winter newsletter 2014 for chaparral christian church

8/10/2019 Winter Newsletter 2014 for Chaparral Christian Church

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/winter-newsletter-2014-for-chaparral-christian-church 1/8

CHAPARRAL family

the

As I write these words, I am sure that many of you are

busy putting together your shopping list for the big

Thanksgiving meal. Without going into detail, Stacyhas seen fit to keep me far from the holiday meal plans.

(Just let me say that during the first year of our

marriage, I surprised her with my own unique creation,

which I entitled, “Cheesy Meaty Pie.” And, no,

“cheesy” was not meant to be a pun.) Nevertheless,

she did let me participate last year when she sent me

to the store with a list of items she needed for the big

meal. I would also like to note that she decided to

send someone who is convinced that baking soda and

baking powder are interchangeable in any recipe.

Now, this was a seriously long list and included items

that were so foreign to me that I didn’t know if they

were exotic spices, vegetables from the Amazon or

some obscure part of a cow. But, I did know that Stacy

was being very specific with her list of ingredients. And,like I said on Sunday, she scares me a little… So,

instead of quickly grabbing what I needed and rushing

back home, I was forced to ask an unlucky store

employee to walk me up and down the aisles like a

tourist in an ancient history museum.

Having a specific list of ingredients is important to

successfully creating any work of culinary art. Likewise,

our Strategic Planning Team spent several weeks

exploring, selecting and crafting three important

ingredients which will help us shape our vision for the

future. A few weeks ago, we took a brief break from

The Story to explore these three ingredients. So, in case

you missed the messages on Sunday, I would like to

summarize them for you. Also, you can visit our website

to listen to any messages you might have missed.

Experience God

When you look at the vision logo, the “e” at the very

center represents our first goal, Experiencing God. As

Christ followers, we are defined by our relationship with

a real and living God who promised to be with us

always. (Matthew 28:20) Everything else we do and

decide flows from this center. However, like the first

disciples, our experiences with God cannot stay

bottled up within us. Our experiences continue to

reflect and ripple outward. In fact, throughout the

earliest Christian writings, when someone became a

follower of Jesus, he or she almost immediately

demonstrated hospitality to others.

Their lives were changed and the love of God so

them that they could not help but share their life w

others. Offering hospitality to a broken world was

way for them, and us, to proclaim, “We have

experienced God!” And here is the irony. When

care deeply about the things that Jesus cared ab

and empty ourselves into the lives of others, we

experience God all over again.

Connect with Others

Just as Legos cannot fulfill their destiny in solitude,

people are not meant to be alone. We are mean

be connected and combined with others. The chis a collection of people who come from a world

brokenness and isolation. However, God is all abo

recycling. Even Jesus’ first disciples were not the

picture of perfection. Peter denied Jesus. James

John wanted to sit in positions of power, when Jes

came as a servant. Even John the Baptist, who

baptized Jesus, doubted him at one point. Jesus

use misfits like us to change the world when we a

connected to each other and to Him. So, join the

journey! Let us help you find a place to plug in an

connected to others.

Engage the World

One day, as Jesus was passing through Jericho, h

noticed a tax collector named Zacchaeus hanginin a tree. No would would let him get close enou

see Jesus passing by, so he was forced to improvi

However, this hated outcast has an experience w

God. Jesus calls to him and invites himself to

Zacchaeus’ house for dinner! As expected, Zacc

rushes down to welcome Jesus (yep, he offers Jes

hospitality). But, then he does something a bit

unexpected. Instead of offering a special gift to

or making Him an expensive meal, Zacchaeus giv

generously to the people God cares about, the p

the oppressed, and those in need. Zacchaeus

responded to Jesus by engaging the world.

Zacchaeus’ responds to Jesus by doing what God

always been doing. “God so loved the world tha

he…. gave.” (John 3:16) We are never more like

than when we give. Our third ingredient, “Engag

World” challenges us to invest in the things of God

every part of our lives.

