David

This past month, we focused on others over ourselves in “Not-About-Us November”.  Each week we directed our attention to various ways to serve the people around us and across the globe.  We wanted to take a look back to see the impact of your time, talents, and finances…

 

Rise Against Hunger

On the first Saturday of November, 85 volunteers came in shifts to 130 Jackson in order to pack meals as part of the Rise Against Hunger program.  With the help of many and in partnership with the New Life congregation, we raised over $7,000 and packed 24,192 meals.  That’s enough to feed 66 children in Haiti for an entire year!

 

Donut Dash 5k

It was a chilly morning, but the 2nd annual Donut Dash 5k was a great success!  We had 43 runners participate the morning of, over 25 volunteers, and raised over $1,050!  Our goal was to raise $1,000, and we met that!!  The money will be put towards team expenses and projects for the 2018 Honduras trip.  Some of the possible team projects this year include building beds, plastering walls of the church’s new clinic facility, finish tile work on the clinic, ceiling work in the clinic, and supplies for the clean water project.

 

 

Hokies for the Hungry

Before the Virginia Tech vs. Pitt football game, we teamed up with the Marching Virginians in order to collect canned food and donations to support the Montgomery County Christmas Store.  This year, despite a smaller game crowd and an earlier kickoff time, we raised record numbers!!  There were 3,475 cans collected and an all-time record, $12,496 in cash donations.

 

 

Operation Christmas Child

Before Thanksgiving break, individuals, small groups, and more gathered supplies to pack shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.  The idea is that each shoebox would be packed with toys, hygiene items, school supplies, etc. in order to be shipped to a child across the globe.  This year, we collected nearly 60 shoeboxes!  NLCF will also be taking a trip December 1-2 to the processing center in Charlotte to get first-hand experience seeing how the boxes get processed from our hands and sent across the world.

 

 

 

When Jesus met Peter, He borrowed his boat to teach the people. Then Jesus filled their nets overflowing with fish, calling out to Peter to follow Him. What is Peter’s response? He falls down in front of Jesus, overwhelmed by his inadequacy, and tells Jesus to flee from him.

“Don’t you know what you are signing up for, Lord? Don’t you know my many sins? Here is your chance to leave, to choose someone better; I would understand.”

Jesus replies, “Don’t be afraid.” I imagine Him saying this tenderly, and maybe with a little laughter, like when someone tells a child they don’t need to be afraid of the monster under their bed. “Don’t be afraid, Peter; I know you completely. Don’t be afraid, Peter; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Don’t be afraid, Peter; I have a special purpose for you. Don’t be afraid, Peter; I have loved you with and everlasting love.”

The monster under our bed is no match for Jesus. In the face of all our inadequacy, He calls out to us, “Don’t be afraid! Follow Me and I will make what you have more than enough.”

Are we willing to listen?

-Elle Humes

(Luke 5:1-11)