Serving in Love

Serving in Love:

• is helping us expand in different areas of outreach throughout Kokomo
• has offered to train churches to tutor/mentor in schools

Thanks "Serving in Love"

Kokomo Rescue Mission

Thank You Kokomo Rescue Mission!!! This summer the mission has:

• provided some food for our lunches
• provided us with a freezer
• delivers products from Frito-Lay
• been a source of encouragement for me
  

Next Steps

I believe we are in a position to consider expanding. We know for sure we are expanding the Board of Directors. We are excited and pleased to have received a Grant from the Community Foundation to provide a non-profit coach that will help us to understand what we need to do next as an organization. Please be in prayer for us as we begin to discern what our next step will be. You can continue to help by partnering with us through giving.

Our Address is:

Kokomo Urban Outreach
P.O. Box 20122
Kokomo, IN 46904-0122

Presently we have a balance of $26, 428.88, of which $5,000 was given for the Crisis Child Care Center. We have 21,428.88 available to us. Our budget is about 51,000 for the year not including Crisis Child Care.

Cook-Outs Continue

groups that have repaired bikes, provided hygiene supplies, organized games and passed out sacks of groceries. Along with all of that Parish Nurses have provided residents with blood pressure checks. The cook-outs at Pine Valley are led by Mary Ingle with our friends at Alto United Methodist Church volunteering weekly. Pine Valley has had face painting and almost always have hamburgers along with hot dogs. The cook-outs are going well.

Sewing classes are still going on Tuesday's at 10:30 AM, as well as reading. Sidewalk Sunday School will continue on Thursday's and Friday's until the end of July when there will be about a six break.

Vacation Bible School will be provided by Grace UMC, July 16-19 from 6:30-8:15 PM at Trinity UMC.

We are still looking for used computers to start a computer class in the fall and we are gearing up for smoking cessation classes.

I will be working with two new churches and will continue to work with those already moving into their neighborhoods.

Thanks to all who are helping to transform our community.

Kid's Cafe

Menu

Week One

Pizza/fruit/desert

Hotdogs/Macorni and Cheese/Green Beans/Desert

Peanut Butter sandwiches/ corn/ fruit

Spaghetti/sauce/salad/desert

Left- over buffet

Week Two

Hamburger Helper/corn/desert

Grilled Cheese/Tomato Soup/desert

Pancakes/sausage/Fruit Cocktail

Chicken/rice/ veg/desert

Left-over buffet

Week Three

Pigs in blanket/Mac and cheese/desert

Tacos/fruit/desert

Hamburger sandwiches/ chips/ fruit/desert

Spaghetti/sauce/salad/desert

Left over buffet

Week Three(School Starts on Wednesday)

TBA

TBA

We Need

Salad in bag

Hamburger(40 pounds)

Shredded cheese(10 pounds)

2 five pound blocks of sliced cheese

Taco Shells(about 75)

Each Friday children will receive food to take home for weekend.

Backpacks

We will start collecting Back-to-School back packs. The back packs will be stuffed full of personal hygiene supplies. Things we need include:

Toothpaste(full size tube)
Toothbrush
Bar of Soap
Comb/pick
Wash cloth
Shampoo(full size bottle)
4 pack toilet tissue
Deodorant for older kids

And of course Back Packs

We would like everything by August 10th. If you or your group can help us please call me at 461-9618.

Sidewalk Sunday School July 2007

We just finished up with the first fruit: Love. WOW!!! I learned there are several types of Agape love. Agape love is more a "response" than a feeling. We respond to others the way Christ responds to us. We should be meeting people's needs, not just physical needs, but spiritual needs. God's command to us is to love as He loves. God demonstrated His love for us when His precious Son died on the cross. His blood was shed for you and me. We now have liberty (freedom)to live a life loving and serving Jesus and others. While Jesus was here on earth, He had an intimate relationship with His Heavenly Father. He showed "Agape love" (actions) by the way He responded to meeting the people's needs. Healings, deliverances, and building relationships with them.

