2024 Missions Team Opportunities
Dominican Republic - June 2024
Guatemala - July 2024
Local Mission Opportunities
Care & Connect (Foster our Community)
Second Thursday of Every Month from 7PM-9PM
a night of support, encouragement & connection for foster, adoptive and kinship moms.
Comfy Cozies
Comfy Cozies is a group that crochets, knits, and sews. Items are then given to many local and global organizations. To get involved contact info@ncchapel.com or call 330.494.3419
- April 24 from 6-7:30PM
- May 14 from 10-11:30AM
- May 29 from 6-7:30PM
Local & National
Michael and Teresa Brown
Cru- BGSU, Ohio
Michael and Teresa minister at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) as a part of Cru (the campus ministry whose presence and proclamation connects with thousands of undergraduate and graduate students each year). They are also involved in Regional Foster Care Community, SEARCH Residential Community (spiritual residence hall at BGSU), Vanguard Men’s Organization, their Bowling Green Neighborhood Missional Community, the Campus Multifaith Alliance and BGSU Athletics.
Ways to Pray:
- Michael’s ongoing travels and speaking engagements in the US
- Michael’s “I Must” men’s leadership group, becoming more spiritually open.
- Safe travels and wonderful outcomes from Michael’s travels.
- Our daughter’s injuries from her ski lift accident are healing well.
- We got to celebrate Easter with all but three of our children!
- Our son, Ethan, is engaged to Julia, a beautiful, smart and godly woman.
Mike Hepler
Christ Led Communities (CLC), Ohio
Mike (from North Canton Chapel), travels to area churches in Ohio to help establish men’s ministries using the CLC material. He equips men to be leaders based on growing relationships with Christ developed through men studying God’s word together.
Ways to Pray:
- • Pray for: CLC Gathering on May 30th at the Community Church of Portage Lakes. Pray for the men who attend, that their hearts would be moved to act on their love for Jesus by obeying His call to feed His sheep.
- For the recent ALL-IN groups that have begun their journey. That the H.S. would have His way with the men in becoming more mature in their faith, able to reach out to others to do the same for them.
- For the formation of my own next group. That God would bring the men He has chosen for the next 2 years.
- That God would open doors for more men at Grace Brethren Church where one of the pastors there was in my last group.
Richard and Sandy Lewis/
Lewis Cross Cultural Training, Inc., Arkansas & International
The Lewis’ lived in Kenya for 14 years, working among tribal groups. For the past 25 years, Richard has taken his wealth of pastoral and missions experience to teach and coach missionaries and spiritual leaders in over twenty countries. Although they live in the U.S., Richard is often in Kenya, India, Nepal, and many other parts of the world, teaching nationals to go cross culturally to share God’s word. He teaches sessions for Perspectives and an online course for a Bible College, and has a weekly podcast with interviews of missionaries around the world. He serves as a resource for churches, helping to establish mission focus.
- Pray for: Safe travel to Mali W. Africa
- Survival during the daytime with temps in the mid 100’s
- Health and safety as he teaches the Muslim background believers who serve in a hostile environment
- Praise that he was able to get his visa in time to go to Mali
International
Christiana
Undisclosed Country in Northern Africa
Works with an organization within the country to establish relationships with nationals in order to share God’s word. She has a heart and passion for relational ministry to those who have suffered great loss in their lives, such as widows, orphans, refugees, etc., She speaks several languages and seizes every opportunity to share the gospel and disciple new believers.
Ways to Pray:
- Pray for speaking to a Malone Education class 4/18 and for many other opportunities to present the ministry in Topaz
- Praise for a car to use for the last 1½ months of Home Assignment
- For physical therapy going well for the shoulder and for an all-clear for the potential breast cancer
- For being able to re-engage in playing tennis again!
Sid and Stephanie
Undisclosed Country in West Asia
Stephanie (originally from North Canton Chapel) and her husband “Z” (native to the region) have been living and working among the people for six years. They both work in translation for un-written and un-translated dialects and language groups. Their work includes training nationals in oral and written translation of the Word. They use and teach “storying” in a local dialect and context to share with people in a community; these people can then share these stories with others—a form of teaching that reaches far and produces growth. They also work with locals to train and prepare written translation for un-written and un-translated dialects and languages.
