered to the people of Iran, has been imprisoned since December 2010. He planted over 50 churches in Iran that distributed over 50,000 Bibles - 5,000 a month. But, even when asked if what he was doing was worth the chance of going to prison, his response was that this is what God had called him to do. David Yeghnazar of Elam Ministries will bring us up to date on Farshid and other Christians living in Iran.

There are times when missionary service itself is physically hard and dangerous. Missionaries, Steve and Tracy Geis, who recently experienced two major accidents, will be sharing as our Men and Women’s Missions Breakfast speakers this year. Already serving in the very hard area of Papua New Guinea, Steve, a pilot, had to come to peace with possibly not being able to fly again. Come hear how God helped him through this time of waiting and from Tracy on her complete dependence on God when Steve’s pain became unbearable. Currently on home assignment, they will just be back from North Carolina where Steve is being trained on some of the newer planes he will be flying when they return to the field.

Several other missionaries who serve around the world will be with us during Reach Global Week 2012 as well. The Van Diests, who first went to Holikachuk, Alaska in 1953, lived in a small Indian village 400 miles from the nearest road. During their first 12 years as missionaries they built their own house, fished and hunted for their food, cut wood for hard winters, and buried one child. This was before telephone, email, and Skype to the outside world – they used snow shoes and dog sled to get around and a friendly pilot to take a letter to the big city for mailing to family at home.

There are many more missionaries that will be at Reach Global Week 2012 to share what they have done and what they are doing today. Come and take part in the story. March 11, the final Sunday of the conference, you will have the opportunity to stroll around the lobby visiting missionaries and even tasting foods from all around the world. Take this opportunity to connect with our Calvary missionaries, many of whom will be here for the first time in many years.

Check out the full schedule on the following page and plan what you will be involved in this year. Try something new – even something that may seem hard.

04 _ calvaRylife.oRG/ReacH

REACH Global Week 2012: Schedule of Events sat mar 3

sun mar 4

Wed mar 7

Thurs mar 8

sat mar 10

sun mar 11

visit a mosque and middle eastern lunch (by reservation only - details page 6)

Reach Global missions Dinner - fH (details page 6)

Reach Global celebration/elevation services - Wc Guest Speaker Joe Handley (bio page 7) missionaries in all sunday morning lifeGroups

foundation college Reach Global night - fH Guest Speaker Erik Ness

children & family ministries Dinner - Gym

Jr. High feast - fH Guest Speaker Cristina Voskian, Elam Ministries

High school Reach Global night - sc Guest Speaker Jacqueline

young adult Dinner - fH Guest Speaker Bart Maley

men & Women’s Reach Global breakfast - Gym Guest Speakers Steve & Tracy Geis

childrens Reach Global breakfast - fH

“spanish speakers” food tour around the World (details page 6)

tastes of food from around the World - lobby(details page 6)

one service Worship service - Wc Guest Speaker David Yeghnazar (bio page 9)

childrens’ Reach Global service - G213/c200/nursery & preschool

inspiration service Reach Global focus Guest Speakers Gale & Jean Van Diests

10:30 am

6:00 pm

8:45 am/10:45 am

7:00 pm

6:30 pm

7:00 pm

7:00 pm

7:00 pm

9:30 am

9:30 am

5:00 pm

9:00 am

10:45 am

10:45 am

6:00 pm

FH – Fellowship Hall | SC - Samsvick Chapel | WC — Worship Center


special events

Visit a Mosque/middle eastern lunch

sign up is required to participate in this great opportunity on the morning of saturday, march 3rd. Join pastor matt Doan as he leads this group to experience a tour through a local mosque followed by lunch at a middle eastern restaurant. Watch the current for times and to reserve your spot.

March 03, 2012

Reach Global missions Dinner

This dinner will include special highlights and talks from calvary missionaries as well as a wonderful meal and fellowship with the church leadership and missionaries. Reservation tickets are required as space is limited. you will not want to miss this special kickoff event to our 2012 missions conference. no childcare; this event is geared towards adults. tickets available february 19 & 26 in the Worship center lobby.

for more information, contact missions at 714.550.2341.

March 03, 2012

“Spanish Speakers” Tour Around the World

our Hispanic ministry will be hosting a special evening where their congregation will dress in cultural wear and feast on foods from latin america. our calvary missionaries that speak and serve with spanish speaking peoples will be the featured guests on saturday at 5 pm. This event is only for those who speak spanish. special invitations in spanish will be available for distribution before the event.

March 10, 2012

tastes of foods from around the world

love to stroll through costco and check out the samples? Well, stroll through the Worship center lobby on sunday morning, march 11. sample tastes of foods at our missionaries’ tables and spend time meeting and talking with the missionaries. This takes place prior to our single morning worship service that starts at 10:45 am. This “open house” type event allows for you to come anytime between 9:00 am and 10:30 am. families are encouraged to bring their children as there will be a special prize given out at the 10:45 am children’s Reach Global service to those who have “proof ” that they have tasted the foods and visited the missionaries that morning. avocado soup anyone?

March 11, 2012


Reach global week 2012

Reach Global Week 2012 Guest speaker march 4, 2012 | 8:45 & 10:45 am

Joe was born and raised in southern california. He attended azusa pacific university where he earned a b.a. in psychology. Joe spent nine years working at azusa pacific university where he founded and directed the office of World missions.