I challenge all of you to read John 17. Read it several times and let the words soak in to your spirit. You will get a glimpse into the very intimate moment between Father and Son. The first five verses is Jesus praying for Himself. Verses 6-19, Jesus is praying for His disciples. The last set of verses, 20-26, Jesus is praying for the saints. (Us) Praise God, we all have an Intercessor.

In closing, please remember where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. We have the liberty (freedom) to share and show the love of Christ to all. You may be the only Jesus they may see. Agape love is patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, is not proud, not rude, not self-sought, not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil, but rejoices in truth, always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres, and finally agape never fails.

Update on the Pine Valley Cookouts

The Lord is good!!! The cookouts are going great!!! We have an awesome team of volunteers that comes every week and helps us. We serve approx. 50+ kids and adults every Sunday. We grill 100+ hotdogs and we also grill 30+hamburgers. Plus we serve chips, cookies, and drinks. I play games with the kids and sometimes I get their parents involved with the games as well. We have a parent who does face painting for the kids. They love it!!! Their favorite game is when I bring out the big parachute and we play games with that. We have a great time of fellowship with the residents there. Alot of new friendships has developed through the cookouts. They know we are there to share Jesus with them and to let them know that we love them also. Please continue to keep ALL the Kokomo Housing residents in your prayers. Please pray that they will see Jesus in all of the changes that may be taking place. THANK YOU to St. Luke's VBS for their gifts for the kids, money for chips, and to all who have prayed,donated food, volunteered. Without all of you, this ministry would not be going. THANK YOU and God bless.

Summer SWSS Update

The kids are having a great time at SSWSS. We are teaching the kids the Beatitudes. We have a lesson, singing, prayer time, and a craft. Sometimes we play a game.They all get a snack to take home with them. We have approx. 15-20 kids from Garden Square on Thursday afternoons and 20 from Pine Valley on Friday afternoons.

We have 6 adults who helps me and I appreciate ALL they have done. I have had to miss a couple of weeks and they stepped up and did a great job. Again, I cannot thank God enough for ALL He has provided for Sidewalk Sunday School and the cookouts. We are so blessed to have this opportunity to spend time with the kids and to continually tell them about Jesus' love for them. These kids mean soo much too me and to the volunteers. Again ,THANK YOU to all who has supported SWSS. Please keep all of us, kids, and their parents in your prayers.

OPPORTUNITIES/PRAYER CONCERNS

Vacation Bible School "Quest for Truth" Grace & Trinity teaming up July 16th-20th

Time 6:30-8:15 at Trinity. Friday night (20th) " Block Party" in front of Garden Square

Community Center. Featuring Stephen Sherwood and Praise Team. Free food!!

Free Admission!!! Come and enjoy the presence of the Holy Spirit. Don't forget your

lawn chair. There will be a training meeting July 9th @7:00 at Trinity.

Needs: Volunteers & Cookies

Cookouts: Anyone who would like to come and observed what we do at the

cookouts on Sundays are ALWAYS welcome. You may either come to Pine Valley

from 4:30-5:30 or Garden Square 5:00-6:00. You are truly missing out on being

blessed.

Prayer Concerns: Cookouts, VBS, Pastor Jeff and Miss Mary, all of our

volunteers, donors, ALL Kokomo Housing Residents, churches who are

stepping out and ministering to their neighborhoods, God continually blesses

and guides KUO/SWSS as we step out MORE in the neighborhoods in our

community and we will be accepted by them. They will see Jesus through our

love, caring, and sharing for them.

May God bless all of you as all of you are blessing God. Amen.

Miss Mary

Summer Intern

.....doing a great job as she works in Sidewalk Sunday School, coordinates loading of cook-out trucks, teaches Children's Sunday School, participates in worship, keeps the food pantry area clean and food stocked, plays with kids at cook-outs, passes out fliers and the list can go on and on. I will let her introduce herself to you:

My name is Melissa Zimmerman. I grew up in Greentown and attended Grace United Methodist my entire life. This fall I start my sophomore year at DePauw University where I double major in Spanish and Religious Studies. When I was twelve I first recieved my call to be an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, so I am working through the process I must
follow to achieve that goal. After Undergraduate School, I will go to seminary and continue through the steps to ordination. This internship gives me an opportunity to see what a pastor like Jeff does, and it shows me the importance of missions in our own backyard.

