Dear Family and Friends,

We hope this update finds you and others around you, standing firm in Christ in the midst of life’s spiritual, emotional, & physical storms that “..rain on the just and the unjust..”(Matthew 5:45). In these past weeks we have seen devastating damage from the storms in our community and beyond! Some have lost everything! At the same time, we have seen an overwhelming response from individuals wanting to help; some storm survivors themselves!

In addition to all this, we have heard many stories of Divine intervention. In all that has occurred, may we be reminded that when these storms come, the foundation we have makes all the difference! If we are built upon the rock, representing the Savior and His Word, we will stand! However, if we are built upon the sand, representing Satan and this World, we will fall. (Matthew 7:24-29)

In April:

• Bounty of Hope Food Pantry provided many boxes/bags of food & supplies to our community.
• One Town/One Goal Community Cookout was a wonderful time of serving our neighbors! We served over 300 with physical and SPIRITUAL food! Thanks Triple 8 Grocery for your support!
• Bounty of Hope Café severed several hundred meals and the Gospel was shared each Saturday.
• HCM Sunday Service continues meeting weekly; seeing decisions made for Christ!
• 28 children attended the Spring Event on Easter Sunday! Thank you Shannon and Mark Watkins and “crew” for making this a special time for the children and adults!
• A huge THANK YOU to all who gave towards the relief efforts! The response was overwhelming! We have met, and are still, meeting needs thanks to your generosity!
• Assisted with storm relief efforts; sending out several trucks loaded with supplies and meals. Gospel seeds were planted in each bag of groceries given out!
• Cookie Ministry baked several hundred cookies.

Ways you can help Rushton’s Hope:

• Pray for storm victims and for volunteers.
• Pray for those who need a relationship with Jesus. Safety and shelter for our homeless.
• Pray for yh and children leaders for Sunday nights and mentoring ministry!
• Pray for God’s provision for a multi-faceted facility to base Rushton’s Hope Ministries.
• Donating children’s & men’s shoes. Also furniture & appliances in good condition.
• PANTRY NEEDS: POP TOP CANS OF MEAT, SOUPS, & PASTAS, fruits, crackers, powdered or shelf milk, cereals (kid friendly), instant grits and oatmeal.
• Personal products: deodorant, toilet paper, paper towels, laundry and cleaning supplies.
• Volunteers needed Thursdays-Sundays for various areas of service! Give us a call for details!
• Several summer events coming up! Call for information on how you can help!

Thanks for helping us help those in life’s storms!
In Christ, Ron and Wanda
Rushton’s Hope
www.rushtonshope.org

A big thank you from Ron & Wanda Cook:

Thank you so much for responding so lovingly and graciously to our plea asking for help to provide food and assistance to those who are struggling with the challenges of last week’s tornado. We’ve been able to send out a truckload of food each day since Thursday. We thank God for you, our dear friends, for giving in abundance! Please continue to pray for those in our community, as there are still many needs.

Our initial request was to meet the needs onsite of the disasters. Some of those items are still needed and are listed below. As of today, we’ve been listed as a Red Cross resource to meet the needs of families that have met their assistance assessment requirements. This will help us in serving the truly needy.

Thanks again for the overwhelming response and please remember to pray for our community! Please call with any questions! Ron 770-468-6606/Wanda 770-468-6600

Needs:

• Pop top cans of beanie weenie
• Canned chicken/tuna
• Cereal bars/granola bars/pop-tarts
• Snack crackers
• Fruit cups/pudding cups
• Family sized and regular sized canned pasta-spaghetti & meatballs, ravioli, etc.
• Pop top canned soups
• Spaghetti sauce/spaghetti noodles
• Individual snack cakes/cookies/chips
• Boxed macaroni and cheese/potatoes
• Powdered milk/shelf milk
• Kid friendly cereals/instant oatmeal/instant grits
• Plastic cutlery (forks, spoons, knives)
• Paper towels/toilet paper
• Disinfectant wipes/hand sanitizer
• Lysol Spray
• Large plastic storage containers
• 39 gallon trash bags
• Personal hygiene items: toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, soap, etc.
• Brooms/Mops/Buckets/Sponges

We are also accepting household/housekeeping items and furniture. Appliances (in good working condition) are appreciated. We are able to arrange a pick up time if needed.

