ONE LESSGIFT

CHRIST IAN CHURCH

2014

Watch our 2012 One Less Gift video online at

vimeo.com/55639485

or scan the QR code.

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In this catalog you will find a wide variety of wish list items from our Community and Global Partners. We want to fully fund each request through One Less Gift. As a sponsor, your contribution will go toward the One Less Gift fund. We will then distribute these financial gifts proportionately to each of our community and global partners.

Come be a part of this amazing opportunity to make a difference this holiday season! So gather your family, sit down with a cup of your favorite hot drink, and prayerfully consider how you will give to those most in need.

You can give at church on any Sunday between November 16 and December 31, pay online (just mention “One Less Gift” in the memo or description), or bring a check into the church office.

HOW ONE LESS GIFT WORKS

ONE LESS GIFTONE LESS GIFT…when we were children that probably sounded like a threat or a punishment. But when we use that phrase here at College Heights, it is a triumph.

Through One Less Gift, we spend less on ourselves at Christmas and more on those who are most in need. We perform a deliberate act of local and global love. We intentionally choose to put Christ at the center of Christmas—celebrating

His coming and pursuing His heart for the lost and the hurting.

I have seen firsthand what those gifts can do. When we dug wells in India, old men wept and thanked us for giving their wives and daughters their lives back because the long, exhausting, daily journey for water had finally ceased. When we were able to buy milk cows for 600 orphans, the children had access to good nutrition for the first time in their lives. And when we bought propane for a Joplin family, they enjoyed a warm house that winter.

There are many things we can do with our lives…there are far fewer things that really matter and give us the satisfaction of living our lives on course. It is not trite, and it is not simple rhetoric when Jesus stated, “It is better to give than to receive.” May our Christmas be one of triumph and may it flow from a life well lived.

For One Less Gift,

RandyPreaching Minister

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If we raise $101,408, everything in this catalog will be funded. Anything above that amount allows us to bless even more people. Last year we raised $108,000. Let’s MEET or BEAT that this year!

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GOATS FOR KIDS$5000Goats will provide milk to the children at the Bal Bhavan Children’s Home in India so they can receive better nutrition. This gift will buy 25 goats.

HOPE FOR A FAMILY$1000A water buffalo will help a family in India become self-sufficient by providing milk to sell and a means of transportation and farming.

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“People said Vinay (a 3-year old born with a cleft lip and palate), was cursed…that he did something wrong in the past. Children would not play with him. They would mock the family,” laments Vinay’s aunt, Parvatrani. When Vinay returned to his village after receiving surgery at CICM from volunteer doctors, people said they were wrong to be mean. “They accept him as a normal child now and he can go to school,” adds Parvatrani.~indiamission.org

SMILES THROUGH SURGERY$2500A team of doctors visiting Central India Christian Mission will operate on children born with cleft lips and cleft palates. While these surgeons do not charge for the procedure, CICM will provide medicine, hospital care, post-operative care, and food for the families at the cost of $300 per family. This gift to the children who receive it is completely life changing, allowing them to again interact with other people, gain friends, and a have hope for their future.

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MICROLOANS FOR A NEW LIFE $4500An estimated 80% of the population of Togo lives on less than $1 a day. One of our partners, Lifted Up International, is working in cooperation with International Literacy and Development in Togo to provide agricultural microloans to the poorest of the poor, a much needed financial service to alleviate poverty and meet the physical needs of the community. This gift would provide microloans to 25 families so they can have a means to have a better tomorrow.

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IMMUNIZATIONS$500Millions of children die every year from diseases that are preventable with routine vaccines. This gift would provide immunizations for 500 children!

CHICKEN FARM$5000This gift will provide 500 chickens for a supply of eggs and meat to the children at Bal Bhavan Children’s Home in India.

CAMP FOR A CHILD WITH A DISABILITY$400Konstantin is a child in a Serbian kindergarten with cerebral palsy. This gift will help the church there show Christ’s love to this child and his family by sending him to the Joni and Friends Camp for children with disabilities.

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WOOD FOR WIDOWS$2500This gift would provide enough firewood to heat the homes of five widows in the community of our Global Partners in Eastern Europe. Firewood for a winter would cost $500 per home.