During his time there, both Joe and his wife, silk, were able to work on their masters’ Degrees: Joe in Theology and silk in special education. The lord called them to Rolling Hills covenant church in 1998 where Joe served as the Global (and lead) outreach pastor. in June of 2008, Joe answered the call of God to become the president of asian access. it’s mission is “to identify, develop and release emerging kingdom leaders to unite the church, multiply leaders and congregations, and extend the transforming power of the Gospel of Jesus christ”.

Joe’s ma in Theology is from fuller Theological seminary and he is working towards his ph.D. at fuller Theological seminary. He and his wife, silk, live in torrance, ca with their three children: Rebecca, Rachel, and John.

asian access: founded forty-four years ago as life ministries-Japan, to teach english as a means of evangelism, has launched numerous ministries for evangelism one being the Japanese church Growth institute (JcGi). twelve years ago, the leadership of the mission discerned that the fruit of this proven ministry was desperately needed across asia. Thus began a strategic advancement of leadership development for church multiplication across the continent.

The proven model of ministry was exported from Japan to other countries. now the ministry serves ten countries with a desire to be in twenty over the next five to seven years.

march 11, 2011 will forever be etched into our minds as a day that our worlds in Japan came crashing in with the earthquake and tsunami.

to date, over 20,000 people are listed as dead or missing. lives, homes, schools, businesses – even entire communities – were washed away within minutes. Those who did survive were left to pick up the pieces while facing a nuclear crisis. The people to who God has called asian access to love – the people of our hearts – experienced one of the most devastating events in the history of Japan. and our hearts were, and are, with them.

We thank God for graciously placing asian access in a unique position to respond to some of the huge needs brought on by these triple calamities. because we have always partnered with local churches, we were able to quickly access the needs of those hardest hit by the tsunami and earthquake and join up with many of the churches to offer help.

Thank you for the wonderful gift you gave to help the Japanese people. The lord is using these funds to build momentum for what many are now calling “Japan’s Hour for the Gospel”. i have never before seen a moment like this for the Gospel in Japan. Therefore, we are dedicating all we can to reach Japan at this crucial hour for christ in the country. over and over again, i hear stories of the openness of Japanese people toward accepting christ. These next 3-5 years are essential for the Gospel’s advance in Japan.

asian access offers its deepest thanks to all those who have given to help the Japanese in their hour of need. Thank you for giving, especially as the media attention has long faded away and people have forgotten the great needs and opportunities that exist in Japan.

in christ,Joseph W. Handley, Jr.president, asian access

BIOJoseph W. Handley, Jr.President of Asian Access A letter from Asian Access to Calvary Church for their continued financial support.

Meeting Physical and Spiritual Needs in Japan


At the start of 2011, dozens of Christians were being interrogated in prisons throughout Iran. Others had managed to escape arrest and fled across the border with just their clothes on their back. These brothers and sisters are truly family. To know they are suffering is a pain that is impossible to describe.

These arrests were a deliberate attempt to wipe out our work in Iran.

From the Scriptures I saw only one way to respond – to persevere. Keep on serving: keep training; keep sending church planters; keep printing and distributing Scriptures; keep publishing top Christian titles; and keep reaching out with TV programs. And by God’s grace this is what has happened – we have ‘kept calm and carried on’. A very difficult year has also been a very fruitful one and as an organization we have grown.

This year we printed 280,000 pocket New Testaments. This is so dear to my heart. While Christians were

being roughly interrogated in prison, others were risking all to give out these precious copies of God’s Word. I know of two brothers who have given out thousands of New Testaments. In July they were evangelizing and handed out nearly 400 New Testaments from a motorbike. Then the secret police chased them, beat them badly, and took them to prison. They spent over a month locked up. Later they told how when the police were hitting them, they were rejoicing. They knew they were suffering for Christ.

What exceptional brothers and sisters we have in Iran! Their courage makes me more determined to get the Scriptures into the hands of Iranians. The darker their days become, the more desperate Iranians are to receive God’s Word.

We are thankful that we have printed, in total, 830,000 New Testaments, but there are 75 million people in Iran. There is a lot of work to do. Our next print run will take us beyond a million. Pray with us that we will soon be able to move towards sending a second million Scriptures to Iran.

I have been especially encouraged by believers who are still willing to come for training. They know their own leaders have suffered for their faith, but still they come. Rami’s pastor was in prison when he came to our course. I wish you could meet him. I asked him why he wanted to prepare for ministry and he told me the risks, though painfully real, did not compare to the joy he felt in his heart when he served Christ and saw other Iranians come to know Him.

We have been doing all we can to campaign for the release of the Christian prisoners in Iran. Most of those arrested a year ago are now out of prison; but they are not free. Some have received heavy sentences and are appealing. Others still have court cases to face and possible prison sentences looming; they cannot travel freely; their family and friends have signed away the deeds of their properties for bail; and all of them have horrific memories to deal with. One brother was shown a certificate from the judge ordering his execution. He was then left in solitary confinement for a week before being told the guards had been ‘joking’.

Several Christians are still in prison. Farshid Fathi-Malayeri, father of two young children and one of the most courageous Christians I know, has stood strong for Christ for over 12 months.

A letter from Elam Ministries to Calvary Church for their continued financial support.

elam MinistriesElam was founded in 1988 by senior Iranian church leaders with a vision to serve the growing church in the Iran region. From the beginning, Elam’s passion was to train and equip Iranian Christians to reach and disciple their countrymen. In 1990, six emerging leaders arrived in England from Iran to begin their full time ministry training. They lived in a small, two-bedroom flat and used the kitchen as a classroom.

