Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:56:33 +0000

Local News

• A love gone sour results in three deaths

  Shawn Haugen, believed to have killed the woman with whom he had a child and her stepfather on Sunday before killing himself, had been arrested repeatedly for violating a no-contact order.

  January 18, 2010 5 Photos

• Crash near Mapleton kills two teens

  Head-on crash happened Monday afternoon north of Mapleton

  January 18, 2010

• Who's going to New Orleans?

  Help us: The Free Press is looking for area sports fans headed to New Orleans.

  January 18, 2010

• Mankato sends shipment of food to Haiti

  More than $32,000 was raised and 110,000 meals were packaged between Thursday and Saturday for Kids Against Hunger to provide food to Haiti’s earthquake victims.

  January 18, 2010 1 Photo

• Signs of life in Minnesota River

  The Minnesota River seems to be making a rebound, which encourages optimism for fish life.

  January 18, 2010

• Lawrence, Paulsen earn Service Above Self awards

  Bud Lawrence and Tami Paulsen will be h onored by the Mankato Rotary Wednesday with Service Above Self awards.

  January 18, 2010 2 Photos

• Plato's Closet to open in February

  Sisters Shelley Martini and Chellsea Nelson are buying inventory from the public for the opening of Plato's Closet sometime in February.

  January 18, 2010 1 Photo

• Today's services (1/19/2010)

  January 18, 2010

• Today's services (1/20/2010)

  January 19, 2010

• Three dead after shooting near Lewisville

  A man shot and killed a woman and her stepfather before killing himself Sunday morning at a residence near Lewisville.

  January 18, 2010

• More Local News Headlines

Giving back -- Holiday Project responses

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 - 2:18 PM CST

Somewhere between all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, AG colleges, universities and churches are making a commitment to give back to their communities through several events, outreaches and fundraisers.

In November, AG News contacted each AG school to learn what each campus was doing to give back and came up with several reports of what these schools were doing to help needy families in their own neighborhoods for the holidays.

AG News also decided to send a request for AG churches to share via e-mail what their congregations were doing for their communities during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons.

We hope that these stories and reports inspire you as you prepare to celebrate Christ's birth as well as encourage schools and churches to continue meeting needs in their communities.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas! AG News will return on January 4.

-- AG News Staff

AG SCHOOLS LISTING:

American Indian College, Phoenix, Arizona:
Each year, "Birthday for Jesus," sponsored by the education department, is held on the American Indian College campus. The neighborhood is invited to enjoy cookies and hot chocolate, hear the gospel and listen to a band play. Area churches send toys for several families in need that are distributed during the event.

Bethany University, Scotts Valley, California:
This month at Bethany University, the drama department will partner together with the community theatre to put on a Christmas performance for the community.

Caribbean Theological College, Bayamon, Puerto Rico:
Caribbean Theological College collected food items for Thanksgiving and distributed them to local families with financial problems or that have recently lost their jobs.

Central Bible College, Springfield, Missouri:
Central Bible College partnered with Convoy of Hope in an outreach at Hillcrest High School last month. As well, students involved in the Multicultural Action Council helped serve Thanksgiving dinner to the community and are making a donation to help the Victory Mission shelter.

A weekly ministry team hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for families in a government-subsidized apartment complex.

The Streets Evangelism team will be hosting a blanket drive. "This has been a result of the needs they see with the homeless they come in contact with," says Erin Elder, administrative assistant to the vice president for College Advancement. "They will be asking students to donate blankets and then on a given night, will disburse the donated blankets to areas where they have seen the homeless hang out."
 
There is also a team of students that visits Reed Middle School twice a week to serve as teacher assistants — for Christmas; they are going to put together Christmas bags for all 150 students they work with.

Evangel University, Springfield, Missouri:
Evangel University's music department held their annual Christmas Concert earlier this month. Admission to the concert was a nonperishable food item or a donation to benefit Ozarks Food Harvest - over 7,000 meals will be provided as a result of this event.

The Business Department's SIFE team is will be working with the Campbell Soup Company in their "Let's Can Hunger" initiative and will continue to partner with various organizations such as Convoy of Hope to help alleviate hunger in the Ozarks during the holidays.

Evangel's football teams and tennis teams are planning to visit the children's ward of local hospitals during the holiday season.

The Education Department's S-MSTA organization also helps the community each year by holding a Christmas party and inviting several families to attend. They provide gifts for families in need.

The Social Work Department contains three different clubs that are raising money to provide Christmas gifts for an Evangel staff member and their family, including two foster children, struggling with medical expenses that are hindering their ability to purchase gifts.

CROSSwalk, a campus student ministries group, is encouraging its members and other students to participate in Operation Christmas Child.

Walther Hall residents participated in the third annual Raking Day last month, volunteering to rake leaves for local families that are unable to complete the task themselves.

Latin American Bible Institute, San Antonio, Texas:
A student ministry group at Latin American Bible Institute helped a local church, Young Vision Center, to serve Thanksgiving dinner to the community. Also, a Christmas tree is being displayed in a nearby furniture store and students are sponsoring a food drive there. The cans collected will be distributed to families in need in the San Antonio area.

North Central University, Minneapolis, Minnesota:
At North Central, a group called Release is partnering with another organization to purchase gifts for women in the Breaking Free program. 
 