Keep Melissa in your prayers.

Give for the Good

the answer is YES!!!! Actually, on the Fourth we filled about 1/2 of it with about 2 1/2 tons of food and other supplies. The miracle happened on the 5th. We were unloading the semi into trucks when Deanna received a call on her cell phone from Tyson Transport of Wilmington, NC. They had a question for her....she asked them how they got her number. They said they did a search for food pantries in Logansport her number came up. As a side note Deanna is not associated with any food pantries anywhere. She does work for the Girl Scouts in Logansport. I came home and did the same search on several search engines and nothing came up at all. The question was could we take 79 cases of whole chickens. Cases were damaged, chickens were fresh and they had to give them away quickly. The 79 cases represented 790 whole chickens or 2 3/4 tons, of course we could not take them however, the Rescue Mission could take them. When the chickens were added to the other food collected there was more than a semi load of food. We estimate that we have 5 tons of food to giveaway because of Deanna's efforts(that is about 10,000 meals). Deanna recruited volunteers and promoted the event in a newspaper article and through some radio promotion, however, email was what did the trick. People emailing others. What a day!!!!! Thanks Deanna and volunteers along with Kroger who gave a portion of the parking lot for the day and Syndicate Sales for the use of the semi trailer. God is so Good!!!!

The Hallway after collection

Leadership Kokomo

a disaster trailer(we will be working on preparing item to put on trailer to respond to a disaster),
mobile Side Walk Sunday School trailer(pull into neighborhoods and put on SWSS in parks, etc. ) and a rolling food pantry. A special thanks to Kokomo Leadership Team Three for all that has been done and will be done.

Crisis Child Care Center Director Job Description

Crisis Child Care Center Director

Job Description

Our mission is to provide quality, short-term, emergency childcare service to families in need, enabling parents to go to job interviews, healthcare appointments, and other essential appointments.

Job Title: Director of Crisis Child Care Center

Reports To: Executive Director of Kokomo Urban Outreach

FLSA Status: Part-Time (Mon, Wed, Thurs 7:45 AM-12:15 PM with an additional 4.5 hours of administration)

SUMMARY

Directs activities of CCCC to ensure the physical and emotional well being of our children by performing the following duties:

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Recruit, train, and oversee all CCCC volunteers.

• Complete a reference and background check for each volunteer.

• Ensure cleanliness and safety of facility.

• Understand, review and enforce CCCC policies.

• Maintain an adequate inventory of supplies; i.e., snacks, drinks, diapers, wipes, etc. and ensure that rooms are well stocked at all times.

• Routinely inspect nursery equipment and toys.

• Plan activities for children.

• Keep detailed records of clients, children and volunteers.

• Schedule all workers and find substitute caregivers when necessary.

• Understand budget of CCCC.

• Prepare and submit monthly reports to Director of Kokomo Urban Outreach.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Directly supervises the volunteers.

QUALIFICATIONS to perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Additionally, CPR training is required.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Prefer a candidate with Early Childhood Development degree or equivalent experience.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems efficiently and effectively while maintaining good working relationships.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS - The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.

WORK ENVIRONMENT - The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job...

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The building is multi-level with several sets of stairs, but is handicap assessable and equipped with an elevator. It is a nonsmoking environment.

COMMENTS

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of this job and the level of work performed by employees in this position. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties required by their supervisor.

Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills, and/or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently.

Sidewalk Sunday School June 2007

......"Kingdom Builders" here on earth. Jesus is counting on us to be his disciples. I am so thankful for the Body of Christ who are so willing to come and work together for His Kingdom at KUO. Touching hearts and Changing lives is what our mission is about. Serving and loving others. If you have not had the opportunity to come and be a part of the cookouts at either Garden Square or Pine Valley, please come at least once. You will definitely be blessed.