Since then, Elam has seen many years of God’s faithfulness. By God’s grace the ministry is growing and being used to strengthen and expand the church in the Iran region in a significant way.

in a hostile environment,

our leaders have kept going


Reach Global Week 2012 Guest speaker march 11, 2012 | 10:45 am

David yeghnazar was born in iran in 1974 into a family parented by christian ministers. When he was three years old, as part of the lord’s work, his family moved to lebanon where they lived for six years during a time of civil war. While there, David experienced the lord’s faithfulness and protection in a way that impacts him to this day.

as a child, David gave his life to the lord in 1983 - just before his family moved to the united Kingdom. Hailing from the middle east, David has a deep understanding of the region, and has a great passion and burden is to see the Gospel reach the over 1 billion muslims in the world. after graduating from the city university in london where he studied management science, David spent one year with the uK based universities and colleges christian fellowship (uccf) training christian students to reach out to the muslim community. subsequently, David worked for a london law firm for two years.

in 1998 David joined elam ministries, a leading christian mission to the iran region. His addition to the leadership team has been invaluable in increasing the scope and effectiveness of the entire ministry. elam specializes in training christians from the iran region for ministry; producing and distributing key christian resources in the region; and taking the Gospel to the people in the region through various mission and relief efforts. elam has played a significant role in the recent unprecedented growth of the iranian church.

for over 20 years David was an active member of the iranian christian fellowship (icf) in london, filling various lay leadership roles in the church since 1991.

in 2004 David moved to the united states and now serves as elam’s us Director based in atlanta, Ga where he resides with his wife, louise and their three children, Grace, Theo and Hope.

BIODavid Yeghnazarelam ministries us base director

Shahla Rahmati, another brave believer, has been sentenced to three years in prison. She is very sick and in need of immediate medical treatment.* Yosef Nadarkhani also remains incarcerated and has now had his death sentence suspended twice. Please remember these dear ones in prayer.

This New Year brings new challenges. The shadow of war hangs over the Iranian people and the winds of persecution are blowing through the church. We will again be buffeted by events, but God will be faithful in 2012 as He has in the past

Sam YeghnazarElam Founder and Director

* Praise God! Since this letter was written, Shahla was released from prison and allowed to go home in early January. Continue to be in prayer for our Christian brothers and sisters in prison, and their families waiting back home.


Combined Men’s and Women’s

MISSIONS Breakfast

saturday, march 10, 2012 | 9:30 am | Gym(children’s breakfast at 9:30 am in fH) missionary Guest speakers: steve and tracy Geis

steve and tracy have served in asia with Wycliffe bible translators (Wbt) for 20 years. They have supported the work of bible translation in the philippines and now in papua new Guinea (pnG). steve is a pilot under the JaaRs wing of Wbt and tracy has served as a teacher in the schools as well as member care for other missionaries.

steve grew up at calvary church and as a young child his interest grew in missions as calvary missionaries shared their stories while visiting his home. He met tracy while they attended the high school ministry at calvary. Through missions conferences here, steve and tracy became excited about the possibility of serving God overseas. it was during steve’s training at moody aviation that they decided to pursue missionary service with Wbt, knowing the importance of the scripture in one’s own language.

God has seen them through some very hard places since they arrived in pnG. now on the other side of two accidents that left them both with serious injuries, they will tell you that they would do it all again to be where they spiritually are today. come hear how God is working in the lives of these two missionaries and how through the hard and good times they have seen God’s blessings, and how they felt closer to Him at the hardest times than any other time in their lives.

Join us for a full buffet breakfast, great music, and an opportunity to meet with many of calvary’s missionaries. The breakfast is free, but a $10 donation is suggested at the time you pick up your tickets or that morning. tickets are required for both the adult and children’s breakfast to ensure that we have enough food, tables, and staffing.

Calvary Missionaries

planning to be in

attendance at

REACH Weekend 2012

burt & Glenna clarkbob & Joan critchfieldtom & evelyn Delamatercarolyn eumuriansteve & tracy GeisDan & tammy GonzagaKen & pat GrimesDan & Darice Gutierrezbill Holcombcory & DJ HovivianJacquelinepete & Joann Johnsonbart maleyDavid & Wendy nellisDon & Janie nelliserik nessvic & Joan olsenJohanna olsonlloyd & nancy peckhammartha pontierGloria Radachtom & margie RafettoGary & charlene Rammnikki smalleybob & Janice stuckpete & Jill stuckJohn & sheila tuggyGale & Jean van Diestlee Wattersoliver & linda WilliamsRoy yabuki

books

gifts

clothing

music

coffee

connect with us online at www.cornerbookstore.org

A NEW WAY TO CONNECT WITH YOUR MISSIONARIES

We’ve been thinking through the way we do things in Reach Global here at Calvary. One of our focuses is how to reach out and connect with a new generation that is advancing daily in technology. So much is happening so fast and we are hurrying to try and catch up with the newest thing!

This has brought us to question how we communicate to this new generation. If you are reading this article in paper form, you are probably over the age of 35. It’s possible, that a few of you are reading it on line from Calvary’s website and in that case you might be over 30. But, it will be rare to find anyone under that age reading this article at all – unless I send it to you separately as an individual post on facebook or twitter and then, the mere length of it will probably keep you from finishing it.

As they used to say, “Houston, we’ve got a problem!” This leads us to other questions and concerns - one being our Missionary Prayer book. Those of you who have been here at Calvary for a number of years will be asking next month, “Where’s the new Missionary Prayer Book? Doesn’t it always come out at Missions Conference?” The answer to that is twofold. The first answer is that we decided to wait and publish it in October this year, for financial and logistical reasons. It’s expensive to produce (although we’ve worked at getting the rate down pretty low) and takes quite a bit of time to produce. So, we decided to postpone it and have it come out later in the year when both of these factors could be addressed better.

