Love In the Name of Christ of the Newberg Area

Healing Hearts

Admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:41:50 +0000

Love INC has a wonderful partnership with a few local counseling services. Two different agencies offer eight sessions of free counseling to Love INC clients.

When “Sally” first came to Love INC in January for her intake she was feeling depressed and overwhelmed with her life. She recognized she needed counseling but did not have any funds to pay for sessions. We were able to provide her with a voucher to counseling at George Fox University for eight free sessions. A few months later we were able to give her a Love INC voucher to cover the $20 cost for the Changes that Heal support group. Sally came to Love INC last week to thank us for the vouchers because she would have been unable to pay for counseling without them. She said the counseling sessions and support group literally saved her life! Love INC is so thankful to be able to partner with churches and local agencies to provide emotional support to those in need in our community.

Bike Ministry

Admin — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:40:28 +0000

A month ago a few gentleman approached Love INC saying they wanted to help provide Love INC bikes on a more consistent basis. We were so thrilled to have someone to take ownership of this ministry, because we knew so many clients were in need of a bike. As of April, we have received around four bikes in good shape every week!

Clients who had been on the wait-list for months now have been blessed with a bike! One such client was a female who had been asking for several months. Her phone number was no longer working, so when we tried to call her to say we have bikes now we were unable to reach her. Last week she came by Love INC to ask for various items. Love INC staff informed her we had a bike available for her that day. She said that news made her day better because her car was breaking and she was going to need a bike to get around Newberg. Thanks to these church members donating their time clients like this woman will be able to receive working bikes.

Serve and Be Served

Admin — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 08:00:16 +0000

The Newberg Community Shelter requires 225 volunteers per month. From hosts to dinner meals to cleaning the shelter, everyone can lend a helping hand to serve the women and children who are homeless in our community.

Recently we spoke with a volunteer who provides dinner meals once a month. She stated that not only is she blessed by the guests who enjoy her meals, but also from the hosts! Every time she drops off a meal, the hosts stop and pray for their “chef” before she leaves. This volunteer mentioned that it makes her day to share the love of God with other volunteers.

Take this example and look for opportunities to bless someone around you. You’ll never guess the impact you can make!

“If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.” – Luke 11:36

Building Relationships

Admin — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:00:27 +0000

One of the goals of Relational Ministry is for participants to build relationships with not only their mentor but also with their fellow participants. Last Thursday Love INC witnessed the start of a beautiful relationship starting to form.

“Sally” started Relational Ministry in December. Sally does not have a means of transportation so a Love INC volunteer picks her up each week to get to class. Last Thursday she asked a Love INC staff member if there was a way to arrange a ride to the clothes closet on Tuesday. Another participant, “Jane” overheard and said she could drive her to the clothes closet. Jane and Sally exchanged contact information and started to get to know each other. A lot of Relational Ministry participants enjoy the community aspect of attending class because many are isolated and lonely. Relational Ministry provides an avenue for new positive friendships to form.

Tip Jar

Admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:49:57 +0000

In January a man stopped by the Clearinghouse to drop off a donation. What was peculiar about this donation was the fact that it was mostly coins. He mentioned that he and his wife set up a “tip jar” in their guest bathroom. With all of the tips going to Love INC, most guests were more than obliging to show their appreciation.

With a little bit of creativity, we can find easy ways to give back. Take a lesson from this man and think of some non-traditional ways to serve your community!

See What’s Happening at the Gap Ministries!

Admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:23:09 +0000

A Coordinator of one of Love INC’s Gap Ministries took time to tell us her view of serving our community:

“I have met a lot of awesome people who come through [our Gap Ministry]. I currently have my daughter coming in to help me. I like to get to know [our clients] on a more personal level rather than just [giving away items]. I’m currently going through a divorce myself and now a single mom so I can relate to a lot of [our clients]. I see their faces light up a bit when they find out I’m going through tough times too. Then they start talking a bit. We have a lot of laughs too.”

Take a look at some of the Gap Ministries offered by Love INC and your church today!

God Provides

Admin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:24:22 +0000

Love INC completed an intake this week with a woman who was in need of some basic necessities because she was living off a fixed income. One of her requests was cat food and cat litter. We informed her that we have not received a donation like this in several months but we would make note of her request. The very next day a community member donated cat food and a large container of cat litter! The client was amazed that her request was filled so quickly and reminder her that God does provide for her needs.

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.”

-Matthew 6:31-32

Christmas Bazaar – Pay it Forward

Admin — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:12:48 +0000

Love INC held a Christmas Bazaar on December 10th. The mission of the Christmas Bazaar was to provide Love INC clients with an opportunity to sell goods and services to make extra money for their families. One participant was blessed abundantly when people purchased most of the crafts she had made. She gained more than extra cash; she gained the opportunity to bless others with some of the money she earned.

Her mentor in Relational Ministry invested in her craft by purchasing some of the necessary material to start the project. The client earned more than enough to pay her mentor back for the material, but her mentor encouraged her to “pay it forward.”

This gave her the opportunity to bless a family she knew was struggling more than her this Christmas. The client felt so privileged to be able to give rather than receive this year!

Prayer Answered

Admin — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:39:35 +0000

We received a call from someone wanting to donate a dryer recently. The person donating needed someone who could pick it up that day. One of our volunteers looked at our request list to see if anyone needed a dryer, but there were only requests for a washer and dryer set. Five minutes later a Love INC client walked in the door asking for nothing else besides a dryer! She said her prayer had been answered when we told her we just received a call from someone wanting to donate a dryer.

God shows us every day that He does listen to our prayer requests!

A Heart Softened

Admin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:59:33 +0000

A woman walked into the shelter for the first time a few months ago. Like many women who stay at the shelter at first, she had a challenging time trusting the hosts. She appeared bitter, angry and alone.

However, in just a few short months her attitude has drastically changed for the better. Her mentor and other hosts notice she smiles, forgives and thinks positively more now. She has developed a trusting relationship with her mentor. She attends church and Bible study regularly. This woman has experienced the love of Christ because the volunteers in the shelter have shown her grace, acceptance and love.