Word on the Street

The 2009 African American Congress, March 5-7, is a gathering of a wide range of people who meet annually in different cities to be encouraged, stimulated, equipped and trained to effectively make disciples among African Americans.  This year’s congress will be held in the Washington DC area.   The congress is sponsored by The Navigators and open to people of all ages and backgrounds.

Please pray for this gathering and that those who attend would be encouraged, stimulated, equipped and trained to effectively make disciples among African Americans.

More information on the Congress can be found on their website: http://afam.spectrumusa.org/congress/home

From Dennis Williams

What is happening in metro Detroit:

• We’ve started a new City Life group this past year.
• We have a new staff couple and a young single woman who have joined our team working with inner-city African-American youth. They all have a wealth of experience in this area and have added a lot to our team.
• We have started a series of business luncheons called Faith-at-Work to help local business men & women be more effective in bringing the good news of Christ to those in their workplaces. The website is navigatorsdetroit.com/faithatwork.
• We are continuing our efforts to recruit college grads, EDGE Corpa alumni and others to join our local team developing friendships with those from Middle Eastern backgrounds.
• We’ve changed our leadership structure to free up more staff to be involved in frontline ministry and serve them in all the ways we can to help them be fruitful.

• For God to bring others to join our ministry team focused on building friendships with those from Middle Eastern backgrounds.
• For wisdom in developing our new staff, that they would all deepen in their personal ownership of the Nav vision and sense of God’s calling on their lives.
• For our presence in the African American community to continue to grow, God giving us more and more friendships with those in whose hearts the Nav vision resonates. 15-20 of our local staff and contacts will be going to the national African American Congress on Discipleship in D.C. March 5-7.
• For wisdom as our team finalizes two upcoming summer programs here in Detroit focused on building friendships and serving in the inner-city and among Middle Eastern contacts. The programs are set up to help others learn about Detroit, gain a heart for people groups in this area and see how they could be involved in ministering here in the future.
• We want to take some steps to raise significant funds for our staff team this winter and spring. Pray for God to guide in the process and for perseverance, clarity of vision and boldness as we ask.

From Ed and Page Cvelich

Urban Hope Young Leaders Group

This year has seen two “firsts” for Urban Hope’s teenage leaders. In October, our team took seven high school students from the Young Leaders Group hiking, rappelling and tent camping at Hanging Rock State Park. It was the first time any of the “city kids” spent the night in the woods. There was a lot of anxiety about snakes, bears and sleeping on the ground but everyone had a lot of fun and the guys were energized by the physical challenge. They want to do it again!

In Matthew 9:38, Jesus asks us to pray that God will raise-up spiritual laborers for His harvest field. In The Navigators, that is what we are about all the time. This spring break, the Young Leaders Group will travel to inner city Washington DC to serve Little Lights – a ministry to children in a government housing project. This is the first time our youth are raising money for something other than a fun trip. It is very encouraging to see them excited about giving of themselves. Their conversation has been all about helping other kids rather than about how much fun DC will be. We are grateful to Jesus as we see the heart of a laborer emerge in these students.

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Want to help in the ministry of Ed and Page Cvelich? Contact them online or donate to their ministry on their Navigators page. Find out more about Urban Hope on their website at www.urbanhope.us.