Ruston’s Hope is helping provide lunches for the storm victims in Spalding County and Barnesville.

They are in desperate need of the following items:

• Peanut Butter
• Bread
• Potted Meat
• Vienna Sausages
• Individual bags of Chips
• Snack Crackers
• Cereal Bars
• Little Debbies
• Fresh Fruit
• Sandwich Bags
• Brown lunch bags
• Napkins

If you can help, please call Pastor Ron at 770-468-6606 or Wanda at 770-468-6600.
www.rushtonshope.org

Ways you can get involved in 2011:

• Pray for those who need a relationship with Jesus – safety and warmth for our homeless.
• Socks & underwear ( all sizes), children’s coats, shoes, & winter clothes, men’s coats & shoes are all huge needs!
• Blankets & sleeping bags are really needed now that the weather is cold!
• Space heaters & electric blankets for families living without gas to heat homes.
• Pantry Needs: Pop top cans of meat, soups, pastas, fruits, crackers, powdered or shelf milk, cereals (kid friendly), instant grits & oatmeal, sweetened kool aid mix.
• Personal products: deodorant, shaving cream, razors, toilet paper, paper towels, laundry & cleaning supplies.
• Volunteering your time Thursdays-Sundays: food ministry, clothes closet, food prep & serving, youth & children’s ministry, transportation, leading worship & other opportunities are available. Let us know when & where you would like to serve.
• Ministry Leaders: Choose a day & ministry and contact Ron Cook.

January 2011

• Set up for Clothes Closet on Thursday the 20th and 27th from 10-3. Journey Church.
• Bounty of Hope Free Community Café & Clothes Closet on Saturdays ( 15th, 22nd, 29th). Journey Church @ DoveDown 11 AM-1 PM.
• Food Ministry each Thursday & Friday will help many families and homeless this month.

For more information check out: www.hopefromrushton.com

True Worship Christian Fellowship

Saturday, November 20  (9:00am-1:00pm)

Meal served at the corner of Trinity and Peachtree in downtown Atlanta

Items needed:

• toboggans
• gloves
• blankets

Rushton’s Hope

Thanksgiving Day, November 25  (10:00am-2:00pm)

Meal served at Second Baptist Church, 501 W. Broad Street, Griffin

Items needed:

• toothbrushes
• toothpaste
• soap
• shampoo
• pop-top canned foods

Items needed for both efforts:

• turkeys (frozen)
• stuffing (bags or boxes)
• chicken broth
• chicken bouillon
• cream corn
• canned whole kernel corn
• corn muffin mix
• cranberry sauce
• canned green beans
• evaporated milk
• pumpkin pie puree
• instant mashed potatoes

All leftover food items will be donated to Helping In His Name Food Pantry.

3 Ways you can help:

1. Volunteer your time
2. Donate supplies
3. Contribute financially

For more information on volunteering contact:

Ming Richardson / mingr@charter.net / 770.616.4901

*or leave your contact information in a reply to this blog post

Trinity & Peachtree - Site for Thanksgiving Outreach in Atlanta!

We have two awesome opportunities for involvement this Thanksgiving:

1.  Saturday, November 20 – Feed the Homeless; Downtown Atlanta (Trinity & Peachtree) with 20 Point of Light partner, True Worship Christian Fellowship; Meal served 10:00 a.m. – Noon; volunteers needed  9:00 a.m.  - 1:00 p.m.  Volunteers can help with serving, interacting with guests, clean, assemble and distribute “Goody Bags”, etc.

2.  Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, November 25 – Feed the Homeless; Griffin with 20 Point of Light partner, Rushton’s Hope; Meal served 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.; volunteers needed  10:00 – 2:00 p.m.  Volunteers can help with serving, interacting with guests, clean, etc.

These are great chances for individuals, families, ministry groups such as LifeGroups to make a difference this Thanksgiving!

More details coming soon so check back!

Rushton’s Hope?  What’s that?

Rushton’s Hope, one of Eagle’s Landing’s local 20 Points of Light, is an organization that ministers to the Griffin community and beyond.

Their desire is to let all the hopeless, untouchable, abused, rejected and neglected know that there is hope in Jesus Christ – from the local community to the distant continents.  This is accomplished through building relationships within the community and by meeting physical needs, in order to open the door for meeting spiritual needs.

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