We started thinking about the whole issue of who reads and uses the Missionary Prayer book. There certainly is an audience for it as over 1,000 copies were produced and taken during the first two weeks of March last year. (Our Hispanic congregation had 350 copies in Spanish “disappear” as well.) So, we know there are people that are happy with that format. But, if the idea is to get our missionaries prayed for and their information made available to our whole church body, there is a significant group that we are not reaching.

Which led us to this idea – where’s the App for that? If you are under 30 and reading this, you know what I am talking about. And you are probably wondering why we didn’t think of this before? Well, we have now and we think it’s a great idea! However, we need to have someone with the “techno savvy” to help us get this set up. We would like to have an App that would allow us to once a week, send out a request for one missionary family or global work that needs your prayer and include a link to more information about that missionary/global work if you want to click on it to know more. This, we hope, will get younger generations praying regularly for Calvary’s missionaries/global work. We’re also considering a way for you to give to that missionary/work online at the same time – which requires another link.

So, if you are that person with the “techno savvy” to help make this happen, please contact me at 714.550.2340 or [email protected] or send me a message on facebook (Liz Gold, Garden Grove, CA). We would like to make this happen by October 2012 when we will also have our Missionary Prayer book in print form. Your help will make praying for our missionaries/global work something that the whole church can take part in and will ultimately help reach the world for Christ. Yes, prayer is that important.

Until all have heard!Liz Gold, Reach Global Missions Director

where

The Corner Bookstore & Café is partnering with Calvary’s Reach: Global and Wycliffe’s operation clean Water.

Visit us today to learn more about this exciting new ministry opportunity to bring hope through water and the Word to a world in need. Learn more at cornerbookstore.org

app for that? is the

short termOPPORTUNITIES

urbana 2012 Urbana is the largest gathering of students and mission agencies in one setting in the world.

Hosted by Intervarsity Christian Fellowship since 1946, college students will meet in St. Louis, MO from December 26-31, 2012. Students will seek God’s calling in their lives, while worshiping with top song leaders and being challenged by some of the best mission speakers in the world.

Registration begins early in the year, with cost increases through the year. If you are interested in going as part of a group from Calvary, watch for updates in the bulletin and on the website. Some partial scholarships will be available. This event is for students that are at least entering college in the fall and 17 years of age.

Quotes from former attendees:

“God sends us out so we can introduce the God we love so much to people who have never heard.”

“Urbana changed my perspective of what it means to be the light of Christ.”

“I’ve wanted to be a missionary for a long time and Urbana strengthened my will to pursue His call for my life.”

For more information on this year’s Urbana 2012 Conference, check out www.urbana.org or contact Calvary’s Missions at 714.550.2341, or College Ministry at 714.550.2332.

Is God calling you to serve overseas this year? We have several opportunities to work alongside our Calvary missionaries listed below.

If God has called you to another location, please contact us. We will help you plan your trip and we can pray for you as you serve Him.

MACEDONIA July 21 - August 6, 2012

ASIA July 2012

BORACAY, PHILIPPINES Summer/Fall 2012

MOMBASA, KENYA August 2012

LEON, MEXICO September 2012

Applications for these Reach Global short term trips are available in the Worship Center lobby.

Contact Missions at 714.550.2341 or Harold Stephens, Short Term Chairman at 714.963.4093, or go online to calvarylife.org/trips to learn more.


short term


Has the Lord been tugging at your heart to go on a short-term missions trip? If so, Macedonia may be just the place for you! We’ll be partnering with Calvary missionaries Andy and Nadine Spradley in their church planting efforts. Much of our time will be spent teaching English as a Second Language and visiting with people from the community. Teaching experience is helpful, but not mandatory. For more information, contact Renate Schnurr at 714.550.2391 or [email protected]

Dan and Rachel Coombs are looking for members to join a team to in Asia. Members will be assisting long-term mission work and advance the kingdom of God by living purposefully with Muslim families. In addition to hanging out with Muslim families, the members will be surfing the waves and destroying negative stereotypes. Those with surfing capabilities are desired. Adults and fairly fit applicants will be considered. Trip is limited to 6-8 members.

Dan and Tori Beaver are seeking those willing to help at children’s feeding sites and teach English at the new Boracay Academy for adults. Some construction work still needs to be completed on the Center. There are a variety of opportunities to use your gifts on this tropical island paradise, and to share the Lord with the people who live there.

Martha Pontier invites you to stay in a lovely cottage by the ocean as you spend time building a fence along the property line at her resort/respite for missionaries. This time may also include opportunities for village work with youth in this beautiful location on the white sands of East Africa. Trip will take place in August and welcomes adults of all ages.

Don and Janie Nellis have been working with the House of Refuge in Leon, Mexico. They would like the backyard patio area of this ministry location to be remodeled into a place where women can enjoy a time of quite solitude connecting with the Lord. This would involve landscaping and painting a mural. Artists are encouraged to consider this opportunity, but all levels of artistic skill are welcome on this short term trip. Contact Anna Gold at [email protected] or 714.550.2344.

easter

Egg Hunt, LivE Music, EastEr BruncH and tHE gospEL

caLvary cHurcH EastEr Egg outrEacH

a t c a l v a r y c h u r c h


Imagine one day turning to the person next to you at Church and asking them how they came to know Jesus Christ and they told you, “I first heard about Jesus while hunting for Easter Eggs at Cabrillo Park!”

