Common Ground has joined with Shepherd Community Center and Jireh Sports for the past several years for their annual Back to School Blast. The event provides backpacks and school supplies for children in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood. Last year, we helped sponsor more than 150 backpacks for children in the city who otherwise might not have been able to afford their school supplies for the year.

 

This year, we are going to participate with a bit of a twist. Instead of taking our filled backpacks down to Jireh Sports, we are going to distribute the backpacks at IPS School 43 located at 39th and Capitol, just south of our Midtown site. We hope that this will allow us to develop more close connections with the local community and also provide a context for ongoing partnerships in the Butler-Tarkington neighborhood.

 

Backpacks will be available for sponsorship at all services at Midtown and CGCC-West on July 12, 19 and 26. You will have the option to sponsor a filled bag for $25 or take an empty bag for $10 and fill the bag with items on a supply list. Backpacks must be returned to Common Ground by Sunday, August 2. If you would like to volunteer to work at the sponsorship tables at either Midtown or West, please email Marissa. Please indicate the dates and worship services you would like to work.

 

Once all backpacks are collected, local house churches will participate in the distribution of the backpacks at the school’s annual Back to School Ice Cream Social on August 11. If your house church would like to be involved in the distribution of the backpacks, please contact Jeff.

Mark your calendars for the next Revive – An Evening of Prayer and Worship on Friday, August 7 at 6:30 pm. This quarterly gathering is a unique opportunity to corporately worship and pray about the purpose and direction of our church. We invite you to come and engage in prayer with us as we seek Him.

 

Childcare is available if you register here by July 26. Questions about Revive? Please contact Nate.

 

The next Quarterly Training and Equipping is August 8 from 9 am to 3 pm at Midtown (4550 N Illinois Street). The following classes will be offered:

There is no cost to attend Training and Equipping and snacks and a light lunch will be provided for all adults. The deadline to request childcare for children age 0 through 12 is July 26. For additional information, including complete course descriptions and to register, please visit our online Training and Equipping Registration. The deadline to register is Sunday, August 2.

My name is Kelly Burch and I am on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ as the Associate Campus Director at Ohio University in Athens, OH. I became a Christian when I started attending Common Ground over 10 years ago. It was during that time that I developed a passion for sharing my faith and for working with students. As time went on, the Lord led me to join staff with Campus Crusade and work with college students.

 

I love working with college students because I think it is so strategic. While students are in college and trying to figure out how to live life on their own, we have an opportunity to work with and influence the leaders of tomorrow with the message of Christ. As Bill Bright used to say, "Reach the campus today and the world tomorrow."

 

It is such a privilege living life with students and watching the Lord change their lives. I want to thank Common Ground for being part of what the Lord is doing in the lives of college students all over the world and for investing in the eternal!

 

May God bless you!

Kelly

 

To connect with Kelly, send her an email. To learn more about Campus Crusade for Christ, check out their website.

Common Ground’s Kingdom Living Training School provides an opportunity for you to spend 9 months of intentional pilgrimage into the way of Jesus. The nature of this year will be a journey into the core of God's desire for us to embrace His Kingdom here on earth. It will be a blending of theory and praxis, intellectual searching and experiential discovery. Click here to learn more!

 

Ladies - please mark your calendars for the Fall Women's Retreat September 25. This overnight retreat will be held at Camp Allendale. More details to come!

 

To learn more, please click on the event name or see the article above.