FROM THE DIRECTOR’S CHAIR –
The following is an excerpt from an email I recently received, written by Steve Goodier, in LifeSupport:
“Life is to be lived. No excuses. No reservations. No holding back. William Arthur Ward said, “If you believe in prayer, pray; if you believe in serving, serve; if you believe in giving, give.” For you and I are exquisite violins—our music is meant to be heard. I want to live my life that way—to take it into the world and live it fully. I’d rather burn out than rust out. I’d rather be used up than die not having done whatever I could…wherever I would.
I’m not talking about wearing ourselves out on over-activity. Happiness is never found in excessive busyness. But it is found in investing our lives in others. Saying YES when asked for a hand. Volunteering some time for a worthwhile organization. Spending an hour with a lonely relative (or friend). In the end, I know that my happiness will not have been about my ability or my inability. It will have been about my availability. My life is meant to be lived.” Isn’t this a viable job description for Love INC church volunteers? In His Service, Glennace
IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN -
With the opening of another school year just around the corner, Love INC is, again, asking for monetary donations to replenish our Education fund. This fund is used to purchase school supplies, (according to a list furnished to us by each attendance center); for enrollment, lunch and milk fees; for needs for Head Start, Early Head Start, Parents As Teachers; TASMAD at MHS; summer school enrollment scholarships for underprivileged students, and many other educational needs. Donations may be sent to Love INC, Box 115, Minneapolis, KS 67467, or given to your church pastor or church ministry coordinator. Corky Schur has, again, cheerfully agreed to direct this ministry.
KUDOS TO –
-Wynette Donovan for all the donations of computer-generated Thank You Notes and
other Love INC materials.
-Prairie Chicks FCE members for doing such a great job of cleaning and organizing the
county-wide food bank and to Steve Rupert for providing beef and Ron Feldt for trans-
porting it from the locker for us.
-Sue Keating for so faithfully doing the layout for our Love INC Newsletter for all these
years.
-Pastor John Taylor and Duane Grittman for such a good job and their many hours donated to constructing another area for the furniture ministry and to Ray McGavran for
so generously donating the space.
-Ray Martin and John Webster for their hard work in picking up and delivering furniture
in the past and to Jerry Ayers, DeMerle Eckart and Susie Kindall for stepping up to take
over this ministry.
-Julie Johnson of Delphos Presbyterian Church for being so willing to replace Patti
Breeding on the Love INC board, when Patti’s family moved to Pratt.
SECOND QUARTER REPORT -
Total number of adults served – 106; total number of children served – 56; total needs met by Agencies – 35; total number of needs met by Churches – 70; total number of volunteer hours – 727-1/2; total number of folks visited by a church person – 25; total value of goods and services in the various categories: volunteer hours - $13,124.10; transportation - $454.95; food - $580.00; prescriptions/medical - $734.19; utilities - $1,079.60; clothing - $250.00; education/school supplies - $834.89 (this figure includes ten $50 summer school scholarships); furniture/appliances - $982.00; gas - $23.00; shelter - $648.00;Other - $2,463.80; total value of goods & services - $22,183.53.
FROM THE BOARD’S PERSPECTIVE –
It is exciting to work with an organization that keeps its focus on the Gospel of Jesus and gives us a chance to express that by showing His love in tangible ways. I have been working with Love INC for about nine years and have always felt like we have been able to show that Jesus loves the people of Ottawa county by the way that He works through us. It allows our local churches to fulfill the mission to help those in need while keeping the “flavor” of our individual Christian communities.
We also are able to use Love INC as a teaching tool. Those who are in need of essentials are given an opportunity to learn about budgeting, finding and keeping a job, and how to deal with conflicts within a family. It is also a chance to demonstrate the Love of Jesus by our words and actions.
Finally, we feel the joy of the Lord when we allow God to work in us and through us together as one body. We do not have to trip over each other, wasting valuable time and resources. We can make use of organizations/agencies and their resources that would not be available if we were all going in our separate directions. (Written by DeMerle Eckart, who is so capably serving his second term as Chairman of the Board)
11th ANNIVERSARY –
Did you remember that on August 5, 2007, Love INC of Ottawa County will have been in operation for 11 years? Although we are small, we do believe it can work in Ottawa County!
