WMU - Heart Sisters on Mission

Day 1 July 12: Volunteers- Next to God, volunteers are the heart and soul of what makes Church & Community Ministries thrive. Volunteers are essential all year round, helping out with everyday tasks and pitching in for special events. CCM needs extra helping hands every day as a number of our dedicated volunteers have been promoted to glory over the past couple years and few have stepped up to fill the void left by their absence. Any amount of time you can give is a huge help! Pray our hearts are receptive to & recognize the opportunities God provides us to share His love. Pray that we are patient, gentle, loving, and kind. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”       Matt. 9: 37-38

Day 2 July 13: Back Yard Block Party: This event is scheduled for Saturday, August 8 at the Oxford Housing Authority, 101 Hillside Dr. Oxford, 10:00- 1:00. Children will enjoy games with prizes, a bouncy house, & Kona Ice. We will also distribute backpacks of school supplies. Adults will enjoy bingo. To help nurture their faith, children will join a Bible study session before the games kick off. The event will culminate with a hot dog lunch. Let’s pray for the children to be receptive to the teachings of the Scripture, sowing seeds for a future grounded in faith with Jesus Christ. Pray also for favorable weather and safety. “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

Day 3 July 14: Household Assistance Closet & Baby Moses Closet: These two mainstay ministries are CCM’s most sought-after services. With the help of the churches and as we receive donations, we carefully select items to support these ministries. The Lord’s blessings have enabled us to furnish homes completely, from the kitchen to bedroom to bathroom. We also provide furniture and mattresses/box springs for those in need, as we have them in stock. Our Baby Moses Closet provides basic items for newborns. Recipients are asked to complete a form detailing their specific necessities. Along with the material aid, each recipient is gifted a Bible and receives prayer. Let’s pray for homes to be filled with love for God & family & are safe by day & night. “My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” Isaiah 32:18

Day 4 July 15: Christmas Toy Ministry: At CCM, we dedicate ourselves to this ministry throughout the year. Churches gather toys plus we carefully select from daily donations for this ministry. Parents eagerly anticipate this event, often asking about registration as early as the autumn season. Our greatest need is for gifts suitable for children aged 9 to 18. In today’s digital era, I suggest checking the packaging of possible gifts for the age range while shopping. Let’s pray together for parents’ hearts to be open, whether they are hearing the Gospel for the first time or the umpteenth time, and may they wholeheartedly embrace Christ as their Lord and Savior. Let’s pray for this ministry to be blessed with an abundance of gifts, volunteers, and counselors. “Thank God for his gift that words can’t describe!” 2 Corinthians 9:15

Day 5 July 16: For the children: Children are precious gifts from the Lord, though they may not always be treated as such. Today, let’s lift up in prayer the children in foster care, those at the Masonic Home for Children and Central Children’s Home in Oxford, the residents of the Baptist Children’s Home, the recipients of Appalachian Backpacks and Samaritan’s Purse Shoebox gifts, and those at the Ronald McDonald House receiving medical care. The list is vast and could even include children within your own congregation. Let’s pray for their emotional, mental, physical, and most importantly, their spiritual health, that they may feel truly valued and loved. “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.” Psalm 127:3

Day 6 July 17: Today we commemorate the 101st birth anniversary of Virginia Tuck, my predecessor as CCM Director. My 12-year journey as a volunteer under her guidance was a time of preparation for my current role as director. I cherish your prayers for continued dedication, wisdom, discernment, and abundant patience in my service. Pray for the mission work and workers of all our churches through-out the year. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

Day 7 July 18: Thrift Store: Our thrift store serves as a ministry of its own! It’s a place where we’ve made friends with those who’ve come to shop, have needs met, or just to browse around. Through these connections, we’ve celebrated life’s joys and offered comfort and encouragement during sad times. We pray with our customers, creating a community of mutual support. The thrift store also serves as a gateway for customers to learn about CCM’s various ministries and to direct those in need towards the help they can receive. Our customers appreciate the affordable prices, the quality clothing and household items they find. Let’s pray for discernment to see and seize the opportunities God presents us to demonstrate His love to our thrift store visitors, and to offer patience, gentleness, and kindness to all who enter, especially when it is not reciprocated. “A friend loves at all times” Proverbs 17:17

Day 8 July 19: Vision for the new CCM Building: We looked into a couple of options recently but the Lord closed the door on both. It will be a tremendous blessing for our Association to possess the building that CCM will call home. Pray for God’s continued guidance & that, if it is His will, He will point us in the direction we need to go to make this building a reality. “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” Psalm 127:1