Weekly a group from our church gather together to teach the English language to non English speakers. This service is free and for all ages. It is a conversational English language learning group offered several days during the week. We meet in homes and at church at varying times depending on the need. We welcome community members and volunteers in hopes that it will give those attending greater opportunities and lead them to know the love of the Lord.
the Raabs, working in Belgium and the Netherlands:
Scott’s church in the Netherlands is grateful to be meeting face-to-face again. They’re thankful for the technology that has made online church possible but happy to be together in person. They’ve done a good job looking out for each other during the pandemic, especially some without computer skills and some who don’t speak Dutch.
Scott says that people who might never have considered God have been confronted with difficult times and have found their way to God’s family because of the Internet. One day he had an email and a video call with a student who was struggling through the dark days. She had found the Bible she had as a child and began wondering who this God is and why she felt she really needed to find out. She’s been reading the gospel of Mark and wanted to know if she could contact Scott with her questions.
Scott and Shirley continue to meet individually and in small groups with their members and with many non-Christians. And Scott is part of a new international group that is working together to reach out to teens all over Europe. In June the group will meet together in the Netherlands. In previous meetings in Eastern Europe and in Italy there have been over 60 young people present.
In family news, Scott writes that Stephan and Natalie are doing well in Indianapolis, where Stephan has a new job. And Sean and Jill are doing well in New York, happy to have a place of their own after sharing apartments with others for a while.
For more information about the Raabs, see https://ravenraab.blogspot.com/.
At Wrigley Coffee, we know that parents without secure housing want nothing more than to become self-sufficient, thriving providers for their families. In order to do that they need to be able to find steady employment that, over time, can lead to a fulfilling career.
The problem is most parents escaping traumatic home environments lack the practical experience and emotional management skills necessary to get and keep a job, which leaves them feeling hopeless and afraid for their future.
We believe every parent deserves to have hope for a brighter future and access to employment opportunities that will provide the training, mentoring, and support necessary to allow them to take the next step towards independence.
We understand how difficult it can be for people to emerge from physical and/or emotional trauma without a clear path forward, which is why we have paved the way for those in our community with quality coffee, community, and career training. At Wrigley Coffee, we provide employment and critical emotional and skill-based training parents need to get back on their feet and move forward towards a thriving future.
First, we’ll provide transitional employment opportunities to parents as baristas in our coffee shop. Then, they’ll receive hands-on learning from management staff and build the skills and mindsets for sustainable careers. Finally, we’ll help them move confidently into their future with access to next-level jobs that they can turn into careers.
So, help us realize our dream of bringing premium, quality coffee to Wrigley while also providing a brighter future and a path forward for housing insecure parents and their families.
“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
~Micah 6:8
Empowering coffee farmers through direct trade relationships.
Providing clean water, safe shelter and education for families in need.
Supporting churches as they reach families in their communities.
Since 1972, Long Beach Rescue Mission has opened its doors to thousands of men, women and children. The Mission provides food, clothing, shelter and spiritual guidance to the homeless and less fortunate people of the community.
We also provide meals and worship services in the evenings and on Sundays to senior citizens and neighborhood families. The Mission provides loving care and spiritual guidance to help people who are homeless find purpose, direction and hope.
Long Beach Rescue Mission is comprised of two facilities. The Samaritan House serves as a home for men while Lydia House offers a safe haven for women and their children.
Individuals work with a case manager either in our 90 day Case Management Program or our one-year New Life Program, which helps men and women overcome substance abuse, addictions and life’s deeper challenges.
Death happens every day, unfortunately, many people don’t have the support they need. Since 2003, New Hope Grief Support Community (New Hope) has been serving bereaved adults, children, and families in both Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Our mission is to help bereaved adults, children and families find hope and healing through connection and support. We understand that after someone dies it can bring feelings of isolation and loneliness and most people don’t know where to turn. New Hope offers community-based programs led by people who genuinely care and have experienced a death themselves. Our programs aim to break isolation, foster empathy and connection, and give grieving people an opportunity to share experiences and feelings in a safe environment free of judgment.
Service calls us to use our gifts, talents, and abilities to advance the genuine well-being of our community and those we serve.
Relational connections are valued with our community, our partners, each other, and those we serve. We believe that our relationships with others are the most valuable resource we have.
Compassion compels us to stand with and embrace others in their suffering so that they may find hope and healing. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of kindness, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
Inclusion builds a community that fosters a climate that is open and welcoming to diverse people, ideas, and perspectives that promote constructive discourse on the nature of diversity; and that engages staff, volunteers, clients, and the community in activities that promote New Hope’s core values.
Grief Awareness plays an important role in our work. We believe that by raising grief awareness in workplaces, schools, colleges, hospitals, social sectors, and places of worship we help break through the stigma associated with grief and help our community better understand how they can care for themselves when grief happens, and for those living with around them.