After the resurrection, Jesus said to his disciples, “A

Father has sent me, so I send you.” (John 20:21) J

has sent us on His mission. Are we going? How is

mission playing out? Are you engaging the world

After all, He has blessed you to be a blessing. He

loved you so that you can bring love to your worl

has forgiven you so you can help others know

forgiveness. He has changed your life so you can

an agent of transformation and change today.

There they are. Three simple ingredients. Now, it

to get cooking!

Christmas Eve NewService Times

anging of the Greens

Lights Tour

Family PromisePage 2

Stavlund’s

Children’s Musical

Page 3

Engage The World

Haiti Dresses

Belgium Trip

Faithbuilders

Page 4

Tax Credits

Reap What You Sew

Page 5

Bibles Studies

Youth Info

Gratitude

Page 6

Follow The StarAlec Foster

Page 7



Christmas Eve Services New Times!

Family Service 5:00 p.m.

Candlelight Services 7:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m

The Saguaro Club is sponsoring anAfter-Christmas Lights Tour on

December 27th.

We'll meet at the Church at 6:00 p.m.; board our English-style double-

decker bus, and travel to view some beautiful light displays. Join us forcarol singing, hot chocolate andgoodies and an evening shared with friends.

Cost: $25.00 per person.Register at the south counter in the Worship Center Lobby.

Family Promise…arriving in time for Christmas!

December 21st-27th

This is the second of many opportunities to help families inneed in AZ. Chaparral Christian Church will host dinner andovernight stays for a week four times a year for families whoare working and trying to get on their feet.

Volunteers who directly serve our families help us maintainour cost-efficient program expenses through the gift of theirtime, donations and talents.

They share healthy meals, compassion, andencouragement. They also plan and manage familyrecreational activities. Sign up today in the WorshipCenter Lobby.

If you’d like to learn more about the Chaparralinvolvement in Family Promise and would like to beincluded in informational emails, please contact MaryBlakeman at [email protected].

Deck the Halls with US!!

Join us for soup and decorating of theWorship Center, Tuesday, December 2at 6:30 (or when you can get here).

We'll have fellowship, music and foodas we begin our Advent Celebration.

Childcare is available. Contact SaraPerrine and sign up in the WorshipCenter Lobby or online.

Some things we heard from ourvolunteers…

Our time with the Family Promise families on Mon

evening was a success from our perspective! Thchildren were comfortable with the people they m

Sunday evening and made new friends quickly. Akinds of activity happened after dinner – I must s

was FUN!!

This morning the families were up and ready befo5:00 a.m. and were outside waiting for the van wh

arrived at 5:40.

We were humbled by these famili

We were blessed with some of the children when

would open with our prayer, but I will have to admone six-year-old girl really went to the heart with h

prayer, “I love my mom and my family and take camy little sister, and love her too”! WOW! From thmouths of babes, honesty escapes…..

pg. 2

mailto:[email protected]



http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/winter-newsletter-2014-for-chaparral-christian-church 3/8p

Forging Your IdentityIt has been almost three months since our family saw all of your faces. To be honest, it took about this entiretime to adjust and develop a new family battle rhythm. Tracy and I miss all of you, and we are keeping track the happenings at Chaparral.

Moving clear across the country gets you thinking. Or, to be more precise, moving 3,000 miles away from

home gets you asking questions. In many ways, the questions my family and I continue to face are questionwe faced back home in Scottsdale. However, given our change of scenery and given that we have uprootedour lives, these questions are sharper, more clear, decisive.

I once heard a scholar of the Ancient Near East tell a story about a Jewish man. This Jewish man was walkininto the city, and as he approached the city gates the Roman Centurion guarding the gates yelled, “Who areyou? And what are you doing here?” To this, the Jewish man replied, “I will pay you a daily wage to come tomy house every morning and ask me those two, important questions.

Who Am I – questions of identity.

What am I doing here – questions of purpose.

These are the questions my family and I are answering anew here in North Carolina. In Scottsdale, our idenand purpose were tied to our friendships, the church, our jobs, our daily routine, the community at CrossFitChaparral, and our hobbies. Almost all of those things changed when we moved. So we began asking: Who

are we? And, what are we doing here?

