Greetings! Due to various circumstances, I have failed to keep the blog going over the past couple of weeks. For those of you who periodically look to see updates on this blog, my humblest apologies.
The Photo Contest went very well. It proved to be a most memorable experience. Though it was intended to be a fundraiser for the ministry, it did so very much more than that. It proved to be ministry in and of itself. Here's how.
There were several people who entered who have never been in a photo contest before. This wasn't necessarily intended to be limited to amateurs (a note we have made to ourselves to change for the coming year), but it was very encouraging to know that several people began their journey with the New Leaf Photo Contest.
One of those people happened to be our Best of Show winner. Ryan Bulvoltz, having just returned from serving our country in Iraq, was experiencing some very difficult struggles adjusting to civilian life again. He chose to take up photography as a way of helping him cope with with struggles connected to the war. I was delighted to find out he won Best of Show and he was delighted to have won. His entry was a dramatic nature scene taken at Yosemite Park.
This is just one example of lives that were touched by offering this show. Many people thanked us for doing the show and plans are being made to offer the show again in the Spring of 2010. Keep your eyes open for coming details.
God bless all who read this,
Mark Hurst
Friday, May 29, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Photo Contest Official
Finally. After a tremendous amount of work, planning and effort, we now have a photo contest. We are excited to bring you the First (and hopefully annual) photo contest for New Leaf Ministries. This is exciting on several different levels. First of all, New Leaf Ministries is more than just a ministry that offers Christian Counseling. We are an organization that desires to promote healthy relationships with each other and ultimately with our God. What better way to help people understand who we are and what we do through something that is a healthy hobbie that helps us appreciate the beauty of the world God has so wonderfully created.
Secondly, New Leaf Ministries is still in a phase of exposure. Many people still have not heard of New Leaf Ministries, especially in the Jamestown area. This contest will be hosted by the Fluvanna Community Church who will display the photos for an evening show and reception, and will give us a great opportunity provide an enjoyable evening of fellowship and support of the arts.
Lastly, this contest comes at a very necessary time. New Leaf Ministries, like so many organizations right now, is facing financial struggles. The photo contest provides a means to generate much needed income without promoting potentially destructive means such as 50/50 drawings or other gambling type fundraisers.
Click here to check out the rules and details: http://www.newleafministries.org/contest.html
Secondly, New Leaf Ministries is still in a phase of exposure. Many people still have not heard of New Leaf Ministries, especially in the Jamestown area. This contest will be hosted by the Fluvanna Community Church who will display the photos for an evening show and reception, and will give us a great opportunity provide an enjoyable evening of fellowship and support of the arts.
Lastly, this contest comes at a very necessary time. New Leaf Ministries, like so many organizations right now, is facing financial struggles. The photo contest provides a means to generate much needed income without promoting potentially destructive means such as 50/50 drawings or other gambling type fundraisers.
Click here to check out the rules and details: http://www.newleafministries.org/contest.html
Monday, February 9, 2009
Exciting News.... Definitely!
Recently, I have been trying to secure the Road Apple Ridge Band for Praise Concert on Friday May 22nd, at the Russell Firehall Jubilee. I heard the band not too long ago at the Chandlers Valley U. M. Church and was excited to see about the possibility of having them come for the Praise Concert. I am excited to announce it is definite. The Road Apple Ridge Band will be playing for the Russell Jubilee. They have a wide variety of music they enjoy playing, such as Blue Grass (their personal favorite), Country and Gospel. They even played a song by Eagles the night I heard them play.
Put this down on your calendar and plan on attending the concert. I promise you it will be worth it. There is no cost for the concert, however, there will be a free will offering taken to defray the cost of the concert and help raise funds for New Leaf Ministries. Hope to see you there.
