Christmas Gift for Love INC

Love INC and our neighbors in need have received a wonderful Christmas gift -- the offer of matching funds!  The matching fund pool, made possible by several generous donors, now totals $19,000!   The matching funds help all of us support the Love INC ministry into the new year.  Any donations received between Thanksgiving and Dec. 31, up to $19,000, will be matched!

Here's how it works:  any donation up to $100 will be matched; so if you give $100 to Love INC, another $100 will be given from the match.  However, for donations over $100, they will be matched 1.5 times!  So, if you give $200, it will be matched with $300 from the matching funds!

Help Love INC receive all of the $19,000 offered in the matching funds!

Love INC serves a vital purpose in our community: mobilizing churches, connecting volunteers to serve, helping our neighbors in need, transforming lives all around.  A $1 donation to Love INC results in over $4 of goods and services given to people in need right here in Gallatin County.

All donations are tax deductible and may be sent to: Gallatin County Love INC; PO Box 7117; Bozeman, MT  59771.  

Thank you!  We pray God blesses you as we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ!

Christmas Shoppe for Kids

Love INC partner, Hope Lutheran Church, will offer its annual Children's Christmas Shoppe on Saturday, Dec. 3, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Local children, ages 4-10, are invited to come, pick out and wrap up to 5 gifts for their family members.  Gifts are new and provided free of charge to children from families in need.

Hope Lutheran volunteers will help children select and wrap the gifts.  Adults who come with the kids will receive coffee/juice and cookies while their children shop.

Love INC works with Hope Lutheran Church by creating and mailing invitations for the Children's Christmas Shoppe to 250 Love INC client families.  Many thanks to Hope Lutheran for this wonderful gift to families in our area. 

For more information, contact the church:  586-7154.

Christmas Open House

The Love INC office will host its annual Open House on December 8, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.  Come and enjoy some Christmas goodies (provided by Love INC volunteers), visit with the staff, and tour the Love INC ministry center (all dressed up in Yuletide decor)!

Are you a member of a partner church?  Are you a volunteer for Love INC?  A supporter?  Or, just a resident of Gallatin County?  Have you ever wondered what the Love INC office looks like?  This is a ministry hub of 43 partner churches' outreach ministries - come take a peek! 

Drop in, wander around, enjoy some refreshments, and see what the church volunteers are doing to transform lives in Gallatin County!  See you on December 8!

Please Pray

One of Love INC's beloved and extremely hard-working staff members was recently admitted to E.R., then hospitalized with a serious medical issue that will require surgery. She is currently on antibiotics, and has been told to rest up and recuperate for 4-6 weeks in preparation for the surgery.

Please pray for our staff member! She is in pain and facing a serious surgery. Please pray for her recovery from infection, and strength and healing.

New National Love INC Heads

Nancy VanDyken, Executive Director of Gallatin County Love INC, has been selected as one of three people to co-lead the national Love INC organization.  She is serving in this position along with two other individuals as Co-Directors of the national Love INC movement.  She will continue to serve, also, as the Executive Director of our local Love INC here in Bozeman.

To lead the national organization, instead of one person as CEO, Love INC decided to put in place a three-person top Executive Team, each with a primary focus.  Nancy will be responsible for new affiliate development -- bringing Love INC's to reality from conception to actual operation in communities around the county, and, as God provides, internationally.

As part of her responsibility, Nancy will travel to Nairobi on Sept. 22-Oct. 9 to provide equipping and training for five affiliates that are forming there, involving many churches and denominations.  Once trained, these affiliates will run themselves as their own grassroots organizations, without external monetary or personnel involvement.

As many of you are aware, the National Love INC headquarters and organization has undergone a complete restructuring.  As a result, new people were hired to provide leadership.  Nancy was hired in mid-June and intends to focus a portion of her efforts on forming Love INCs in other Montana communities.  Please keep her in your prayers, and contact her if you have any friends or contacts in other Montana communities that may be interested in starting a Love INC in their area. 

Pray for Livingston!  The initial work has begun to form a Love INC there.

Help Love INC & Have Fun at the Bozeman Maze!

 

Love INC Benefit Nights at the Bozeman Maze!

Date:  Tues., Oct. 11 (full moon); 3-8:30 p.m.
          Weds., Oct. 12, 6-8:30 p.m.

Bring your family and friends to the Bozeman Maze just off of N. 7th Ave. in Bozeman for a great time and support Love INC.  On these dates, 50% of the ticket proceeds will go directly to Love INC!

