Annual Missions Fundraiser begins November 30

Label your Christmas cards that you give to those in our church family with the last name first on the front of the envelope (no addresses needed!), group the cards together alphabetically by last name, and drop them off in the box in the foyer with a check made out to Cicero Christian Church for the number of cards times $.42 each. You may make your checks out to Cicero Christian Church.

The cards will be sorted and available for pickup by recipients starting December 14 through January 11.

You may drop off cards as late as Wednesday, December 17 to be sorted; after that, you must place them in the correct place in the alphabetical groups yourself.

There will be a printed handout in the foyer with names of regular attenders.

This year, Warren and Jan Manchess are heading up this project and doing all of the sorting for Damou Christian Mission, located near Jacmel, Haiti. The money will assist in repairs due to the severe flooding this fall.

The mission team of CCC will match any funds raised this year.

Missions

Our missions team meets monthly (usually the second Thursday night) to discuss the expenditures from the missions funds as well as requests for funds. Future and possible mission projects and news are also discussed.

Three of our "living link" missions are highlighted on our website: Mephibosheth Ministries, Inc. serving those with disabilities in our local area, Hope Family Care Center, Inc. serving the uninsured and underinsured in our local community, and Dunamis Ministries, serving the White Mountain Apache Indian Tribe in Arizona.

Missions supported as "living links" by Cicero Christian Church:

	Mission Jamaica		Brief history of Mission Jamaica
	Damou Christian Mission in Haiti (Tina Eisenhower)		Tina Isenhower in States for treatment of heart condition - released to return to Haiti Tropical Storm Noel causes severe flood damage October 2007
	Kulpahar Kid's Home, India (Sharon Cunningham)		Easter report April 2007
	Rainbow Christian Camp (Converse, Indiana)		Festival Day, June 10 Click here to visit Rainbow Christian Camp website
	Mephiboseth Ministries, Inc. (Hamilton County)		www.mm-abilities.org
	Dunamis Christian Ministries, Inc. (Greg & Beth Smith mission to White Mountain Apache Reservation, Arizona)		Mission trip spring break 2007 Mission trip is planned by youth in June of 2008
	Hope Family Care Center, Inc. (Hamilton County)		www.hopefamilycare.org

	Student Mission Trips		Maggie Shields is off to Africa summer 2007 Zach Pieper and Joel Ladd are off to Orlando summer 2007 Amber Wolf to Costa Rica for a week long mission trip beginning May 24
	Other Mission Trip News		Dominican Republic Medical Mission Trip - February/March 2007

How the Missions Budget is Determined

Cicero Christian Church designates 10% of all income to the general fund to the missions team. The missions team determines how that money will be spent. They make yearly commitments to several missions which are considered substantial and our “living links.” For 2007, these living links were Mission Jamaica, Damou Christian Mission, Kulpahar Kid’s Home, Rainbow Christian Camp, Mephiboseth Ministries, Dunamis Christian Ministries, and Hope Family Care Center. In addition, the missions team designates a portion of their funds for local benevolence requests.

To assist the mission team in determining support goals for a fiscal year, a target is achieved as part of the annual budgeting process, which begins each fall for approval by January 1. Some of you have done the math and discovered that the missions budget is not 10% of the total budget, but a bit more than 9%. The budget goal for the missions team is determined by taking 10% up all areas of ministry and operations requests (which includes payroll and mortgage). The ministry/operations budget and the missions target are added together to achieve the total budget. Of course, that is a target, and much faith is required because our income and spending are actually determined by offerings to the church and the attenders and members understanding and application of Biblical principals of giving.

So, if an offering on a Sunday morning is $19,000 then $1,900 will be given to missions. In addition, any funds given designated to a specific mission, or generically labeled “missions” goes to the specific mission or the mission team. This will result in more than 10% provided to missions.

The 2008 target budget for missions is $84,472. To see the income details, click here.

In the first 49 weeks of 2007, of tithes and offerings considered “tax deductible” to the giver have been

General fund $825,172 to missions $82,517

Debt Reduction $97,133

Miscellaneous Deductible $92,010 to missions $69,978*

Total “deductible” income $1,014,315 total missions $152,495 or 15%

*includes Dunamis, Mission Jamaica, Hope Clinic, Damou, Mephibosheth, Rainbow Christian Camp, Walk Thru the Bible, benevolence gifts, and others designations.

In May, 2008, our missions portion was increased from 10% of general fund income to 11%!

Me!? A Missionary!?

Why Not Me?

Who is a Missionary?

A missionary is a person who loves God; likes people; has a compassionate heart; and is willing to share Christ’s Love with other people wherever God wants him/her to serve.

Where Does a Missionary Serve?

A missionary’s field of service usually means being sent to serve people in a different culture. This may mean in our country or other countries; native Americans or extremely poor areas in our country or other countries; and/or other countries around the world where Christ is not known.

What Does a Missionary Do?

A missionary usually lives with people in their culture, leading their customs, language, social practices and concerns while winning their confidence. The missionary will demonstrate the love of Christ in his/her attitude and daily activities. Demonstrating the love of Christ through his/her living will provide opportunity to teach the people about this Christ whose love guides, guards and governs the life of the missionary.

How Does a Person Know if He/She Wants to be a Missionary?

A missionary usually begins the journey by becoming aware of the needs of a particular group of people. This may be by hearing another missionary speak; by taking a short term trip to a mission field; or by learning of a need for sharing the Gospel through a media presentation. God then places the burden of this need on the heart of the Christian.

The Christian begins praying about this matter. The Christian begins to realize that he/she can help meet the need with the Lord providing the strength and resources. The Christian then strives to learn more about the people and their needs and what currently is being done to assist them. The Missions Ministry Team can provide counsel regarding the pending decision, prayerful preparation, educational requirements, financial support, and other needs such as visas, passports, etc.

Why Consider Becoming a Missionary?

Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Jesus is noting here some of the things He is doing as a missionary sent by His Father to we human beings. (Someone has observed that Jesus is the first foreign missionary—being sent from the Father in Heaven to earth in order to demonstrate God’s Love to people on earth).

His desire that “they might have life and have it more abundantly” means when people whom God created are living in a manner that God intended, they will be happier, more fulfilled, and helping others to know this joy.

Missionaries, while sharing their experiences, reflect their understanding of having a more abundant life. This is not to say everyone has to be a missionary to have an abundant life, but simply noting that missionaries are reaching out to others, depending on the Lord in such a manner as to know the joy of serving in this way.

How Might I Get Started To Become a Missionary?

Pray for the Lord to guide you in serving Him, wherever it may be, whether here in the local congregation, or on a mission field.
Read, listen, and learn of a variety of mission fields, and their needs.
Recognize the needs of a particular field of service to which you may be attracted; strive to understand if you could help meet those needs.
Prayerfully discuss your interest in a particular mission field with family, minister(s), or elder(s).
Family members, ministers, elders would encourage you to consult with the Missions Ministry Team.
Prayerfully consider educational needs beneficial to working on the mission field under consideration.
Working with the Missions Ministry Team, prayerfully plan to take a short-term visit to the mission field being considered.
Rehearse and evaluate your experiences during the short-term visit to determine further interest in serving there.
Prayerfully consider further interest, challenges, preparation, and personal needs to work in that field.
Seek the counsel, support, and guidance of the Missions Ministry Team to assist you in prayerful preparation to serve in your chosen mission field.

www.cicerochristianchurch.org