That is the goal of our annual Easter Egg Outreach being held the day before Easter Sunday, Saturday, April 7, 2012 at Cabrillo Park (Cabrillo Park Dr/Fruit St.)from 9:00 am to 11:00 am.

We are asking our Church family to invite non-believing family, friends and neighborhood children to an Easter Egg Hunt with over 10,000 Easter eggs to be collected! We will also have live music from the Altar Billies, a free Easter Brunch and most importantly a Gospel presentation for kids by Officer Reed and for adults by Pastor Matt Doan.

The Easter Egg Hunt is for kids 12 years of age or under, but all are welcome to come be a part of this great annual event as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and reach out to our community!

www.calvarylife.org/easter

EastEr BaskEts for oLivE crEst fostEr youtH HoMEsWe are partnering with Olive Crest this Easter season to provide Easter Baskets to the children and teens who live in Orange County residential group homes.

How many Easter Baskets should I make? If possible, please make six baskets that are alike. Each Olive Crest residential home houses six youth, and for the sake of being fair, we ask that we have 6 identical baskets to give to each home. We accept any quantity of baskets so there is no minimum. Baskets are also distributed to our foster children.

Who will be receiving the baskets? All children served by Olive Crest who have all suffered some form of abuse, and range in age from birth through 22. Olive Crest serves nearly 600 children each day.

Where should the baskets be dropped off? Turn in your completed baskets by Sunday morning, April 1, 2012, to the Reach Local table at Calvary Church or to Olive Crest Orange County (2130 E. 4th St., Ste. 200, Santa Ana, CA 92705). Please call Olive Crest at 714.543.5437 for more details.

Olive Crest is dedicated to preventing child abuse, to treating and educating at-risk children and to preserving the family… “One Life at a Time.”

EastEr BaskEt fiLLEr idEasBoys & Girls – Ages 0-6 Items:Baby Powder, Tooth Paste/Tooth Brushes, Hair Brushes/Combs, Hair Accessories, Coloring Books/Crayons, Stuffed Animals, Small Toys, New Books

Boys & Girls – Age 7-12 Items:Tooth Paste/Tooth Brushes, Hair Brushes/Combs, Hair Accessories, Coloring Books/Crayons, Stuffed Animals, Card Games, Small Toys, New Books, School Supplies, Disposable Cameras, Gift Cards (Fast Food, Music, Shopping), Movie Passes

Teen Girl Items:Hair Brushes/Combs, Perfume, Hair Dryer/Straightener, Hair Clips/Accessories, Make-up, Manicure/Pedicure Kits, Purses, Scented Lotions, Shampoo/Conditioner, Tooth Paste/Tooth Brushes, New Books, Stationery/Stamps, Disposable Cameras, Beach Towels, Gift Cards (Fast Food, Coffee, Music, Shopping), Movie Passes

Teen Boy Items:Aftershave, Hair Brushes/Combs, Cologne, Deodorant, Hair Products, Wallets, Shampoo/Conditioner, Tooth Paste/Tooth Brushes, Shaving Cream/Shaving Kits, New Books, Disposable Cameras, Beach Towels, Gift Cards (Fast Food, Coffee, Music, Shopping), Movie Passes


RUN(&eat) HOPETO GIVE FAMILIES

PANCAKES. Well, pancakes and a 5K Run.

This was the suggestion that came out of shared life’s brainstorming session on how to impact their community. now, eight years and thousands of dollars later, this calvary lifeGroup has blessed the orange county Rescue mission’s “village of Hope” beyond what any of them anticipated.

in 2010, the 5K Walk/Run raised over $5,500 and supported two brand new rooms for families at the village of Hope. These are families who, oftentimes, come to know Jesus christ as their lord and savior during their 24 month stay in the program.

saturday, march 24, 2012, marks the date of the next 5K. veteran and first time runners alike will meet at the beautiful Woodbridge lake in irvine to register for the event at 8:00 am. at 8:30 am, they head off in matching 5K tee shirts and make the 5K trek, with friends and family supporting them both financially and by cheering them on. Then it’s time to rest, relax and enjoy a hot, delicious post run pancake breakfast as awards are given out for a variety of categories.

you don’t have to be a marathon runner to be a part of this event. you don’t have to have the best time, or the longest endurance, or even like pancakes (although it helps). all you have to do is be willing to walk a 5K, or support someone who does. be a part of this amazing event this year, and you can help continue to make a difference in the lives of those in our community for Jesus christ.

WHEN: march 24, 2012. 8:00 am registration

WHERE: Woodbridge village, south lake Recreation center, blue lake Dr, irvine, ca

HOW MUCH: $25 adult | $10 Kids 12 and under participants are encouraged to seek out donations to support their run as well. cost includes shirt & pancakes.

CONTACT: elana edmisson 949.552.6106 or cindy Henderson 714.775.5277 [email protected]

WHAT is the Village of Hope? The village of Hope is part of the orange county Rescue mission as is a 196 bed transitional facility located on the former tustin marine corps air station. This innovative and comprehensive residential program provides transitional housing with support services to homeless men, women, and children for up to 24 months, offering stable housing as well as resources to assist in developing the skills needed to lead self-sufficient and healthy lives.

learn more at rescuemission.org

Gallery Opening & “Dress for Mess”: The patio will be transformed into an interactive art area for kids and families, from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm.

Spring Play: Come enjoy a presentation of “The Miracle Worker” on Saturday at 2 pm or Sunday at 6 pm along with the gallery in the lobby.

