Missions ~ Showing God’s Love
In Our World
Emmanuel Church supports several missionaries throughout the world. If you would like information about those we support, please see the bulletin board in the Christ Center or a member of our Missions Team.
In Our Community
Blood Drives
Offered three times a year in conjunction with the Morrison High School Key Club, through Impact Life (formerly Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center).
Children's Activities
Weekly Bible Study and social activities for kindergarten through fifth-grade students.
Morrison Food Pantry
Volunteer opportunity each November. Donations accepted at Morrison United Methodist Church or during Emmanuel's Thanksgiving Eve service.
Morrison Ministers Council
Morrison's pastors meet on a monthly basis over lunch to discuss ways the unified Church of Morrison can make a difference within the community.
Vacation Bible School
Our annual week-long event provides a fun environment for learning and worship for pre-K through fifth-graders.
Voices of Praise
An 85-voice regional choir that rehearses September-May and presents Christmas and Spring Cantatas annually.
Walking Ministry
A weekday opportunity for fellowship and exercise between 4:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. in the Christ Center Multi-Purpose Room.
Wednesday Night Family Meals
Free community meals are offered with Drive-Thru and Dine-In service. Donations are voluntary.
Youth Activities
Weekly Bible Study and social activities for junior high and high school youth.
Magnifying Our Missions ~ 2020
Designated benevolent offerings are donated to a different mission each month.
January: Emmanuel Reformed Church’s Christian Love and Care Fund
Your giving to this fund helps support individuals close to our church family who find themselves facing financial hardships such as utility assistance, food, clothing, auto repair, and home repair just to mention a few. Names of those who are helped are always kept confidential, but they quickly come to know that they are thought of, cared about, and prayed for by a member of our pastoral staff.
February: Caring Closet at MHS & April House
The Caring Closet at MHS was established this school year to provide students who, for a multitude of reasons, are unable to do things like maintain adequate hygienic practices in their personal lives, procure the necessary supplies for schools, and/or afford the necessary items for weather changes. The goal of the Caring Closet will be to provide all MCUSD 6 students with important personal items such as toiletries, undergarments, school supplies and other necessities that students may “shop for” (without paying) if they are in need. April House is a child-focused facility-based program in which representatives from core disciplines – law enforcement, child protection, prosecution, mental health, medical, and victim advocacy – collaborate to investigate child abuse reports, conduct forensic interviews, determine and provide evidence-based intervention, and assess cases for prosecution. The primary goal of all CACs is to ensure that children are not further victimized by the intervention system designed to protect them. Since 2015, April House continues to grow services in Whiteside County. The goal is to bring all the help-systems together with a team approach so children may find safety and healing.
March: Cameroon Scholarship Fund (Pastor Eric Ngum)
For March 2020, the Magnifying Our Missions special fifth Sunday offering will go towards the Cameroon Scholarship Fund. The goal of Cameroon Scholarship Fund (CSF) is to give every child in English Cameroon an opportunity to go to school, learn a trade, or start a small business. CSF will raise funds in North America, select beneficiaries in Cameroon, (working in collaboration with the local church/community). The scholarships provided will cover the entire cost of school/apprenticeship, or initial capital for a business. CSF will also hold annual conferences to evaluate, coach, motivate, and inspire recipients to achieve their goals and reach their full potential.
Noel is a nursing student in his final year of nursing. He is pursuing a BSN in nursing.
Solange (left) and Sham (right) graduated from the program. Solange completed an associate degree in business management and Sham obtained an associate degree in elementary education.
April: EPIC Center
Our April Magnifying our Missions recipient will be the EPIC Center in Fulton. The EPIC Center’s goal is to help families dealing with addictions come together in a “neutral” zone to pray, gain support and build relationships with others who may be experiencing the same addiction obstacles. EPIC stands for “Everything’s Possible in Christ.”
Dan and Renay Byers had a vision of opening a rehab center some day after having experience dealing with a family member suffering with drug and alcohol addiction. During many years of trying several rehab facilities, they learned that people need community relationships and God’s help to get through their addictions. They are on a mission to reach people with addiction issues and deep hurts and pains. That’s where the EPIC Center comes in.
Another of the EPIC Center’s goals is to build relationships with the area churches. A place where all Brothers and Sisters in Christ (BASIC) come together as a church working towards the same goals. Currently all funding for the building and items that are needed for weekly meetings and sessions, come directly out of the Byers’ own pockets. They would love to have area churches partner with them financially and think of them as Missionaries in our own community. They know God has a plan for them and they will continue to walk in faith waiting for Him to help financially.
May: Audio Scripture Ministries
Audio Scripture Ministries helps non-readers have access to God’s Word with audio recordings of the Bible in their own heart language. In a tough world, God’s Word in audio can provide some hope and the knowledge that there is a God who loves them enough to send His Own Son.
Audio Scriptures personnel record the Bible in other languages using native speakers, distribute digital audio Bibles to non-readers, and work world-wide with international partners to help them distribute audio players. For example, Wildlife Story Tellers are available for traumatized children so they can be comforted by Bible stories read in their native language.
