Hello Piedmont Baptists

We keep this article on top for instructions, however if you scroll down you will see our newest opportunities for connection.

Because we want “to see our community radically transformed by the power of Christ” we are using this blog space as a fresh, easily up-datable way to communicate opportunities that exist for partnerships and community impacting ministry among the body of Christ in the greater Triad area.

We hope this resource can be used in at least these two ways:

1. If a group of people in your church is interested in starting a ministry of your church to a specific group of people then we can help them partner with ministries to accomplish what God has called them to do.

2.If someone is burdened to minister to a specific group or type of people but they are the only one in your church, maybe they can partner with another person or group from a local body to accomplish what God has called them to do.

This site is using a blog format, so the easiest way to navigate is to use the Categories in the right hand column to find ministries. We will continue to use the category of “An overview of Transform the Triad for general information and updates. Notes in that category will also be “sticky” and be found at the top of the blog site.

As is the case with any resource, it is only as good as the relevance of the information. For us to keep the data updated and relevant we need assistance from local churches and staff to keep us up to date with what you are doing, opportunities that arise, and even let us know about your experiences with these ministry groups. The way this list is compiled and updated will always be in a state of flux to try to make your experience with it as user-friendly as possible. We do not have a model for this approach but hope that it is a resource that can benefit the body of Christ in our mission “to extend the glory of our great God to the ends of the earth”.  Any assistance you would like to give to help us keep this up to date is appreciated, any ideas to make the information more palatable would also be considered – triadtransformers@gmail.com.

We can only list the churches that we are aware of that are involved with these ministries.  If your church is involved, please send your church name and the contact name (we will not post any personal emails or phone numbers – the interested person can call your church office to get that information for your members. The only contact we publish is ministry contacts that are already on the web).

We can only list ministries that we are aware of, if your church partners with a ministry and has had a good experience please send us that information and we will add it here to make more people aware.

Please feel free to contact any listed churches to see what their experience has been (good and bad) with any listed ministry – it may make your process easier and more successful.

Email: transformthetriad@gmail.com

Burmese Karen Refuge Church

In 2007 Friendly Avenue Baptist Church opened their hearts to co-sponsor a Burmese Karen refugee family coming to America under the US Refugee Resettlement Program. Little did they realize at the time in God’s providence that this would lead to the sponsorship of a church plant among this people group.

Since starting in January 2009 with a few families, the community of Friendly Avenue Karen Church has grown to well over 100 and by the grace of God continues to grow with the help of the FABC community, PBA and state funding.

Ministry Contact: C. Bryan Presson, church planter

Friendly Avenue Baptist Church 4800 West Friendly Avenue  Greensboro, NC 27410        336.292.3567 ext. 319 bpresson@friendlyavenue.com

Ministry Website:

Local Churches with on going involvement:

Friendly Avenue Baptist Church;

Hungry School Children in the Triad

BackPack Program

There are children in America that rely on resources such as free or reduced-priced school lunch, during the school year.

The BackPack Program is designed to meet the needs of hungry children at times when other resources are not available, such as weekends and school vacations.

About a BackPack Program

• Backpacks filled with food that children take home on weekends
• Food is child-friendly, non perishable and easily consumed.
• Backpacks are discreetly distributed to children on the last day before the weekend or holiday vacation

In addition to providing nutritious food to school children in need, some BackPack Programs provide extra food for younger siblings at home and others operate during the summer months when children are out of school and have limited access to free or reduced-priced meals.

In Greensboro, there is a problem of childhood hunger.

According to Guilford County School’s Nutrition Office, 52.8 percent of children in our school system — about 37,000 children — receive free or reduced lunches.

Statistics show it takes children two and a half days after they start eating well again for them to retain what they are learning.

Some of the local Back Pack opportunites:

United Way Backpack Program

Second Harvest Food Bank Back Pack Program

Out of the Garden Backpack Program

PBA Churches that are involved:

Backpack Ministry at Green Street Baptist.

Each weekend our “Backpack Ministry” sends home a bag of food with 24 children at a local elementary school.  Our goal is to feed the child, not the entire family.  These children have been identified by the school as those having the greatest risk of going hungry.  Volunteers from the church donate/purchase food, help assemble the food bags and deliver them to the school.  The school makes sure that the children have the food to take home with them in their backpacks.

Community Transformation meeting for Churches and Ministries

We are currently up to our necks sponsoring a community worship gathering for May….  Please see (www.ph121.org and click on the Come As You Are link)  It is a gathering to introduce the concept of “community transformation” to the worshiping bodies our part of the Triad community (Ledford/ HP, WS, Tville, Kville, Wallburg, Hasty, Friendship…..)  You may recognize Ruth Ruibal (introduced on the Sentinel Groups “Transformations I video”  will be with us….  We’re hoping for good things….

Scott Reid

121

www.ph121.org

336 577 7473

Magnolia Street Needs a partnering Church or small group

Why do we only sense the need to go to another state and partner with a church when there are many churches here in the Triad that could greatly benefit from linking up with your church?

Here is a great Local opportunity:

Magnolia Street Baptist has a need for 3-5 Baptist volunteers for the “Children’s Easter Celebration” Saturday April 23 from 11-1 at 1203 Magnolia Street, Greensboro, NC.  These volunteers will supplement the church’s workers as we Transform the Triad.  These volunteers/helpers are needed to help during crafts, egg hunt, and a lunch.  Previous events have had up to 50 people attending and are a lot of fun for everyone.