The answers to those questions changed by degree, not kind. We are building new friendships, seeing new

parts of the country, and continuing in ministry wherever we are placed. In addition, Tracy and I have come t

a renewed purpose for our family. We seek to model the Gospel for our kids, and to make and remember go

memories as a family. It’s that simple, although we know that what is simple is not always easy.

My job is keeping me busy. Long days are offset by weekends that are restful and full of fun for our family. T

Soldiers that I serve are spread out across multiple countries: From the U.S., to Egypt, to Kuwait, and more.

This is my new “congregation”; these are the ones for whom I seek to deliver on the Army Chief of Chaplains

intent: To bring God to Soldiers and Soldiers to God. And it is my privilege to do so!

Thank you for your notes of encouragement, and for your prayers. Like the Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians

I find myself “always thanking God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember

before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance

inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Please be praying that Tracy can find a part time Occupational

Therapy position, and that God would continue to use us to embody and speak his message of forgiveness a

redem tion. Your friend Nick Stavlund

ck addressing soldiers and

eir family members as the

diers prepare to deploy in

pport of combat operations

in the middle east.

Trick or Treating

with the family!

Share the Joy! Invite a Friend!

Free Admission!

Children’s Christmas Musical 2014

Around the World, It’s Christmas!Sunday, December 7, 6:00 p.m.

“Around the World, It’s Christmas” focuses on the oneness we share with all the world in being recipientsof God’s greatest gift. The hope Christ brought to earth on Christmas is for the whole world and has been

celebrated by many cultures and with many customs.Join in this celebration of Christmas music from around the globe.

What better way to start the Christmas season than in the company of friends, enjoying our talented kids.Set aside an hour on December 7, and invite friends to join you. You will be glad that you did!

Hope to see you there! Sharon Hostetler



Halftime? What is it?

According to dictionary.com, Halftime

can be defined as:

…the intermission or rest period between

the two halves of a football, basketball, or

other game, during which spectators are

often entertained by baton twirling,

marching bands, or the like.

Here’s the good news. Chaparral’s

Sunday morning Halftime is not really an

intermission or indication that the

morning is half over, but is an overflow of

the worship that has been experienced

during our Classic service and is now

spilling out into our courtyard to be

mingled with the anticipation of worship

for those awaiting the Modern service.

What a joyous time of fellowship and

community! Yes, we also offer

entertainment to all who are present.

ALL are invited to participate in

conversations or the activities of the day.

There are no age restrictions on this time

of good, old-fashioned, family fun. Plan

to be present and get to know your

church family!

Halftime is every Sunday morning,

10-10:30 a.m. in the courtyard . (This is

Phoenix, so our weather almost always

cooperates!). Hope to see you there!

Engage the WorldFor some, the idea of Engaging the World (the third branch of Chaparral’s

Vision statement) is easy to picture. Some have had the opportunity to

travel to Haiti, package food for Feed My Starving Children, donate to

Arizona Reservation Ministry or contribute to Christian Family Care Agency.

Some have sewn dresses for children in Haiti, crocheted afghans or sewn

quilts for people in need, prepared food for

people at House of Refuge, or made it

possible for families in transition to have a

nice place to stay through Family Promise.

We are fortunate to have so many different

ways to engage our world. It is a privilege tobe the hands, feet and physical presence of

Christ to our world.

It is so important the we keep our focus on

what the world needs, both in our own

community, across the nation, and in distant

countries. It is also important to recognize the

need that our neighbors have for a place that

invites them to experience God. We have

been entrusted with a very valuable gift to the

world, the gift of a beautiful campus filled with

amazing people. How do we transmit that gift to

those around us, though? Certainly, we should all be inviting friends,

neighbors and co-workers to attend church with us, but what do they

experience when they show up? This is where we ALL come in.