Pine Valley Cookouts

I have been praying all winter about should we start cookouts at Pine Valley . God has definitelty answered my prayers. I give Him all the glory for everything!!!

WOW!!! God is so good!!! So amazing!!! So awesome!!! The cookouts are going so well.

God is and has been providing everything we need from food, drinks, and especially special people to come and serve. Thank you! Thank you to those who have donated hot dogs, buns, cookies, and pieces of cake. You are all a blessing. Just to give you an idea of how many we are serving, we average every Sunday from 50-70. Our first Sunday we served 100+. Since then a little lower. That's okay. Numbers are not what is important. People are.

All are welcome to come and join us. EVERY Sunday. Rain or Shine. Our starting time for serving has been around at 4:30. We have been done by 5:15-5:30.

Summer Sidewalk Sunday School

We will be starting our first time Summer Sidewalk Sunday School Thursday, June 7th for Garden Square from 3:00-4:00 on the church yard. Friday, June 8th, 3:00-4:00 we will be at Pine Valley by the community center. Our theme is "Sermon on the Mount". The

BEE-ATTITUDES. We will be singing, praying, storytime, crafts, games, and a giving a snack to take home. I could use more volunteers. Please let me know if you want to receive a blessing.

Upcoming Event

Vacation Bible School is coming to Trinty UMC July 16th-20th. This will be a joint event with Grace UMC. Time is 6:30-8:15PM. We need more volunteers for VBS. We will be having a meeting Monday, June 4th at 7:00 . The last night of VBS, Friday night, "BLOCK PARTY" featuring "God's Alliance" in front of Garden Square Community Center. The Holy Spirit will definitely be "rocking". I am so excited about this event. Steven Sherwood and other members of God's Alliance is soooo AMAZING!!! So spirit filled!!! Mark this event on your calendar. You will not want to miss it. Don't forget your lawn chair. Oh, you may not need it if you like to jump and get excited for Jesus..like I do!!! I call it the "Holy Spirit Jump". HA!!

Items needed

Juices boxes, cases of pop (cans) individual bags of cookies & chips, assortment of individual wrapped candy bars, twizzlers, popsicles, hot dogs, or whatever else you feel led to donate. Very much appreciated!!!

As you can see it is going to be a busy summer, but a rewarding one. Please keep me, volunteers, and KUO in your prayers as we continue to do His work and show His love to the kids and to their families. That all we do is in His plans. Also, pray for yourselves, say "Here Am I, Send me". He may put on your heart to be a part of one of the many opportunities you are given to serve Him this summer at KUO.

In Christian love,

Miss Mary

Sidewalk Sunday School May 2007

is the Fruit of the Spirit that dwells in me, faith, walking and serving in love for others. Those I’ve caught, they’re not too small; therefore, I’m not throwing them back in. Instead, I’m praying and letting them know how much Jesus and I love them.
Have you been fishing for Jesus lately? Through faith, we become disciples of Jesus Christ and, as such, it is our privilege to share and tell the good news about Jesus. We share with others the message of the salvation that is ours. We need to not only share Christ with our family, friends, and church family, but with all that we meet in our everyday lives. We need to “stretch” ourselves to identify and recognize opportunities to tell others the good news of Jesus Christ. We also need to be the “face of God” to others. When people expect condemnation, God’s face says, You are forgiven. When they need a friend, they see God’s face and it says, You are welcome here. Our faces can become the face of God to a world looking for grace. So let’s “go fishing” together for Jesus at Kokomo Urban Outreach and in our surrounding community and especially our neighborhoods.
It is hard to believe that we just had our last indoor Sidewalk Sunday School this past weekend. We will be starting our cookouts May 6th. Which is this coming Sunday. They will be from 5-6:00 at Garden Square. God has put it on my heart to start doing cookouts at Pine Valley on the same day and the same time. Pastor Jeff will be overseeing the cookout at Garden Square while I will be overseeing the one at Pine Valley. We only need approx. 5 people out at Pine Valley. Please pray and if you want to help serve out at Pine Valley, Please let me (maryingle@yahoo.com) or Pastor Jeff know. Our cooks gives us the opportunity to meet the kids families that we have been ministering to. Building relationships is the key to starting a new ministry.

