Sphere of Influence

(cluster map above shows visitors to blog from Feb. ‘09 – ‘10.

cluster map in right column shows visitors since map reset )

Over the last year we have post a blog to keep people at The Vine informed about things going on in the area of outreach.  In this time we have also informed people from all over the world what we are doing at The Vine regarding Loving God through Loving Others.  It has been a call for people to “get off your donkey” and love those God loves so much.  It’s excited to look at the picture above and realize we not only get the opportunity to encourage one another.  We also get to encourage people all over the world to take their NEXT step towards getting out of their comfort zone and serving.

Have you taken your NEXT step toward Serving God through Serving Others?

Save the DATE! – March 27, 2010

March 27, 2010

The Vine is working on the details for a community wide Easter Egg Hunt for March 27, 2010.  Details to come very soon.  Just wanted to make sure you Save the DATE!

Call to LOVE Haiti

Call to LOVE Haiti

Due Feb. 14th – 9:30 or 11

“For people who are feeling powerless in being able to help those in Haiti, providing health kits is a tangible way they can make an immediate difference,” said Kathy Kraiza, director of UMCOR’s relief supplies. She estimates that hundreds of thousands of kits will be needed in the days and months ahead.

The kits, valued at about $12 per kit, contain everything from towels and washcloths to sterile bandages and bar soap. They will be distributed to those who have been forced to leave their homes as a result of the recent disaster.

For individuals or groups that want to contribute basic necessities, UMCOR requests that the following NEW items be placed in a sealed one-gallon plastic bag.

• 1 hand towel (15” x 25” up to 17” x 27”. No kitchen towels.
• 1 washcloth
• 1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized)
• 1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers)
• 1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz. and up)
• 1 toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, no child-size brushes)
• 6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages
• $1.00 to purchase toothpaste

(NOTE: Toothpaste is purchased in bulk to be added to health kits to ensure that the product does not expire before they are sent.)

Because the emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations and strict rules govern product entry into international countries, UMCOR requires that the kits contain only the requested items – nothing more.

Bring your kits to The Vine on Feb. 14th at one of the two morning services.  If you have any questions please contact jason@connecttothevine.org Can you invest $12 to help someone who has lost everything?

Immediate Need

We have an opportunity to meet an immediate need for a family in a situation we would never want to be in.

There is a family in our local community who were enjoying an evening together last week when their life changed forever. Dad was holding the 11 month old little girl while the 7 and 2 year old boys were playing on the floor. Mom and sister-in-law were across the room talking with dad when all of the sudden dad dropped the baby and fell to the floor. He would never get up again. Life has changed forever!

This is where we come in. The Vine has the opportunity to help fill the gap for this family as this mom tries to move forward with the “new normal”.

In an effort to help this family with immediate needs we are going to provide them with groceries. If you would like to get involved, then please provide enough groceries for 1 meal for a family of 5. The mom, sister-in-law, 7 year old boy, 2 year year old boy, and 11 month old girl. Bring the groceries to The Vine this Sunday, February 7th and drop it off at the cafe’. Please note we do not have cold storage space at The Vine so think of this when you are planning the groceries you will drop off at The Vine.

If we have 30 families from The Vine participate in this and provide groceries for 1 meal for this family then we can give them a months worth of groceries in one morning. We will save them money, show them love, and give them an opportunity to have less stress in such a stressful time.

Remember:
groceries for 1 meal for a family of 5
brought to The Vine this Sunday, Feb. 7th 9:30 or 11
drop them off at the cafe’

Questions: jason@connecttothevine.org

Can you help a family with an IMMEDIATE NEED?

Creating Memories – Feb 7th Outreach to The Garden

On Sunday, Feb. 7th we will give the women and children of The Garden something back they have lost through homelessness. We are going to do provide them with a family portrait. We have hair dresser, make-up artists, a photographer all set up to help create memories for these women and children. Many of them have lost all family photo’s through their journey into homelessness.  After having a photo session with them, we will have a family picture printed and framed as a gifted for each lady / family at The Garden.

Along with this, Kidzu will be there from 2-4 to do crafts with the kids waiting to have their hair done and pictures taken. We will also be painting the ladies nails as they wait for the opportunity to get their make-up and hair done. There are many different ways you can get involved if you are interested in helping create memories for the women and children at The Garden. If you can not attend, you can still help through joining a team of people who are cooking spaghetti and sending it down to be warmed up for dinner.

There is even a great opportunity for the men from The Vine to get involved. Pastor 7 and the men from 7 Bridges to Recovery, the ministry which run’s The Garden, will have their pictures taken first. Once they are done, we will have a team from The Vine take the men and older boys from The Garden out bowling.

Here are the opportunities listed so you can find a place to get involved.

1. Hair dresser – we will be styling the ladies hair not cutting. Due to time and the fact there are currently 55 ladies and 12 children at The Garden. If you are trained and interested in serving in this way, please contact Sabrina Mowen – kellymowen@bellsouth.net

2. Make-up artist – we will use this opportunity to make the women and older girls feel as beautiful as they truly are to God. We want them to smile BIG and be proud of how they look. If you are trained and interested in serving in this way, please contact Abbie Bowen – abs109@bellsouth.net

3. Nails – we will be painting nails for the women as the are waiting to have their make-up and hair done. If you have a desire to do this and enjoy meeting new people, then this is a great opportunity to have great conversation with the women. Supplies will be provided. Please contact Claudia Walters – claudiawalters@hotmail.com

4. Kidzu Craft time – if you would love to spend time with the children who are waiting to have their picture taken, then this is the spot for you. Activities and supplies will be provided. Contact Margo Skalon – mskalon@hotmail.com