June: Church World Service
Church World Service (CWS) is dedicated to assisting the marginalized and vulnerable people of the world. CWS help the world’s poorest by addressing basic needs like food, water, and community infrastructure. Also, CWS advocate for changes in policy, representing the voice of poverty and injustice.
July: Victory Center in Clinton, Iowa
The Victory Center is an emergency shelter located in the heart of Clinton, Iowa. Since its inception in April of 1987, the Victory Center has been dedicated to providing services for families, men, and women with children in need. Some of those services include: food, temporary shelter, employment assistance, counseling and biblical spiritual guidance. The shelter provides residence for up to 48+ people. Three balanced nutritious meals are served in the dining room every day. A clean change of clothes and a comfortable bed are prepared for the needy every evening. There are also showers, laundry facilities and a chapel available. Most importantly, they provide a caring and supportive environment where lives are changed and individuals regain their self-esteem. To really know the heart and soul of this great ministry you have to look no further than their Mission Statement sets the direction for all they do. The Mission Statement for The Victory Center of Clinton Iowa reads as follows: We are family of people committed to Glorify God and fulfill the mandates of Jesus Christ; to feed and clothe the poor and equip people through Biblical, spirit-empowered ministries.
August: International Justice Mission
As the name of this Mission signifies, justice is their middle name. They minister out of their abiding conviction that justice for the poor is possible. They exist to protect the poor from violence in the developing world. They embrace their calling by seeking to show justice, mercy, hope, and dignity to the “least of these.” (Matthew 25:10) They have built a global team consisting of hundreds of lawyers, investigators, social workers, community activists and other professionals who work through 17 field offices around the world. Wherever injustice exists this ministry works to rescue victims, bring criminals to justice, restore survivors with the hope of a new day, and to strengthen the justice system by working to stop corruption before it starts. Seeking to embody the justice of God’s kingdom – International justice mission is making life changing differences in such areas as sex trafficking, slavery, police brutality, property grabbing, and citizens’ rights abuse.
September: The Pregnancy Center
The Pregnancy Center is a Christ-centered ministry whose goals are to preserve the life of the unborn child and offer direction to young women. They achieve this mission by: Providing physical, emotional, and spiritual support for women. Offering support and healing to victims of past abortions. Providing education to help prevent crisis pregnancies through life style changes. Offering education to the community on issues regarding the sanctity of human life.
The Pregnancy Center provides services completely free of charge and they receive no government or state funding. They are completely funded from generous donors and churches like Emmanuel Reformed. The Center provides many services including free pregnancy tests, limited obstetric ultrasounds, emotional/spiritual support and classes on many different subjects including prenatal care, parenting, breast feeding, bible studies and how to manage stress, just to name a few. They partner with La Leche, Mercy, Bethany and Lutheran Social Services. They also have post abortion counseling and their Director of Counseling and Education goes into local schools including Morrison, Fulton, Clinton, Camanche and Dewitt. The Center makes referrals to different agencies for adoption services, maternity homes, Department of Human Services and agencies like High Tower that take in mothers and children who are having issues, such as being homeless. They also partner with churches in the area who make referrals to the Center if someone comes to them in need who is expecting or has children that have needs. A few years ago God blessed them with a new 3D/4D ultrasound through an initiative that Luke VanderBleek, Board President (at that time), spearheaded through the Knights of Columbus to help pregnancy centers like theirs have access to this type of cutting edge technology.
The Pregnancy Center is located at 240 North Bluff Blvd in Clinton, Iowa. To find out more, website: pregnancycenterclinton.org, email: Info@PregnancyCenterClinton.org or call: 563-242-6628.
October: Lansing City Rescue Mission
The Lansing City Rescue Mission, located in Lansing, Michigan, encompasses three separate buildings. A converted school building holds the Women’s and Children’s Ministry, the original downtown location in four converted store fronts is the Men’s Ministry and a converted retail store holds an outreach center for very temporary shelter, free laundry and snacks for those actively struggling with alcohol and drug addiction. With an estimated 5,000 people who identify themselves as homeless in the region, there is a huge need for this ministry. The mission’s executive director, Mark Criss, first cousin of Rich, said 100,000 meals each year are served from this rescue mission, and an average of 150 people each night receive shelter in this faith-based shelter. A requirement of eating and staying at the shelters is participating in a chapel service each evening where the good news of Jesus Christ is shared with the guests of the shelter. Guests are assisted with computer use to apply for employment, as well as basic needs, toiletries.
To support the ministry, the rescue mission operates a large upscale thrift store where guests are given vouchers for free clothes, but the public is invited to shop for very high quality items such as clothing, shoes, furniture, kitchen utensils, tableware and a host of other items. Both clients, paid employees and volunteers staff this store.
For more information, please visit the Lansing City Rescue Mission’s website at www.bearescuer.org.
November: Food for the Hungry
Food for the Hungry seeks to end ALL forms of human poverty. They partner with churches, leaders, and families working to eliminate world poverty and reveal God’s purpose to each person. Food for the Hungry is inspired and led by Christian beliefs serving without regard to race, creed, or nationality.