THESE ARE STORIES OF THE IMPACT WE CAN HAVE AS THE BODY OF CHRIST AS WE WORK TOGETHER IN HIM. WE RECORD THEM HERE TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO GET ENGAGED IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF OUR COMMUNITY
(NOTE: THESE ARE ONLY A SAMPLING OF INDIVIDUALS AND CONGREGATIONS WORKING TOGETHER. AND THEY ARE PRESENTED HERE IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER, WITH THE MOST RECENT AT THE TOP OF THE LIST)
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Under the leadership of Bridge Ministries board member Matthias Williams, numerous regional churches, ministries, and ministers gathered at the YMCA log lodge recently for a 12 hour prayer "burn". Very diverse, very powerful, well and enthusiastically attended.
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The most recent concert of prayer was held at St Luke Baptist. It was a very diverse gathering, denomintationally, racially, and otherwise. And the theme, over and over that night, was the rising call for coming together in the body of Christ.
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Recently, the organizers of the CROP walk against hunger marched through Rockford for the 25th annual walk- over 35 different churches, groups, or businesses participated, and at last count, had raised close to $50,000 to fight hunger locally and around the world!
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A very diverse group of 10 clergy gathered again on September 15 for a time of prayer. Very powerful time.
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Every Friday, a group of 10-12 men gathers for prayer, converstaion, study, representing eight or more different congregations.
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The missional leaders group had an energized lunch at Katie's Cup on September 22, to reconnect with each other and to address the way we can be part of pulling Christ followers into meeting the needs of our community at large.
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Pastor John Sprecher has recently called the clergy of the area to prayer- June 16, Every Frifrom 10am to 2pm, at Banner of Truth Church. We appreciate his obedience to the nudge of God, and pray many from a wide spectrum of the church will gather to pray.
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The clergy conversation on racism has spun off a steering group to keep the conversation alive. It is a very diverse group, bringing together those that might not otherwise connect. The topic and work are, as expected, challenging.
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Over 1100 mostly young (teens, 20's and 30's) gathered for two days of worship, prayer and teaching on February 25 and 26 at Faith Center for the regional Onething Conference, sponsored by the International House of Prayer in Kansas City. As one of the "old timers" privileged to be there, I must say how excited and impressed I was by their passion, vision, and potential. The body coming together to impact the world!
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Over 40 local clergy gathered in January, 2011 to address the ongoing challenge of racism in our community. A good effort and the promise of continued work. A wonderful and very diverse turnout of clergy.
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Banner of Truth Ministries and House of Refuge Church are partnering with neighbors, businesses, other congregations,the city, the United Way, and others in an effort to build community and provide resources to their West State Street neighborhood.
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Pastors in north Boone County have been getting together. Now the congregations will gather on Jan. 19 to worship together in honor of the national week of prayer fo Christian unity.
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YOUNG, ENERGIZED, CHRISTIAN, LEADERS are coming together! There is a host of new, young, prayerful, and powerful Christian leaders emerging in our community. Several meet together on a monthly basis to encourage one another, share ideas, pray. Several new initiatives are underway as these leaders begin to birth their ideas and pursue their passions
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SHAREFEST was another huge succuess this year- not just in what it accomplished in the the District 205 buildings in which we worked, but in bringing together diverse people to make a difference in our community in Jesus name. What a wonderful effort! Worthy of even wider community support.
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HABITAT FOR HUMANITY is another summer effort, one with a long, long history, of not only providing a very significant service to the community in building homes for folks who otherwise could never afford one, but bringing people together in the name of Christ to do it.
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The Christian Community Development Association is a national group that promotes community transformation in God's love by promoting relocation, redistribution, and reconciliation. Locally, a group has been coming together to advance these principles and engage more people in the process. A wide diversity of folks is involved.
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CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS... It seems like such a likely pairing. But over the years, such partnerships have been few and far between. But that seems to be changing...
- Rockford Partners for Excellence is an outgrowth of a training on non-violent responce to community need, done in November of 2009. The group is brand new, working on vision and mission. For now the focus is to help the West Middle School community in any way that community needs help. The group is mostly made up of a wide diversity of Christian folks, seeking to live out the call to love and serve. We envision helping at West as long as needed, and serving in other places as well down the road, using the lessons learned in the training.