Chaparral has a dedicated group of ushers and greeters who serve four

months out of the year (one month on, two months off). You have probably

been welcomed by them when you arrive on campus, or as you enter the

Worship Center. This is a group committed to making Chaparral war

welcoming to all who attend. They are most definitely engaging the

as they greet guests and attendees on Sunday mornings. They a

difference between a cool establishment and a welcoming family.

Would you be interested in joining this team? You may not be awar

the positions of Greeter and Usher are available to anyone! You nee

be a Chaparral expert, or even a member, but a smile and fr

demeanor are a must. I am seeking to expand this ministry and I

many new faces, as well as our gro

experts, to make Chaparral even

welcoming in 2015. There will be train

January, so no prior knowledge is req

Either sign up with a buddy, or I will m

you with someone. The important thinlet me know that you’re interested.

Please consider getting involved in

important ministry and committing to

months in 2015, or substituting if one m

out of every three doesn’t fit into

schedule. There is no better way to

ownership of your Church and

impression we make on all who worshi

us than to become a part of our hosp

team!

Proverbs 16:24 reminds us that “Kind words are like honey-sweet t

soul and healthy to the body.” It is within all of us to be kind to tho

encounter on Sunday mornings, and throughout the week. Even if it

on your heart to become an official Usher or Greeter, please remembekind words are not only good for those who hear them, but also those

utter them. Let’s continue to be characterized as a church of kind

and friendly people! ~Sharon Hostetler [email protected]

If you are looking for a place to dig

deeper into God’s Word, as well as a

place to meet new friends, please joi

Faithbuilders’ Class. The group be

with yummy refreshments at 8:00 a.m

the East Hall, followed by our continu

study through The Story. The class w

enjoy a delicious Christmas Brunch o

Sunday, December 21. All are welco

Contact Mary Cartwright, 480-998-11

Danny DeCoster and his wife, Alene, have been our travel guides for the

past several trips to Europe. They will be retiring in 2015. We would like

to make one more trip with them - to Belgium, Danny’s home country,

with Holland, Luxembourg and a bit of England included.The travel dates are April 6-18, 2015, which gives us the chance to view

the famous tulip gardens in Holland.

You can find detailed information at the South Counter in the Lobby. If

you have questions, call Jacque Miller (602-292-7202) or Marilyn

Litzenberger (602-494-9324)

Everyone is invited to join us on this adventure.

Dressing Haiti! With the

abundance of bedding and

pillowcases from Family

Promise we were able to

make over 80 dresses and 30

pairs of shorts to bring to theorphanage in Northwest Haiti

Christian Mission. A big

thank you to all the ladies

who spent countless hours

and love putting them

together. The children were

truly blessed! Watch details

for another sewing session.

Trip to Belguim…

Holland, Luxembourg and more!

http://dictionary.com/

http://dictionary.com/





Distribution Night 2014 for Reap What You Sew at First Christian Church was November 4th. Quilts are

donated to several organizations, including Hospice of the Valley, Ronald MacDonald House, Christian Care Agency, BlackChildren and Family Services Agency, Arizona Veterans’ Home, Banner Thunderbird Hospital, Saint Joseph’s Medical

Center, Maryvale Hospital, and Good Samaritan Hospital. The total count this year was 2850 quilts, of which the majorityare Angel Wraps. Angel wraps are small quilts, about 20 inches square, usually made from flannel. They are used by

hospitals for stillborn infants, for premature births and NICU babies.

Our Chaparral quilt group, also titled “Reap What You Sew” makes a very large contribution to their total number of quilts.

In 2012, our total for angel wraps was 214; in 2013 we made 222; and this year we also contributed 222. We also make alarge number of quilts “from scratch” meaning we provide the fabric and batting, do the piecing, and either quilt or tie the

blanket before binding it. In 2012, we donated 81 completed quilts to First Christian.In 2013, our total was 117; this year we totaled 61.

We also do bindings for quilts that are finished except for the bindings, and quilt andbind quilt tops that were made for the First Christian group. In 2013, we finished 38

quilts for them; this year we finished 35.