The fun includes:
Straw Bale Maze
Mini Train for kids to ride
Pumpkins
Kids Maze
Straw Bale Tractor for Kids

Corn Box (like a sandbox)

Photo Opportunities

Refreshments

New!  Bungee Trampoline!

Maze admission: $6/person.  Children 4 and under are free with an adult.  Some activities and refreshments are sold separately.

Location:  At the end of Mandeville Lane behind Murdoch's off N. 7th Ave.

Idea!  Youth Leaders and Groups:  Let's get together!  Join with other youth groups from around the valley at the Love INC Benefit Night at the Maze on Wednesday night (Oct. 12)!  Win a special cake for the being the youth group with the most people who complete the maze!

For more info about the Bozeman Maze, visit http://www.bozemanmaze.com/ or call 388-7818.

Be a Friend and Change a Life!

Change Your Life, a self-help ministry program of skills training and one-on-one mentoring coupled with tangible rewards and incentives, is gearing up for the fall! Each participant needs a Christian friend - someone who will walk alongside them, support them with prayer and encouragement, hold them accountable, and help that person clarify their own goals. We call these Christian friends, "mentors."

Mentors are asked to serve for about 8-12 weeks, depending on the class that the participant/student is taking. The time commitment is about one hour, once a week. Change Your Life meets on Tuesday nights in Bozeman; mentors meet with their participants from 7:30-8:30 p.m., following the participants' attendance in their classroom instruction. Training is provided; all mentoring occurs in a structured environment under one roof.

Can you serve Christ, share your Christian worldview, encourage someone who is learning news ways of approaching life, and who is waiting for you to be their mentor? We have a waiting list of participants/students who need you!

Course offerings this fall: Finding Financial Freedom (money management), Becoming a More Powerful Person (character development), and Divorce Care for Kids (emotional recovery from parent loss through divorce or abandonment) with an accompanying course for the parent. Mentors are needed for the adult participants of these courses who are counting on Gallatin County Christians to be there for them.

Call Love INC (587-3008) or email rmloveinc @ yahoo.com (no spaces in the email address), put your faith in action and help change a life (it might even be your own!).

Note: All Love INC ministry workers, including mentors, are volunteers who must be members or regular attenders of a local Christian church and agree with the faith expressed by the Apostles' Creed (which includes faith in the Trinity, the two natures of Jesus Christ: fully God and fully man, and the bodily Resurrection of Christ). All Change Your Life mentors must pass a criminal background check.

Clothes Closet: Clothing Only, Please

The Love INC Clothes Closet is a ministry designed to provide wearable clothing for men, women, youth and children as a way to help during hard times. This ministry provides a needed boost for many people by providing the clothing for free.

YOU can help us out! A trend is developing that endangers the continuation of the Clothes Closet ministry. We want to keep it running! Last year the Clothes Closet served more than 7,400 people -- our neighbors right here in Gallatin County!

Here is the threat to the continuation of the Clothes Closet: people dumping at the door during off-hours.

As one example: this week, someone dumped many heavy bags of unusable "stuff" that they wanted to get rid of, leaving it at our door. The "stuff" even included open paint cans and their yellow footprints. Someone -- a Love INC volunteer! -- had to make a special trip, pick all this up, load it into their personal pickup truck and haul it away. This "stuff" filled their entire pickup, leaked paint into the truck, and the volunteer spent his evening hauling it all away for whoever left it at our door.

YOU can help us out in countering this threat to the continued operation of the Clothes Closet. First, please, please, do not dump at our door. The Clothes Closet is only open with limited hours, and people just like you come and volunteer their time to make it run. We have only volunteers who run the Closet during those limited hours -- there is no staff, nor anyone else around to sort through and dispose of "stuff" dumped at our door.  Can you spread the word, too?

We appreciate and welcome the good-condition clothing that people donate so we can run the Clothes Closet. This is a blessing to hundreds of families and individuals in our area. However, again because only a small team of volunteers do all the work during just a few hours per month, it is very difficult for those people to sort out all the unusable clothing and other "things" that people have begun to drop off at the Clothes Closet.

Stained, torn, ragged, well-worn and seriously out of date clothing are not usable. The volunteers who come to work for a few hours end up personally bagging up unusable clothing, and everything that is not clothing. They then have to haul it to their own garbage cans at home, or take it somewhere. Please, help our volunteers out. They volunteer their time.  The job of sorting out really poor, unusable clothing (and non-clothing "stuff") is becoming a very heavy burden.