Other Opportunities for you to “Go Fishing”

Summer Sidewalk Sunday School
Theme : BEE-ATTITUDES (Sermon On the Mount)
Summer Sidewalk Sunday School at Garden Square
Every Thursday starting June 7th from 3:00-4:00 in the church yard.
Then we will be doing our Visitation (passing out flyers to every apartment)

Every Friday starting June 9th from 3:00-4:00 at Pine Valley we will be doing the same lessons with the kids there. Then we will be doing visitation there as well. (100 apt) Summer SWSS consists of singing, story, prayer time, and a game. We will be doing crafts twice a month. Our lessons take us up to the end of July. Then we will take the month of August off so that I can start planning our fall session of SWSS. Actually, I have it narrowed down to two themes. I am praying about. Which theme the Lord wants us to go with. If you are interested in helping, Sunday School groups, youth groups, Bible study groups, or just families wants to help, please let me know ASAP.

Grace UMC is teaming up with us at Trinity UMC (SWSS) for VBS during the week of July 16-20. The time is 6:30-8:15. The theme is “Quest for Truth”. It is like an Indiana Jones them. The kids are going to love it. Please let me know if you want to be a part of our VBS.

What we can use for our Summer SWSS/VBS

• Hugs (drinks)
• Honey Comb cereal
• Candy bars
• Juice boxes
• Suckers
• Individual bags of chips

As you can see, our summer calendar for SWSS is full. I am so excited to be doing this during the summer for the kids. The kids need something “positive” to do while school is out. I would love for all of you to be a part of our Summer SWSS/VBS. Without all of our awesome volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to do this ministry. Thank you for giving your donations, and especially your time serving the Lord. Please pray and ask the Lord where He wants you to serve and "Go Fishing" at KUO or in your own neighborhood. Please also to continue to pray for all of us at KUO that His will be done and that He receives all the glory.

In Christian Love,
Miss Mary

Sidewalk Sunday School April 2007

They are such a blessing to me as we work together as God's hands and feet. He is counting on us to be "kingdom builders" for His kingdom here on earth.

The kids are just incredible. When I was out in Brooklyn last April, learning about SWSS, I now see what Pastor Bill Wilson meant when he said that the kids look so forward to SWSS. It is their biggest joy of the week. When the kids see me over at Garden Square doing visitation, they either yell at me from their top windows of their apartments, or they run to me when they see me and say, "Miss Mary, is it time for church?" These kids mean so much to me and my love for them just keeps growing. I understand Jesus' heart for the little children. They are so precious in His sight and ours. Their families mean so much to us also. Actually, if I could, I would have something for the kids and their families every night. God has allowed them to be a huge part of my life and I call them family.

We have been teaching the Fruit of the Spirit to the kids at Garden Square and Pine Valley.We also have been singing a song that names each one. Some of our kids have memorized short scriptures for each fruit. They come back the following Sunday and recite it to us. Then they get to put a sticker up on their verse chart and receive a stuff animal that says, "I have memorized my scripture verse. They can also tell you about the Holy Spirit and where He lives..in our hearts.

It is hard to believe that we only have one more month of SWSS..inside. We will be starting our cookouts the first Sunday in May. We will be doing this EVERY Sunday afternoon from 5:00-6:00. You will not want to miss out on them. The cookouts are on their turf and it gives us a chance to meet all of the families. The most important lesson I have learned doing this ministry is the importance and building relationships. Being there and listening to others. That is what Jesus did as He visited town and villages. He listened to people and then He met their needs. That is what we are hoping and trying to do for our neighbors. Let them see Jesus through our actions and words. We are praying that we will be able to go out to Pine Valley as well to do the cookouts for the residents there. We want to build relationships with them. We are praying for more volunteers that would like to "step out" and help us at PV. I will have games planned for the kids and hopefully we can get adults involve. If you are interested in helping out with the cookouts at Pine Valley, please let Pastor Jeff or I know. Youth groups and bible study groups, anyone are welcome. The only qualifications you must have are to love Jesus and love others.

