Our staff and missionaries give thanks and praise for the Lord's abundant blessings...
his plans, his timing
I want to thank the Lord for his timing and his faithfulness
in helping me, Doug, and Judy (Hall) complete the book project we have been
working on for almost four years. I thank God, also, for what's ahead, for how
he will start to use this material for his purposes in growing his Kingdom.--Steve Daman, communications director
(photo, M. Mitsumori, shows Doug and Judy holding
first copies of their book which arrived at EGC on January 5, 2010)
financesI am grateful for the many ways God provided for EGC
financially in 2009, including some unexpected gifts that came at strategically
important times.
--Dana Wade, development director
IT help
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We give praise to the Lord for four donors who have
contributed to our IT: three computers
and some other needed software/upgrades! These past few months have seen our
equipment aging out, and it has been a great relief to be able to have the
tools we need to get work done on an everyday level. We also give praise to the
Lord for Chip Schopp, our friend and computer guru, who has been pitching in to
resolve our server issues and help set up our new CPUs. He continues to be a
mighty support!
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I give thanks for the opportunity I've had to participate in
the certificate program in Nonprofit Finance and Administration through Suffolk
University and the Providers Council. I've been enjoying learning more about
geeky stuff like the lifecycles of IT projects and performance evaluations. I'm
looking forward to the next three terms, which will include sections on legal
and ethical issues and financial management. I am thankful for other resources
available to nonprofits, such as the Lawyers Clearinghouse, which has provided
very helpful trainings on topics such as volunteer liability and managing
personnel in challenging times.
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And finally, I give praise to God for all the things that
*haven't* happened, including the roof caving in on the server and destroying
all our data, or Christmas candles in the sanctuary setting the building on
fire. Thank you, Lord, for your ever-present hand of protection and provision.
--Michele Mitsumori, operations manager
church planting
I thank God that in 2009 he continued to send into Boston
and raise up in Boston young apostolic men and woman who state their calling
and intention to catalyze church planting movements in Boston and out from
Boston over the long term.
--Rev. Ralph Kee, animator, Greater Boston Church Planting
Collaborative
guidance
I am grateful for the ongoing guidance from the Lord in
working with all the programs here at EGC. I am grateful for the safe birth of
our second child, Caleb, in December. And I am grateful for the Lord's
surprising provisions for our ministries' needs.
--Sam Kim, senior program director
for your prayers
Thank you so much for your prayers for a peaceful and
harmonious trip to Hawaii and quality time with my family in December. God
answered prayers in so many ways, some of which were completely unexpected.
Praise God for his faithfulness!
--Grace Lee, development associate, EGC, and
senior consultant,
Applied Evaluation Systems
healing
Gregg thanks the Lord for preserving and protecting our
co-worker, Seong-Soo Lee, who continues to recover from his injuries related to
his car accident some weeks ago.
--Rev. Gregg Detwiler, director, Intercultural Ministries
friends
Jeffery gives praise and thanksgiving for "wonderful
friends and acquaintances at EGC and elsewhere."
--Jeff Foxon, accounting assistant
so many blessings
- Cathi and I are especially thankful for 2009 as we remember our
two daughters, Bethany and Becca, celebrating their first year wedding
anniversaries and celebrating holidays with new extended family
how God
provided a job for Cathi at Park Street Kids during an economically challenging
time
how God provided a preschool slot for Levi our son, when there were no
public school options available
how God sustained the health of Cathi's Aunt
Anne; and
how God protected our relatives in Alaska during a boating accident,
although we are saddened by the loss of one member
we are
grateful to God for the fellowship we have with our "bonus" family/housemates
at the Hall Hotel
for working with such great people at EGC and within the
Vitality Project and Research Teams, and
for having Erik as a research intern
this year.
--Brian Corcoran, citywide ministry researcher and team leader,
Vitality Project, and research associate, Applied Research
provision
I would like to praise God for provision over the things
that I have been praying for: school, living expenses, unexpected expenses; GOD
HAS PROVIDED IN WAYS I COULDN'T IMAGINE!!!! I would also like to praise God for keeping my mind in
the midst of circumstances in which I would have otherwise gone crazy -- God is
a keeper and I praise him for that!
--Chase Grogan, operations coordinator, neXus Boston
faithfulness
I offer thanks to God for bringing me through a chaotic year
in one piece (!) and I thank God for all the people who supported and helped me
through cancer treatments, from cheerful nurses to competent doctors to
faithful friends with chicken soup, lasagna, and rides! And for being able to
meet a lovely person who could make my own hair into a wig to ease the trauma
of losing it after 40 years!
--Charlotte Schulz, bookkeeper
connections
I thank God this past year for the new connections and
friendships formed through the Boston Education Collaborative (BEC) and at EGC. I thank God for guiding the
direction of the BEC by providing great conversations and learning for me
during this period of seeking the Lord. Finally, I thank God for his many
blessings upon my life and in my family.
--Ruth Wong, director, BEC
housing
I am thankful for the nine people that I know who were
homeless and have gotten housing this year (lots of people participated in this
accomplishment) and I pray that they get adjusted to new lifestyles.
--Sara Mitchell, community advocate, Starlight Ministries
safe keeping of adult children
We are thankful that our son Joel had safe travels and
ministry in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia; and was able to get a student visa
and begin graduate studies in London. We are thankful for our daughter Laura's
recovery from an accident, her productive and safe ministry trip to Swaziland
and South Africa; and her new living/ministry situation in Boston. We are also
thankful for those who helped in the care for my mother, and the opportunity to
meet new people and old friends from far and wide last year.
--Rudy Mitchell, senior researcher
giving and receiving
I thank God for the donations that Starlight has received, especially
the socks, clothes, and funds. I also thank
the Lord for a new venue for outreach at Boston's Long Island Shelter.
--Pastor Clarence McGregor, outreach pastor, Starlight Ministries
incredible grace of God I'm so
thankful for a year of growth with Jesus. Daniel and I celebrated a wonderful
first year of marriage and the birth of our son Jacob Matías (who must honestly
be breaking some kind of cuteness record). I also rejoice in how I've seen
God's hand in people's lives this year, both at EGC and in our neighborhood,
through miraculous healings; answer-to-prayer ministry partners (like our new
volunteers and interns at EGC); unexpected provision for the work of ministry;
and testimonies of impact. And last but not least, I am very grateful for the
incredible grace and generosity of EGC as I juggle being a mom and my
commitments to the Center's ministry in the city.
--Liza Cagua-Koo, assistant director
- I am thankful that I was able to come on staff at EGC at a
time when other recent college graduates are either unemployed or forced to
settle for a less than ideal position.
- I thank God that the first semester of
the CUME course concluded well, with a high general level of enthusiasm from
the staff and students (who are looking forward to the second semester).
- And
finally, from my work on the Boston Church Directory update, it seems that the
number of new churches that we have found outnumbers the number of churches
that have ceased to exist (this is this just a preliminary observation, but I
find it exciting).
--Erik Nordbye, research intern
and teaching assistant for CUME class on urban ministry
