Missions and Outreach Successes of 2023
In 2023, LifePoint’s Missions and Outreach initiatives witnessed amazing growth. Achieving remarkable success in forging new partnerships, growing new leaders, and extending financial support to worthy causes. We proudly added four new partners to our roster, furthering our impact both locally and globally.
Locally, the Healing Hands Medical Clinic became a valuable addition, amplifying our commitment to physical and spiritual health working together. The Produce Market, attracted 570 visitors during its inaugural season, showcasing our dedication to supporting neighbors physical needs to be fed, and introducing them to LifePoint. The Produce Market ministry leader, Tina Ortega-Thomas, is still actively working to get this ministry serving the community again.
On the global stage, we welcomed IndoPartners, broadening our support of spreading the gospel into Indonesia. While aligning ourselves with Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Relief Mission Team and Mission Leaders Jamie Morse, Nicole Calvert, and Becky Haas, strengthened LifePoint’s capacity for national and local responses for when natural disasters hit.
Financial support played a pivotal role in our endeavors, with two existing partners, Blacksheep and Haitian Christian Ministries, receiving vital funds to help to continue to serve those in need. While we still are not able to send teams to Haiti due to the continued civil unrest, this financial commitment underscores our ongoing dedication to fostering sustainable and Holy Spirit filled change in the communities and nations we serve, including Haiti.
Our mission trips in 2023 totaled seven, with highlights including Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Relief Missions to Florida and Tennessee, Arizona Reservation Ministries initiatives on the San Carlos Reservation, and a My360 Project trip to Mexico. These experiences not only enriched and grew our mission team members but also left a lasting impact on the communities we visited. Through these mission trips, new leaders were identified and have stepped forward into the role of being a servant leader for the church and those they lead and mentor on future missions.
In terms of outreach, LifeCare had an abundance of needs from the San Tan Valley community, fulfilling 67 community requests with the help of 102 volunteers, LifeCare met physical needs, and planted seeds for the Spirt to move. The success of The Big Give 2023, Christmas in Belize Fundraiser, exceeded the $3,000 goal, supporting the continued discipleship efforts for the children of Gales Point, Belize . The Giving Tree had 186 tags fulfilled, and an amount of $2,250 in gift cards for our local partners to use to serve those in need. Operation Christmas Child had 468 donation-filled shoeboxes collected, including 283 from our church and packing party event. Lastly $3,000 from the Christmas Eve offering was given to our local and global partners to bless them at Christmas time.
Other outreach initiatives, such as Baskets of Blessings had five baskets given to neighbors in need. The Community Picnic had the majority in attendance from the neighborhood and was being served by the church. These efforts further solidified our commitment to building a stronger and unified community through the act of kindness and service to others.
We’re not just about events – our commitment extends to life-saving efforts. LifePoint hosted three community blood drives in collaboration with Healing Hands Medical Clinic resulting in 30 first-time donors, 94 products collected, and an estimated 280 lives saved. As a testament to love and lead like Jesus did, LifePoint congregant and Haiti Mission Leader, Becky Haas now serves on the Board of Directors of the Haitian Christian Ministries, while Executive Pastor Tim Ferrara serves on the Board of Directors of Paladin Sports Outreach.
The successes of 2023 serve as a testament to the unwavering commitment the church has, to live out The Great Commission, Matthew 28, 17-20, “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”. This past year we have seen God move hurdles out of the way and make a path when we didn’t see one. We saw our Father care for our loved ones at home, as we served and cared for those that don’t know the love of the Father. All the praise and glory to our Father in Heaven for the abundance of joy He has given to us as the church went out to all the nations and served those He seeks after. Here’s to another year of transformative, Spirt lead missions and outreach!
To learn more about our Mission and Outreach partners visit: https://lifepointaz.com/missions-and-outreach/
Angela Noel
Missions Director