Did You Know...
In 2009, we employed 65 neighbors and over 150 families and 400 children were blessed by the Christmas Store at "The Other Way"?
(Read below to learn more.)
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Weekly at TOW
MondayFood Pantry 12:15 - 2pMid. School Group 3 - 5p
TuesdayFood Pantry 12:15 - 2pGVSU Nurses 8a- 3pD-Groups 3 - 7pWednesday
Food Pantry 12:15 - 2pThursday
Food Pantry 12:15 - 2pGVSU Nurses 8a- 3p ESL Classes 6 - 8p |
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Leveraging Your Support of "The Other Way"
If a friend told you they could show you how to save up to 15% on your gifts to "The Other Way" Ministries, would you believe them? Would you be interested?
Many kingdom-minded people like you have been enjoying this blessing for many years with gifts of appreciated securities such as stocks, mutual funds, and bonds.
By transferring the ownership of their appreciated securities before the sale, they are able to enjoy an income tax deduction for the current market value, and avoid the capital gain tax they would owe if the stock were sold before it was given.
This exciting gift option is an excellent way to leverage your support of "The Other Way" and other ministries. If you own stocks or mutual funds that have increased in value (and have held them for more than one year), you may want to consider doing what so many others have done, and use those assets, rather than cash, to fund your giving.
For an illustration or for more information, please contact Kyle by clicking here.
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Greetings!
This week we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ! Please take a moment to reflect on this gift with me, then read more about all of the exciting things that we have to celebrate this Christmas.
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Wonderings about the Word-of-God-made-flesh...
Sometimes I wonder if there was a day our Creator God exhausted his vocabulary to express his infinite love for us, his people. Maybe he sighed a deep sigh, saying to himself, "I think I'll just have to show them what I'm saying; I'll put some flesh on my words so they can see how much I love and value them."
That's what I wonder... what I know for sure is that our Creator God smiles a deep smile when we say "Yes!" to his love for us. I suspect he experiences double-joy when he sees us flesh out his love to people around us.
I want you to know that I thank God for you and for your partnership in the Gospel with us in Westown. Your prayers and presence on our ministry team make it possible for men, women and children to know him, Emmanuel, God-with-us. Last Thursday, our annual Community Christmas Celebration packed our Activity Center, and the Word-of-God was made flesh as neighbor families shared our Father's love (read more about the Celebration below).
Thank you!
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Christmas Store Success
The Christmas Store has wrapped up and we're taking a collective deep breath before celebrating Christ's birth with our families. Thank you to EVERYONE who made the Store a success again this year. We are so blessed by your support. Here are some of the numbers from the 2009 Christmas Store: - Over 60 groups or individuals contributed gifts - 21 church
 congregations, 4 local colleges, 1 high school, 6 businesses or organizations, and over 25 individuals or families. Thank you! - We received 2,850 gifts to stock the Store
- Over 150 families benefited from the Store this Christmas
- 65 neighbors were employed to run the Store
- Approximately 400 children were represented by their parents
- Parents earned over 2,540 hours of credit to purchase gifts in the Christmas Store this December!
We express our gratitude to all who supported the Christmas Store and blessed so many families this year. THANK YOU!
To see more pictures and to learn more about the Christmas Store, please visit our website by clicking here.
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Community Christmas Celebration
 Each year we invite the families we are walking alongside to join us for a Community Christmas Celebration and this past Thursday there was standing room only!
People brought cookies to share, families told stories about how they celebrate Christmas in their homes and our youth sang and danced for everyone. As we surveyed the room it looked like a picture of God's Kingdom (a reflection of Revelation 7:9). People gathered from a variety of races and economic backgrounds singing about the coming of Christ and longing for things to be made right in the world.
Praise God for this opportunity to celebrate with our community!
Read more. Click here.
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You may have read some of my recent reflections on the Sankofa bird (read more in our winter Newsletter by clicking here), as we've looked back to celebrate God's faithfulness, even as we look ahead to a new year. I want you to know that we give thanks in advance that Abraham's Provider-God is our God, and that we are in ministry together as we go into the new year toward our goal of creating 'stronger, Christ-centered families' in Westown.
Thanks for reading and staying involved in the work of "The Other Way". I invite and appreciate your feedback on our E-News. Please e-mail me at lroossien@theotherway.org and let me know if there are other things you'd like to see in the next e-mail! Merry Christmas!!
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 Sincerely,
"The Other Way" Ministries
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