Sunday Morning: Reach out and invite someone to join you at 8:45 or 10:45 am for our special 5th Sunday with guest speaker Noah - Disney artist, designer and art director. He will share how his life has been impacted by Jesus and how he is now impacting the world for Christ through art.

Information on submitting art for the gallery, and details for each event can be found online at calvarylife.org/art

Having a mom or Dad in prison is one of the most difficult things any child could ever experience. from the shame of having to explain to strangers and friends alike where mom or Dad lives, to the laborious family visits to a remote prison, hours from home. The non-profit ministry, prison fellowship, serves children of prisoners each christmas season thru angel tree. calvary was honored to partner with angel tree for the 4th consecutive year to serve kids in the tustin, orange, santa ana and Garden Grove areas.

Why do we continue to be part of angel tree year after year as a church? to impact the lives of children like bailey.

like a lot of little girls her age, nine-year-old bailey enjoys school and soccer practice. she is a great student who loves to read and write. she never misses sunday school. and she is a great big sister to Keara (4) and Drake (3).

but each morning, as bailey grabs her backpack and heads to school, her heart carries the unimaginable burdens of the past year. last fall, bailey was the one who discovered that her uncle had died from an overdose — right on her family’s kitchen table. Her beloved grandmother passed away this spring. Her dad and his cousin (dad to Keara and Drake) are incarcerated, their crimes splashed across the front pages of the local newspaper.

bailey is even excluded from some play dates. “if your dad loved you, he’d be here,” her classmates taunt this sweet, innocent little girl.

so how does bailey go to school each day with a smile on her face? How do Keara and Drake cope each day without their dad? “i’m doing all i can to break the cycle in my children’s lives,” tasha says, “[but] i struggle all year to provide for all four of us.” Which is why angel tree means so much to this hurting family.

“angel tree gave my children a christmas to remember,” tasha shares. “When my son said, ‘my dad got me these!’ — it was priceless. you gave my children love from their father and you gave me a bigger gift: the gift of hope.”

“for one minute, we felt normal,” tasha continues. “Their dad told me angel tree made him feel like a human.” and bailey? Her answer to school bullies lays carefully tucked into her backpack . . . a precious letter from her daddy telling her how much he loves and misses her.

Thank you so much to all of the generous sponsors at calvary church who adopted an angel tree child this past christmas season. Thank you as well to our angel tree volunteer coordinator, marlene eckert and her 50+ volunteers who made angel tree 2011 such a great success at calvary this year.

if you are interested in impacting the life of a child through ministries like angel tree, or showing christ’s love to families through prison fellowship, contact pastor matt Doan at [email protected] or 714.550.2378.

Angel TreeCHRISTMAS 2011 RECAP: GIFTS TO 136 KIdS

bailey with brother Drake and sister Keara

story adapted from Katherine craddock’s article on www.angeltree.org



the sun had just risen on an overcast saturday morning in December, as a large white refrigerator truck slowly pulled into the Wellington st. parking lot at calvary church. bundled up in jackets and layers, the calvary volunteer food box team waited with excitement. 275 boxes of frozen meats and fresh fruits and vegetables were about to be delivered and prepared for distribution in the church parking lot. in just a few hours, soccer moms, elderly widows, large families, a local junior high and even an entire real estate office would be arriving at calvary to pick up discounted grocery boxes of food.

The smile on team leader Jerry bennett’s face over the entire morning said it all. This was a day of tangibly showing through a simple box of food, the love, grace and hope of Jesus christ to our local community.

you see, the food box ministry is more than just a box of food. The discounted box of groceries is a catalyst for building community, sharing prayer requests and serving and encouraging one another.

in august of 2011, calvary celebrated 2 years of partnering with the treasure box food box program to distribute discount frozen food boxes to orange county. We were honored to distribute over 60,000 pounds of food thru the treasure box program, including donating hundreds and hundreds of boxes to low income families, widows and the working poor in santa ana, as well as praying with and for hundreds of people as they stopped by to pick up their box.

Then in september of 2011, we received news out of the blue that the treasure box food program was ending nationwide. it left our food box ministry team scrambling and wondering, “What do we do now?” The team went to prayer asking God to give a vision for what to do next and to confirm whether to even continue a discount grocery ministry at calvary. The team began researching other models and ministries and eventually in God’s perfect timing found Golden share foods (www.goldensharefoods.com) out of san Diego, just in time for Thanksgiving and christmas when people’s food budgets are the most squeezed of any time of the year.

in the first 2 months of the new program, calvary has been honored to distribute 350 boxes of groceries! Thank you lord!

The new food box ministry is available for anyone looking for discounted groceries (average savings of 50% of retail price), regardless of income. There are 7 different boxes to choose from each month. boxes can be purchased online at goldensharefoods.com or at the calvary food box ministry table sunday mornings after each service or the church patio.

try out a box in 2012 or donate one to a neighbor and tell us what you think! for questions or comments, contact Jerry or ann bennent at [email protected] or 949.289.8981. Go online to calvarylife.org/foodbox to learn more or order a box.

fresh startlaunching a new food box ministry at calvary

a


left: food box team gathering to talk and pray together before cars arrive.

top: Jerry bennitt smiling as he

distributes one of the food boxes.

2nd: voluneers getting boxes in order

3rd: volunteers of all ages lend a hand

bottom: food box ministry volunteers offer food, encouragement and prayer to those picking up boxes.