The Holy Spirit has spoken to me about having SWSS during the summer. I will be having it on the church yard on a hill. Our topic will be "Sermon on the Mount." We will be teaching the kids the "Bee-Attitudes". They have learned the Fruit of the Spirit. Now we are going to teach them about the "Bee-Attitude' of Jesus. I will share more of this in May's news letter.

We will also be having Vacation Bible School in July. OUr kids and Grace UMC kids will be doing it together. I met with an awesome lady this past Monday night and we have it planned. It is going to great!!! More details about it later.

Prayer concerns:

God's will be done in all we do

the kids and families we are ministering to. May God continue to reveal Himself to them through all of us at KUO. May their hearts be open to receive His love and grace He has for them.

volunteers

cookouts at GS/PV

Summer SWSS sessions

VBS

All the churches that supports KUO/SWSS

Pastor Jeff

Mary

Happy Resurrection Day to all of you!! May we live and breathe His two most important commandments. They are: Love God and Love People. God bless, Mary Ingle

Snapshot of a Crisis Child Care Volunteer

Volunteers need to:

• Be over 18 years old
• Be able to commit from 8 AM-12 Noon at least once a week
  
• Be able to pass a background check, including references
• Be willing to attend periodic training
• Follow polices and procedures of Crisis Child Care Center
• Love children, especially those in crisis

If you would like to sign up to be a prayer partner for Kokomo Urban Outreach click here

Giving thru Feb

If you would like to be a prayer partner click here.

* Executive Director Salary-------36,500
* Medical Insurance------------------7,000
* Social Security-----------------------2,920
* Fund Raising------------------ ---------500
* Office Supplies--------------------------500
* Telephone------------------------------600
* Postage--------------------------------500
* Liability and Worker Comp.-----------1,500
* Post Office Box-------------- -----------72
* Total ---------------------------50,092

January

Beginning Balance..........................................8092.74
Deposits...........................................................6735.71
Expenses ........................................................2760.96
Salary......2645.96
Liab Ins......115.00
Interest ...................................................................25.95
Ending Balance On 01/31/07................12,093.44

February

Beginning Balance............................................12093.44
Deposits..................................................................1883.87
Expenses ...............................................................3917.10
Salary.............2858.10
Medical Insurance... 240.00
Liability Insurance....115.00
Federal Non-Profit fee....760.00
Interest ......................................................................25.95
Ending Balance On 02/28/07................10,086.19

kuo regular volunteers

If you would like to be a prayer partner click here.

Thank you for all of you that come every week! If we missed someone please let me know so they can be added:

• Jim runs the dinning room and provides an orientation for new volunteers(Grace UMC)
  
• Gary works the hallway (McGrawsville UMC)
  
• Karen leads music (Crossroads)
  
• Norma, Eve and Chris cook (all Trinity UMC)
  
• Steph works with teenage girls (Crossroads)
  
• Pam does secretarial work during the week (St. Lukes UMC)
  
• Suzie( Abundant Life) and Wayne( First Assembly) pick up kids and take them home as well as tend to them at the tables
• Judy works the nursery and directs traffic (Shiloh UMC)
  
• Margret works at Pine Valley and usually distributes drinks on Sunday night (St. Andrews Episcopal)
  
• Ben packs groceries( St. Lukes UMC)
  
• Shirley(Grace UMC), Dee (McGrawsville UMC) and Lana (Sharpsville UMC) work wherever needed
• Cindi our parish nurse mingles and talks with parents and helps in sidewalk Sunday School(St. Lukes UMC)
• Of course Mary directs the SWSS (Trinity UMC)
  
• Grant picks up and delivers bread each week (Trinity UMC)
  
• Gloria and Jamie sort donated items during the week plus whatever else needs to be done during the week(Trinity UMC)
• Boyd, April and Daniel(McGrawsville UMC) are regulars in the summer bringing their truck to transport supplies to cookout site....Mike(Russiaville UMC) also is a regular cook in the summer
  

St. Andrews Episcopal Youth work regularly with us on the second Sunday of each month.