Put this down on your calendar and plan on attending the concert. I promise you it will be worth it. There is no cost for the concert, however, there will be a free will offering taken to defray the cost of the concert and help raise funds for New Leaf Ministries. Hope to see you there.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Exciting News.... Maybe
Recently, I was approached from the coordinator for the Russell Fire Dept. Jubilee to see if New Leaf Ministries might be interested in hosting the Friday Night Praise Concert on May 22st, 2009. Although it has not been a huge money making venture for the ministry, it has given us much needed exposure and also an opportunity to get area praise bands and singers to share their talents and people who might not normally attend a church opportunity to take part in an evening of awesome music.
I went to a dinner and praise concert at the Chandler's Valley United Methodist Church. The group that was the evening's entertainment was the Road Apple Ridge Band. A very talented bluegrass band with a lot of variety in their music. I went specifically to hear this band and I was delighted to see just how talented this group is. I approached them about playing for the Friday Night Jubilee Praise Concert and they sounded excited to be doing it. We don't have the definite thumbs up yet, but how exciting that would be if we would be able to get them for the evening.
Either way, put down on your calendar the Russell Fire Dept. Jubilee... the weekend of May 22 through 24, but more specifically put down on your schedule the Friday Night Praise Concert It's sure to be a delightful evening and the only cost involved is a freewill offering during the Concert.
I look forward to seeing you there.
Mark Hurst
I went to a dinner and praise concert at the Chandler's Valley United Methodist Church. The group that was the evening's entertainment was the Road Apple Ridge Band. A very talented bluegrass band with a lot of variety in their music. I went specifically to hear this band and I was delighted to see just how talented this group is. I approached them about playing for the Friday Night Jubilee Praise Concert and they sounded excited to be doing it. We don't have the definite thumbs up yet, but how exciting that would be if we would be able to get them for the evening.
Either way, put down on your calendar the Russell Fire Dept. Jubilee... the weekend of May 22 through 24, but more specifically put down on your schedule the Friday Night Praise Concert It's sure to be a delightful evening and the only cost involved is a freewill offering during the Concert.
I look forward to seeing you there.
Mark Hurst
Friday, January 30, 2009
Far Too Long
Oh my goodness... It's been far too long since I have posted on the "Leaflets" blog. We ended out the year in much better shape than we might have otherwise. Thanks to the efforts of Kimberly Park, one of our board members, the response for the Assistance Fund was quite good. This helped us finish out the year in better shape than most likely otherwise would have.
The assistance fund is an important component in the ministry. Most of the people who seek counseling through New Leaf Ministries have fairly modest incomes. The assistance fund is moneys available to help supplement the sliding scale offered to all our clients. Our fees go as low as $10.00 per session and, in some certain circumstances, under certain circumstances are waved all together. In this struggling economy, raising rates to offset the increasing expenses of the ministry seems counter productive. Our goal is to offer high quality counseling at affordable costs.
In December 2008, the New Leaf board set a new goal of $5000 to be raised for this fund by the end of 2009. We met our first major milestone in January of 2008 when we met our first goal of $5000. Since that time, we have used this fund considerably and the available moneys is down. Please be in prayer for this vital part of our ministry. Without this help, our ministry would fail and our fees would need to be considerably more.
Blessings to all who read,
Mark Hurst
The assistance fund is an important component in the ministry. Most of the people who seek counseling through New Leaf Ministries have fairly modest incomes. The assistance fund is moneys available to help supplement the sliding scale offered to all our clients. Our fees go as low as $10.00 per session and, in some certain circumstances, under certain circumstances are waved all together. In this struggling economy, raising rates to offset the increasing expenses of the ministry seems counter productive. Our goal is to offer high quality counseling at affordable costs.
In December 2008, the New Leaf board set a new goal of $5000 to be raised for this fund by the end of 2009. We met our first major milestone in January of 2008 when we met our first goal of $5000. Since that time, we have used this fund considerably and the available moneys is down. Please be in prayer for this vital part of our ministry. Without this help, our ministry would fail and our fees would need to be considerably more.
Blessings to all who read,
Mark Hurst
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