Please spread the word to people you know. Love INC's Clothes Closet is not a thrift store. It is not a place to dump non-clothing items a person no longer wants. It is a special clothing ministry to demonstrate tangible love to people who need good, wearable clothing and cannot buy it. Please, help the Love INC volunteers who enjoy their work but don't want to drown in throw-away "stuff."

Thank you for making the Clothes Closet possible! This is a wonderful ministry touching thousands of lives! Our volunteers love serving there and we want the Clothes Closet to continue to thrive!

Ministry Opportunity: Bookkeeper

If you have bookkeeping/accounting skills and experience, a critical, behind-the-scenes ministry is waiting for you at Love In the Name of Christ! 

Use your bookkeeping/accounting skills to serve Christ by working at the Love INC ministry center as bookkeeper a few times a month.  Record transactions, prepare payroll and generate financial reports, using Quickbooks.  Training provided.  Hours flexible.

Please consider this worthwhile opportunity to serve Christ!  Give the gift of your time and be blessed richly.  Your service will enable the operation of our local outreach ministry that helps hundreds of our neighbors in need!  Give Love INC a call; or email loveincoffice @ yahoo.com (no spaces in email address) for more information. 

This is a volunteer position.  All Love INC volunteers must be members of a local Christian church and agree with the faith expressed by the Apostles' Creed (which includes faith in the Trinity, the two natures of Jesus Christ: fully God and fully man, and the bodily Resurrection of Christ).

Love INC Mission Statement

At the National Love INC Board meeting in June, the mission statement of Love INC was modified, although for Gallatin County Love INC, the new mission is the same one anyone involved with Love In the Name of Christ has known all along.

The new mission statement changed two words, replacing "the Church" with "local churches" - which highlights that local churches are the heartbeat and owners of Love INC.  Here is how the new mission statement reads:

The mission of Love INC is to mobilize local churches to transform lives and communities in the Name of Christ.

You will soon see the new mission statement on our brochures and, if you visit the office, on our wall.  The change was unanimously adopted by the National Board.

Picnic for Volunteers!

Calling all Love INC volunteers!   You should have received a postcard in the mail inviting you to the Love INC Volunteer Picnic at Beall Park on Thursday, August 25.  This is your reminder notice!

All volunteers who have signed a Talent Tithe are invited.  Bring your family!  All-beef hot dogs, chili and beverages will be supplied by Love INC.  Please bring a salad or dessert to share.  The picnic begins at 6 p.m. at the Beall Recreation Center (415 N. Black in Bozeman).   This is a celebratory and relaxed, informal gathering. 

Come visit with the board and staff of Love INC and your fellow volunteers.  Hope to see you there!

New Staff

Love INC thanks God for providing highly skilled, experienced and motivated Christians to assume two key leadership positions - the Relational Ministry Coordinator and the Operations Manager.  Both positions are high level, full-time positions reporting directly to the Executive Director.

Dawn Long has been hired as Relational Ministry Coordinator.  Dawn replaces Lee Ellingson who has moved to Oklahoma.  Dawn assumes responsibility for building and overseeing the Change Your Life program, including mentor recruitment and training, promotions of the program, client casework and church/pastor relations for Change Your Life.  She brings management, organization and mentor-oversight experience to Love INC.  Dawn attends Journey Church in Bozeman.

Elizabeth Tritthart joins Love INC as its Operational Manager.  This is a new position at Love INC with the responsibility of managing daily operations both within the ministry center and some various field locations, including staff supervision and training, volunteer training/oversight, systems and process analysis, and operational efficacy.  Liz brings a wealth of entrepreneurial, management and IT skills and experience to her position.  She is a member of the Evangelical Free Church in Bozeman.

Both Dawn and Liz began their work in August and, due to the heavy press of current needs and activities, have hit the ground running! Please pray for them as they take on this significant ministry work, and pray for Love INC as we seek to follow God's will in this ministry of, for and by the local Christian churches of Gallatin County.

Ministry Opportunity: Local "Mission" Work!

Love INC's "Change Your Life" relational ministry program (classes, mentoring, real homework, rewards and more) is helping residents of Gallatin County make improvements in many facets of their lives.