SYRIAN REFUGEES$1000Civil war has been raging in Syria which has led to displacement of over 50% of the country’s population (disproportionately children) into neighboring countries. We are partnering with people ministering to these refugees.

PASHTUN REFUGEES$1000We have worked among the Pashtun people group for many years. Our Global Partners are ministering to refugees that have fled war and are now living in an Asian country. One Less Gift will help these families establish a home in a new city and hear the good news of Jesus.

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PLAYGROUND$2000Our Global Partners in Africa want to provide the children in their war-torn region with safe, structured play times and areas. Nightly the children gather to play within their fenced property. They have an organized game night with a small Bible teaching that consistently works with around 70 kids. A proper playground would be a great blessing to these kids!

WIDOWS

Here are the kinds of beliefs that God our Father accepts as pure and without fault: When widows and children who have no parents are in trouble, take care of them; and keep yourselves from being polluted by the world.

~James 1:27

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CARE PACKAGES FOR WIDOWS$5000In India, this gift will provide care packages to 250 widows and needy families. These care packages contain blankets, 20 kilos of rice, and 5 kilos of lentils and will be distributed by evangelists to those in the most need.

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BIBLE TRANSLATION$2500Our Global Partners in Eastern Europe want to fund a local translator as he completes the translation of the first five books of the Bible into the local dialect. The translator, who is from a Muslim family, has come to admit that the Bible is truth and Jesus is who He says He is.

LOVE GIFTS FOR FAMILIES$1000The Choose Life Center in Serbia desires to show love in a practical way as they minister to women who have chosen to keep their babies in spite of their poverty. Through this gift they will provide diapers, shoes, winter coats, and food to 10 families.

PAST YEARS’ ONE LESS GIFT IN ACTIONTwo years ago, One Less Gift provided funds enabling Central India Christian Mission to build five recovery houses for persecuted Christians to be healed and restored. Last year, we provided funds to furnish them to welcome the first families that needed a place of respite.

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A STROLLER FOR ROSALIE$150Rosalie was considering abortion because she has a 3-year old and 6-month-old baby (Masha and Mathew, in the photo) and is poor. The Choose Life Center in Serbia talked to her about the value of human life and she decided to continue her pregnancy. She is due in January 2015 and will need a tandem stroller for her two babies.

MEDICAL CARE FOR A MOM$443Dragana recently became a Christian. She is 33 years old and she has four children. She also has cancer. The prognosis is not good. All of her sisters died from cancer under the age of forty. Doctors insist that she needs chemotherapy and special treatments that will prolong her life. This gift will help with the cost of these injections.

Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.

~Proverbs 19:17

SAFE HOUSE SETUP$5000Last year, Blackbox International opened its first home for boys rescued out of sex trafficking in the Dominican Republic. This year, they would like to open a second home for 12 more boys. Funds from One Less Gift will set up the home with beds, clothes, kitchen supplies, and personal care items.

LENSES FOR SALENA$300Sanela Kish, a 16-year-old Roma girl in Serbia, desperately needs contact lenses. She was born almost blind, and while her sight has improved some, contact lenses would be a huge blessing to her.

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WINTER WARMTH$2000This gift would provide the resources to heat the homes of 10 of the poorest families among the Roma community in Eastern Europe. Among these 10 families are two families with 12 children each.

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FOOD PARCELS FOR ROMA FAMILIES$1200For a family in Serbia in the Roma community, one food parcel costs $20. This gift would help 10 of the poorest families on a monthly basis from January to June, 2015.

LAST YEAR’S ONE LESS GIFT IN ACTIONLast year College Heights provided food parcels for 40 families. The result? Two Roma house churches were planted with 30 people in each, with the potential to start two more house churches. The Serbian church we have partnered with has already trained two more couples, future Roma leaders, who want to open their homes to others.

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HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES$1140(Top Center) This latrine project in Africa will directly affect the quality of life for those living around the area and minimize the rampant spread of disease.

SOCCER FIELD$2275Our Global Partners in Northeast Africa desire to invest in the young men in their area through their love of soccer. Offering them a decent field to play on and host other teams will also give them a sense of dignity and help build peace in this area.

EBOLA RESPONSE$1000(Top Left) Daily we hear of more people being diagnosed with Ebola. We will be partnering with those who have chosen to enter into the suffering and are trying to help the victims.

