Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100:4–5)
As the Psalmist writes, we truly have much to be thankful for this holiday season. It is a time when we begin to reflect in gratitude on the greatest gift ever given, the birth of Jesus. That’s why our annual Thanksgiving Offering is an opportunity to invest joyfully in the Kingdom of God.
Our 2023 Thanksgiving Offering is blessing three of our ministry partners that are doing incredible work in our city and around the world. This is an opportunity for us to show and share the love of Christ in a tangible way. Will you join us in giving generously this season?
Our 2023 Thanksgiving Offering Initiatives
The church in Cuba faces many challenges. What we would consider simple problems, such as moving from one place to another within a city or finding a place to meet for worship, represent real challenges in a context marked by poverty, constant power outages, and gasoline shortages, to name a few. Cuba’s fragile economy and lack of resources make it very difficult for churches to provide enough income for their pastors and ministries.
Despite the many challenges, the Gospel is advancing in Cuba. Over the last three years we have had the privilege of being part of what the Lord is doing by assisting the development of pastors and church-planters. Three of them are already laboring to see new Christ-centered churches in two different cities. As partners in the Gospel, we want to support them in their efforts. This includes the goal of helping them become self-sustainable.
Through our Thanksgiving Offering, we will provide several elements needed for sustaining and growing the Church in Cuba. First, we will look to purchase homes which can be used as churches (it is currently illegal to meet in a rented property) as well as provide housing for a pastor and his family. Secondly, we will purchase equipment like electric tricycles and ice cream makers which can provide hundreds of dollars a month in income for pastors that need to be bi-vocational. These small business opportunities bless the community and provide many potential Gospel interactions.
Learn more about Neopolis Network: https://neopolisnetwork.com
CPDE’s vision to reach the world’s 22 Arabic-speaking nations, Iran, Turkey, and Israel started in Egypt over 20 years ago. The ministry has since expanded into Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan and Turkey. Nearly 3,000 house churches were formed in 2022, bringing the total number that CPDE oversees to over 18,000! This has created a need to establish a second base of operations to support the work outside of Egypt and Sudan.
Turkey is the ideal country for such a base. Istanbul’s airports are the busiest in the region and some of the busiest in the world, making it easy to travel in order to better serve the expanding work.
This year’s Thanksgiving offering will support the creation of a self-sustaining dairy farm that will connect locals with the business and the Gospel. CPDE’s vision is to create a fully functioning dairy farm by mid-2024, complete with 50 cattle. This farm will serve as a benevolent business to the local community and allow pastors to expand Gospel outreach in the local area. It will also allow them to host many leaders from the entire Middle East. Since Christians often face persecution in this area of the world, the opportunity to provide jobs, training, and fellowship to people from the entire region will provide a means of sustainability and allow the churches not just to survive but to thrive.
Learn more about CPDE’s work here: https://www.cpdeministries.org
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ —Matthew 25:34–40
After thousands of asylum seekers arrived in Chicago this past year, many are ill-prepared for the upcoming winter weather and local city services are ill-equipped to provide. That’s why we’re partnering with trusted local ministry partners, like Grace and Peace Church and World Relief, to meet the critical needs facing this vulnerable community.
Your gift to the Thanksgiving Offering will provide critical resources like food, shelter, and clothing to vulnerable migrant families living on the Chicago streets this winter. Additionally, your gift enables our partners to provide medical and mental health assistance, English classes, employment opportunities, and assistance navigating the asylum legal process so they can begin a stable life.
Learn more about:
- Grace & Peace Church here: https://thegapc.org
- World Relief here: https://worldrelief.org
How to Give
This year, we’re praying for an additional $250,000 beyond our regular giving.
Would you prayerfully consider how the Lord is leading you to participate this year?
Whether you give online or you use an offering envelope at one of our services, simply designate “Thanksgiving Offering” on your gift.