We have a very generous quilter from Chaparral. Marlene Riggs purchased our quilt

labels for us and uses those on her quilts, all of which she donates to the FirstChristian distribution night. Last year she made 70 fleece blankets and 16 quilts fromscratch. She serges the edges of her fleece with fancy thread and embroiders a

positive word on each one with her embroidery machine. This year she made 75fleece blankets and 14 regular quilts from scratch. She also finished 11 quilt tops

and 10 angel wraps as well as sewing on a lot of labels. Six more of her fleeceblankets were donated to our Family Promise Mission in August.

We have always saved some of our quilts for our own ministers to give to our ownmembers who are hospitalized or in other need for comfort. This year we gave 32

quilts for the use of Chaparral members. - Marilyn Johnson

Tis the season for Arizona Tax Credits!!

It is once again time to take advantage of the Arizona Private School Tuition Tax

Law which permits taxpayers to receive dollar-for-dollar credit against their Arizonaincome tax liability. This is a wonderful way to assist families, support Christianschool organizations and ministries while also taking care of your portion of your

2014 State taxes. Also, YOU get to designate where your tax dollars go.

Your tax dollars can go to assist many of the ministries that Chaparral Christian

Church works alongside. There are three categories in which to give:

1.Category 1. ARS 43-1089 Credit for Contributions to School Tuition

Organizations School Tuition for Private Schools helps provide tuition money to our

own Chaparral Christian Preschool students and the American Indian ChristianMission. Donations for both these and other schools can be done through ACSTO

(Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization). Go to www.acsto.org to donate.

. Category 2. ARS 43-1088 Credit for Contribution to Charitable Organizations That Provides Assistance to theWorking Poor

An example of some of the ministries this supports includes:

Arizona Reservation Ministries www.azrez.org/ways-to-give/az-tax-credit

Family Promise www.familypromiseaz.org

House of Refuge/House of Hope www.refugeandhope.com Donate directly online, or for a full list and addresses, pick up a packet on Sunday morning before service in the lobby athe information table. All donations are due by December 31.

.Category 3. 43-1089-01 Tax Credit, Public School Fees and Contributions

Choose a school a public school to support. Contact the school directly or check out their web page for directions for

Tax Credit donations. All schools have a direct link.

pg. 5

http://www.refugeandhope.com/

http://www.familypromiseaz.org/

http://www.azrez.org/ways-to-give/az-tax-credit

http://www.acsto.org/

http://www.refugeandhope.com/

http://www.familypromiseaz.org/

http://www.azrez.org/ways-to-give/az-tax-credit

http://www.acsto.org/



Gratitude is Best Learned Young by Sam Levyas (CEO of First Things First)

As Thanksgiving approaches, it is the perfect time to teach young children a very important lesson: gratitu

Barbara Lewis, author of “What Do You Stand For? For Kids,” teaches us children as young as 2 are awar

other people do things for them or give them things that make them happy. As children grow, this awareness t

into an understanding of higher concepts, such as kindness and caring. As they mature further, they will learnempathize and appreciate the feelings of others- crucial skills for all adults.

So, how do we teach children to be grateful?

• Teach children to say “Thank you” to everyone who does something for them, from their server at a restaurant to an older sibling

• Talk about the things you are grateful for. This can be everything from a blessing before dinner to reciting evening prayers.

• Nothing makes children appreciate the effort that goes into different activities like doing the work themselves.

• Support a charitable event or organization. Whether you are donating old clothes or toys or participating in a food drive talk to

children about what those actions mean to those who receive kindness.

• Say No. It’s hard to teach gratitude to someone who gets everything they want.

• Be consistent. Like all skills, gratitude is not learned in one lesson.

The first five years offer the opportunity for children to develop the skills they need to be successful adults. Research shows that thankful

people are usually more optimistic. So when we teach children to appreciate what they have- and what others do for them- we are helping

become happier, healthier adults. -

Sincerely, Nicole Moran

Home Groups:Meet every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings.

To sign up, contact [email protected]’s: Monday at 6:30 p.m.

Welches’: Monday at 6:30 p.m.Robberson’s: Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

Perrine’s: Thursday at 7:00 p.m.