Sidewalk Sunday School March

pictures of Jesus. It looks wonderful!! Very bright!!! One wall has Jesus up in the clouds and the little children are coming to Him. My favorite one is Jesus winking at the kids and giving them a "thumbs up". The kids love that one too! We now have a puppet stage. God is on the move at SWSS. Have you ever notice that God never stops moving? That is how we should be living for Him. Always on the move! Always going deeper and stretching "out" in our walk with Him. As I was with my mom in her final week, , God showed me just how strong our flesh is. She was ready spiritually to go and be with God. But her flesh would not die. It kept wanting to live. I see why it is hard for us to stay forcus on God. If we let our flesh just be a little in control, we are going to have problems walking with God. (Our flesh is not just the outer layer of our bodies, it is anything that is worldly.) I would like to challenge each one of you to something that God has put on my heart. You will need to (possibly) give up something that might be considered "flesh". Your time!!! God has put on my heart to continue having SWSS this summer during a weekday. I would like to have it in the afternoon from 2-3:00 at Garden Square. (If I have enough volunteers, I would like to have it also at Pine Valley on a different day) Our theme will be "The Beatitudes. (The Bee-Attitudes) We have been teaching the kids on Saturdays and Sundays the Fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit lives in us. Now we need to teach the kids the "right attitude" to have . A Christ-like attitude to go with the actions of the Fruit of the Spirit. Please pray about this and if you feel led to help, please email me (maryingle@yahoo.com) or call me (868-3151.) We will have it outside by the community room. (I want to meet with them on their turf). We will have singing, story, a game, and a snack. We might try and do a craft occasionally.

I give God all the glory for SWSS and for all of our AWESOME volunteers, prayer warriors, and His immeasurable provisions. . God is soo good!! All the time!!!

Please continue to pray for all of us at SWSS that everything that we are doing is in God's will. I know that this ministry is not ours, but God's.We are being used as His hands and feet. We have a heart of compassion in serving and loving others. Doing this, we are serving Jesus. We, just like Jesus, are here to serve, not to be served to.

With heartfelt thanks,

Mary Ingle

If you would like to be a prayer partner click here.

Sidewalk Sunday School December

revival and salvation. The concert benefit was INCREDIBLE!!!! Praising and truly worshiping God, being in his presence, being in the Holy of Holies. I personally could have stayed there all night. Humbling myself before God as His own. Amazing!! Awesome!!! Incredible!!! Just gives me the Holy Spirit goosebumps.

Sidewalk Sunday School is just so cool and I am so thankful and very blessed that God chose me to go to Brooklyn, come back, and used me to begin SWSS in Kokomo.(Very thankful for Pastor Jeff for being open and giving me the opportunity to be faithful, obedient, and serve Jesus with all my heart at SWSS.) Jesus Christ is the forcus of SWSS. Our eyes and heart are on Him as He guides and shows us how we can reach the kids and their families for Him.We are teaching the kids that God needs to be first in their lives. We are finishing up our theme, "Super Heroes of the Bible" with the BEST hero.. Jesus Christ.

Last night, I wished that all of you could have seen the kids eyes when they saw the third floor.(That is where we hold SWSS) Two volunteers and myself decorated it last Monday night. Their little eyes were beaming. The smiles on their faces were just beautiful. We had Christmas trees decorated and lite up in the hallway. The 7' bulletin board was decorated with the navitivy scene. Then we had a 8' tree set up in their room all decorated. The kids said, "Miss Mary, did you do this for me?" I said yes we did honey. Then the decorations they made last night are for the tree in the SWSS room. The ornaments are so pretty. The kids were so proud of what they did. My job was tying ribbon to hang the ornament and they would bring them up to me. Big smiles and say, Miss Mary, isn't mine pretty? I would just smile and say they are all beauitful. Just like all of you. These kids touch my heart every Sunday night. What a blessing they are!!

