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AFRICA DESTINY LEAHY Tell me more about your mission? I am the Global Ministry Director for Africa at MOPS International. MOPS stands for Mothers of Preschoolers, and we reach moms around the world, encouraging and equipping them to realize their potential as mothers, women and leaders in relationship with Jesus Christ and in partnership with the local church. We believe that better moms make a better world. Within the region of MOPS Africa, I am reaching over 5000 women, in 200 groups, in 17 countries across the continent. I believe this ministry has the potential to change the cycle of poverty in Africa when moms are given resources, skills, and knowledge to raise their children well. My largest role in this ministry is to oversee a leadership team of 18 women who are our country- and regional- coordinators, by training, coaching, and providing them with curriculum and materials for them to bring out to the MOPS groups in their region. What are some victories I can celebrate with you? MOPS Africa has grown ten-fold in the last four years. We now have an established and thriving leadership team, who meet with me on a monthly basis for training and prayer. We also have a large network of MOPS Africa local coordinators that interact on a group forum, sharing victories, photos, prayer requests, and encouragement. Since I began overseeing the continent, we have released several curriculum specifically designed to reach the impoverished mothers we serve. This curriculum has been translated and distributed to our 200 groups across Africa, and helps our local coordinators facilitate meetings that teach practical mothering skills and provide essential space for moms to open up and share about the joys and challenges of motherhood, all while guiding them closer to Jesus. What are some of the challenges you face? Living stateside while serving globally has a host of challenges. There are limited opportunities for travel to meet and train groups face to face, and with the recent pandemic it has come to a halt. We have managed to utilize technology as much as possible, but there are major hurdles when using Zoom and other internet based programs, including internet coverage and cost for local leaders. How can I pray for you? There are a variety of decisions I have to make on a regular basis, many times without past experience or ministry protocol. I covet prayers for wisdom and focus to continue to walk in the direction God is leading in this ministry. How can I support you? I have a unique position in the missionary field, because I am not compensated in any way for my time; I do not raise funding for myself. The position I hold is 100% volunteer, and it is my responsibility to raise the funding needed to sustain the projects and recurring costs for the MOPS Africa budget. Therefore, all support and donations made to this ministry go directly back to the MOPS groups I serve. I am honored to be able to donate my time and focus to supporting this growing region of the world. You can make a tax-deductible donation here: https://mops.givingfuel.com/mops-africa-fund Where can I learn more? I update what is going on across my groups in this monthly blog - https://mopsafrica.blogspot.com/ . You can also watch a short video of what MOPS Africa is all about here - https://youtu.be/MMstQoxlnt4 . And, you can learn more about MOPS International at https://www.mops.org/ . global missions

Encourage Worship: Musician Encourage Musician on the worship team. 8 hours Monthly, bi-weekly, weekly Monthly, bi-weekly, weekly 20

Assist Alpha: Childcare Assist Provide childcare 3 hours weekly/seasonal Weekly, seasonal 4

Teach Kids: 4th - 5th Grade Teach Followers of Jesus who love fourth and fifth graders and care about their growth and knowledge of Christ. Arrive on Sundays ready to love kids through prepared activities and discussion. 2 hours monthly, bi-weekly, weekly Monthly, bi-weekly, weekly 10

Our Iron Men ministry is focused on creating opportunities and environments for men to connect and have conversations that lead to a deeper relationship with Christ and one another. There are lots of ways for you to jump in with us – we have a monthly dinner, small group Bible studies, regularly scheduled outdoor activities and events, and an annual retreat.  MEN As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17 To enable men to connect with one another, grow in their relationship with Jesus, and make a difference in the world they live in. Our Iron Men ministry is focused on creating opportunities and environments for men to connect and have conversations that lead to a deeper relationship with Christ and one another. There are lots of ways for you to jump in with us – we have a monthly dinner, small group Bible studies, regularly scheduled outdoor activities and events, and an annual retreat. THE IRON MEN CHALLENGE Transform Your Well-being: Beyond Awareness to Lasting Change Many men recognize the need for growth in their physical, relational, mental, and spiritual health, yet true transformation often remains elusive. Traditional avenues like the gym, self help, therapy, church services, Bible studies, and podcasts, while valuable, frequently fall short of producing lasting change. The missing piece? A supportive community that helps men bridge the gap between their aspirations and reality. On the 3rd Monday of each month, we have an Iron Men Connect Night offering live teaching and roundtable discussions focused on Biblical Manhood, fostering growth in Christ's character. Complementing this, are weekly challenges providing exercises that grow you physically, mentally, relationally, and spiritually. And for even deeper accountability and community, we offer Life Groups that meet at the church on Tuesdays. It's time to move beyond knowing what to do and start living it. UPCOMING EVENTS Iron Men Outdoors is a faith-driven community of men bonded by their love for nature and a shared spiritual journey. Through outdoor adventures like camping, hiking, and kayaking, they form strong connections while finding solace and spiritual growth in the beauty of the natural world. It's a brotherhood that combines faith and the great outdoors to inspire and empower men for fulfilling lives. Join us for one of our monthly events. JOIN GROUP CONTACT JOIN AN IRON MEN GROUP