Ways to Pray:
- Pray as Stephanie will be traveling for work.
- For Sid as he prepares to lead some workshops.
- For the additional alphabet development. Praise as several alphabets that have reached completion!
Mark and Gina Schmidt / Educate BV
Guatemala
The Schmidt Family family serves the people of Buena Vista, Guatemala. They host an educational center, Centro Educativo DeepStream, which currently works within the daily routines of the public middle school, a private advanced study program for additional students in BV (grades 1st-12th), preschool program, medical clinic, and other health initiatives. Their vision is to train the future men and women who will lead Buena Vista – spiritually, mentally, and physically. Mark and Gina minister as a family as they work daily in Buena Vista.
Ways to Pray:
- Pray for people to continue seeing life change. Pray for us to work hard and always be energized for the work of the gospel!
- For our high school English teacher. Her dad had a heart attack and passed away. Pray for us as we minister to her and love on her.
- For CrashLeather sales which is always a blessing to our ministry.
New Pines Seminary
Cuba
New Pines is a Cuban denomination that is based solidly on God’s Word. The seminary campus in Oliver is used for both training young men and women, denominational meetings, summer camps, and celebrations. The focus of the seminary is to train, disciple, and send leaders and pastors throughout Cuba and as missionaries to other countries. Their goal is to enable the formation and multiplication of reproductive healthy churches that impact society with the gospel.
- For the spiritual formation of each student.
- For native/Cuban teachers that can pour their knowledge into the students.
- For new students for next year, may the Lord be calling people to serve him.
- For sound doctrine in our curricula.
- For the support of the Seminary, students, workers and teachers
- For Cuba, and the great crisis it faces.
Brett / Operation Mobilization
Undisclosed Country in the Middle East
Brett (originally from North Canton Chapel) serves with Operation Mobilization and works with a people group who have been unreached for the last 1400 years. He and his team are very proactive in sharing the good news face-to-face, through discipleship, and through media. He also reaches out to a wider audience online through a media project and podcasts. In addition to sharing his faith with students and leading studies in God’s Word, Brett acts as a team leader for younger men of various nationalities.
Ways to Pray:
- Pray that: as Ramadan comes to and close, the hearts of Muslims would be filled with emptiness at what a month of fasting have left them with. Pray that they would long for Christ.
- God would bring more people to saving faith. The need is great. There are still millions and millions of people in this city who have never heard the Gospel. Pray for a real awakening of souls turning to the Lord.
- The people who have come to faith would continue to grow in their trust in God even when things are very difficult.
- Praise that several of our guys are sharing their faith for the first time in their lives. God has really used this month of Ramadan to open up doors for sharing the Good News with people.
Dave and Anne / ABWE International
Undisclosed Country in the Mediterranean
Dave and Anne are involved in discipleship and church planting through methods including weekly home group meetings with gospel presentations for national believers and those that are not-yet believers; one-on-one discipleship meetings; mentoring new families serving in career overseas work; working alongside congregations to train nationals in leadership (B. study, sermon preparation, and worship leadership) and helping to identify leaders for various roles within those congregations.
- Pray for peace in hearts
- Their young congregation
- Readjustment to life & responsibilities
- Praise for safe return travel
Makayla Stone/ Students International
Dominican Republic
Makayla (originally from North Canton Chapel) serves at the El Callejon Social Work location in Jarabacoa with children of all ages teaching Bible lessons and crafts and activities. She also works with young women and meeting their needs.
Ways to Pray:
- Pray as they are at debriefing in CO April 8-17 that they would be able to celebrate their ministry over the past few years, process some of the initial transition, feel supported, experience rest, and sense God’s guidance for their future.
- Praise God that they were able to find a house in Akron that is affordable to move into when they return from debriefing—a huge praise and answer to prayer.
Nate and Rachael Stone / Love Restored
Dominican Republic
The Stones (originally from North Canton Chapel) created an organization named Love Restored which endeavors to create a bilingual rescue center for women caught in the sex trade. Their prayer is to build relationships with these women that display the gospel of Jesus Christ in everyday life. They seek to take an active role in their development as independent, self-supporting, Christ-following adults resulting in a Gospel movement throughout the Dominican Republic.
