http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412 Become a part of a unique serving adventure going outside the walls of the church and helping to transform an under-resourced community with the compassion and love of Christ. Step across cultural and socio-economic barriers and use your gifts to address poverty and justice issues. For more information, contact Kirsten Strand at kirstenstrand@communitychristian.org http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2564 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2564 Join us Friday, March 16th at 7:00 at CCC's East Aurora Campus for Family Movie Night. We will kick the night off with a free karate demonstration and then enjoy popcorn and a showing of Kung Fu Panda-2. For more information contact Debbie at debfogelsong@gmail.com. Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:43:13 -0800 http://communitychristian.org/locations/shorewood/p/2543 http://communitychristian.org/locations/shorewood/p/2543 She was physically unable to leave the house to get food and no money to buy it anyway. When we pulled up to her door with six large bags of groceries, she burst into tears. Between sobs she said, "I didn't know what I was going to do. I didn't know how I was going to feed my kids tonight." She hadn't even thought about the rest of the week during Easter break and was overwhelmed when we came back with enough groceries for 7 days of meals.This happened last year during our food drive for Spring Break. Many of the families on Joliet's East Side rely on the school for breakfast and lunch (and for some, that is all they get). For some reason these families plan on their food needs during Christmas and summer breaks but have their greatest need during Easter. Our food drive is starting early this year and the goal is to make sure 100 of the families in greatest need do not go hungry during Easter break.  We are collecting food from now until March 25th.We need non-perishable foods that can be used for a breakfast, lunch or dinner meal (No Desserts). Think of food you would feel good feeding your own family. Please make sure food is not outdated. Cash donations will be used for perishable items we can't get until just before the event (milk, meat, eggs, fresh fruit and vegetables).  Here are some particular items we look for:Soup  -  Bag of Rice  -  Mac & Cheese  -  Dried Beans  -  Peanut Butter  -  Canned TomatoesMeseca Flour (in ethnic section)  -  Cereal  -  Pasta  -  Canned Vegetables  -  Canned Fruit Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:13:51 -0800 http://communitychristian.org/locations/shorewood/p/2540 http://communitychristian.org/locations/shorewood/p/2540 Christ has risen... and we have made it a tradition to celebrate this holiday with candy and Easter baskets for our children. Many of our children on Joliet's East Side are lucky to get a small candy bar or an egg colored with crayons.  I want to make sure that this time of joy for the risen King is also a joy for all children. No one should have to choose between supper and an Easter basket.  Last year we targeted 300 children who would not have an Easter basket. This year our child population at the schools we serve has increased by 200 and our goal is 350 Easter baskets. But this cannot happen without your help! We will be put together the baskets on Good Friday and target 350 of the neediest kids to receive them. You can help by filling the baskets with all those great things that kids love (or money if you would rather the shopping be done for you). Bring them in between now and April 1st.  Here are the items we need:Basket Wrap Bags (Large)  -  Kites  -  Bubbles  -  Sidewalk Chalk  -  Crayons/MarkersColoring/Activity Books  -  Wrapped Candy (no nuts)  -  Stuffed Animals (Med/Large)Chocolate Bunnies  -  Pens/Pencils  -  Med. Toy (Playdoh, Silly Putty, Jump Rope, Hot Wheels)Cash Donations Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:13:31 -0800 http://communitychristian.org/locations/shorewood/p/2542 http://communitychristian.org/locations/shorewood/p/2542 "I never had a birthday cake before!" said the the boy in the picture.  Do you remember your child's first birthday... or the last birthday party your child had? Can you believe there are children who have never celebrated their birthday with a party or a birthday cake? This is one of those little things we do for children on Joliet's East Side. It is so simple but does so much to raise self esteem and hope for the future to children who don't know how wonderfully God made them. We still need 300 Birthday in a Bag "kits" to finish the year so that every child at Isaac Singleton Elementary School is assured to have a birthday, complete with a birthday cake. All it takes is one cake mix, one can of frosting and a small box of candles put in a small bag or shoe box. Then if you want, add a card (hand made are great) or sprinkles or a small toy or... So bring in several and imagine the fun this will bring on their special day. Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:13:07 -0800 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2539 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2539 Saturday, Feb. 25th, 11:00 am - 1:30 pm, East Aurora Campus. Make and take home a beautiful piece of art made from fabric! Art can be framed, turned into a drink coaster or iron it on a shirt or canvas bag.Class will be Spanish and English friendly. Snacks will be provided. You are welcome to bring a dish to share if you would like. Find us on Facebook or email Angela at a.malloy@hotmail.com to reserve your spot. Please SIGN UP so we have enough supplies. $5 due at class. Kids welcome with an adult. All supplies provided. Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:29:25 -0800 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2518 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2518 We are forming a brand new team in East Aurora, the East Aurora Restore Team, that will be made up of 10 - 15 families living in our focus community in East Aurora. These will be families that have relocated to the neighborhood from more affluent communities, and families that have lived in the neighborhood for years. This Team will exist to engage deeply and relationally in the neighborhood, to identify community assets and challenges, and to work with people inside and outside the community to tackle those challenges.We have 5 families committed to launching this team, we are praying for 3 - 5 more families to join us. If you have any sense that God may be tugging at YOUR heart to consider a radical missional move, I invite you to join us for dessert and to hear more about the vision of this Team. We will meet at the Naperville Yellow Box on Monday evening, February 13th at 7:00 pm. RSVP to Kirsten at kirstenstrand@communitychristian.org, 630-842-6217.  I hope you will join us--no commitment or obligation, just come and learn and meet some of the team! Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:20:42 -0800 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2496 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2496 If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together. -Australian Aboriginal Activitst, Lila Watson Since 2003, Community 4:12 has been working in East Aurora with the goal of creating a model of community development and restoration that can be replicated in other communities. We've established programs around educational and housing challenges that many under-resourced neighborhoods face and have replicated some of those in Joliet. A large part of our strategy has been to mobilize Community Christian Church attenders to come and serve in lower-income communities. While this has been effective in many instances, it has not created a model that depends on truly coming along side and partnering with the people in the neighborhoods where we work. And we believe that significant and lasting change absolutely depends on that type of approach. So this year we are launching a new effort in East Aurora to help us better achieve our hope of truly uniting people of different races and cultures and economic backgrounds to restore communities. I am very excited about the launch of this new East Aurora Restore Team. The East Aurora Restore Team will be made up of 10 - 15 families living in the focus neighborhood in East Aurora. These will be families that have relocated to the neighborhood from more affluent communities, and families that have lived in the neighborhood for years. This Team will exist to engage deeply and relationally in the neighborhood, to identify community assets and challenges, and to work with people inside and outside the community to tackle those challenges. Next week I will introduce the 5 families that are committed to launching the East Aurora Restore Team. All of us are people who have intentionally moved to East Aurora to be part of community restoration efforts. We have been praying for several months that 3 - 5 more families would feel--and respond---to God's call to join us. Would you join us in praying for that? And if you have any sense that God may be tugging at YOUR heart to consider a missional move, I invite you to join us for dessert and to hear more about the vision and dreams of this Team. We will meet at the Naperville Yellow Box on Monday evening, February 13th at 7:00 pm. Click here and let me know if you'd like to join us-no commitment or obligation, just come and learn! Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:35:04 -0800 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2434 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2434 Thank you again to everyone who played any part in making our East Aurora Gift Marts happen!  And if you weren't able to join us that day, take a look at this video that captured some of the highlights!  http://youtu.be/F7WxqTnWSq0  Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:05:51 -0800 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2414 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2414 On Saturday, February 4th, we will host our first monthly free legal clinic in partnership with Administer Justice. Administer Justice is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable legal aid organization serving the needs of low-income and no-income individuals. They operate as a full-time professional law office that also offers other services leading to personal empowerment built on Biblical principles.Clinics will run from 9 am - 12 noon on the first Saturday of each month at our East Aurora Campus. We are looking for volunteers to help provide and coordinate hospitality, greeting, and prayer for families that attend. We will serve coffee and baked goods and seek to create a welcoming environment for families, many of whom may also be looking for a church home. There are also some on-site administrative volunteer opportunities at the clinic.If you would like to be a part of offering this valuable service to the Aurora community, contact Kirsten at kirstenstrand@communitychristian.org. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:12:42 -0800 http://communitychristian.org/locations/shorewood/p/2408 http://communitychristian.org/locations/shorewood/p/2408 This year the Joliet Christmas Gift Mart was filled with miracles. The amount of toys that came in over the last two days made it possible for each child to get four toys. Here is what one parent wrote about the event: ...With the economy the way it is this was truly a blessing. ...the volunteers were extremely nice and helpful. There were so many people that offered to help pick out gifts or even to carry them. I had to tell everyone about this. My husband and I couldn't stop talking about it and [how] warm our hearts felt afterwards. signed The Gallegos We got over 300 thank you notes this year, all talking about how YOU made this happen and I can not thank you enough. You truly honored God. If you would like to see some pictures, you can see the video of our Christmas Gift Mart by following this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9SPi-EUV1I Thank you all and may God continue to bless you as you have honored Him and His people. Bob Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:46:04 -0800 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2359 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2359 On Saturday, December 17th, Community Christian Church hosted 4 Christmas Gift Marts around Chicagoland . . . 