RAPHA HOUSE$4000(Top Right) Rapha House has an outreach to girls rescued out of trafficking in Cambodia. This gift would help them purchase a new vehicle for their ministry.

COMMUNITY CAREBENEVOLENCE MINISTRY

3-2-1To share the love of Christ we send out teams who adopt the widowed, single parents, and others with long-term needs. Each person donates on the 3rd Saturday, 2 hours of time, 1 time a month. They perform basic handyman chores such as yard work, plumbing, cleaning windows, etc. This relational ministry makes long-term changes in the lives of people.

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Counseling

Housing & Utilities

Car Care

Food & Gas

Miscellaneous

$9100

$2500$3200

$11400$3800

Benevolence is a feeling of goodwill toward others or an act of kindness or charity. College Heights maintains a “benevolence fund,” that is, a monetary reserve kept in order to help those with needs: those with unexpected or high medical expenses, victims of natural disasters, the unemployed, the underemployed, and others in similar circumstances.

The call to provide for those in need is found throughout the Bible. In Matthew 25:34–40, Jesus emphasizes the need for benevolence in God’s name. John asks, “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?” (1 John 3:17–18). And Paul tells us that, “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Through One Less Gift and other giving throughout the year, we maintain a benevolence fund and intentionally choose to put Christ at the center not only at Christmas, but all year round.

ONE LESS GIFT WISHLIST

CAR CAREEvery other month, College Heights offers oil changes and minor car repairs to single parents, the elderly, and those struggling financially. Spencer and Tammy Aggus have graciously hosted “literally hundreds” of people at their barn and served them–one family at a time.

FINANCIAL COUNSELINGPersonal budgeting can be a difficult habit to develop. Many people find it an easier process when someone walks with them through the steps. College Heights assists individuals and families with financial struggles and offers basic budget tools, encouragement, and hope to show people that they are not defined by their financial situation.

After a pipe ruptured in an upstairs bathroom, Mark and Autumn discovered a waterfall cascading down the stairs of their home. To make matters worse, trying to get the water turned off became a frustrating challenge. Because of issues with their home insurance policy this became a financial burden for them. Your financial gifts to the church through One Less Gift made it possible for us to get needed equipment to dry out moisture from the walls and floor before they were ruined.

LAST YEAR’S ONE LESS GIFT IN ACTION

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Neighborhood Life House in north Joplin was created to see communities restored through a relevant church. The heart of a community is its homes and so they set out to be a neighborhood home that brings life and light through love, action and truth. They also desire to see their community thrive—developing healthy interpersonal relationships, community partnerships, and systemic change.

Safety and security improvements to keep our youth safe

Life House t-shirts for our youth, families, and volunteers

Outreach events for families in the community

Outdoor sign to announce events and help parents know where we are

iPads with covers for Reading Club to help literacy in our community

$3000

ONE LESS GIFT WISHLIST

LIFE HOUSENEIGHBORHOOD

$3000

$1000

$2000

$1000

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Rehab one apartment

Playground equipment and installation

Ice maker for hospitality in the Community Center

Power washer to keep our buildings clean

Sound board for Community Center

$5000

$400

$400

$2700

$1500

ONE LESS GIFT WISHLIST

GOD’S RESORTGod’s Resort is a community of people needing the love and support of the body of Christ as they learn about God’s love and influence in their lives. God’s Resort is clean, safe and affordable housing in one of Joplin’s highest call-for-service areas, according to the Joplin Police Department. The body of Christ pulls alongside and offers hope and truth to those who are struggling with poverty and/or addictions.

Suppose someone sees a brother or sister in need and is able to help them. If he doesn’t take pity on them, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, don’t just talk about love. Put your love into action. Then it will truly be love.

~1 John 3:17-18

COMMUNITY CENTERThe Community Center is our central location for all activities. It is used on almost a nightly basis to host Bible studies, financial counseling, Sunday Night Fellowship, movie nights, and other activities. The Community Center and the 26 apartments that are a part of the God’s Resort community are in need of items to function efficiently for those they serve.

APARTMENT REHABGod’s Resort desires to be a place of excellence—as a reflection of both the dignity of the residents and character of God. A portion of One Less Gift will go towards the renovation of one of the residences.

