J17 Ministries
in collaboration with various
ministries in Tucson and beyond
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IN THIS ISSUE
New
News about J17 Ministries
Connecting the Body
Harmony Hub
Collaboration Corner
Upcoming Events
John 17 Weekends
Church of the Week
J17 Ministries Open House
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Greetings!
I had the privilege of preaching this last Sunday, with the request being that I invite and encourage people to use their gifts and skills to serve in the Citywide Church.
I shared several principles and several possibilities. One of the principles I shared was that there are no spare parts in the body of Christ. Neither are there any "used-to-be-important" parts. If you have a pulse, you have a purpose. If you're still breathing, you're still useful.
I was so encouraged by the response - several people told me afterwards how they'd heard God speak to them directly and clearly, having wondered what their purpose was but now hearing a clear call. I decided to share my "possibilities" list of action items in this week's Collaboration Corner.
Dave Drum, Founder
J17 Ministries
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New
News about
J17 MINISTRIES
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Beyond blessed
Last Tuesday we hosted J17 Ministries' first ever open house in our new office, and we estimate that about 70 people came out for the event! Thank you to everyone who stopped by and showed support; you are as much a part of the ministry as those we call "staff". In addition, we are also pleased to announce that our office is now fully furnished, again because of the way in which you showed up through your various donations! If you haven't had the opportunity to visit yet (or even if you have and you want to come back), send us an email to set up a time and we'll gladly give you a tour. Contact Karen (
karen@j17ministries.org) or Tasha (
tasha@j17ministries.org) to get started.
Funding update
Due to a significant fundraising gap between what was needed to provide for J17 Ministries and what had been raised so far, in mid-May the Lord prompted us to make some budgetary changes. With a new short-term goal of $10,000 in either monthly commitments (over the next three months) or one-time gifts to be reached by the end of the month, we are 69% of the way there. If we don't hit our goal, however, our staff will need to reduce their hours. We greatly appreciate your partnership and now we invite you to prayerfully consider how else the Lord might be leading you to invest in His John 17 prayer. Click
here to get started.
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Goshen Church International recently experienced a fire in the alleyway behind their building. No one was injured and no significant damage was incurred but certain repairs must be taken care of before they can use the space again. In the meantime, they are looking for a temporary host site where they can hold services. If your church has available meeting space for approximately 60 people, please contact Pastor Gary Stokes (520.861.1003,
indianastokes@gmail.com).
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Our Differences Unify Us
I used to believe that unity meant uniformity, however I now know that is not what Jesus was talking about when He prayed for the unity of His church in John 17.
I have had the great privilege of serving in a para-church organization for the last 15 years that is made up of a very diverse group of people! We are all quite different, not to mention extremely passionate. We attend different churches, are affiliated with different denominations, come from different racial backgrounds and bring unique strengths and life experiences to the table. Time and time again, I'm reminded that our differences are what actually unify us. We understand that we need one another to fulfill the mission God has called us to and without all of the parts of the body we fall short. Our differences point back to the Creator who made us in His image for His glory and our different backgrounds give us a greater advantage to reach the world with the good news. Working together in this way is a great witness to both our church community as well as our neighbors who don't know Jesus yet. It's our Kingdom mindset, that makes us unified and I am grateful for our differences!
When Dave asked if I would be willing to serve on the J17 Ministries Board of Directors, I immediately said yes! If I can play a small part in bringing the body of Christ together I'm in! I want every Christ follower to experience the fruit and miracles that come when we intentionally choose unity for a divided world. One of the first verses I memorized as a child was John 13:35:
"They will know we are Christians by our love for one another."
I believe J17 gives us a tangible opportunity to live out this part of scripture in our Tucson!
Harmony Hub Contributor:
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What Gifts and Skills Has God Given Me to Serve Others?
This last Sunday I shared the following six possibilities for ways that every person alive can get engaged in the City Church. Here they are:
- Pray. Everyone has the privilege of personal intimate conversation with our Savior. What ministries are you passionate about in the city? Add them to your prayer list. In the case of J17 Ministries, if you'd like to help cover us in prayer, you're invited to contact our Prayer Team leader, Fernando Medina, at Fernandomedina7@gmail.com. Since Jesus prayed within His prayer for unity, "Protect them/us from the enemy," we certainly want to be doing the same.
- Study. Become a "unity evangelist," a knowledgeable Christ-follower on how unity works and how important it is. We have two books available on our website under the "Resources" tab - those are good places to start. But there are a growing number of books on the topic of unity - I've been adding about one a month to my library for quite awhile.
- Expand relationships. Unity isn't a theory, it's a relationship, and there's no shortcut to relationships. TMA is a phenomenal networking opportunity every month. The John 17 Weekends create deep and lasting relationships in a period of 72 hours. As we read in 1 John, how can we say we love God who we can't see if we don't love the people around us who we can see?
- Show up. Never underestimate the power of simply showing up. Our presence is one of the strongest ways around to honor someone else's time, effort, and passion. Every week, right below this column, we list all kinds of opportunities to grow and serve. Nobody can do them all, but everybody can do some.
- Give. I remember once meeting a successful businessman who said, "I'm not called to be a pastor or missionary. I'm called to be successful in business so I can support pastors and missionaries." It seems like every week I'm meeting someone else sensing a call to full time ministry. None of us can do that without investors.
- Center of Opportunity. What's happening in our city, on so many levels, is earth-shaking! Our new office is located in a space that's not just a new opportunity for the homeless, it's a new opportunity for the entire City Church to engage in meaningful service. And I firmly believe the ripple effects of this collaboration will touch and inspire every ministry in our city.
Collaboration Corner Contributor:
David Drum, Founder of
J17 Ministries
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Check out the latest opportunities to strengthen
your faith and connect with the community.
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Highlighted here
are events coming up immediately.
Click the button below
for a complete listing of events.
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What's happening for
everyone
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What's happening for
pastors
?
- Pastor Partners
- Pastors' Edge is taking June and July off.
- Stay tuned for exciting new possibilities for the Pastor Prayer Summits!
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If you are part of an area event promoting unity and collaboration among the citywide Body of Christ and beyond and would like it included in an upcoming newsletter, please click
HERE
to submit your request.
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Men's weekend: July 18-21
Women's weekend: July 25-28
The weekends are just 2 months away, and spots are filling fast. The men's weekend is about 1/4 full and the women's weekend is already 1/2 full!
Even if you aren't 100% certain you can attend, if you want to save a spot, now is the time to apply.
Submit your application now and be part this year's Tucson-area Christian discipleship weekend that emphasizes the essentials of the Christian life and walk.
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Bethel Baptist Community Church
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