There are some upcoming EA Partnership ministry opportunities at Parc 1000. We’re excited about these opportunities and hope you will be part in some way as we work together to be intentionally and incarnationally involved with the nations in our own backyard.

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE:

ESL, or English as a Second Language, is a huge open door. One of the overwhelming things expressed when we did the survey was the desire for help with learning/mastering English. In many cases, it is the kids doing most the communicating because the adults are not yet comfortable with English. One of the ways that the EA team is finding to be incredibly effective is 1-on-1 English as opposed to classes. Many refugees desire an American friend, and meeting with folks in their homes to teach them English means we also gain insight into others areas of ministry and relationship. Training in ESL will be offered at Parc 1000 on Saturday, Nov. 17 from 2:30-5pm. If you’re interested, please let us know for more details.
A Work Day at Parc 1000 is on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 10am. Meet at Apt. 38E. There are many “working-with-your-hands” things that can be done in and around both our apartment (38E) and the apartment that has been given for afterschool ministry. In addition, there may be other maintenance things that can be done for residents or the complex. If you are interested in being part of a Work Day, please let us know.
We will be facilitating a Christmas Party for refuge families on Saturday, Dec. 15 at Parc 1000 from 1-3pm. The Party will involve games, activities, a Christmas program, music, and more. It will be an opportunity to not only introduce refugees to Christmas in America and share the true meaning of Christmas, but also to build relationships with residents. Details are being worked out, but there are 2 ways you can be involved. One will be to participate (families encouraged to do so together) on the day of. The other is to contribute items for Christmas Gift Bags. We are going to provide a Christmas Gift Bag (a simple and practical drawstring bag instead of a shoebox) to each child who comes to the party and registers instead of doing shoeboxes with Operation Christmas Child this year. We are asking each family to provide items from the following list in bulk. Bags will be purchased in bulk via our EA Ministry Fund so they are all the same size. We are looking for the following new items (starred items are highly desired):

*Stuffed toy animals
*Deflated Soccer ball with manual pump
*Winter cap and scarf
*Mittens/gloves
*Hair bows and barrettes
*Socks
*School supplies
Water color sets
Coloring books
Necklace/bracelet/earrings
Watch
Jump rope
Puzzles
Kickball with manual pump
Dress up crown/shoes
Small etch-a-sketch
Small purse
Nail clippers
Washable nail polish
Small action figures
Small Dolls
Toothbrush and paste
Band-Aids

You can start bringing items immediately. There is a collection station set up outside the sanctuary near the Prayer Room. As more details are worked out, we will let you know.

An organizing meeting for the Christmas Party will be held on Saturday, Dec. 1 from 9-11am in the FACT Fellowship Hall. If you are planning on being part of the party, please make every effort to be part of this meeting.

If you would like to be part of one (or more) of these opportunities, click here and let us know via the form.

ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE:

There are also ongoing opportunities you can be part of:

Prayer Walking at Parc 1000 on Tuesdays
Praying for Parc 1000 residents and ministry in general
Giving to the FACT Envision Atlanta Ministry Fund that goes to fund the apartment and ministry initiatives. This is a special fund that is not part of the regular General Fund Budget at this time. Above and beyond special gifts can be given online or vision cash/checked marked Envision Atlanta.
Helping with the monthly Mobile Thrift Store on the 4th Saturday of each month.
ESL Ministry individually or with a group.

More opportunities will be developed in the months to come.

Thank you for being part of ministry together at Parc 1000 with Envision Atlanta. May the Lord bless these efforts and open doors of ministry as we are faithful in reaching our “Samaria.”

On Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018 in during the services at First Alliance Church, five people were baptized, publicly signifying their identity in Christ and commitment to follow Jesus as a disciple. They are:

Nikki Bladowski

In the summer of 2016, Sofia asked me to go to Bible School. Two college students came and spoke to us about Zacchaeus, who climbed up a tree just to see Jesus because he was too short. He did whatever he could just to see Jesus. Even though nobody liked Zacchaeus, Jesus still loved him. It says to me that what we look like, what we've said or even what we've done, Jesus still loves us! I want to learn more about Jesus like Zacchaeus. So one of the college girls and I went outside at the end of the week to pray, and I asked God for forgiveness.

Now, I accepted Samatha's invitation to go to Youth Group and eventually to Small Groups and then to Sunday School, too, to get closer to Jesus and learn more about Him and what He's done for us.

Isaac Champion

I was at the high school football stadium, and a man was preaching about Jesus. He asked people to come down to the field if they want to get saved. I felt very nervous, and my chest was pounding. My dad asked me if I want t go down, and I said yes. We walked down to the field, and a man prayed with us. I asked Jesus to save me from my sins. I want to be baptized because I want to show every body that I follow Jesus.

Debbie Forsman

I asked Jesus into my heart as a 5 year old and was raised in a Christian home and a small Alliance church. I have followed Christ my whole life and strive to serve Him. I had always seen baptism as a symbolic conversion for someone that was turning from an old sinful life to a new life in Christ. Since I had not been saved in that way, I didn't think baptism for me was necessary.

In the past few years, God has been pressing upon me the importance of the declaration of my faith.

God has blessed us with a new phase of life here in Toccoa and deepened not only my faith but my children's. I am happy to be baptized alongside them as we publicly declare our faith together.

Byrce Forsman

When I was about 5 or 6, I accepted Jesus into my heart. When I was 10, I remember my pastor talking about it, and I decided that I wanted to be baptized, but I never got to it. Currently, I want to be baptized in front of people to show that I am a follower of Christ Jesus.

Skylar Forsman

I grew up in the church like a lot of other kids, but I had never really felt God speak to me or work directly in my life. I've found that devotions have helped me deepen my faith and I can see how much of a difference praying daily makes. Being baptized will become a reminder to myself that He washed away my old ways and I'm now committed to living with Christ instead of living in the world.

Coming Up at Parc 1000...