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ONE LESS GIFT WISHLIST

CHRIST IAN CHURCH

ONE LESSG I F T

Photo Credits (Photos licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License):p. 2 “Girl in Lomé, Togo” by Dietmar Temps @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/deepblue66/4355167489/p. 4 “Water Buffalo Rider” by Jim Yumievriwan @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/yumievriwan/3296828118/p.4 “A girl hugs the goat in a agricultual farm, Tamilnadu, India.jpg” by Yjenith @ http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_girl_hugs_the_goat_in_a_agricultual_farm,_Tamilnadu,_India.jpgp. 5 http://indiamission.org/stories/children-would-not-play-with-vinay-they-would-mock-him/p. 6 “Togo-pwl-roll-15-13” by Paul W. @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/paul-w-locke/3088215822/p. 7 “Polio Immunization In Lucknow” by RIBI Image Library @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/91311153@N02/8294532078/p. 7 “disinfectant: spraying disinfectant in chicken house” by Britannica Online for Kids @ http://kids.britannica.com/comptons/art-140535p. 8 “Pashtun Children at Temporary Site“ by Gustavo Montes de Oca @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/gmdeo/308661738/p. 8 “A family is displaced to Qaa in Lebanon from Syria. Lost lives and childhoods.” by Freedom House @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/syriafreedom/6819649614/p. 9 “Darfurians Refugees” by European Commission DG ECHO @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/69583224@N05/8022577265p. 10-11 “Making Public Services Deliver” by UN Women Asia & the Pacific @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/unwomenasiapacific/7056702815/p. 14 “Life of the Gypsies” by Vesna Middelkoop @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/photodocumentary/2859843160/p. 15 “IMG_2822” by Susan @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/susanastray/5743914058/in/set-72157626240262822p. 16 “Ebola in Guinea” by European Commission DG ECHO @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/69583224@N05/13717624625/p. 16 “Training in Sanitation and Hygiene to South Sudanese Refugees” by UNICEF Ethiopia @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/unicefethiopia/14554465497/in/photostream/p. 16-17 “All Life in an IDP Camp” by UNAMID @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/unamid-photo/14402379176/in/photolist-DGDs8-dumWzS-f2PmD1-f2z6Rr-kMBzLD-kMASmX-kMBxMt-kMASUR-kMByfT-eUoMcg-eUoP6x-eUoNpa-eUoPPD-eUAe4Y-eUoTPH-eUAfX9-eUAfdy-oraE58-o9EW9b-o1vQBP-nGeXMW-o1vMUz-DGx93-DGrUs-DGFKm-DGzvg-DG7Fo-DG9kt-nWFU9A-nYCA5m-nGfKEg-gbZnKz-cMjg6S-cLE6uW-cLE6cy-nWFXym-nGf71E-nGfLMB-nGf3dm-nYrfWF-nYrhnM-nYCBqh-o1vTFz-nYBMWY-nYCCXL-nWFWFQ-nGfNe4-8fwtuF-8faniK-8fdvSdp. 19 “14296 Counseling & Psychology 4174.jpg” by Texas A&M University-Commerce Marketing Communications Photography @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/tamuc/14165870600/in/photolist-nzMMNh-7Tgn85-h6iJem-h6jGip-h6ipZ6-keKVB-9oRceT-aFYwhB-nU4vFk-3UFfzg-6vCsP9-ffvNKG-edGLUY-9fgyNQ-edB7Nt-bnCT2D-oGnwJx-gPy47D-7iFDbr-7eYkUF-dZGivE-5K2qx1-7P42g2-dT3xpg-2617zp-naUayh-btC5nL-dCTHos-aDfLTp-omo4uZ-9R9tbc-6uEjbT-53z7SZ-8bMWKZ-diUfdD-8sbXSp-8sf3cW-8seXBY-8sbWqa-8sbUaT-8sf2bb-8sbWyM-8sbXFZ-8sbUWi-8sf1Rq-8sf35N-8sbXoB-8seZbb-8sbVHg-8sbWSv

4311 E Newman RoadJoplin, MO 6480141w7.624.6915chjoplin.org

You can give during the offering collection on Sunday mornings, at the receptionist’s office during the week, or online at chjoplin.org/give anytime.