Go to calvarylife.org/foodbox for more

information on this ministry.

food box Deadlinesorder by /pick up byfeb 15 -----> feb 25mar 14 ----> mar 24apl 11 -----> apl 21may 9 -----> may 19 June 6 -----> June 23July 18 ----> July 23 aug 15 ----> aug 25

Distribution at calvarychurch 9 am - 11 amorder on sundays at calvary or at goldensharefoods.com

5th sundaysThe core of our calling from God is to reach out to those who are far from God and see them become followers of Jesus. Our heart as a church is for each of us to invest in relationships with our friends, family, neighbors and co-workers. As a church leadership, we want to give you various opportunities to invite these people to moments where they can take a step closer to Jesus. One of those moments is something we call Fifth Sundays.

There are four months each year that have five Sundays in the month. So quarterly, we have a Fifth Sunday. Fifth Sundays at Calvary are great intentional Sundays to invite a friend who is seeking or doesn’t yet have a relationship with Jesus to join you.

We discuss topics that are applicable to spiritual seekers. We are careful with the “Christianese” language that we speak, and we explain what we are doing with things like worship songs, prayer and communion. Most importantly, visitors are given a clear gospel message and an opportunity to make a decision for Christ. On a 5th Sunday, there is always something intriguing or interesting that you can use to help you invite friends.

For the first ever Fifth Sunday, on January 29, Pastor Dave shared a message on a “Conversation about Jesus” that clearly showed who Christ is through His words and His actions. We heard from people at Calvary whose lives have been impacted by Jesus in some inspirational ways. One of those stories came from Hall of Fame NFL football player Jackie Slater and his son, Matthew Slater, who is a Pro Bowl player on the New England Patriots. It was powerful to hear how God is using them as they live out their faith in Jesus in this amazing setting.

Please pray and consider who you will invite to the next Fifth Sunday on April 29 for Celebration at 8:45 am or Elevation at 10:45 am. We’ll be in an exciting new series “Courageous” on the book of Daniel. And, as part of Calvary’s Annual Art Weekend, we will hear from Disney artist, Noah, and how

his tattoos tell the story of God’s work in his life as he uses his art to impact the world for Christ.

Learn more at calvarylife.org/sunday

REACHING ORANGE COUNTy FOR JESUS CHRIST


RiverIN THE

Have you ever stood at the bank of a river and considered dipping your foot into the water?

you find yourself asking questions such as, “How cold is the water? How fast is the water going?” and perhaps, “are there any crocodiles?”

What do rivers have to do with reaching orange county and the world for Jesus christ?

every day in the neighborhoods of orange county and throughout the world, there are people who fall unexpectedly and suddenly into a river of crisis. a river that takes many twists and turns and is filled with confusion, fear and despair. as christians at calvary church, we are called to display the love and mercy of Jesus christ by seeing those stuck in the river of crisis, having compassion on them and entering into the river ourselves to be available to help.

below are some of the specific ministries we partner with at calvary church to reach those people caught up on a river of crisis. take a moment to consider if God is leading you to reach out to those in your local community through these organizations.

#1 - birth choice (www.bchcdonor.org) Reaching out to pregnant moms and dads in crisis with love, grace and hope…last year birth choice saw over 500 women choose life for their babies and dozens of Dads mentored thru the Dad’s project. contact Jennifer at [email protected] or 714.541.5484 ext 225 for information on how to volunteer.

#2 - safe families for children (www.safe-families.org) biblical hospitality at its finest. safe families comes alongside families in crisis and offers a temporary home for their children while the parents sort through the confusion and stress of a financial, relational, medical or housing crisis. contact Renee at [email protected] or 1.800.550.child for volunteer opportunities.

#3 - olive crest foster care (www.olivecrest.org) offering a safe and loving home to children who have been placed in the social services system because of abuse and/or neglect. contact Kerri at [email protected] for more information on how to be a foster parent.

#4 - open arms adoption ministry (www.calvarylife.org/local) a calvary led support group for those considering adoption or who have become foster or adoptive parents. contact pastor matt Doan at [email protected] or 714.550.2378 for information.


Standing

MOTEL MINISTRY2ND SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH

Join Calvary’s Motel Ministry at the Sunland Motel in Santa Ana (2111 E. 1st St. Santa Ana 92705) at 10:00 am on the 2nd Saturday of each month to distribute grocery boxes and references from the Orange County Rescue Mission to low-income residents.

Contact Pastor Matt Doan at [email protected] or 714.550.2378 for info.

DONATE A FOOD BOX TO A FAMILY IN NEED

Calvary Church sponsors a monthly food box ministry which distributes 21-25 pounds of high quality food, fresh fruit and vegetables per box at affordable costs. The boxes are available for personal use or to donate to a family in need at our church or in our neighborhood. Volunteers are also needed on distribution days (8:30 - 11:30 am).

To volunteer or donate, contact Jerry or Ann Bennett at [email protected] or 949.289.8981 or go to www.goldensharefoods.com

ORGANIZE CLOTHES AT THE SHEEPFOLD THRIFT STORE*

(*Family Friendly Option) All proceeds from the Sheepfold Thrift Store go to support the programs at the Sheepfold, which provides shelters and programs for abused woman with children. This is a wonderful opportunity for a group of friends, families or LifeGroups. The duties include moving merchandise from the back of the warehouse to the front of the store, and cleaning and organizing the aisles and clothing racks.