Happy because of Jesus,

Pastor James Jordan

(336) 420-4160
www.magnoliastreetbc.org

Did You Know that Guilford County Schools is looking to partner with local Churches?

This year 63 Guilford County Schools have one or more faith based partnerships. Mo Greene and his staff are hoping that number continues to grow.

Hello Friends of Guilford County Schools,
There’s so much going on with Guilford Parent Academy this spring! We hope you can attend one of our FREE upcoming sessions. And please share this with your churches, friends, group members or anyone you think would benefit. Here are just a few offerings. For more information, visit http://www.gcsnc.com/parentacademy/index.html

Understanding Bullying
March 28, 7-9 p.m., High Point Museum
1859 E. Lexington Ave., High Point

Academically Gifted Program Forum
March 30, 6-7:30 p.m., Southwest High School
4364 Barrow Rd., High Point

Summer Safety Issues for Preschool and School-aged Children
March 30, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Guilford Child Development
1200 Arlington St., Greensboro

Preventing Challenging Behaviors
March 31, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Guilford Child Development
1200 Arlington St., Greensboro

Meatless Mondays
April 4, 6:30-8 p.m., Weaver Academy Cafe
300 S. Spring St., Greensboro

Healthy Family Celebration
April 9, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Smith High School
2407 S. Holden Rd., Greensboro

Childhood Hunger Roundtable Discussion

Childhood Hunger

Did You Know?
In the United States, 3.5 million children younger than 5 are at risk of hunger. In 2009, North Carolina ranked 2nd on the list of states with the most children living with food insecurity.
A lack of nutritious food, especially in the early years of development can have a lasting and irreversible negative impact on physical and behavioral heath, along with academic achievement.
What can we do?
The United Way of Greater High Point along with the Crossing at High Point Church, invites you to the Childhood Hunger Roundtable Discussion.
We would like to use this time to discuss childhood hunger in our community, what is currently being to done to address this issue and what we could do in the future.
The ultimate goal is to identify new partnerships, strategies and initiatives to combat this troubling epidemic.
Please feel free to bring flyers, brochures, etc detailing any programs your organization administers that address childhood hunger.

For more information, please contact Mandi Odom by email at mandi.odom@unitedwayhp.org or by phone at 899 0872.

Church World Service of Greensboro

What: Church World Service is a non-profit agency that was established after WWII.
It’s an international organization that has various programs such as the
CROP walk, international relief and refugee resettlement. Our local CWS
Greensboro office only has the Refugee Resettlement program. Currently, we
are welcoming about 250 newly arrived refugees a year, from Bhutan and
Burma, establish a new life here in America. Some of the services we provide
to our clients are furnishing their apartment, picking them up at the
airport, taking them on various appointments, enrolling them in school, and
helping them find a job, among other things. To provide these services, we
utilize the help of the community and churches.

Ministry Contact:
620 S. Elm St. Suite 315
Greensboro, NC 27406
Phone: (336) 617-0381
Fax: (336) 617-0654
Email: sivory@churchworldservice.org

Ministry Website: http://www.cwsrefugeesnc.org/

Local PBA Churches and Church World Service:

Opportunities and Needs:

1- Be-friend a refugee family. This program matches a group of 3-8 people
from your church with a newly arrived refugee family to help them get
started in the US. The role of this group is to be-friend the new family by
giving them moral support, answering questions they have about US culture,
practicing their English and providing opportunities for them to have fun.
These are all things that our agency wants to do with them, but does not
have the time to. If a group is interested in be-friending a refugee, they
will need to attend a 1-2 hour training session. Contact Kelly Dent if
interested, kdent@churchworldservice.org, 336-617-0381.

2 – Sponsor and/or attend the Mosaic Festival this year. The Mosaic Festival
is an annual international festival downtown, put on by Church World
Service. At the event are booths with food and crafts that local refugees
have made and are selling. On stage there are local refugees performing
through song and dance. The event is free to attend on Sat, May 21st from
2-8pm. Please help us by sponsoring the event and promoting it within your
congregation. The goal of the event is to get new faces and people from our
community to attend and learn about the wonderful culture and diversity that
is among us in our own city.

Please watch this 3 minute video clip about Church World Service and
refugees.  Click Here

Guilford County Schools Faith Partners 2011 Summit

There was an excellent attendance for the meeting this year and will publish dates as more partnership opportunities arise.  Many joined us as we learned how the faith community and schools can form strong partnerships by preparing students for their future in the classroom and community.

The Summit is held annually but we do not have a date yet for 2012.

GCS has a list of possible partnership on their website.

Notes from the meeting can be faxed by contacting barry@life-community.com

Guilford County Schools (Volunteering)

We a North Carolina Baptist highly encourage our members to volunteer in our local schools as test proctors, teachers aids, child mentors, lunch buddies, cross walk helpers, transportaion helpers, after school helpers etc. Anyway that we can invest our time in the local schools is an investment in our future. Here is a link to the volunteer application for Guilford county schools. Whether you want to volunteer in an elementary to high school; a special needs school or the new comers school for refugee children the opportunities abound.