Haiti Relief              

Pastor Gail Mitchell

How will you give to the relief work in Haiti?  Any money that comes into The River Community Church will be given to Converge Worldwide (our denomination) for their projects.  How will they use the money?  Here is what they say:

The Converge World Relief (CWR) team has approved initial projects, knowing there will be many long-term needs. CWR has wired an initial $14,500 to our Haiti ministry partners to launch the following projects:

1. Temporary shelter (housing) and food for the families of five pastors who perished in the quake. These men were well-known to our Haiti ministries director (and Brooklyn, N.Y., pastor) Withny Pierre. Housing will be a critical matter in Port-au-Prince, since some pastors' homes were destroyed in the quake.
2. Help families relocate to their hometowns. Some are making it back to their villages and towns in the unaffected parts of Haiti some distance from Port-au-Prince. Others have few resources to be able to extract themselves from the city.
3. Partner with a Christian  Clinic near Port-au-Prince that is assisting victims of the quake. In addition, CWR has:
4. Sent $8,000 to assist a Haitian team of 30, including 19 medical doctors, from Beraca Baptist Church, Brooklyn, N.Y., traveling at their own expense to Haiti February 8 to provide medical care, food and nutrition needs and shelter.
5. Wired $8,500 to help Milot Hospital near Cap-Haitien to treat 250 injured people who fled Port-au-Prince.
6. Wired $6,400 to support two soup kitchens in Port-au-Prince and one on Leogane for at least two weeks.
7. Sent $5000 to Baptist World Aid and $5,000 to World Relief (National Association of Evangelicals), our long-term partners in relief efforts.

As of January 27, many generous individuals, churches and district offices had already contributed more than $81,080 to CWR for Haiti earthquake aid.

In Haiti, a temporary team of Rev. Emmanuel Pierre (no relation to Withny), the general secretary of the Baptist Convention, Withny Pierre and 1by1 child sponsorship staff member Mireille Joseph will make  decisions about who receives the funds and how they are applied. In the USA, the Haitian Leadership Team comprised of Paul François, Mullery Jean Pierre, Amos Eugene, Robert Chery and Withny Pierre will review the actions of the in-Haiti team and the results of the relief ministry.

If you wish to make contributions for Haiti relief, write the word Haiti on the "other" line of your offering envelope and indicate how much of your total gift you wish to send for this purpose. 

Other News

The Big White House Services Begin
5:30 pm Saturday January 30th

Come out and worship with us on Saturday nights! We will have the same message as The River and Genesis, but a more intimate atmosphere and a warm fireplace! Bring a friend and join us! We will meet weekly on Saturday nights at 5:30 pm.

                          Ash Wednesday Service
                          7:00 pm @ The Big White House

We will celebrate the beginning of the Lenten season in preparation for Easter by worshipping on Ash Wednesday. We will meet in the upper room at The Big White House.

Go and Share...

the Love of Christ Here and Around the World!

Marlow Update

Mark and Mary Marlow, formerly serving in the 10/40 window have an opportunity for a new job. Please pray they make the right decision as they ask for God's guideance this week. To see their complete letter, come pick one up in The River office.

Bartsch Update

Please pray for the ten Christian Meskwaki council members who were cut off from receiving Tribal funds several years ago. On February 1, the tribe is bothing on a referendum to restore their funds.TheBartsch's other requests are in their letter in the office.

  Winter Camp

Thejunior and senior highers have been coming the last couple of weekends to Pine Lake! Pray for followup to new decisions for Christ and for recommittments. Roger's letter is in the office with more details and you can check out the new camp website by clicking on the picture.

*To see all of our complete mission reports, come pick up copies in The River office or click on the Converge link to the left. You can look up specific missionaries under the directory or go to prayer under the US tab to see a running list of daily requests.

Community News

ARC Chili Supper
5:00 - 7:30 pm Friday, February 19th

Arc of SE Iowa is holding their annual Chili Supper at The River. Arc assists developmentally disabled individuals in our community to realize their full piotential in how they live, learn work and play. Come out to support them and help their cause. For more information about their mission go to Arc of SE Iowa.

Walden Place's Grand Entrance Event
5:30 pm Saturday, January 30th - tomorrow!
2423 Walden Rd. Iowa City

5:30 Free Supper:  Soup, Bread, Dessert
6:30 Live Music: Mutiny in the Parlor Band
                        Be part of the suitcase scramble during the music for
                        your chance at great prizes. Take a tour and see how uncomplicated your life can be. Call us at 337-7277 and come out Saturday.