Ways to Pray:
- Pray for: Nate, for the ministry and for the DR! God’s hitting the refresh button, it’s a little intimidating, but we trust He always knows best!
- Nate. On April 8, he was taken to a hospital in Santiago, DR with a kidney stone and he was running a fever. Pray for his healing and for encouragement for Rachael and the family.
- Praise: The Stone family is back in the Dominican Republic now. Praise the Lord that Nate has recovered from surgery to such an extent that he and Rachael can resume their ministry there.
Tim and Fern Talley / Gospel Seed Network
Thailand
Tim Talley, originally from North Canton Chapel, has the goal to move people in Southeast Asia towards maturity in Christ, seeing the expanse of His name, and helping kingdom minded men and women respond to the dreams and visions God is calling them towards.
Gospel Seed Network has partners which include churches, orphanages and government schools, and helps meet tangible needs of the people in multiple communities in Southeast Asia. They have a Bible Institute, English class, life skills class, music class, offer scholarships to underprivileged children who are at risk of being trafficked, plant organic churches, and coach people to become leaders within their families/communities so they can begin and continue the mission of God among their own people.
Ways to Pray:
- Prayer / praise: Fern (& baby) as she awaits the birth of their son in July
- That God will open eyes and draw people to himself
- Continued prayers for health
- As tests are run by Drs that they can find the source of health challenges and keep from having more health challenges.
Micah and Emily Griffith- ABWE
Poland
Micah, Emily and their four children, Silas, Eden, Olive and Amos are our newest mission partners.
Micah has been a young adult pastor in Virginia for the past seven years.
He and Emily have felt called to be serving Jesus in the country of Poland. They will be church planting through evangelism, discipleship, and national partners.
Ways to Pray:
- Praise that they were able to share the gospel with 2 neighbors.
- For the ministry and growth of the church plant in Tczew
- For their team leader Ron Davis and another couple who joined them
- For continued opportunity to come along side Ukrainian refugees
- Pray for the 4 Griffith children as they continue to adjust to the culture, especially on days they miss family in America
- That the Lord would lead them to find the right man to pastor the church plant
- For the family as they continue their Polish language studies
Local Partners
The Pregnancy and Parenting Center
In January, 2022, The Pregnancy & Parenting Center, formerly Pregnancy Choices, adopted a new name to more accurately describe the services taking place at our 22nd Street location. Here, moms and dads receive support, supplies and parenting education. TPAPC is a proud member of the Pregnancy Support Network consisting of The Pregnancy & Parenting Center, Akron Pregnancy Services, Eva Women’s Clinic—Canton and Akron, and Hope and Healing.
Ways to Pray:
- Praise for: Three of our staff from Eva Clinic and Hope & Healing implemented a weekend retreat to provide healing to women struggling with the emotions and scars from abortion and sexual past.
- Our men’s group, Arrows, has gone on-line. The goal is more participation and to lessen the stigma among men who also need healing from past abortions.
- As our Sold Out work finishes in area schools, they are working to enable parents to talk with their teens about abstinence and healthy relationships.
- Volunteer help with meals and other work done.
- A new mobile ultrasound unit is coming this fall that will provide pregnancy tests, ultrasounds and STD testing at no cost throughout our area.
- For our Baby Bottles program and fundraisers – Pray for more churches to be involved!
RAHAB Ministries
RAHAB is God’s continuing story of setting people free physically and spiritually. With an 18-year history of providing cutting-edge trauma informed services to survivors of and those vulnerable to human sex-trafficking, RAHAB Ministries is dedicated to offering hope and healing for broken and exploited women and children and filling gaps in service for the most vulnerable.
Their adult Drop-In Centers, intentionally right in the middle of the drug activity and street level trafficking in Akron and Canton, provide space that offers respite from factors that enslave. Women stop in for family-style meals, Bible Studies, encouragement and friendship. They shop the free clothes closet and receive donated hygiene items.