5. Bowl with the guys – if you are interested in spending time with the men from 7 Bridges to Recovery and the older boys from The Garden, then please plan to join this serve team. It is an awesome opportunity to have fun and get to know people you wouldn’t interact with daily. This will really bless these men. They don’t get to do things like this often. Contact Jason Sebren – jason@connecttothevine.org

6.  Spaghetti Dinner – we need a team of people to prepare spaghetti, salad, and bread for 80.  This is not for 1 person to do alone, but as a team.  If you do not plan to attend on the 7th, this may be the perfect way for you to serve.  You can make your dish and send it with someone else for delivery.  The kitchen team from The Garden will be warming the dinner up after we are gone.  If you are interested in serving in this way contact Rebecca Moon – rebecca_moon@comcast.net

7.  Love and Fellowship – these are people to just hang out and share love and fellowship with the women and children.  Someone to listen to them and talk to them.  If you are interested in know more about this please contact Jason Sebren – jason@connecttothevine.org

We will start with set up as early as 12 p.m. on the 7th and should be able wrapping things up around 5 p.m.  Different groups will arrive at different times based on need.  You are welcome to come and go.  Just communicate with the person who is leading the area you would like to serve in.  There is no age requirement to serving.

The Garden

2840 Plant Atkinson Rd SE

Smyrna, GA

Think for a moment what your family photos are worth . . .

Coats for Christmas delivery

Coats for Christmas will deliver coat on Christmas day along with sack lunches to the homeless in Atlanta. We will also be taking presents to specific houses where there is a need to fill the gap. Please join us for this amazing opportunity.

Meet at The Vine at 11 a.m. to drive together or follow down to The Garden where we will give out gifts to the children who live there at the homeless shelter. There we will connect with Larry, from 7 Bridges to Recovery, who will lead us on a route through the streets to give out coats and stop at predetermined houses to give out presents. If you drive your car down then you will have the freedom to break away off the route to head home when you need to.

There is no need to sign up, just show up at 11 a.m. at The Vine (1897 Highway 211 Suite 106
Hoschton, GA 30548). If it is more connivence for you to meet at The Garden (2840 Plant Atkinson Rd SE in Smyrna, GA) because of your location, then please meet us there at 12 p.m.

What are you planning to do on Jesus’ birthday?

Serve through giving from your plenty

One way to serve leading up to Christmas is to serve through giving from your plenty to those who are in need. Plenty could be defined as having more than you need or an ample amount. There are more and more people today who are in need because of job loss and a slowed down economy. This year leading up to Christmas, you can give to those who are in need.

There are many ways to give to those in need. You can bring a coat to one of the drop off location for Coats for Christmas. We will be receiving coats all the way through Christmas Eve. You can give a gift card to a friend or family member you know who has been effected by this economy. Gift cards will allow someone to buy something at one place and then use the money they would have spent for another need. If you think your friend or family member will not accept the gift then just give it secretly. You can still contribute The Vine Christmas offering, which is being used to serve those in need here and there. When we say we are serving people here, we mean we are helping those who we are aware of their need at The Vine. When we say we are serving people there, we mean we are helping with our partnering project in Maputo, Africa.

It doesn’t matter if you are serving through an organized effort or through serving a friend or family member. Consider how God will use you to serve through giving from your plenty to those who are in need.

Are you ready to give?

Serving those who serve others

One way you can Love God through Loving Others as Christmas is approaching is to serve those who serve others.  This is different than the post were I suggested serving those who serve you.  Serving those who serve others is serving someone who may not particularly serve you, but is a servant.

You could stop by a local fire department and drop off homemade cookies to the people on shift.  Maybe you aren’t a cook, but you could stop by Starbucks and get 5 – $5 gift cards to give.  You can play out this same scenario with the police or any other organization which serves others.  Other servers to serve would be the leader of a ministry such as a local food bank or a homeless shelter.  Many times we think about giving to the food bank and to the homeless shelter as an organization, but do not consider the leadership.  How effective will the food bank or homeless shelter be if it doesn’t have servers to serve the ministry.

Many times these service jobs are super rewarding personally, but they do not always have a lot of recognition.

Can you think of someone to serve who serves others?

Serving those who you’ll never know

One way you can truly take on the Spirit of Christmas in the last few days leading up to Christmas is to serve those who you’ll never know.  You may wonder, “how do I serve someone I do not know”?

You can stop by a local Starbucks and put $20 or whatever value on a gift card then give it to the barista with the instructions to pay for everyone’s drink who follows until the card runs out.  How about next time you are in the drive through at a restaurant, paying for the car behind you when you get to the window.  You could do the same thing at an eat in restaurant by asking the server to let you pay the bill for someone in the restaurant and maybe even sending a note over which says, “Merry Christmas.”

Serving others with the Love of Christ doesn’t have to be hard or even expensive, but it is something we must do.

Are you ready to serve those who you’ll never know?

Serving those who Serve you

One way to serve others as the days approach Christmas is to serve those who serve you regularly.  Find someone who serves you on a regular basis but you do not get an opportunity to express your appreciation to them for their service.  Maybe you have never even thought about being thankful for them serving you.  After all it is there job, right?

What if this year, you gave your mail carrier a gift or a card, maybe a gift card.  How about the people who pick up your trash and recycling.  Is there a restaurant or dry cleaners where the people see you more often than your Aunt Sue, but you never thought of stopping by and giving the people at the restaurant or the dry cleaners a Christmas card.

These are simple ways to serve those who serves you.  It’s an opportunity to live the set apart life which will lead others to one day ask you to tell them about your God.

Who can you serve before Christmas?