Monthly Newsletter
June 2020
Prepared to Preach
Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching….But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.
- 2 Timothy 4: 2-5 (NLT)
In this last letter from Paul to Timothy, Paul knows he is nearing the end of his life, and as Timothy’s mentor in the faith is giving him some final instructions and encouragement. In some of these last words from Paul, he is only focused on the Good News being shared and the ministry of Jesus Christ continuing through Timothy and those after him. He warns Timothy of what end times will look like and how discouraging life will seem, but continues in these verses to say that sharing the Good News and carrying out the ministry entrusted to him (and us) by God is of utmost importance. He tells us to be prepared to preach, whether the time is favorable or not, and that we should keep a clear mind in every situation….well, Apostle Paul, even though we are feeling a little closer to end times than ever before, we are thankful to have the mind of Christ, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God, to help us out with that whole “keepin’ a clear mind” thing! In fact, we are excited to share the approach our ministry is looking to use in the next month to start getting back to what makes our ministry so uniquely important—preaching the gospel to children and youth.
We have been blessed to react to the unexpected needs of our families in the past several months by delivering food and supplies, holding supply drives, and facilitating donations. We are also thankful to all the other people, ministries, and organizations that have stepped up, minimized the red tape, and have gotten countless people in our community the help they desperately need. Even though we are navigating a difficult time, it is truly a blessing to experience God’s army at work. Thanks to the volunteers and staff at Aldersgate United Methodist Church for blessing COC with food from their Pop the Trunk drive, and to Grace Christian Fellowship for allowing us to do another food drive for our families at the end of the month. Delivering these boxes of food has been a hands-on way for us to build trust with the communities we’re serving as well as provide a visible example of what it means to follow Christ. We hope and pray that through the provisions that have been brought forth in these past months, our families will feel the love of God in their life and respond with open minds and hearts to how God had led us to pursue His ministry and the sharing of His Word.
And now we are prepared to focus on our next amazing opportunity the Lord is presenting: the small group. At COC, we always have large numbers, and it is fun, but let’s face it…it can be crazy sometimes! For the first time in our ministry’s history, we have the opportunity to minister to one family at a time, create some lasting family memories, and continue to preach the word of God. And so, this is how we hope to facilitate the ministry in the coming summer months. We will coordinate 2-3 single family outings per week that include a scheduled outdoor activity (weather permitting), as well as bagged lunches, devotion time, and prayer time. We’ve developed procedures to keep ourselves and our families as safe as possible, and know that it is time for us to try to slowly get ourselves back into fellowship and teaching this way. We hope to do activities that like going fishing and to the beach, so we can connect to God’s beautiful creation as well as maintain safe social distancing. We are looking for donated items to assist us in facilitating these outings, which can be found on the card included in this mailing. There are so many ways God can use you to enrich the life of a child this summer through COC. We are excited to see where God is taking our ministry.
Our donors have been the strongest encouragement to us in this walk of ministry. Ministry does not happen without those who give. We know that our country is in a time of economic uncertainty and turmoil. To those who have been able to continue to faithfully give….thank you seems so repetitive, so please know what you mean to us. Thank you for your faithfulness and obedience to His call on your life. To those who have had to hold off on giving, or are on hard times….we are thankful for you also, and are praying 1 Peter 5:10 over you: “In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.”
Prayers: A dear friend and advocate of COC John Langston IV needs a kidney transplant; a beloved supporter of COC Eva Halliday-Brown is undergoing treatment for her battle with lung cancer; for those isolated, anxious, or in need, that God would comfort, provide, and make Himself known.
In His Service,
Justin & Shannon Tellez