Bible Studies:

Tuesday: Iron taught by Frank Shirvinski in the Conference Room, 6:30 p.m.Wednesday: Men’s Breakfast study; contact Gary Anderson, 6:30 a.m.Thursday: Ladybugs—Women’s Study at the home of Mary Cartwright, 6:45 a.m.

Thursday: Men’s Breakfast study; contact Jim Langdal, 7:00 a.m.Friday: Women’s Study with Linda Bond in the North Room, 9:30 a.m.

Prayer Group:

Saturday Mornings: In the Conference Room, 7:00 a.m.

Remember the Prayer Labyrinth is open to everyone for prayer and meditation.

Small Groups meet on Wednesday nights in the Forum. Junior High is from 6:00-7:00 p.m.,7:00-7:30 p.m. is a time for food and fellowship. Senior High meets from 7:30-8:30 p.m. If youhave any questions, ask Nic. [Small Groups will not meet on December 24, 31, and January 7]

Wednesday, November 26 – Lunch at Burger N Fries for those who have a half day.

Saturday, November 29 – Luminaria assembly! Meet outside the Forum at 10 a.m.to help put our luminaria bags together. We’ll meet again on Saturday, December 6,if needed. A light breakfast will be provided.

Friday, December 5 – The last Friday Night Lights of 2014! We will be meeting onthe first Friday in December because exciting things are happening on the secondFriday of the month (our regular meeting time).

Saturday, December 6 – Additional luminaria assembly (if needed)

December 12-14 – Follow the Star!! We could use your help setting up, maintaining and putting out luminaria throughout the weekend.Tell Nic if you are available.

Wednesday, December 17 – PB & J Night! Wear your pajamas, bring a blanket to donate, and snacks to share and we’ll provide justabout everything else. We’ll be watching a movie (to be determined) during our regular small group meeting time.

January 17-19 – Tentative dates for a Winter trip/retreat. Details to follow at a later date.

February 27-28 – 30-Hour Famine. Sign up and get your fundraising packet to participate in this annualWorld Vision event. We will be volunteering throughout the community on this weekend service project.

Opportunities for fellowship, study

and prayer at Chaparral

pg. 6





NO LIMITS

Alec Foster

Christmas in a Shoebox

Things are about to get busy inside the

youth building at Chaparral Christian

Church in Scottsdale, AZ. Several tables

are set up with rows and rows of neatly

organized items: small toys, personal care

items, socks, and lots and lots of flip-flops

-- all of which had been generously

donated by members of the congregation.

There are close to 40 people milling around from the youth group and thesenior citizens group. Soon they will be packing small containers the size of

a shoebox with the items on the tables so they can be sent to children living

in an impoverished country.

In the middle of all this activity is 17-year-old Alec Foster, the quiet young

man whose efforts made the event possible. His family raised him to

understand the spirit of giving and sharing the love of Christ.

The Working Student

Alec puts in up to 15 hours a week working at Chick-fil-A to save those

nickels and dimes for college next year. He enjoys golf, swimming, downhill

skiing, and water skiing, and he loves working out three or four times a week

at Chaparral’s CrossFit gym. The best part about that activity is he gets to

hang out with his friends as they encourage one another through their

workouts. Alec’s family joined Chaparral only two years ago, but he has

forged such strong friendships in the youth group that hefeels like he has always been there.

Alec is a senior at Scottsdale Prep Academy (SPA), a

charter school that is not necessarily Christian but leans

heavily on Christian literature. He is a serious student

and very driven to do well. His favorite classes are

math and physics. His goal is to be a mechanical

engineer, and Arizona State University recently took

notice of his high marks and integrity, awarding him

their President’s scholarship.The curriculum at SPA is

rigorous, and students often struggle when they first

arrive, so he is enthusiastic about his role in a program

that helps younger students make the transition to high

school. “Our school has a mentor program for kids to

get through it,” he says. “It’s just a group of kids,

sophomore and up, that help the younger kids, like the fifth and sixth graders,

get acclimated to the curriculum. We would go in every other Wednesday

and help them with studying tools, stuff like that. We aren’t tutors, but

mentors. The younger students need to know you can get past this; you can

get over that mountain; it’s not going to last forever.”