You can be a part of this significant and meaningful ministry!  Right now, we have openings for people to:

• Set up and/or take down classroom tables and arrange chairs
• Bring snacks for adults and children
• Make coffee

These simple tasks are a way for you to give to others in the Name of Christ.  With your help, our teachers can focus on providing excellent instruction, mentors who volunteer their time can focus on the people they are helping, and the Change Your Life participants can fully experience the love of many caring Christians. 

Can you serve Christ behind the scenes once a week (Tuesday evening)?  Call Love INC or email rmloveinc @ yahoo.com (with no spaces in the email address) to discover how you can be a part of compassionate Christian outreach -- an outreach that transforms the lives of your neighbors.

Note: All Love INC volunteers must be members of a local Christian church and agree with the faith expressed by the Apostles' Creed (which includes faith in the Trinity, the two natures of Jesus Christ: fully God and full man, and the bodily Resurrection of Christ).

 

Vehicles for Clients

A donated car received by Love INC

Love INC accepts used vehicles in good, working condition (no major repairs, please) to place with clients who are either (a) working hard in the Change Your Life ministry, or (b) have an unrepeatable emergency that has left them without a must-have means of transportation (usually a medical crisis in an otherwise functioning family). 

If you have a used vehicle that you could donate to Love INC, this donation is tax deductible according to the law (consult your tax advisor).  We would appreciate receiving a few cars now, in anticipation of the progress of Change Your Life clients in the next few months.  Right now, we have no vehicles on hand.

Please consider making a life-changing difference in your neighbor's life - please consider donating a used vehicle that still is in good, working condition with no major engine repairs needed.  Call Love INC 587-3008 and ask for Jim, or email loveincoffice @ yahoo.com (no spaces in the email address). 

Note: We cannot accept vehicles that need engine replacement, major transmission overhaul, etc., because we do not have funds to make these repairs and neither do the clients who need a vehicle.  We can accept cars that only need new tires or some other minor repair (less than $250).  Thank you for understanding!

Now Hiring: Operations Manager

Gallatin County Love INC is now seeking a full-time Operations Manager.  This is a salaried, career-level management position and is comparable to the Chief Operating Officer of a corporation.

The Operations Manager will be responsible for running the daily operations of Love INC, including the ministry center operations and volunteer activities.  Responsibilities include: program oversight and management, human resource development, personnel management, office operations oversight, and planning.  Program-related responsibilities include ministry oversight, planning and development of new and on-going programs, communication, financial and strategic planning, and constituency relations.  

The Operations Manager reports to the Executive Director.

Candidates for this professional leadership position must have a bachelor's degree or higher in business administration, management, organizational leadership, project management, executive level ministry, community development or a related field.  Five years' experience in a managerial or leadership position, which includes personnel management, is required.  Non-profit and/or ministry experience may be helpful but is not required.  Excellent verbal and written communication skills are a must.

Position description and application are available upon request.  Please contact Chiara, Administrative Assistant to the Director, for information:  587-6395 ext. 113. 

This position will remain open until August 1, 2011, or until filled.

Time to Plant!

Plant a Seed of support and watch Love INC grow this year! 

Join the celebration at the 16th Annual Plant the Seed Dinner on May 3. This year’s fundraising banquet will be held at the MSU Strand Union Ballroom. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for the silent auction; the dinner program itself begins at 6:30 p.m.

Reservations for the dinner are now being accepted!  Plant the Seed Dinner is a table-hosted event. Reserve your table today and invite others to join you. Or, get together with some friends and jointly pay for a table! Tables of 8: $200; Tables of 10: $250 ($25/plate). Call Love INC 587-3008 or email loveincoffice @ yahoo . com (no spaces in the email address, though) for information or to reserve a table. Deadline: April 25.

This year you will hear about the significant, new ministry, "Change Your Life." Maybe you'll want to get involved in this life-transforming program.  You will be encouraged learning what God is doing in using 44 partner Christian churches to change lives in Gallatin County!

At this joy-filled event, partner churches will showcase theme packages which their members have designed and created. These packages and other attractive items donated by local businesses and individuals will be auctioned during the evening.

Come at 5:30 p.m. and visit the display booths of Love INC ministries. Fellowship with 500 other Christians from throughout Gallatin Valley.

MSU tells us that the Plant the Seed Dinner is just about their largest banquet each year, and one of the most beautiful (live floral centerpieces!).  Reserve your place today and plant a seed for ministry and help for our neighbors in need!  Call 587-3008 or email loveincoffice @ yahoo dot com.  Deadline for dinner reservations:  April 25.