To volunteer contact DeAnne at [email protected] or 714.237.1444. BECOME A HOMEWORK

CLUB INSTRUCTOR FOR AT-RISK KIDS

KidWorks (www.kidworksonline.org) needs 80+ volunteers a week to run their after school programs for at-risk kids in Santa Ana. As a Homework Club Volunteer, you will support a child by helping them with their homework, character development and other educational needs. You do not need specific academic knowledge, just a desire to be a consistent presence in a child’s life. Volunteer hours are Mondays through Thursdays from 3:30 to 5:30 pm.

To volunteer, contact Donia at [email protected] or 714.834.9400 x111.

MENTOR A MOM OR DAD IN CRISIS THROUGH BIRTHCHOICE

Every day, Birth Choice in Santa Ana serves and cares for pregnant women and their partners in crisis. Male volunteers are needed to care for and mentor fathers through the BirthChoice “Dad’s Project.” Female volunteers are needed to care for and mentor mothers in crisis through the “Beginnings” program. To volunteer, contact Jennifer Wallace at [email protected] or 714.541.5484 x225.

MENTOR A SANTA ANA ELEMENTARY STUDENT THROUGH AN AFTER-SCHOOL BIBLE PROGRAM

Orange County Youth Commission runs an after-school program called M.A.D. Clubs (Making a Difference Clubs). They meet once a week at public school sites in Orange County’s low-income neighborhoods. Each club provides academic tutoring, structured sports and character education.

For more info or to sign up to volunteer at a club, contact Orange County Youth Commission Executive Director, Kate Medina at [email protected] or 949.500.5424.


OPEN YOUR HOME TO A CHILD IN CRISIS

Safe Families is a grass roots, local church-based program supported by Olivecrest. This ministry exists to provide temporary housing to children (0-18 yrs.) whose families are facing a sudden family crisis. Sign up to offer your home as a temporary place for a child to stay. The average stay for a child is 1-40 days.

Contact Renee Franks at [email protected] or 1.800.550.CHILD (2445), ext. 1234.

PROVIDE NEW SOCKS TO SANTA ANA HOMELESS

Mercy House (www.mercyhouse.net) in Santa Ana is a non-profit homeless prevention and emergency services provider. Mercy House hosts the Cold Weather Armory Homeless Shelter in Santa Ana from December - March. They are in need of packages of men’s and women’s socks (sizes 6-12).

For info or to find out when to drop off donations, contact Ashleigh at [email protected] or 714.836.7188 x102.

PREPARE FOOD BACKPACKS FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN IN ORANGE COUNTY

Giving Children Hope (www.gchope.org) is looking for volunteers to help with the “We’ve Got Your Back” program to feed the homeless children in Orange County. Volunteers are needed to sort through donated food, stock our shelves and pack backpacks full of food for homeless children to take to their families over the weekend. Volunteers are needed Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.

Contact Drew Bryson at [email protected] or 714.523.4454.

‘SERVE A TEEN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS’ EVENT

Capernaum (www.tustincapernaum.blogspot.com) is part of Young Life, a parachurch organization, which shares the Gospel and reaches teenagers with disabilities. Capernaum gives these teenagers opportunities to have fun, try new things, build their self-esteem, make new friends, and explore a personal relationship with God through club (regular monthly scheduled meetings), camps (week long in the summer), and other activities (karaoke nights, holiday parties, etc).

For more info or to volunteer contact Kara Kawanami at [email protected] or 408.489.3635.

DONATE FOOD ITEMS TO THE OC RESCUE MISSION

OCRM serves the least, last and lost of Orange County. Most needed bulk food items include: soups (Top Ramen/Cup of Noodles), juices, healthy kid’s snacks, peanut butter, jelly, cereal, milk, cheese, beef, chicken, pork, rice, pasta, eggs, toilet paper, napkins, 55-gallon trash bags, sandwich baggies, sponges, cleaning supplies, furniture polish, laundry detergent, bleach and fabric softener. All items can be dropped off at the Village of Hope Warehouse (One Hope Drive, Tustin, CA 92782) between 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Saturday.

Contact Mike Martinez at [email protected] or 714.247.4300 for more info.

HELP AN ELDERLY WIDOW WITH YARDWORK*

(*Family Friendly Option) The Scriptures tell us as Christians to live out our faith by taking care of orphans and widows (James 1:27). You can accomplish this through our Operation Love Ministry, serving widows through simple tasks of yardwork, running errands, house repair, etc.

Contact Joe France at [email protected] for opportunities.

To learn more about any of these ongoing ways to serve, go online to www.calvarylife.org/ local


REACH: Global REACH Global is funded through our separate Faith Promise giving and includes support for our missionaries serving worldwide, partnership projects and special mission needs. Faith Promise provides for the training of missionary candidates, follow up opportunities for short-term team members, and means by which members begin the missionary process.

Contact: Liz Gold, Reach Global Missions Director 714.550.2340 | [email protected]

REACH: Local

REACH Local is funded through the General offerings to the church, which allows for the participation in local outreach by our people. Our criteria for local outreach involves the Three C’s: Close proximity to the church, Consistent volunteer opportunities, and Christ can be proclaimed.

Contact: Matt Doan, Reach Local Pastor 714.550.2378 | [email protected]

1010 N Tustin Ave, Santa Ana, 92705 | www.calvarylife.org | 714.973.4800

Calvary Core LifeLabs

Core LifeLabs are fun and engaging 4-week, interactive experiences designed to help you learn how to live out the Christian life and the purpose of Calvary Church... to Connect, Grow and Reach.

Discover more about all three LifeLabs and register at calvarylife.org/lifelabs

Calvary Core LifeLabs

Reach | Volume 4 - Issue 1

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Transcript of Reach | Volume 4 - Issue 1