PTS Thank You!

The 17th Annual Plant the Seed Dinner, held on May 8 at the MSU Strand Union Ballroom, was the largest ever!  A record-setting 634 people enjoyed an evening together, celebrating God's work through Love INC and the 43 partner churches in Gallatin County. 

What a showcase of creativity the partner churches displayed through their wonderfully created Theme Packages which were offered in a Silent Auction!  Additionally, several generous businesses and individuals contributed attractive items for the Silent Auction.

The purpose of Plant the Seed is to provide funds to grow the partner churches' outreach ministry through Love INC to people in need in our area over the coming months.  We look forward to a harvest of lives touched by the love of Christ as demonstrated tangibly by His people... and transformation through that love.  The dinner also provides a great venue for thanking God for His blessings as Christians from so many churches gather together, united around the same purpose: to reach out and serve our neighbors who are going through a difficult time.

Contributions are still being received from Plant the Seed via the mail, but the preliminary results show an offering of more than $28,300.  The Silent Auction totaled more than $12,850.  

Coming soon!!  A Bid-At-Home Auction will be coming within the next couple of weeks for everyone to participate in bidding on some great items if you were not able to attend the dinner.  Look for it in your mailbox!  If you are not on our mailing list, call the office and request to be added: 587-3008.

Love in the Kitchen

What do food and finances have in common?  Gallatin County Love INC is offering a fun and practical course, "Love in the Kitchen: Basics of Eating Healthy on a Budget."  Start saving money and eating healthier.  Learn to see food and finances in a new light.  Catch some principles of wholeness and well-being from a Christian perspective, too!  Includes kitchen time with a mentor.  The course runs on Tuesday evenings, May 15 - June 26, 6:30-8:30 p.m. in Bozeman.  To go deeper, plan now to also attend the follow-up course, "The Role of Food in Good Health." 

Registration is required and space is limited.  Application deadline: April 24, 2012.  Call soon: 587-3008 (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.).

Note: If you would like to serve as a mentor for this course, a few positions are still open.  Show someone how to cook by a recipe and stretch their food budget.  Have fun sharing your skills and life experience!  YOU are needed to help another person grow.  For more information, email (without the spaces): loveincoffice @ yahoo.com

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

Bozeman United Methodist Youth

The Bozeman United Methodist Youth recently went on a "scavenger hunt" for Love INC.  This large and enthusiastic group was seeking donations to be used as incentives for Change Your Life students.  (Incentives are offered to the CYL students for coming to class on regularly and on time.)

The BUMC youth did a fantastic job in acquiring goodies and encouraging the CYL students to make positive changes!  Many thanks to the United Methodist youth and all the generous residents of Bozeman who gave of their own resources to help others change their lives for the better!

Change Your Life currently has two classes running: Finding Financial Freedom and Resolving Everyday Conflict. There's a place for you to serve! If you are a member of a local Christian church and would like to help behind the scenes or work directly with an adult who is trying to acquire a healthier way of living - materially, financially, relationally, socially, emotionally and perhaps even spiritually, contact Love INC (email loveincoffice @ yahoo.com).  Administrative assistants, set up and clean up helpers, childcare workers, transportation providers, mentors and instructors are needed - there's a place for you to love God and your neighbor through this program.

Plant the Seed Plans

Several Love INC Church Ministry Coordinators met together recently to discuss and plan their activities for the 2012 Plant the Seed Dinner.  CMC Lois Hill (E-Free) invited the group to meet at her church on February 11 for a light brunch and planning.  The group had a devotional time and discussion, planned for Plant the Seed Dinner hosts and auction theme packages, and shared ideas and helpful tips with one another.

Many thanks to Lois and E-Free Church for their hospitality! 

We're all looking forward to Plant the Seed Dinner which will be held on May 8 at the MSU Strand Union Ballroom.

The dinner will feature incredible Theme Packages created by partner churches (led by their CMCs) as part of an amazing silent auction.  Enjoy fellowship with more than 500 Christians from partner churches!   Invite your friends - hear the wonderful stories of clients' lives transformed through the new Change Your Life program.  Support Love INC - our churches' shared outreach ministry. 

Plan now to attend!

Table reservations may be made by emailing loveincoffice @ yahoo.com (no spaces) or calling 587-3008 for information and a reservation package.

News & More

A great big "Thank You!" to everyone who helped Love INC reach its $19,000 goal during December.  Your generosity enables Love INC to begin 2012 on good financial footing, especially as the "Change Your Life" program continues to grow.  Your Gallatin County neighbors and fellow Christians thank you for supporting this joint ministry of 43 partner churches!

Opportunities! 
If one of your New Year's resolutions was to put your faith into action, touch lives with Christ's love, and/or challenge yourself, Love INC has perfect opportunities for you to realize your goal!  Here is a list of non-threatening places you can move forward in your walk with Christ:

• Be a Christian friend, encourager and accountability-person:  2 hrs/wk for 6-10 weeks.  Change a life!
• Give a ride to a student who is coming to Love INC classes:  1 hr. (do it once, or several weeks)
• Do phone calling to schedule volunteer drivers: work from home 1-2 hrs./wk for 6-8 weeks.  Be the reason students will get help and have hope!
• Be Christ's voice for a hurting person on the phone:  2 hrs./wk; training and apprenticeship provided, min. 6 month commitment
• Back office support (various clerical tasks; jobs tailored to your interests): min. 1 hr./wk.; flexible scheduling
• Call Love INC volunteers with reminders or current requests: 1-2 hrs./wk. or as needed; flexible scheduling
• Drop off 1 item for the Personal Care Pantry each month: dish soap, paper towels, tissue, shampoo, diapers, toilet paper, detergent, hand lotion, chapstick - 1 item, 1 time per month; deliver to Love INC office
• Don't hear much about Love INC in your church?  Be an on-the-ground coordinator in your congregation to inspire and rally the troops!  Training provided; hours flexible; one 1-hr. meeting per month
• Be a Love INC prayer intercessor: receive weekly prayer requests via email

There is something here for everyone here!  Be a doer of the word!  Live life as Christ provides and expects! 

Love INC has people waiting for Christians to provide the answers and the help they need and want.  They are "on hold" until we can find someone who cares.  Please help!

Together, we will bring hope, healing, tangible help and faith into hurting lives of Gallatin County residents!

Call 587-3008 or email loveincoffice @ yahoo.com (no spaces in the email address) for more information or to get started today!

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.