- Alignment Rockford is a broad based coalition of community partners of all sorts, seeking to offer help to the entire Rockford School District. Churches, pastors, and ministries have been asked and are preparing to be part of that serving team.
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One response to the divisiveness of the Mark Barmore shooting was the Concert for Peace and Unity that the Rockford Ministers Fellowship held in October, hosted by Heartland Community Church. It was a wonderful evening, made more so by the cooperation evident in the event. While the Ministers fellowship could have pulled it off alone, or Heartland could have offered it on their own, the very fact that they chose to cooperated on the event made it so much more powerful and synergystic. It was a clear picture of what happens when the Body of Christ works together for the common good! An awesome, wonderful evening...
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In the aftermath of the Barmore case, numerous marches, rallies, and meetings have ensued. While it is too soon to say what lasting impact these will have, it has been heartening to see the wide spread concern and interest as demonstrated by the pastors and ministers attending and participating. In particular, a gathering for clergy and ministers at 1st Presbyterian Church saw well over 100 clergy gather to hear and interact with Rev. Jesse Jackson. It was the largest and most diverse gathering of clergy in my 26 years in Rockford. Sad that it takes a tragedy, but good that we are getting together.
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The summer found countless opportunities for church cooperation: Sharefest, Habitat for Humanity, the Paintathon, Tools for Schools, and others. It's not that such cooperation doesn't happen the rest of the year, it's just more prevelant and obvious. We applaud all efforts made to work together, bringing honor to Christ.
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The main floor of the Coronado was nearly full as people from a wide variety of church traditions gathered on May 7 to pray together on the National Day of Prayer. The worship band alone (awesome!) was made up of people from 6 or 7 congregations!
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Several pastors from different traditions met recently for a day of prayer together at Day Spring Farms in Capron, IL. I was able to share lunch and vision with them, the same vision basically for their community that we have for ours- and much of it dependent on the trust and friendship that comes as we pray and work together.
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A new crew of Christian leaders is pulling together Concerts of Prayer, three times a year in the Rockford area. The beautiful thing is the diversity and the friendship and the common ground.
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Churches in the Rockford area are being challenged to give a day of service to their immediate neighborhoods in conjunction with the efforts of Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful spring clean-up, April 25.
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Churches in Boone County are partnering up with ministries and agencies in Boone and Winnebago to address the growing need of the homeless.
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Christian leaders from a wide spectrum of churches are meeting to discuss how the church can and should respond to the growing economic downturn
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Four downtown Rockford churches have united to form a community development organization for their common neighborhood!
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Tools for Schools is again gathering schools supplies for children that can't afford them. The effort is underway, and is facilitated by Love INC, Life Center, and numerous local congregations
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Nelson School Project is an effort of three churches and several other community partners to rehab John Nelson School in time for the 100th anniversary celebration of this school this fall. (Update- 4-1-09: a local Foundation is still working with Nelson to replace old carpeting)
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Freedom Schools established a Rockford presence last summer (2008) under the leadership of several local congregations, working together.
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Sharefest was bigger than ever last summer (2008), with Heartland Community Church again taking the lead. and several other churches and community partners joining in. Thousands of volunteers gave time an effort to three public schools
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After "hibernating" for some time, there is movement to revive the local youth ministry network, and not a moment too soon! New youth ministers with a heart for networking are emerging! This is much needed!
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A group of churches in Boone County have organized the "Community Missions Team" It is an attempt to bring together individuals and resources from different congregations in Boone County, to address the ministry and social needs of the community. We will do what we can to assist.
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"The Clergy Leaders Forum" is the name selected for the gathering of those that head up the four local clergy fellowships / associations (see story below). At a recent meeting of the group, the question was raised as to how the combined clergy of our area could lend support / aid / encouragement to civic leaders and to civic problems. Leaders are being contacted. People of faith need to follow God, and take the lead in transforming our communities.
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A small but determined army of volunteers tackled the mess left from the second "hundred-year-flood" in under a year. It was/is a heartbreaking mess. The good news was seeing people working together. In one basement, the five people working represented male/female, black/white, younger/older, and five congregations- Christ United Methodist, House of Refuge, First Evangelical Free, Forest City Fellowship, and Caledonia Congregational.
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