Project “Jesús”
How do we spread the word?  Néstor Silva, a member of our Amigos en Cristo Lutheran Church has taken a lead in helping our congregants share the hope we have.  He calls it “Proyecto Jesús”. We have a life-changing message of Salvation by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ.  Nestor is helping put together a series of multimedia CD’s.  Each CD will have an audio portion, filled with inspirational music, testimonies of church members and Bible based messages that can be listened to on any CD player.  Dan Miller, our computer  go-to guy, is adding information onto a computer accessible multi-formated CD.  Dan is including information from our website and videos segments that focus on portions of our ministry. This CD will be given to friends, family and church visitors.  Through this means we can explain in both English and Spanish how the Gospel of Jesus is being lived out in our lives and through the ministry of Amigos en Cristo.

 Spanish Newsletter
Judith Meconitas serves as editor of our first Spanish language newsletter.  This four-page, (a folded 11” x 17” sheet) newsletter will feature photos and articles concerning our church and our Amigos Center social services.  We will publish every three months.  We even have our own reporter, Loida, who was a journalist back in Colombia. She has been worshipping with our St. Michael’s Hispanic church for several months and is delighted to have found her niche.  The newsletter will be given to our church members, mailed to a select group of friends and clients of our Amigos Center and will be included in our website and the “Proyecto Jesús” CD.

Community Liaison Coordinator
As sources of funding our ministry dry up, we need to dig deeper to find new sources of financing that will provide long-term support.  Toward that end, our Amigos Center has applied for funding with Lee County Human Services and with the United Way of Lee County.  These are both potential sources of ongoing support of our Immigration ministry beginning in 2005.

Another source of continued funding could be provided through the efforts of a new part-time staff position, our Community Liaison Coordinator.  Our Liaison will develop sources of funding, volunteers and prayer support by working with the churches and community agencies that already form our core sources of support.  At the same time, the Liaison will provide client services by developing our language ministry among area churches and businesses.  We are grateful that the Southwest Florida Community Foundation has given us a $15,000 grant to help fund this part-time position.  We hope to have this position filled by August.

 Interim Language Director

While we are in the process of filling the position of Community Outreach Liaison, Pastor Selle has hired Judith Meconitas as our interim Language Program Director.  Judith has already met with many of the Lutheran pastors of our area to discuss extending our language program to new areas of Lee and Collier Counties. 

 Thrivent Matching Gift

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will match your gift to the Amigos Center if you are a Thrivent member.  Check out their website: www.thrivent.-com/fraternal/churchcommunity/givingplus.html.   

 Give thanks to God for . . . 

Ø                  Our enrollment in Thrivent GivingPlus
Ø                  Support from the Southwest Florida
            Community Foundation
Pray for . . .

Ø                  Néstor and our “Proyecto Jesús”;
Ø                  Judith, Loida and our Spanish Newsletter
Ø         Wisdom while selecting our new
            community Liaison Coordinator.