A mentor can have his own heroes in life, too, as Alec is quick to point out.

“My youth pastor, Nick Stavlund, has been a great role model for me,” he

says. “He has created a second family at Chaparral for me and my friends.

Not only does he lead us in our spiritual walk, but he leads us at CrossFit.”

Packing Christmas

Alec first heard about packing supplies in shoeboxes through Operation

Christmas Child, part of Franklin Graham’s charitable organization,

Samaritan’s Purse. People fill the box with toys, socks, underwear, and other

personal care items and ship them to Samaritan’s Purse, who inserts a copyof a gospel tract in the native language of the box’s intended recipient.

Alec has been putting these boxes together since he was a fourth gra

his old school, and he wanted to continue the project at his new churc

also saw this as an opportunity to take on an important leadership rol

approached Sara Perrine, Chaparral’s missions director, about the Ch

taking on such a project. Sara felt it was the perfect project for the yo

seniors during the Church’s missions week.

Alec made the rounds at all the different Sunday School classes and

each class to bring a different item. One adult class brought candy; th

Children’s Ministry brought small toys; the choir donated soap and

washcloths; CrossFit donated jump ropes; VBS contributed socks and

flops.

One of the major concerns was that no toys depicting violence be inc

There’s a good reason for that, and Alec was very emphatic about it w

made his presentation to the kids in the Chaparral Children’s Ministrykids have probably seen more violence than I have, so you don’t wan

remind them of that,” Alec says. “You want a positive influence, not a

negative one.”

The large group of teens and seniors milling around the tables is the

culmination of Alec’s efforts. They gathered in the Chaparral Christia

building to pray, and then everyone enthusiastically spent the morning

packing Operation Christmas Child boxes. Alec loved watching every

really getting into it. Some were heard imagining the joy the children

experience when they receive their box. They packed 280 boxes. Th

was a highlight of Chaparral Christian’s missions week.

An Ideal Little Bundle

Fast forward to Christmas: Alec took time to reflect on the possible im

Operation Christmas Child. “I guess what I think about was our hard

Alec says. “It’s so rewarding, I don’t think I’ll ever see whbox went and I won’t see that specific child, but when y

watch the videos [on the Samaritan’s Purse website] th

children’s faces are beaming. I love to think about that

expressions on their faces, that makes every other part

worth it.

“It’s quite possibly their first interaction with having a na

Jesus, someone that will love them, someone that won

change. Human beings change, but God won’t change

will last forever, and that is probably the most important

about that gift.”

Alec’s grandfather, recognizing the family’s prosperity,

challenged them to make Christmas more than just

dinner and presents. “So we had a little Christmas

party, and it was almost like a mini OperationChristmas Child,” Alec recalls. “We filled tennis ball tubes with

socks, Chapstick, toothpaste, and a protein bar. Everyone who

came to the party made one. They’re for the people on the

highway, the homeless people who have the signs.

Oftentimes you drive up and it’s kind of like, do we have

anything? You don’t want to give them money because they

might waste it, but this is perfect because it’s an ideal little

bundle.” Giving, not getting. That very important aspect of

Christmas is not lost on Alec Foster.

Interested in starting your own Operation Christmas

Box? Check out www.samaritanspurse.org .

by Michael P. Murphy

Follow the StarDecember 12, 13, & 14 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

It’s time for the Census! Grab your family and friends and take a jouthrough the Christmas story. Brave guides will lead you through the you encounter a prophet, kings and much, much more! This uniqueproduction unfolds through beautiful music and drama that children aadults alike will enjoy.

pg.

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/



CHAPARRAL

V O L . 3 6 W I N T E R 2 0 1 4 N O

6 4 5 1 E . S h e a B l v d

S c o t t s d a l e , A Z 8 5 2 5 4

winter newsletter 2014 for chaparral christian church

Documents