From Cheryl Britt



"HUG A BEAR MINISTRY"

First I would like to thank all you that have donated Teddy Bears to this new ministry. I would like to explain a little more about this ministry - I would like for you to all pick up a bear on Sunday mornings and hold it during the service and pray with the bear, hug the bear, etc - at the end of the service please leave the bears in the pews so they can continue to be blessed. If you give the bear away please leave me a note in the office so I can keep track of how many we have sent out to those who need a prayer or just a hug from the bear. I know the first day we sent out 3 bears so if they keep going out at this pace we are going to need a lot of bears. I have put cards on the bears but I have left the name blank - if your would like to name a Teddy Bear please feel free or if your would like to leave the name blank and let the receiver name it that would be fine too. I have been in contact with the police department and fire department and let them know if they need a bear for any if their victims they can contact us. These bears can go to a child or an adult who may need that little bit if extra comfort. I thought this was a good way to get the kids involved in a ministry as they can also take a bear and hold it and pray with it and if they ever have a friend that is sick or injured they will be able to give them a bear and explain how they have prayed over this bear for just for them - what a GREAT way to reach out to our community, and to get our kids involved in a ministry they can feel a part of and take part in.

I recently worked a 72 Hour Walk to Emmaus Weekend and I gave a talk to over 60 women. I mentioned our "Hug A Bear" ministry in my talk and I received such great feedback from the women. Clergy told me what a great idea it was and was very impressed that the congregation was donating the bears. I went up to my room on Saturday night and when I got to my room I found 12 Teddy Bears on my bed to be used for this ministry. They were donated by friends of mine at Columbia City United Methodist Church - What great agape this was - they knew how much this means to me that they wanted to help us get started.

We still need Teddy Bears so if you run across any at garage sales, swap meets, or on sale anywhere I hope you will remember this ministry and help out by picking one (or 2) up and donate them to the cause or you can call me and let me know where they are and I will go and pick them up.

Thank You all so much,

Cheryl Britt

Philippians 2:1-4 "If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others."