Friday, February 13, 2009

Short Story: Neighborhood Group Caught in the Act

Christ's Church of the Valley (CCV) likes to run short, 250-word stories in each weekend's bulletin to tie in with the sermon or events happening within the church. The approximate bulletin count is 7,200 every weekend.

Neighborhood Group Caught in the Act
Joe Clayton, Westwing’s send leader for the neighborhood group ministry, has always been there to serve others. In fact, he’s dedicated the last seven years of his life to serving CCV and the local community. Joe is acutely familiar with giving to the needs of others before helping himself.

Recently, Joe was rushed to the hospital for a life-threatening illness that could have taken his life. Fortunately for Joe and his family, his infection was caught early and he has since fully recovered. Joe’s recovery is nothing short of a miracle, and the outpouring of support he and his family received from others in his neighborhood groups is also considered a lifelong blessing.

“Shortly after arriving in the hospital, I had fellow CCV members in my ICU room praying for me. This was the first of many gifts and experiences I had during this process. I can not express the heartfelt gratitude I had for a church making me feel so cared for,” Joe explains.

While Joe was in the hospital, his wife also received support through phone calls and prayers. After Joe’s short stay in the hospital, other small group members arranged to have meals delivered to their house for a week. “I can not tell you the feeling I had knowing that we have such a great church and community that takes care of the people in need. This also speaks to the importance of belonging to a neighborhood group. This experience has changed my life,” Joe said.

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