2011 Leadership Summit in Bozeman

The Commons at Baxter and Love Lane (the home of Love INC partner, Journey Church), will be a host site for the 2011 Global Leadership Summit on August 11-12, 2011.  You are invited to join Journey Church for lunch on Weds., April 6, to learn more about the event, where this year's speakers for the summit will be announced via webcast from the Willow Creek Association.

The 2011 Global Leadership Summit will explore cutting-edge leadership principles, and tackle issues including: motivating others, self-management, team building, managing volunteers, problem solving, decision making and more.  This is a unique opportunity for church staff and leaders to learn from the world's most foremost leadership experts and communicators right here in Bozeman.

At the April 6 luncheon, attendees will have an opportunity to be entered into a drawing to win one of two, free, 2-day passes to the summit (valued at $249 each).  The meal is free, but please RSVP by April 1 to assist the church in planning. Go to www.thecommonsbozeman.com/rsvp to indicate your intention to attend the luncheon.

National Board News

Gallatin County Love INC is an independent affiliate of the national movement of Love In the Name of Christ.  For several years, our Executive Director, Nancy VanDyken, has worn two hats: she has served as the head of our local affiliate and has also served, as needed, as a National Trainer with the Love INC national office/movement.

With the closing of the national office, additional tasks and responsibilities have been given to Nancy, along with the two other national trainers: to help train, advise and guide the new and existing Love INC affiliates around the country.

In late February, all three National Trainers and the Chair of the National Board of Directors met at our Love INC offices in Bozeman to plan: (a) the future direction of Love INC, (b) how to provide needed training and support resources to affiliates, and (c) how to structure and deliver training events for developing affiliates in the immediate future. 

Additionally, at its March 9, 2011, meeting, Nancy was appointed to the National Love INC Board of Directors, along with the other two trainers.  

Gallatin County Love INC is working hard to focus on our mission, live out Love INC's core values, and follow best practices.  The wonderful churches, committed local Board of Directors and wonderful Christians in our area who live out the love of Christ make it possible for Gallatin County to model what being Love INC is all about to many other communities throughout the country. 

Please pray for Nancy as she seeks to continue fully in her role as Executive Director while picking up the extra tasks and responsibilities on the national level.

Plant the Seed Dinner Coming Up

You're invited!  Join the celebration and support Love INC's ministry to local residents in need at the upcoming Plant the Seed Dinner.  This year’s fundraising banquet will be held Tuesday, May 3, at the MSU Strand Union Ballroom.   Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for the silent auction; the dinner program itself begins at 6:30 p.m.

Once again, partner churches will showcase theme packages which their members have designed and created. These packages and other attractive items will be auctioned during the evening. 

Come at 5:30 p.m. and visit the display booths of Love INC ministries.  Fellowship with 500 other Christians from throughout Gallatin Valley.  MSU tells us that the Plant the Seed Dinner is just about their largest banquet each year, and one of the most beautiful (live floral centerpieces!).

This year you will hear about the significant, new ministry, "Change Your Life."  You won’t want to miss being a part of what God is doing in using 41 partner Christian churches to transform lives in deepening, meaningful ways!

Plant the Seed Dinner is a table-hosted event.  Reserve your table today and invite others to join you. Or, get together with some friends and jointly pay for a table!  Tables of 8: $200; Tables of 10: $250.  Call Love INC 587-3008 or email loveincoffice @ yahoo.com (no spaces in the email address, though) for information or to reserve a table.

This annual event is not only an integral fundraiser for Love INC, it is a celebration of how the members of 41 churches in Gallatin County together serve their needy neighbors in the Name of Christ. Come and share their joy. Please mark May 3 on your calendar.

E-Free to Host Love INC's "CYL"



Christians surround people in need through Change Your Life

 The Evangelical-Free Church in Bozeman has agreed to host (provide the facility) for Love INC's new "Change Your Life" Relational Ministry program!  We thank God, Pastor Jim and Pastor Brett of E-Free, Bobbi, and the entire congregation for making this new ministry possible!

Change Your Life will meet one night each week (6:30-8:30 p.m.).  To enter this 12 to 18-month program, clients are interviewed and contractually commit to regularly attend, actively participate, and do the work needed to meet their own goals.  In this way, it is a "self help" program with responsibility.  But it is more. 

