Apostles Church

We are still accepting gifts to our Advent Offering through the end of January.

During Advent, Apostles Church gives a special offering that we are calling our Advent Offering (formerly referred to as our Year End Offering). This is a special offering above and beyond our normal giving that goes to fund major Kingdom projects around the world. Last year we set the goal of $50,000 and our people responded with just under $90,000 of gifts. Through the radical generosity of our people we were able to help launch a French-speaking Church in Quebec, fight human trafficking, support the rehabilitation of sex exploitation victims, fund the beginning of a school for Dalit children in India, and help equip under resourced pastors in a church planting movement in India. Amazing fruit has come from those endeavors that would not have been borne apart from the radical generosity God worked in the hearts of our people.

As our Elders have prayed, we have sensed the Lord stretching us and calling us to an even greater step of faith than last year. We believe the Lord is calling us to set the goal for this year’s Advent Offering at $100,000. We are praying that God would grant great grace to us and enable us to give with such radical, gospel motivated generosity that we could help fund the following Kingdom projects around the world:

Love146 - Kone Kmeng, Cambodia

We want to continue to partner with Love146 to fight human trafficking, especially of vulnerable children. Kone Kmeng is a grass roots Cambodian Love146 program partner working to equip the indigenous Church to protect and care for Cambodian children who are at risk of exploitation in their communities. Kone Kmeng equips churches to provide training on child protection, human trafficking, domestic violence, drug abuse, child rights, basic care and hygiene to adults in villages.

Redeemer Church, Leeds, UK

Leeds is one of the top five largest cities in the UK. It is one of the cultural, financial and commercial centers of the UK. It has a rich cultural heritage and has a vibrant arts, entertainment and music scene. It has two major British universities and numerous other higher education institutions. This gives Leeds one of the largest student populations in the country with somewhere in the region of 150,000 students. Spiritually, Leeds has one of the lowest church attendance rates in the whole country. Between 1990 and 2005 church attendance declined by 55%. Only 1.5% of the population of Leeds would describe themselves as followers of Jesus Christ. There is a great need for new, vibrant, missional churches in center city Leeds. With our Advent Offering we will be able to help Pastor Gary Aston launch Redeemer Church Leeds in 2012.

Good Shepherd Community Churches, India

Over 3,000 GSCC have been planted throughout India in the last 7 years. Through our Advent Offering, we have an opportunity to extend this movement by developing and providing training for hundreds of pastors throughout India. These training opportunities are vital for the spiritual health and ministry of these pastors, many of whom are suffering for their faith.

Dalit Education Center (Dalit Freedom Network), Sholingur, India

The Dalit people are the “untouchables” of India. They are the lowest caste in the Hindu Caste System and are treated as subhuman. Without education, Dalit children are more vulnerable to continued caste oppression and exploitation. The Dalit Freedom Network in cooperation with Operation Mobilization has started over 100 schools and is providing education for over 25,000 Dalit children. Last year we were able to help purchase the land for a Dalit Education Center in the village of Sholingur. This school will eventually provide education to over 400 Dalit children from the surrounding villages. This year, with our Advent Offering we will further the work of that Education Center by helping to fund the construction of the school. It is a great joy to invest in an area and see fruit over many years.

Tarik Women’s Center, Bangalore India

The Tarik Women’s Center is a new work in the city of Bangalore that is serving women who are being exploited or are at risk of being exploited. Over the last 1.5 years, hundreds of women have graduated from Tarik’s six month program where they learn marketable skills such as tailoring, computer competency, and spoken English. These skills are providing tangible ways for women in poverty prone areas to live sustainable lives. Our Advent Offering will provide necessary resources to expand Tarik’s impact.

We want to challenge you to pray about what the Lord would have you give toward our Advent Offering. Don’t be surprised if God is calling you to give more than you think you are capable of giving. This is a great opportunity for us to join together in sacrificial love and Christ-like generosity and help shape the future of nations. I pray that none of us will miss out on that opportunity.

You can give at our services during the Advent Season by simply noting on your check, “Advent Offering.” You can also mail in your offering or drop it off at our offices at 209 E. 16th Street, NY, NY 10003. Lastly, you can give online through our website.

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