2 in East Aurora, 1 in Joliet, and 1 in Chicago to help low-income families purchase toys for their children and raise thousands of dollars for under-resourced schools.Between these 4 Gift Marts, we collected almost 13,000 toys, mobilized 1,500 volunteers, partnered with over 100 different churches, businesses, and organizations, served 3,200 people and raised almost $18,000 for our partner schools.One woman at one of our East Aurora Marts had been waiting in line for hours and a volunteer noticed that she looked like she wasn't feeling very well, so asked if she could help.  The woman responded, "I think I am in labor, but I've waited so long and I have to get Christmas presents for my other children."  One of our volunteers was a nurse and confirmed that yes, indeed, it appeared that a baby was on the way!  Needless to say, we quickly escorted her through the Mart and sent her on her way to the hospital, knowing that her children would have presents to open on Christmas morning.Thank you for helping the church BE the church and show Christ's love and compassion this Christmas! Sun, 18 Dec 2011 15:55:17 -0800 http://communitychristian.org/locations/shorewood/p/2358 http://communitychristian.org/locations/shorewood/p/2358 Wow, what a time we had. Three days before the Christmas Gift Mart we had enough toys for 2 per child. Two days before we were looking at maybe three toys and on Thursday, we had enough for four toys for each child. God came through again. Included this year was 440 ethnic collectors dolls donated from Terri Lee Associates.Set up went quicker and smother than ever before thanks in no small part to the teachers and staff at Isaac Singleton school. The semi was completely unloaded in a record 20 minutes! We were all set up and ready to go by 6 PM.Shoppers started to arrive at 6 AM. The snow was falling and it was a perfect Christmas atmosphere. The Shining Lights continued to be part of the entertainment and again were a huge hit. The band did medleys of Christmas songs engaging audience participation.Smiles were everywhere. Some shoppers fought back tears with the opportunity not only to shop but with the joyful giving hearts they encountered. Volunteers were eager and helpful to everyone. The time went by so fast that many volunteers did not even think it was time yet to take a break while others actually refused to take a break, concerned they might miss one of the families as they went through the Gift Mart.God keeps blessing us with wonderful opportunities to serve Him and so many feel His spirit that their actions preach the gospel much louder than words ever could. Thank you to all who took part in this Christmas Gift Mart. Sun, 18 Dec 2011 11:36:21 -0800 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2326 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2326 A huge thanks to everyone who brought toys or contributed money this weekend for our East Aurora and Joliet Gift Marts! We are close to 6,000 toys in Aurora and 2,600 in Joliet! We have some outstanding community toy drives still coming in this week, but if you haven't had a chance to contribute yet, you can bring toys to the YB through Wednesday, or we have another shopping trip scheduled for Tuesday, so you can still donate on-line at https://communitychristian.org/pages/giftmartdonations.  We are still hopeful we'll hit 9,000 toys for Aurora and 4,000 for Joliet, and are grateful for everyone's support! Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:25:50 -0800 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2308 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2308 "Without their generosity many of us would not be able to afford to buy presents for our children. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts and may God continue to bless them!"--Parent from Brady Elementary. Our Aurora and Joliet Gift Marts are just a little over a week away. After last weekend's collection, we have about 4,000 toys . . . still a ways to go! We are doing a huge Target shopping trip this weekend, so we can stretch your dollar with our tax exempt status and 5% discount, so click here to make a donation on-line. Or, you can bring your toys to church with you this weekend, or drop off at the Yellow Box anytime before Dec. 15th. Many of our teams have closed, but some volunteers still needed, so go to http://www.communitychristian.org/giftmart to learn about the different opportunities still available and to sign-up. Thank you for helping us support the families and schools in East Aurora and Joliet this Christmas! Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:40:22 -0800 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2289 http://communitychristian.org/ministries/community412/p/2289 We are just two weeks away from our East Aurora and Joliet Christmas Gift Marts.  Don't forget to bring your new, unwrapped toys to church with you this weekend!  We recommend that toys cost between $10 - $20 and are geared for children age 5 - 11 (preferably no board games or stuffed animals, since those don't tend to sell very well at the Marts).  If you don't want to battle holiday shopping lines, you can make a donation here and we'll be happy to shop for you!We also still need over 300 volunteers, so consider joining us on Saturday, December 17th.  You can read about the volunteer opportunities and sign up by clicking here. Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:06:41 -0800