EMPOWER: Church Planting In March 1989, a group of 40 individuals, led by Pastor Paul Abbott, answered God's call to establish Cedarbrook Community Church in Western Montgomery County. Their mission was clear: to make disciples of all nations and baptize people in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. This legacy of faith starts before Cedarbrook's founding, as our church was birthed from another congregation with the same fervent commitment to God's mission. Cedarbrook is a testament to generations of believers who have faithfully obeyed the Great Commission. For 35 years, Cedarbrook has faithfully ministered the gospel to with new generations and diverse cultures. However, despite our rich history, we've yet to plant a new church. It's time to rekindle our original passion and embrace the core of our mission: to help people become radical Christ-followers, to bring the Good News, and to bridge Christ's love to those who don't know Him. Consider this statement from Tim Keller: “The vigorous, continual planting of new congregations is the single most crucial strategy for (1) the numerical growth of the body of Christ in a city and (2) the continual corporate renewal and revival of the existing churches in a city. Nothing else—not crusades, outreach programs, parachurch ministries, growing megachurches, congregational consulting, nor church renewal processes—will have the consistent impact of dynamic, extensive church planting. This is an eyebrow-raising statement, but to those who have done any study at all, it is not even controversial.” From experience and research, we know new churches best reach new generations, new residents, and new people groups. It’s how Cedarbrook initial grew and continues to grow. But with the number of Christians in our area is continually shrinking, our strategy must change to continue to be mission focused. How can Cedarbrook capitalize on this knowledge? Embrace a Missional Culture: We must transition from individual missional activities of service to a corporate missional focus. Enable Church Planting: Actively support church planters and new church starts to reach unreached people groups beyond our current capacity locally and globally. Foster Generosity: Cultivate a spirit of open-handed giving to revitalize the entire body of Christ in our area. Embracing a Missional Culture To cultivate a missional culture, we must actively engage our communities beyond the walls of the church. This involves building authentic relationships with non-believers and viewing every interaction as an opportunity to share the Gospel. Rather than solely focusing on the church as a place of worship, we must equip and empower individuals to become missionaries in their daily lives. Goals Q3: Establish partnerships with other churches and organizations to expand missional impact Q4: 75% of church members will be able to articulate and apply the church's mission, vision, and values to their daily lives Enable Church Planting A church can enable church planting by actively supporting potential planters through training, providing financial resources, identifying potential new church locations, fostering a culture of outreach and evangelism within the existing congregation, and encouraging members to participate in the planting process by volunteering time and talent to new church initiatives. Goals Q2: Expose the church to the necessity of faithful churches in gospel starved areas Q2: Identify area(s) locally and globally for Cedarbrook to plant churches Q3: Identify potential church planters within the congregation and equip them for the task Q4: Partner with established church planting networks to leverage their resources and expertise Foster Generosity Financial support will always be one of church planting’s greatest needs. The end goal is always for the new local congregation to become financially self-sustaining in time. In order to be a church planting church, it’s important for us hold our resources with an open hand and be ready to willingly give toward God’s work outside our own walls. Q3: Have a church planting seed fund as part of the budget Q4: Provide initial financial support to help new churches get started or offer ongoing financial assistance for operational costs, staff salaries, and ministry expenses for newly planted churches in our target areas GIVE

WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN P & J BELL Tell me more about your mission? We are working through East-West Ministries in the Western Mediterranean to help engage, evangelize and empower local believers in the region to go and transform their communities with the Good News of Jesus Christ. We, along with our regional teams, are praying for God to shift this geographically strategic region from “receiving” to “sending” laborers back into His harvest field of unreached people in North Africa and Europe. Due to security concerns of working in this area of the world, we cannot use our full names on public websites. What are some victories I can celebrate with you? After our quick move in the fall of 2020, we have made several local friends - from a kabab shop owner with four wives, to a younger man who recently became a believer and now reads with P weekly. What are some of the challenges you face? Adjustment to a new culture, a new language, and all of the complications of doing that in a world-wide pandemic. How can I pray for you? Please pray for revival in the region we serve, unity among believers on our team, and our marriage. How can I support you? https://www.eastwest.org/udm-9583/ Where can I learn more? eastwest.org global missions

Assist ESOL: Events - Setup and Tear Down Support Assist set up and tear down the classroom environments. 2.5 hours weekly Weekly 2

Find Alpha: Hospitality/Greeter Find Greet participants arriving for Alpha events. 3 hours weekly/seasonal weekly, seasonal 7

Week 9 MEETING GUIDE

When your kids spend a Sunday with us, they’ll have an incredible time singing, playing games, and learning something new! The Promiseland kids program is available for kids from birth through 5th grade. Each week you’ll head home with a kid who’s been loved on and learned more about Jesus. Also,  we’ll give you tools to guide you in talking about God at home. CHILDREN When your kids spend a Sunday with us, they’ll have an incredible time singing, playing games, and learning something new! The Promiseland kids program is available for kids from birth through 5th grade. Each week you’ll head home with a kid who’s been loved on and learned more about Jesus. Also, we’ll give you tools to guide you in talking about God at home. WHAT WE ARE LEARNING IN MAY God is in control of everything — even the weather! Nothing catches God off guard. The weather may be unpredictable to us, but it’s never outside His command. He is all-powerful and always prepared, even when we are not. No matter what the skies above are like, we can rest knowing that God remains sovereign over it all. VOLUNTEER CONTACT

Encourage Worship: Photographer Encourage Photographer to take pictures at worship services, ministry events, and other church activities. 2 hours monthly Monthly 5