Shutting Down a Ministry Program

We have a youth renovation ministry that due to lack of funds and a leader we must discontinue.

Until covid19 forced us to close down this ministry, this group of young people have assisted in the repair and renovation of homes and churches that were damaged by storms, neglect, and other disasters. They have cleaned debris from yards, repaired roofs, floors in homes, doors and windows, fences, plumbing, drywall, etc in our community, states, and one foreign country. They shared the gospel wherever they went. The adult leader's wife has health issues, and he can no longer devote the time necessary to keep this ministry going. Inflation consumes more and more of our resources, and the needs (food, shelter, and care for seniors) of our local community just keep growing.

I wonder how many churches are having to shut down ministry programs due to lack of funds and leadership? How many have been effected by a loss senior members? What are they doing to keep up with community needs?

That's an honorable way to share the gospel.

The family unit has been undermined and so have small communities. The gt schools have raised many generations until they are now dependent upon gt rather than dad's.
The Bible talks about the family helping each other. Many don't like that. It is the Bible way though. If there are those in a church who are widows indeed, then that woman's church can offer help. Unfortunately, there just aren't enough resources to help the entire community of unbelievers.
I now found that my biggest asset to my community is to win the lost to Christ. There are plenty of neighbors who want physical help from me, but there's only so much of me to go around.

A wealthy couple in my former church was given a grant to carry out a similar ministry.
The head of that ministry asked me to help by leading volunteers to the nursing home.
The others went to help an elderly couple clean up some clutter.
That couple had a clean house that will last a while.
We saw 4 people at the nursing home trust Christian as their Savior. That will last forever.

I'm not saying that the other service was not important. If I am asked, then I will help whenever able. It's just my observation that I streamlined my ministry to serve the lost with the Good News of salvation first and let the other go.

Covid was a giant breach in continuity for many ministries. In our church there were two which were really struggling when we tried to bring them back physically. A clubs for adults with special needs/disabilities and a midweek lunch club. There were many people interested in coming along to both, the issue was finding helpers. Not many people seem to be willing to commit and serve sacrificially in these last days. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. The special needs club had to be shut down sadly because it could not be run safely. It was sad as it was providing fun and friendship for 20+ very vulnerable and lonely adults and they were hearing the gospel too. The lunch club has remained on the road with fewer helpers, fewer committee members but double the number of older and disabled folks coming along for lunch and a gospel message afterwards. God Bless

And every church should have resisted the nonsense propagated by the bogus pandemic. Had all Christian churches said "We refuse to accept COVID tyranny and will trust God to see us through" things might have turned out different. Absolutely everything about that "pandemic" was bogus -- total deception from the Arch Deceiver. Unfortunately too many Christians "bought" the lie (including the need for the bogus "vaccines").

We have a problem with young adults willing to serve continuous ministries. Most have children, and both parents work, so it's difficult for them to find time. We are a part of a minimum or low wage community and inflation has hit us hard. We have cut back on our contributions to our missionary programs.

It was easy to put our ministry programs on hold for covid19. It has been difficult to restart them. We have spent a year restarting our weekly children and teen dinner programs. We have finally found enough staff for classes and three teams (they rotate) to serve dinner before class. Summer is coming, and with school out, we may have some problems with loss of staff.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda! We never missed a weekly service. We suffered both losses of life, several hospitalizations, long term illnesses during the first year. We have had cases as late as last December. Thanks to our governor, we had access to treatments early on and were able to return to our commitment to community service.

While you spent hours here complaining, we were in the trenches ministering to those in need of care. While you were telling them that it was bogus, we were taking people to the hospital and comforting families who lost love ones. Sure we could have done a better job, and based on what we have learned, we will next time.

How about coming down off your high horse and getting back into the trenches. Help our churches, communities, and nation return to health and return to God.

That Coronavirus was a bear. Actually, I hear it's still going strong in the cities, Washington took down the mask signs and stopped the rule, but there are reports that it's still out there and some places want you to wear a mask to go inside anyway.

Does anybody know what kind of virus it is? I heard "mutation of the flu", what does that mean? People are dying of the common cold? It's an influenza virus causing pneumonia? Or some other kind of virus, because AIDS was a virus too, remember?

A virus is an airborne flagellum, I already know that. Why is this one so special?

