Greetings! We hope this update finds you and your family well and safe during this unprecedented time in history. Below are some things Cultivate has been involved in before and during the COVID crisis:
Compass at OM...
From January through March, we were given the opportunity to take Operation Mobilization interns through our COMPASS process. It was a challenging but incredible experience for us. We got to spend time with several brilliant young adults who want to live their lives on purpose. We learned a lot from this experience and received very valuable feedback regarding our COMPASS process which will help us to make it better. They have asked us to do their second intern group in June.
Cultivate While Sheltering In...
While some significant Cultivate spring events had to be cancelled because of COVID-19, (a mission trip to South Dakota, providing a meal for the foster families of Coweta County at their annual Easter Eggstravaganza, a weekend with students at Middle Georgia, and a mission trip to Italy), we are thankful for what we can do while sheltering in.
We have moved all of our ROOTS, COMPASS and SYMBIS meetings to online Zoom meetings. While we prefer to build relationships in person, this has given us the opportunity to continue what we do with adjustments, but not having to pause. In fact, we are as busy as we have ever been!
Because of the COVID crisis, we have implemented some gatherings that we pray will bring encouragement to the next generation during this time of uncertainty:
Book Club. As you are probably aware, anxiety is a major issue in our culture and especially among the young. Elise has been praying for quite a while regarding how to address this. In January, a powerful book came out which is called Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts by Jennie Allen, the leader of IF Conference. Elise has started an online book club with this book. Currently, there are 16 registered for this weekly event.
20:20. "20:20" is an online gathering event on Monday and Wednesday evenings at 8:20. Mondays' gatherings are centered around growth and we are excited to provide a platform for emerging adult leaders to lead conversations with their peers. Wednesdays' gatherings are centered around community - giving the opportunity for young adults to have some fun together with games or activities.
Our friends at the Georgia Baptist Children's Home. We were hoping to get do some activities with Georgia Baptist Children's Home in the spring, but of course, that didn't work out. Instead, we are allotting resources to provide hands on activities and crafts for the students while they are in sheltering in.
Where from here? We are all thinking about it... We are all sensing that life will be more challenging after this COVID crisis is over. We at Cultivate are in prayer about what in our ministry needs to shift as young people are faced with the possibility of a different world. One thing we do know - the God of the Universe is still in control. None of this takes Him by surprise. He is still causing good to come from the bad... that's what He does. Hope has a name - His name is Jesus!!
We appreciate your prayers as we discern our next steps. We so appreciate you joining us in the journey.