Change Your Life is all about transformation and moving out of a state of neediness through the prayers, love, training/instruction and the committed personal, one-on-one presence of Christian mentors.  People change when they are surrounded by God's people!

Not everyone is a mentor, but every Christian has some kind of role in Change Your Life (perhaps even without leaving your home).

Instructors, mentors, drivers (transportation), reading to a preschooler, helpers for setup/cleanup, "tool time" teachers, greeters, administrative helpers, teaching a craft, delivery persons, snacks providers, helpers to mail and make copies, childcare, suppliers of coffee and tea, trainers, event organizers, team captains, and much more! What would YOU like to do? People who need Christian support, hope and real life are waiting for YOU and YOUR talents.

Call today or email and get involved with Change Your Life.  Isn't it time to share your life, skills, Christian faith, wisdom from experience... even just your hands and time... with someone whose heart is broken, whose life is in crisis and who wants to know someone cares?

Christ cares.  Be a part of His transforming love!  Call Love INC or email loveincoffice@yahoo.com

Next CMC Meeting

To all Love INC Church Ministry Coordinators:  Please mark your calendars and plan to attend the monthly CMC meetings.  The next one is Monday, March 14.  Meetings run an hour and are critical for your role, your church flourishing as a partner, and the Love INC ministry in Gallatin County.  If you cannot attend, please designate someone from your church to attend in your place.

Two of Love INC's core values are:

• We value the Church
• We value relationships to transform lives 

CMC meetings reflect these core values of Love INC.  As a key player in Love INC, the CMC is called to "live out" the core values.  So, CMCs must connect (relate) to enhance outreach ministry (of the churches).  Your insights and participation help others grow and serve in Christ's name. 

Do you know what the "defining difference" of Love INC is?   If you do not, or are unsure, and you are a CMC for your church, you need to be at this next meeting!  March 14, 6:30 p.m.  We are using the facilities at Bozeman 7th Day Adventist Church (one block north of Main St. on 15th Ave., in Bozeman).  See you there!

Recuperating

The Love INC staff person who had been hospitalized with severe pneumonia has recovered enough to be able to return home for further recuperation.  

Many thanks for your prayers!  Please thank God for His mercy and healing.

Behind the Scenes

Serve Christ behind the scenes in the Love INC ministry office!  Current positions open:

     Receptionist - 10 a.m. to Noon, Wednesdays
     General Office (Clerical) Worker - 10 a.m. to Noon, Mondays  OR  Noon to 2 p.m., Mondays

You have skills and talents to offer!  These volunteer positions offer a great opportunity to work among fellow Christians and serve others through administrative support "behind the scenes." 

Experience the joy of serving Christ through Love INC!  Contact the office today for details.
Email: loveincoffice @ yahoo.com  (no spaces, though, in the email address).

All Love INC volunteers must be members of a local Christian church and agree with the faith expressed by the Apostles' Creed (which includes faith in the Trinity and the two natures of Jesus Christ: fully God and full man).

Staff Update

Our staff member who has been in ICU for many days has been slowly and steadily improving.  She is breathing without a respirator and has regained consciousness, and now has been moved to a regular hospital room.  The condition had been life threatening, so we are grateful for your many prayers!

Please continue to pray for much needed strength, continued healing and complete recovery.

Urgent Prayer Request

Please pray for one of Love INC's staff who was hospitalized a few days ago with pneumonia.  Her condition has not improved. Tonight, Feb. 18, she was moved into ICU, with "substantial" pneumonia in both lungs.  One lung has collapsed. 

For those of you on the Love INC prayer chain, this is the person who prepared and sent out those prayer requests on behalf of others.  Now we are requesting your prayers for this beloved member of our staff.  Her situation is very serious.  She needs healing from the Great Physician.  Please intercede for her.

National Restructuring

Gallatin County Love INC is an independent non-profit organization, registered in the State of Montana.  It is also affiliated with a national movement called, "Love In the Name of Christ."  This national movement has been guided by the work of a national Board of Directors and a national headquarters (an office with staff).  The national office has provided resources, held up best practices, offered training, and promoted the vision of Love INC across the country.  Still, Gallatin County Love INC is its own local non-profit; as a network of Gallatin County Christian churches that work together to meet needs in our own community, we are governed and run totally on a local basis.  Local volunteers serve their neighbors in need through the ministry of Gallatin County Love INC.  Our funds are raised locally and used to serve local residents. 