Next week we will have a Secret Santa Shop set up for the kids to come and pick out a "free" present for their parents. We are wanting to teach the kids that Christmas is about sharing and giving. Just like God gave us the "perfect" gift.. His son Jesus. Student Council from Northwestern Elementary will be helping us. I spoke to the group this morning and shared with them what SWSS is all about. I asked how many kids were coming to help. I saw about 50 hands go up. They are really excited to be helping and I am excited for them.

As all of you can see, God is good! All the time. All the time God is good. AMEN! God is constantly moving and all of us at SWS is moving with Him. Just keep climbing from one level to another. He is our Great Jehova Jireh!!!

In closing, we can't say it enough..THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all of you for your prayers, donations, your time, and your servant's heart. Being used as Jesus' hands and feet. We truly appreciate ALL of you so much. "Nothing is impossible with God." All of you are our blessings here on earth. Please continue to pray for all of us as we take SWSS to another year. I'm excited to see what God will have us doing in 2007.

From all of us at Kokomo Urban Outreach.....

MERRY CHRISTMAS &

GOD BLESS YOU in 2007!!!!!!

Love in Christ,

Miss Mary

Sidewalk Sunday School November

I am so excited to see what God has planned for SWSS in the next two months and the new year 2007. As Pastor Jeff and I get together and talk about SWSS, we both are in "awe" as what God has done so far. Neither one of us put any limits on what God can do. For we know the scripture,"With God ALL things are possible." That is certainly a big AMEN!!! Each week, I am adding more and more apartments on our visitation list form both Pine Valley and Garden Square. This is definitely a "God thing". This means that SWSS is growing. Right now, we visit 47 apartments from Garden Square and 25 apartments from Pine Valley. We range almost 20 kids from Pine Valley on Saturdays and over 50 kids on Sunday nights from Garden Square. Also on Sunday nights, God has allowed an adult bible study and a youth group of 5th through 8th graders while we are doing SWSS. God is sooooo good!!!!

We had a Hallelujah party last weekend at both places. The kids loved it. The basketball goal that the children's Sunday school classes from St. Lukes bought was a big hit. They loved it!!! (Thank you.) Bridges (Travis, Casey, and kids) helped us run games. Thank you also. New carpet has been given by Grace UMC in our SWSS room. (The carpet will not be glued down so that we man roll it up when needed to be.) Judy Whorley has made our curtains. We will also being painting a scene on the walls for the kids. Again, God has blessed us with a lot of awesome people in this ministry.

We will soon be finishing up our stories on "Super Heroes of the Bible". We have shared with the kids stories of David, Noah, and Moses. Each story has had a bible verse and key words to go with it. Key words as obedience, trust, prayer, and faith. The month of December will be focused on the birth of our Saviour. We are planning on having a birthday party for Jesus for our last weekend in December.

I have been praying asking God to show me what He wants us to share with the kids in 2007. He has showed me. We will be taking the kids a little deeper in their walk with Him. He has showed me His divine order of lessons for the kids. We will be sharing more on faith, the Trinity, Holy Spirit, and then the Fruit of the Holy Spirit. We will be sharing the Fruit of the Spirit one a week. Please keep us in your prayers as God uses us to lead the kids closer to Him. I want everything that we do to be of Him and in His will.

Thank you for all your prayers, donations, and support for Kokomo Urban Outreach. I know that is why God has blessed us so much is because of the "special" people He has praying for us. The Mighty Prayer Warriors.

In closing, we have a few changes in our weekends of doing SWSS. There will be NO SWSS November 25th and 26th. Please come to Grace UMC on the 26th of November to a Praise & Worship Benefit for Kokomo Urban Outreach. The band "God's Alliance" will be there to perform. They are very anointed and awesome. I will have a table set up for SWSS. A love offering will be taken up for KOU.

Also on December 23rd and 24th, 30th & 31st, NO SWSS. We want everyone to enjoy the holidays with family and friends. I am planning on having a meeting with everyone who helps with SWSS and on Sunday nights sometime after the holidays , but yet, before 2007.

That is it from Mary Ingle. I am just so blessed and thankful to God for this amazing and awesome ministry and all the wonderful people He has allowed me to meet and work with. All of you are my blessing.

Very Thankful..
Mary Ingle