Summer Programs Begin June 11th – Join Us!!!

We are matching assets through relationships.  We are asking the community for assets available to help with the Summer Program at the Connection.  Many have come forward already.  We have pledges of (tax free – see below) monetary support.  Lawyers, Counsellors, Nurses and a host of service-givers have signed up to be assets.

Several Colleges and Universities have agreed to provide credit for our summer interns.  We have just finished an agreement with Ball State University which will provide interns with 6 hours of credit for students working in the program.  (do you know a student who could use the credit?).

We are so thankful for the mentors who have volunteered to tutor in our summer program.  We are still getting students from the Kokomo area for the tutoring.  And we still have openings.

 Free Tutoring
This program matches an adult volunteer with a child, grades 1-6, who needs extra help with Math, Reading or Language Arts. 

We will be tutoring from materials that a specifically designed to teach and prepare students for ISTEP.  Because of the timing of the ISTEP, (the test is given immediately when school starts – after a summer away from classes) we believe this tutoring will help every student.

Tutors and students meet on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons (1-4 pm) continuing informally during the summer. Additional special events are also scheduled at various times during the summer. The Coordinator will have contact with each student’s school and will provide training, materials and assistance to each tutor as needed.

We have so many people who have pledged support for our  “Wonderful Wednesdays”, but we still need help.  We need to create relationships with enterprises and individuals in the community who will help by sponsoring children for tutoring or sponsoring a stipend for our summer Interns.  We would like to provide a stipend to those interns for the summer they spend with us. 

If you can help, email us or call Morning Star at 452-7166 and tell them you want to help.  All donations are tax free as we are a 501 (c) 3 organization.

Our Mission is by word and deed, to love people into relationship with Jesus Christ and to show God’s love in a practical way as we work to give away to the world what we have been given by God. 

Weekly Summer Schedule at the Connection!!! 

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

*Resources

8AM-NoonOpen Gym

8AM-Noon Open Gym  1-4 PM Games Tutoring Artists School

8AM-NoonOpen Gym 1-4 PM“Wonderful Wednesday” * Free Professional Services

8AM-Noon Open Gym  1-4 PMGames Tutoring Artists School

8AM-NoonOpen Gym

* AttorneyNursing (RN)Social CounselorFinancial CounselorJobs and counseling *Various other professionals may be present

For details please click on the link below:

Summer Programs at The Connection

Oh yeah, every Wednesday evening, we will be at the Park Band Concerts in Highland Park giving away free popcorn and cold drinks (water and soda).  

What a Summer for Serving in Love….you can be a part of it.  Email or Call Now!!

What A Day!!!

 Darrough Chapel Day was a huge success!!!  Dozens of household turned out for the free gifts and to see the Connection. It was an old fashioned neighborhood get together. 

The neighborhood businesses were busy giving chair massages, cutting and styling hair and just meeting neighbors.  Most of neighbors got a good look at their new Community Center and the response was…overwhelming!!!  They (We) love it!  There was food and good conversation.  We can’t wait to get started on the summer programs.

Thanks to our helpers and to the “family” at the Connection.  Small things done with great love will change the world.

A New Perspective

We were in Darrough Saturday (May 12) to listen and to learn.  We were discussing the Neighborhood Event next Saturday (May 19th 1 – 4 PM) and just listening.  Here is what we heard. 

The neighborhood wants to provide most of the assets themselves.  We agree.  The Darrough Chapel neighborhood residents matched assets and came up with $10 free gas, free hair styling, free Chiriopatric diagnosis, free Chair Massage, a free cookout and a host of other free services,  The neighborhood also has assets available to help with the remainder of the Summer Program at the Connection. 

We heard from School system remedial programmers who can help, we listened to law enforcement and legal professionals in the neighborhood who are working on ways to help.  We listened and learned that it is not about meeting needs with services and goods; it’s about matching gifts through relationships.

There is much more to report, but the bottom line is this:  We will use as many neighborhood resources as possible and provide the infrastructure as needed.  Here is what YOU can do: (All Tax Deductible)

Sponsor a child for tutoring.  Initial responses indicate we will exceed our capacity to serve 30 children.  For $10 you can sponsor a child for the entire summer.  We also have $50 and $500 level tax deductible plans that help us deliver the infrastructure and reach more neighbors.  Call and ask how you can support through your tax free donation (452-7166)

Volunteer a service.  Every Wednesday, we are offering services to build families and we want to offer services to as many as  want to participate.

Finally, we need help ourselves.  We need to staff those not so glamorous spots, office management, cleaning, audio/visual technicians, gym managers….you get the idea.

We are praying our relationship with the local media will help us meet our needs, because as the residents told us Saturday, it about relationships and services.

Will you help us?  Email right now.

The Free Gift of Community

What’s the Buzz? 

Something unusual is happening.  We have been going about the business of contacting people and reserving assets to begin our Summer Programs at the Connection.  We wanted the word to get out and it apparently that is just what happened.

We have been getting emails from businesses and individuals asking how they can help.  We have offers of free services, staffing and money.  But most of all, we have recognized a sound in the community that we remembered, but haven’t heard for a long time.  No,  not the “Kokomo Hum”; it is a very different sound we are hearing again, it is the sound of love.  And we are working to find a way to accept the love we are hearing.  For now, our email link or calling the church (452-7166) are the best methods to reach us with your offer to help.  Our “Community” page puts it this way,

“People act on what they CARE about.  Persons of faith know that something unusual happens when people care enough to act.  A critically important asset in any neighborhood is what people want to do because they care.  Tragic or uplifting, acting because we care is a great and powerful force.  All the assets in a community are woven like threads in a tapestry by a willingness to act on care.

Care is a fabric of those threads woven through every community to form a tapestry that people can come to recognize. We can make the texture and strength of this community fabric become more visible through asking and listening, “What do you care about? What will you do about that?” When this tapestry is clearly displayed, people find common interest and the power of acting together. ”

We are working with many of these caring people and businesses to organize and recognize those contributions.  We are overwhelmed with the response and we are very thankful for the effort and help many have expressed.  We believe the local media is the proper vehicle to get the word out and to recognize those with caring hearts.  We just give away what God has provided.  We are finding a community fabric and hearing the love of our neighbors.  We will have an announcement next week.

We know you care and we want you to serve.

How about you?  Click Here to start the process and help out.