Fauci is no source of true information. However, he even said those masks were of no use. They were a method of getting people used to complying, to paraphrase.
Other times he lied and said use 2 masks, as if one won't cut off oxygen too much.
I was reminded of that earlier when I saw the cashiers at the store wearing them.

The best way to destroy the viruses in my experiences, has been to strengthen my immune system. There's a number of things that help that to occur. Then it destroys the viruses before they multiply enough to become a load. I've cured myself many times of various viruses or whatever the contagions were going around at the time.

I know this isn't funny, and it is a tragedy your loosing a very valuable outreach ministry. But I find the humor in an ironic way.

See I didn't want to spend the rest of my life working in a temp agency, so I started with my forklift and reach truck license.

Eventually no one would hire me so I moved to Ayr and took a Heavy Equipment Operator course and I am licensed to Operate a Bulldozer, Excavator, Back Hoe and Road Grader.

I also took a Standard and Emergency Forst Aid courses.

I took a Job in Alberta as Log processor Operator, my co workers conspired to get rid of me and I rode a bus 2 days across Canada from Alberta to Southern Ontario.

I Eventually got my beginners drivers license and then eviction notice and had to move to Winnipeg. The government shut every thing down so I moved back to Ontario.

I signed up for a Construction Pre Apprenticeship last year, Learned a lot and got more licenses than a politician.

Learned Math, Blue print reading, basic carpentry, electrical and plumbing.
Licensed to operate a forklift, industrial crane sling, working at Heights, WHMIS, Work Place Safety.

Then I got my Personal Watercraft Operators License,. But I couldn't find a job because I don't have access to reliable transportation. I tried applying through CLAC Christian Labour Association of Canada. Then Joined CCBF as a student member Canadian Christian Business Federation. I then got my ordination through Global Christian Outreach Ministry. I have been a member of CHP Christian Heritage Party of Canada because I got fed up with the mainstream parties.

All these licenses and qualifications aren't doing any good because I don't have a full G license or a car.

No body wants to hire me because I don't have access to reliable transportation.

So I am currently in the process of enrolling for a tourism program for fall because I want to retire from unemployment.

It was an opportunity to push the fulfilling of Revelation 13:16-18
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

Did you not notice places saying no cash accepted, or debit or credit only. We are being groomed to receive the mark of the beast in the near future and it more than likely will be a microchip since all debit and credit cards have them.

Moving towards a cashless society does seem to be happening and it's hard to believe such a fundamental change wouldn't be directly related to the End Times. Another sign we're in the last days and that the Lord is coming soon. All we can really do is to be aware of the times we're living in and make the most of the time, evangelizing the unsaved and encouraging the saved, Hebrews 10:25. God Bless You

Your observations on financial transactions are spot on. The inner city riots I witnessed before the outbreak of the virus definitely included financial activism including alternative local currency substitutes, stores traded in cryptocurrency instead of national currency. That's not uncommon, I've met rioters before who used alternative scrip and barter before both in this country and in England. Boycott and reverse Boycott are both common.

I'd be interested to hear your thought on "pushing an opportunity for prophecy fulfillment". Surely God doesn't need to wait for an opening, anyone would have thought that God created opportunities, just as He provides inspiration.

I would assume based on Revelation that the mark of the beast is only possible in a cashless society, simply because you cant do business or survive without that mark.

Your right God doesnt need to wait for an opening, God uses people who are obediant and willing to serve, its through these people he provides the tools, resources and knowledge and wisdom to accomplish his will especially for a ministry. Its sad people feel they need to bow down and worship the devil to survive, but it seems thats how the devil is going to run things, an anti Christian society where everyone is a slave to evil.

The greatest thing of all is that God provides the Christian every thing that he needs to rise out of the anti Christian society. It seems to me that the Christian today enjoys wallowing in Satan's world.

Interesting, sounds right . In a choice between a cashier vs a machine or cash vs electronic transaction I always go for the cashier and cash. A small blow against the encroaching agenda and it's always good to have that human contact, keeping someone in a job and some actual interaction with a human being. God Bless You

That's a great take on the passage, but what if it's really a one world currency, think about the fact that in Germany people spend Marks (The Deutschmark). Maybe the mark of the beast is money. A new or special currency that you have to have, or you can't trade in the economy.

Amen

well it will be a global economy because everyone in the world will have to use it, but again it says everyone will have a mark in their hand or forehead, so it probably will be a microchip.

There's also credit. I'm looking at "information economy" theory, as in what's the password, frequency, or gang sign.