Are chaplains necessary in the war on terror? Here is a quote from Mike Mullen, Admiral, United States Navy, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

“We couldn’t defend this nation without our Chaplains, Chaplain Assistants/Religious Program Specialists. The compassionate care you provide our fighting men and women – and their families – remains vital to our combat readiness.

You are the ear we want to bend, the helping hand we want to grasp, the broad shoulder upon which we want to lean. You serve us and our spiritual needs every bit as much as you serve the national security needs of this great country.

Thank you for that service, and for the courage – physical and moral – you demonstrate every day at sea, on the ground and in the air. On behalf of all those with whom and for whom you tread in harm’s way, I salute you.”

At present CBAmerica has seven chaplains serving in Iraq . . .

Iowa Flooding Update!

We continue to monitor the situation in Iowa.Dr. Don Shaw, North Central CBA Executive Director, writes:

All of you are aware of the recent flooding that has occurred in Iowa.  Cedar Rapids was one of the areas that has been devastated by flooding.  We have four churches in the Cedar Rapids area.  None of the church buildings were affected by the flooding, however, at least sixteen families in these churches cannot say the same.  At this time there are two families that have lost everything, including their homes.   
          As a family of churches we would like to be able to at least help these families financially.  If you are led to do this, please send the funds to the Regional office with the memo marked "Flood Relief."  Checks should be made out to NCCBA and mailed to: PO Box 568, Whitehall  WI  54773. 

Click here for the complete article from the North Central CBA June E-Central Newsletter dated Jun 18, 2008

To date we have received nearly $10,000 for relief aid to Myanmar Cyclone and the China Earthquake Relief. We have recently received updates from our Compassion Partners and we wanted to share these updates with you.

From Myanmar we hear:

Based on this, we felt to start “Nargis Grace Mission for Myanmar” which will focus on helping homeless, (those with)...no food and no water and preaching the gospel which is a means to church’s planting and taking care of homeless and parentless children. We have a very strong conviction that we should take a chance to preach the gospel.

Of course, Cyclone Nargis hit many people, houses, and paddy field. Because of this, many people are in need of help. People are suffering from hunger of food, water and diseases. Some are passing day by day. Our main focus right now is to help believers who are in need of urgent help. (Click here to read more of this update)

From China

One of the Hong Kong doctors reported:

I asked a nurse whether I could change the dressing on a patient in her ward (which means under her tent).  She agreed.  I worked with the patient, chatting while I cleaned the wound and applied medicine and a new dressing.  When I was still working with the patient, she and another nurse, both from Beijing, came over to watch.  Afterwards, these two nurses asked whether I could give them a Bible.  I brought them over to the church’s “Kindness and Aid” center where a volunteer talked further with them and arranged to bring them Bibles.

The first Singapore medical team has already taken the Hong Kong team’s place in the Deyang hospital.

On Saturday, I traveled to Guangyuan prefecture to visit the pastors and churches there.  This is one of the churches in a county named Jiange.  If you could read the red characters, you would see that this church is called “Thanksgiving Church”.  Just recently, the people of this church had raised enough money to complete the façade on the front of the building.  They had photos from the dedication ceremony so I could see what the church looked like before the earthquake.

(Click here to read more of this update)

• Myanmar Cyclone Relief Information

• China Earthquake Relief Information

Dennis Noble moved his family to the Five Points neighborhood of Denver, Colorado in 1972 just so he could serve others. At that time the Five Points area was a predominantly African American, but over all an extremely ethnically diverse community. As a then CBHMS ethnics ministry church planter, he and wife Shelley, started the RMCBA affiliated Church of the Risen Lord at 27th and Champa in Denver.

Recently Dennis was awarded a local televison station's Everday Hero Award. The Channel 7 (ABC affiliate) selects an outstanding comunity member weekly. The 7Everyday Hero Award recipient is selected on the basis that he or she -

• Represents or serves working families
• Initiates or creates solutions
• Motivates others
• Makes sacrifices
• Benefits others
• Makes a difference
• Leads on an ongoing basis Is a role model
• Fills a need
• Goes beyond the scope of their job
• Does his/her work on a not-for-profit basis
• Does not profit from a charitable organization
• Solves problems
• Goes above the call of duty
• Successfully follows through
• Sets an example
• Is focused
• Is actively involved