Doing Ministry 

Dear Christ Our Savior Friends:

Thank you for allowing my Louisburg Girl Scout Troop to do a Giving the Basics drive at our church. Giving the Basics is an organization that helps provide the things that people need for day to day life. They mainly have four groups that they help: senior citizens, the working poor, the homeless and the unemployed.

Products requested:

deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, toilet paper, Kleenex, diapers, baby wipes, incontinence pads, feminine hygiene products, soap, trash bags, dishwashing liquid, laundry soap, Ziploc bags, and cleaning solution.

Please check your homes for these items or go shopping for these items and then place them in the large blue barrel in the lobby. Someone from Giving the Basics will pick up our barrel on April 27th, but you may continue to bring in donations to church until May 24th. My troop is having a work day on May 30th to process ALL of the Louisburg donations. We appreciate any and all donations for this great cause.

If you have any questions, please ask me at church or check out this cool website. http://www.givingthebasics.org/

Sincerely,

Koell Smith,

Due to the busy graduation month in the Eickhoff household, we will not be holding any activities this month. ☹ We will be discussing hopefully during Sunday school time possibly some date/times in June/July for having a barbecue/S'Mores at the Eickhoff's, going to World's/Oceans of Fun, going camping/fishing as a youth group at one of the area lakes, or going to Pinstripes in Overland Park to play Bocce for our fun events. We will also be doing again our fundraisers, the flamingoes & carwash this summer! So get ready youth!!! We hope to make a new video for the flamingo flocking's this year and possibly the carwash during Sunday school time as well. 

THIS AN AWESOME CHRISTIAN MOVIE!!

Appeal for Summer Camp

Please continue to pray for God's continued provision for Grace. Last week, we emailed an appeal to fund our summer camp, seven weeks of Education Before Recreation, followed by a week of VBS. This is one week longer than ever before and will also be bigger than last year, with the launch of a Teen Leadership Program as part of it. The teens will be assisting the younger kids and also doing their own things, hopefully including videos/photography (we've applied for a $5,000 grant from KC Royals Charities to fund that). Staffing, meals, and field trips will be included. Our challenge is immediately raising about $55,000 ($500/kid) from new and old Grace supporters, on top of the amount committed by our Board. Prayers are requested.

Major Foundation Grant Proposals for August-July

Recently, I attended three foundation meetings with Michael Mayberry, our ED, and one other person. All three - Kauffman Fdtn., Hall Family Fdtn., and Healthcare Fdtn. were extremely encouraging! A fourth meeting was with COMBAT, funded by a Jackson County tax. Based on those meetings, we will be busy preparing four major grant requests, all to be submitted in the June-November time frame. They will help cover the annual (fall through summer) operating costs for our Children's Education, new Teen Leadership & Enrichment, and our first Parent/Adult Education & Job Readiness classes, some of which have already begun. Among other things, Michael wants the teens to come up with their own Situational (Prevention) Playbook -- a great idea, whether for kids in the inner-city or in Louisburg! Once we get those grants submitted, with God's help I firmly believe that Grace should be well positioned for the future.