Winter Newsletter 2022

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thank you for your faithful prayer and financial support this 2022. We appreciate each one of you.

In this newsletter you will read updates on our public school Good News Clubs, a Salvation Testimony from a recent GNC, a note about teacher training, and some ways that you can get involved in our front-line battle! 

Sincerely,

CEF of GBA

Good News Clubs

We currently have five afterschool “Good News Clubs” up and running in WNY public elementary schools:

Highgate Heights (Buffalo School District). This was our first club to reopen in person. The lead GNC teacher there also teaches in the school, so she was able to begin easily. There are 12 students enrolled in this club.

Blasdell Elementary (Frontier District). We have had some miscommunications, obstacles, and sicknesses to overcome in restarting the 3 clubs we used to have in the Frontier school district. Thankfully, the Blasdell GNC was finally able to start again in November. There are 3 students enrolled.

JT Waugh Elementary (Lake Shore District). We are grateful for a cooperative and supportive administration in Lake Shore. They have welcomed us back into all three of their elementary schools with open arms! JT Waugh was the first to restart, and there are 10 students enrolled. (See testimony below.)

Highland Elementary (Lake Shore District). This GNC was adopted just this year by the Hilltop Baptist Church of Evans. Seven people from their church were trained in all aspects of a Good News Club, and they have excitedly jumped into this opportunity! They have 12 students enrolled. Two of these children also attend their church.

AJ Schmidt Elementary (Lake Shore District). Our newest GNC had one meeting so far – A Christmas party club on Dec. 22 – and is looking forward to a great 2023. They already have 6 students enrolled.

Please pray that these students will come to know Jesus in a real and personal way (f they don’t already), and we will see changed lives!  

We are also working to begin these Good News Clubs: 

Cloverbank and Big Tree Elementary Schools (Frontier School District) – these two clubs have been active for several years, but as mentioned, there are obstacles in restarting them this year. The teachers are ready to go, we just need wisdom in how exactly to move forward.

Lovejoy Discovery School (Buffalo School District) – As with the two Frontier schools, we have teachers in place and ready to go, we just need God to remove the barriers that are holding them back.

West Seneca School District -The superintendent of this district has enthusiastically welcomed us to start clubs in their schools. We have a church sponsor, and trained teachers trained ready to go! We are working with the school administration to figure out which school would be the best fit for us, and plan to begin by the end of January. Stay tuned!

Pray that each of these clubs would start soon, and that the teachers would not be discouraged by the waiting and uncertainties. 

A Salvation Testimony

by one of our JT Waugh teachers

The week’s lesson was on King David and Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s disabled son (2 Samuel 4 and 9). Mephibosheth had been living in poverty, until King David extended an invitation for Mephibosheth to join David’s family, and live in the palace. The comparison was made to how poor and hopeless we are, in a spiritual sense, yet the King of Kings offers us the same opportunity – come be part of My family, and someday live in my heavenly home! The choice was Mephibosheth’s.. He could accept or refuse King David’s offer. We have the same choice. God does not force us to choose Him, but lovingly waits for us to make our decision.

At the close of the lesson, the children were given the chance to accept the invitation, and let Jesus come into their lives. One girl in particular was hanging on every word. When the other kids bowed their head and closed their eyes, she indicated that she wanted to speak to a teacher privately.

During that counselling time, she said she really wanted to join God’s family, but didn’t want to give up her own family! 🙂 The teacher explained that accepting Christ actually means you then have TWO families, and this 3rd grader gladly put her faith in Jesus as her Savior.

Please pray for more children to understand the gospel and be converted.

   Teacher Training

Our teacher-trainer-extraordinaire has been hopping this fall, travelling to several churches and even someone’s home, preparing teenagers and adults to teach in CEF Good News Clubs. Over the past 3 months she has led 14 different people through the classes and process of becoming certified GNC teachers. Some of these new teachers have already started in clubs, others are just waiting on the sidelines for the paperwork and administrative details to be finalized before they too join the work.

For information how you can be trained (or have your congregation trained) to work with CEF, please email our teacher trainer, tlklindsey@gmail.com , call/text us 716-394-7820, or click the volunteer link button below. We especially welcome pastors and church leaders to contact us, and let us explain how we can benefit your church!

Please pray for more churches and individuals to see the need, and take the first steps to reach the children in public schools. 

Join Us!

We are on the front lines of a battle for the children of Western New York. Every week our teachers report some form of spiritual battle as they engage in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. We need…

* prayer partners

* financial supporters

* teachers to lead clubs in schools

* assistants to help in school clubs

* pastors and church leaders to see the potential, and encourage their people to enlist.

Visit cefbuffalo.org and click on our “Volunteer Form” button to get started!

Our Staff & Committee
D. Hastie, Chairman
C. Durham, Vice Chairman
T. Jones, Treasurer
J. Lindsey, Secretary
J. Maloney, Prayer Chair
L. Nephew, Member
J. Peters, Member
D. Piwowarczyk, Member
R. Tablante, Admin. Asst.

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