The Elliot Park Ministry will be going to an elderly/nursing home to go caroling. Students from North Central University and children from the neighborhood will be participating. The group will also be making Christmas cookies with the children at the community center.

Southeastern University, Lakeland, Florida:
Southeastern University has taken part in several outreaches so far this month and last, and have several more events planned for the Christmas season.

In October, over 300 Southeastern students went out into the city of Lakeland — dispersed into five ministry teams to provide food, care packages, clean-up services and showed love to the community that is in need. Last month, students participated in the campus wide "Let's Can Hunger" project. "This process was utilized through encouraging students to bring cans of food to be distributed among the community," says Rene' Kendall, assistant to the Activities Director.

According to Kendall, a Homeless Awareness week will be implemented on campus, "geared to communicate to Southeastern students the poverty within our own community and how we can begin to eliminate these issues."

This month, Southeastern will be partnering with Operation Christmas Child to send out packages to children all around the world and will also be gathering donations for "Feed the Need," a student-led organization to provide food, clothing, bedding, toiletries and Christmas cheer to the community.

Valley Forge Christian College, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania:
Various athletic teams at Valley Forge Christian College are participating in a food drive that will assist the local food cupboard. Also, the Music Department is hosting a Christmas concert this month that is free to the community. The concert includes contemporary and holiday music from various groups such as the jazz band, hand bell ensemble, and a performance of Handel's Messiah from the choir.

Zion Bible College, Haverhill, Massachusetts:
At Zion Bible College, an Urban Ministries class is heading up an outreach at the local homeless shelter and is encouraging other students to get involved. They will be partnering with an organization called Somebody Cares New England to feed the homeless, distribute clothing they collected, and providing children with toys. Students will share the gospel as well as sing Christmas songs, play instruments and perform a drama for the guests.

"We're looking to feed 70-100 homeless people and five opportunities for the gospel to be preached with hope in regards to our love and charity," said Jeff Francis, director of Urban Ministries. "Our goal is for many to be saved and come to Christ while giving students an opportunity to serve in an urban setting." 

For more information about AG colleges and universities, click here.

AG CHURCHES LISTING:

Abundant Life Assembly of God, North Salt Lake, Utah: performed a play "Gospel According to Scrooge" for a second year. All proceeds from the ticket sales were given to the Teen Challenge New Hope House for girls in Tooele, Utah.

The Assembly, West Monroe, Louisiana: are giving every child that attends Risner School a stocking full of toys and supplies. Over 500 students attend this school in a needy area.

Bethel Church, San Jose, California: offers seven free musical productions annually, called "Christmas Spectacular," which include drama, dance, children and adult choirs, orchestra, light shows and multimedia presentations.

Central Assembly of God, Springfield, Missouri: delivered groceries for a Thanksgiving dinner to dozens of needy families, and congregation members purchased more than 1,100 Christmas gifts for the children and teachers of three nearby schools.

First Assembly of God, Aberdeen, South Dakota: has sponsored a give-away for the past 20 years — like a giant garage sale, but free. They also prepare Thanksgiving boxes of staple foods for 20-28 families from the community and church.

First AG, Freehold, New Jersey: for their annual "Hope & Healing Tree," they have collected various grocery store gift cards to help the owner of the local soup kitchen in purchasing food and supplies.

James River Assembly, Ozark, Missouri: distributed food baskets to the needy in Southwest Missouri for Thanksgiving. This Christmas they are giving gifts to approximately 900 children at two elementary schools and a foster children's home.

Le Mars Assembly, Le Mars, Iowa: participates in a Holiday Blessing Family project every year, where a local pastor and their family is provided with gifts. Congregation members buy food, gift cards and gifts for the family.

Mountainburg First Assembly, Mountainburg, Arkansas: gave away groceries to over 330 families on World Hunger Day (Nov 22). For Christmas, a Secret Santa Mission is being held to buy clothes and toys for kids in the school facing hardship.

Nashville Assembly of God, Nashville, Michigan: congregation members are bringing in grocery bags full of non-food items, since many families in the area get food stamps but cannot buy other necessities. They are cooperating with their local pharmacist in distribution.

Prospect Assembly of God, Prospect, Oregon: provided 6 families with a full Thanksgiving dinner. Three were single mothers with several children and would not have been able to provide for their family. They also distributed friendship blankets with John 3:16 printed on them.

The Power Place, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania: put together 100 backpacks filled with blankets, food, clothing and basic cooking necessities for the homeless in the area.

Riverstone Church, Claremont, New Hampshire: delivered 16 Thanksgiving baskets overflowing with food to families in need in the community.

The Rock Community Outreach Center, Port Arthur, Texas: distributed 153 turkeys and fed 327 individuals on Thanksgiving. They will hold "Project Christmas" to pass out over 600 toys and are partnering with Southern Oklahoma State University to hold outreach for homeless.

Trinity Tabernacle, Bridgeton, Missouri: is giving Christmas dinners to needy families in the area — they are planning on distributing 90 meals for their 90th anniversary. They will include "The Promised Savior" booklets with the meals.

AG National Headquarters, Springfield, Missouri: employees provided Christmas gifts to the children involved in the SHAPES mentoring program as well as gifts for individuals needing the services of the Family Violence Center.

Thank you for being a part of AG News and this inspirational collection of reports. May your Christmas and New Year be filled to overflowing with the compassion of Christ.