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Boxing Day Origins
In a time before Boxing Day became a consumer frenzy, it was known as a day of generosity. A couple traditions include: (1) during the reign of Queen Victoria in the 1800s, wealthy families boxed up gifts to give to the poor and their families (2) during the feast of St. Stephen – a day of remembering the Christian martyr known for charitable acts, Christians would support alms boxes which were placed in churches for the collection of donations for those in need. On this Boxing Day, may we be reminded of the spirit of our Christian forefathers and foremothers as they sacrificed by sharing their lives with others. In this Boxing Day edition of Global News, you will learn about Makara and Serey in Cambodia, reflect on a refugee devotion, be encouraged by a Shalom Valley video and check out upcoming Global events. For more infomation visit: https://www.tenth.ca/news/spending-ourselves-for-others--525
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Thank You Tenth ChurchShalom Valley 5-Year Anniversary Video In November 2023, I had the privilege of being with a team from Tenth Church as we spent a week at Shalom Valley in Kep Cambodia celebrating 2 anniversaries – 5 years for Shalom Valley and 10 years for Alongsiders International. Over the past 7 years, Tenth has brought teams that prayed over the land, helped in design and construction, while providing a significant resource base for the Shalom Valley dream to materialize. We loved (and still love) the vision of creating a space where children and youth from all over Cambodia could experience the shalom of God and love of Christian family. We were also attracted to the model, a sustainable enterprise model, where profits from renting out the camp to corporate groups help fund the global movement of Alongsiders. This is now a reality! In this short 1-minute video below, you will hear Alongsiders Founder Craig Greenfield share that more than 11,000 young people in Cambodia have experienced the Shalom of God at Shalom Valley. I join Craig in saying thank you Tenth Church for your sacrifice and generosity! Please watch video below. Patrick Elaschuk Global Missions Pastor at Tenth PS For the past 16 years, Tenth has been a primary partner of Alongsiders, which started as Big Brothers and Sisters of Cambodia and evolved to multiply its model globally 10 years ago, and is now in more than 30 countries. For more infomation visit:
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Cambodian Couple Leading the WayMakara and Serey From Makara, Tenth's Liaison in Cambodia One of the most impacting experiences I had in the last year was when the Tenth Church team came to spend time with us in Cambodia last November. When Pastor Patrick and Tenth teams visit, we feel their support and it helps us find the strength in Jesus to continue making disciples in Cambodia where the conditions for faith are difficult. For more infomation visit:
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Making Hope Their HomeDevotion and Prayer Based on the Refugee Story of Jesus and His Family The nativity narrative in the gospel of Matthew goes beyond the birth of Jesus to give us a peek into the early life of his family. Despite a joyous birth and warm welcome from shepherds, travelers from afar, and faithful prophets in the temple, there was one person who was not celebrating. King Herod’s jealousy of a newborn king turned a joyous celebration into a frightful drama. Overnight, Mary and Joseph’s lives were turned upside down as they were forced to flee beyond the political reach of a cruel king who threatened the life of their son. In modern terms, a refugee is someone who flees their home country due to fear of persecution based on their race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. Given the circumstances surrounding their flight to Egypt, the Holy Family met at least a couple of these grounds, and would be considered refugees today. What incredible hope it took for Joseph and Mary to pack up all of their belongings and flee, following the best path they knew in order to keep their family safe! Millions of people around the globe are forced to make similar choices every year due to war, political unrest, and many other forms of violence and danger that prevail in a broken world. Refugees make hope their home. Like the family of the Christ child, they choose to press forward into the unknown with a hopeful expectation of a safer tomorrow. Consider: How can we see Christ in our refugee neighbors, or other neighbors facing displacement? How would we describe his parents’ choice to flee to another country to save their lives? Does this differ from the way we describe the choices made by parents today when they take dangerous journeys for the sake of their children? In Matthew 25, Jesus tells us that the way we treat the vulnerable is the way we treat him. What actions can we take this holiday season to welcome the stranger in the same? Prayer: Jesus, We are in awe that you would choose an embodied existence on this earth not in luxurious palaces but in the form of a refugee fleeing for your life. We are grieved that so many individuals and families today face the same terrifying choice that your family endured generations ago. We ask that you be near in their sorrow and in their anxiety. You know what it feels like to be crushed by the weight of corrupt political leaders. Bring your comfort to the oppressed in our world today. We pray for your hope in the refugee camps, in the boats bracing the choppy waters of the Mediterranean, and at the borders that divide us. Lord, be near. AMEN. Get the full God on the Move 4 part devotion from We Choose Welcome - here For more infomation visit:
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Love and Justice CourseStarting Tuesday January 9 At Tenth Church we are passionate about being a community that brings healing to the broken and seeks social justice for all. Together, we are learning an approach to mission that helps without hurting, shares without creating dependency and loves all sorts of people selflessly. This course will help you catch a vision for justice and equip you to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8). There will be a combination of biblical, theological, and practical teaching along with personal reflection, group discussion, inspiring stories, and hands-on experience gaining exposure to some of the justice work our church is doing. For more infomation visit:
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Cambodia Catch-up and PrayMonday, January 15, 2024 at 7:30pm on Zoom Learn more about Tenth's recent Justice Journey in Cambodia, followed by prayer and hosted by Patrick and Makara. For more infomation visit:
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PSCall for Prayer and Year End Donations 2023 has been a huge year of growth for all our global partners and our local refugee support ministry. Thank you for your ongoing sacrificial love and support as God is doing great things all over the world through our Tenth staff, volunteers, global workers and partners. If you were at our AGM in November, you may have noticed that it appeared that the Missions Fund is in great shape. We have been grateful for the outpouring of support for refugees and because of that, nearly all the funds in the Missions Fund are for Refugee Support, leaving the fund that supports all our work in Cambodia, our 30 global missions partners and global workers of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, quite low. Would you either consider donating monthly to Cambodia / Mission Fund, or increasing your monthly contribution? Thank you for your prayer and support. FYI - Some people like to give to where the need is greatest. In this season, the greatest need is the Cambodia Fund. Volunteer opportunities - shoot out an email to patrick@tenth.ca if you are interested in being part of a Justice Journey or our global team. Patrick Elaschuk, Global Missions Pastor For more infomation visit: https://www.tenth.ca/news/spending-ourselves-for-others--525
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Get involved with God's global mission at Tenth
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