Ways to Pray:
- Pray for: God to move through Rahab trainings
- Continued open doors for staff and volunteers to reach youth
- The hearts of our friends, who are still trapped in trafficking.
- Provision for our outreach teams to continue their work.
- Continued wisdom and strength over our rehab leadership.
- Continued open doors for Rahab to minister to women in jail.
- Protection over youth that have run away from home.
Refuge of Hope Canton
Refuge of Hope is a faith-based, non-profit, Christian rescue mission providing safe, sober, emergency transitional shelter for men and hot, nutritious meals for hungry men, women, and children in Stark County. Homeless men receive hot showers, clothing and access to counseling in a safe and clean dormitory-style shelter.
Ways to Pray:
- Pray for: the Executive Search Committee as they seek to find the right candidate to fill the vacant CEO position.
- Duane as he retires as CEO and enters this new season of his life
- That the residents will accept Christ as Savior and find healing
- For outstanding grant proposals.
- Praise for: the churches and volunteers who provided special blessings to the meal ministry and residents at Easter.
- For blessing the emergency women’s shelter December – March.
- For people donating warm clothing, blankets and bedding.
- For providing 8,340 nutritious meals this month
Hammer and Nails
Hammer & Nails grew out of a temporary ministry in North Industry Christian Church partnered with Group WorkCamps to host a week-long camp in both 1995 and 1998. The purpose of the camps was to assist disadvantaged Stark Count homeowners with home and property repairs and maintenance. As a result of these camps, over 400 youth nationwide assisted over 100 homeowners.
The success of the work-camps, along with encouragement from the community, led to the creation of Hammer & Nails, Inc. as an independent 501(c)3 organization. To date, over 1700 homeowners in Stark County have been helped, but the need for assistance is still great.
Ways to Pray:
- Praise for: Recent evidences of Hammer & Nails volunteers’ love in action from recipients of God’s grace:
- 1) The homeowner from her hospital bed in the living room, “Thank you, Jesus!”
- 2) Also, “It’s great to have wider and sturdier steps!”
- 3) By phone, exclamations of thanksgiving from a daughter, who is so grateful.
- For Hammer & Nails serving God in ministry for 25 years now.
- Pray for: The opportunity for NCC men to help with a H&N project sometime this year. Pray that a time and other details can take shape soon.
- The staff is working through many requests. Pray for discernment and for additional funding to meet needs.
Rooted Kent
Rooted invests in the overall long-term health of families in the Historic South End of Kent, Ohio, by serving as a community resource center where families and individuals regularly come together to learn, grow, and connect. Rooted helps facilitate and provide a wide range of programs that promote youth development through mentorship and skill-building; provide comprehensive and compassionate support for seniors addressing physical, emotional and spiritual needs; and act as a connection point for families to support and care for one another including academic support, employment and job training, health and wellness activities, and cultural events. Rooted does this work in the name of Jesus, who modeled a life of love, compassion, and service.
Ways to Pray:
- Pray for: continued outreach and witness to their local community.
Eagle Fuel
Eagle Fuel is a local outreach that was birthed from NCC’s desire to serve and care for students in the Plain Local School district who do not always have food or meals readily available. In partnership with Plain Local Schools, each month during the school year, NCC provides 788 meals for 394 students, all which are sorted and packed by volunteers at NCC.
Contact Kelly Odegard for more info at: Eaglefuel@ncchapel.com
Ukraine
Learn
After eight years of ongoing conflict, tension continues to mount on the border between Ukraine and Russia. Imminent conflict between the two countries could spark a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, causing millions to be displaced from their homes.
Pray
Send Relief, a cooperative ministry between the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board, is working with local Baptist partners in Ukraine to care for displaced families in desperate need of help and hope.
You can help! There is extraordinary power in prayer. Here are ten ways you can pray for the Ukraine crisis:
GIVE
The Ukraine Crisis fund provides resources to Ukrainians, missionaries, and partners serving Ukrainian communities in a time of upheaval and unrest, compassionately sharing the gospel with hurting people.
Right now, the team is serving among Ukrainian refugees to meet physical needs and share Christ. Help us respond to this urgent situation with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Alex Cook
Group & Missions Pastor