Church Builders of Gaffney

TOG is working to support and encourage Pastor Michael McLeymore and his effort guiding Church Builders of Gaffney, SC. This is a ministry whose goal is to bring the homeless and addicted to Jesus Christ. It is a difficult assignment, but the Lord has put strength, faith, and love in Michael's heart to seek out the needy by providing shelter, food, and the Word of God. If you are able to contribute, please  go to http://www.churchbuildersofgaffney.org/ and donate through the Go Fund Me or Donate buttons. This is an important ministry and with winter here, people on the streets are desperate for warmth and food. Please help and please pray that the Lord will have compassion and mercy on his servants and reach out his healing hands to comfort and guide.

Matthew 25:35-3635 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’  

 John 3:17English Standard Version (ESV)

17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?

Church Builders of Gaffney, SC

TOG has been inactive as of late. I think sometimes we go through dry periods of not knowing what to do and maybe feeling even a bit discouraged. Then suddenly, God shakes your shoulder gently to pay attention to what he might have in front of you: Church Builders of Gaffney, SC.

Church Builders of Gaffney, SC  is being led by a young man named Michael McLeymore. He says,  "As a pastor it is my goal to seek and save the lost by showing them the love of Christ. Which is why our ministry goes into the darkest places of the city. We stand before gang members, addicts, thieves and murderers and proclaim the love of Jesus. I've seen rival gang members end the rivalry, I've seen addicts set free and I've seen people planning to kill, forgive. Our goal is to end addiction and hunger in Cherokee county SC."

TOG is lending support, encouragement, and prayers to the Church Builders mission. The organization has an 8,500 sq ft building that will serve as their housing and rehab facility. It will house 20 people and additionally will help feed the community. Church Builders is located at 3005 old Georgia hwy Gaffney SC. For anyone who is reading this, if you can offer a donation of food, clothing, or funds, please let teamofGod@earthlink.net know. We will get your contributions to Church Builders. If you can't donate, please pray. There are so many people in our world that need the love and forgiveness of Christ. We all need your prayers of encouragement!      See:  http://www.churchbuildersofgaffney.org/

PROJECTS, PROJECTS, PROJECTS!

We all feel the need to be of service to our Lord, and many of us look for projects that have meaning in helping and furthering the Kingdom of God. But in truth, God doesn't need our help. However, having said that, he expects us to do good works in his name. He is pretty clear about his expectations of how we work our faith:  

Faith Without Works Is Dead

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:14-20)

But I will say, sometimes we have great ideas, good intentions, and talent for a ministry, but we can't do it alone. So we  seek help only to find that out there isn't anyone to join in the project. Many of the reasons are: they don't have time, they are committed to other projects, and of course the most usual problem--they haven't any money to contribute. It is so discouraging. Sometimes I ask, what does God want me to do? Where do I turn? 

The answer? Turn to God. As frustrating as it is, remember: "For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11).

I will be the first to tell you: It's not easy. But let's keep strong, and keep praying for direction. God is good! Hang in there!

A Christmas Dinosaur Now in Audio

Audible.com now offers A Christmas Dinosaur for sale as audio book for Android, Kindle, and Apple. Wonderful book for tween and teen, if I do say so myself.

 Go on line to http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_mn_mt_ano_tseft__galileo?advsearchKeywords=Christmas+Dinosaur&x=12&y=12 and order now! 

The last person young Josh expects to visit him on Christmas Eve is an orphaned shepherd boy who mysteriously appears in his bedroom. He tells Josh about the best story ever - the very first Christmas! The young shepherd weaves a fascinating story about the glory of the angels who announced Jesus' birth and the poor shepherds and street people who went to see the Savior in a cavelike stable. But the wondrous story of Christmas dissolves the next morning when Josh finds himself hopelessly lost in a blizzard.

New Project: WEEP

Women Economic Empowerment Project (WEEP) overseen by James Adupa of Holistic Operation for Rural Development (HORDE) is helping the women of northern Uganda to create livelihoods for the rural poor. We are in the process of organizing assistance to get two businesses off the ground: 
1. Commercial bread making.
2. Commercial soap making.
James says, the Project Goal is “To empower and equip rural poor women with skills for economically productive engagement to enhance sustainable livelihood and development at household and community level."


We are reaching out to various humanitarian, non-profit, and religious organizations to partner with us. If you have interest, ideas, or wish to work with us, please contact me, Sara Jewell at teamofGod@earthlink.net.

Update on Copeland Baptist Church Fellowship Hall

Volunteers build ramp and the Community Church of Everglades City donated the lumber! It's wonderful to see God's hand in this. The fellowship hall will be a much needed facility in the town of Copeland. God Bless all his churches and workers!

We are still working for the Copeland Baptist Church in getting the Fellowship Hall up and running!