There is news on the national level, though: the national headquarters office closed at the end of January.  This closing was due to a lack of funding for the national office. 

Clients, volunteers, supporters, staff and partner churches of Gallatin County Love INC will not experience a change in our local operations.  We plan to continue to grow Relational Ministry throughout 2011 and to continue to serving our neighbors in need through the generous time, talents and resources of local Christians and their churches.   Gallatin County Love INC is healthy and growing, thanks be to God!

Although the national office has closed, the national organization (the non-profit entity representing the national Love INC movement) is still in existence.  The national Board of Directors is active and working hard to chart a new path forward.  Gallatin County Love INC remains affiliated with this incredible national movement of God's grace.

Additionally, new and developing Love INC affiliates in communities around the country have been assigned mentors from more mature affiliates.  Trainings for new affiliates will be conducted by the three national trainers, one of whom is Gallatin County Love INC's Executive Director, Nancy VanDyken.  The national trainers will take on these responsibilities, in addition to their work as Executive Directors, to ensure that these communities will be able to form viable, functioning Love INCs.  Our Love INC will help provide needed training materials.  In Gallatin County, we are privileged and blessed to be able to assist these fledgling, "baby" Love INCs come into existence and start transforming lives in their own areas of the country.

The national Board of Directors recently sent this message: "We, as a board, are confident that God’s hand is on the Love INC Movement. Although the door has closed on this current version of the national office, we are looking toward the future with hope, faith and anticipation of what wondrous things God has in store for Love INC."

At Gallatin County Love INC, we, too, believe God is guiding Love INC nationally into a new "version" and an exciting future.  There is much work to be done, for there are many hurting souls to be connected with the healing, transforming love of gifted, blessed Christians.

English for Beginners Class

International students, migrant employees and immigrants who want to learn English are invited to an "English for Beginners" class at Grace Bible Church.  This 6-week program starts Saturday, January 22, 2011, and will on Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.  Cost: free!

Registration and English placement testing will be held on Saturday, Jan. 22.

Grace Bible Church is located at 3625 S. 19th Ave. in Bozeman.  The class will be held in rooms 801 and 802.  For more information, call Jim at 587-3879 or email Jspady @ isiwebnet.net (without the spaces in the email address). 

Grace Bible Church is a Love INC partner church; this is a program sponsored, organized and run by Grace Bible Church.

Christian Ed Workshop - Addendum

Here's an addendum to the Teacher Enrichment event at E-Free Church announced in our previous post.  Kathy Braaksma (Resource Room Teacher, Bozeman Public Schools) will be teaching the workshop, "Reaching Children with Special Needs" along with Sherilyn Renner (Reading Intervention Teacher, Bozeman Public Schools).

Christian Ed Teacher Enrichment

The Evangelical Free Church in Bozeman is offering a Teacher Enrichment program, free of charge, to area Christian church school educators, mentors and parents. The event runs from 8:45 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 8, at the church (1701 S. 19th Ave.).  A luncheon keynote speech will be delivered by Jim Carlson, President of Montana Bible College.

Topics include:

• Engaging Attention Getters (Sam Summers, MDiv, Pastor of Spiritual Formation - Journey Church)
• Reaching Children with Special Needs (Sherilyn Renner, Reading Intervention Teacher - Bozeman Public Schools)
• Teaching 101 (Chris Stuckey, Kids' Ministry Director - Journey Church)
• Youth Mission Trips (Ann Dickensheets, Coordinator of Youth & Family Ministries - Bozeman United Methodist Church)
• Make It Memorable (Gus Nollmeyer, Center of Discovery; Highly Effective Teaching)
• Young Adult Panel Discussion (variety of participants)
• Memory Verses, an Important Foundation (Robby Lynne Playle, full-time teaching ministry)
• Mentoring Preschoolers (Robby Lynn Playle)
• Tweens: Gotta Love 'Em (Kelly Krueger, Minister of Youth & Children - Dry Creek Bible Church)

Participants at the event will be able to choose four topics (workshops) to attend.  Registration is required by January 24, 2011.   Call 587-3337 or email fehlberg @ efcb.org (no spaces in the email address, though) to register.

The Evangelical Free Church in Bozeman is a partner of Love INC.  Many of the workshop leaders are members of Love INC partner churches as well.  This event is not a Love INC event, but is organized, sponsored and offered by E-Free Church.