Thank you to all who responded to the Urgent Appeal!

The decision to send an urgent appeal letter to the congregations and friends of Crossways was a difficult, but necessary, one. The response was very heartening and affirming for this ministry and the work that is done through your camps.

Through December 15th, 421 separate gifts have been received totaling $119, 127.56. Gifts from individuals who are members of Thrivent Financial and used their GivingPlus supplemental funds benefit resulted in additional funding from Thrivent in the amount of $12,868, for a total response in the amount of $131,995.56 to date! This response has been crucial in ensuring your camps get through these difficult financial times.

As we move through the end of the fiscal year, it is very important that Crossways receives the regular financial support of congregations, organizations, and individuals who have not yet given their annual support. The support of Crossways’ Annual Fund ensures the ministry of Crossways moves forward and reaches out to serve all God’s children. Because of this support, and the support of groups like Golf For Kids (which gave $8,000 this year to help kids get to camp!) we are able to confidently say that no child is turned away from camp due to the financial inability to cover the fees.

Budget planning for 2009 is currently underway and will be presented at the Annual Meeting on February 21, 2009. The challenges of the economy and its effect on families of campers, congregations, and individuals who personally support this ministry are unknown. But we do know that God is good—all the time! We know His constant presence in all our times of joy, sorrow, and challenges gives us strength.

Crossways Camping Ministries would not be here without you and your support. Without your support we would not be able to share the Hope that God’s presence in the world brings.

Thank you for your prayers, your support, your gifts of your time and talents which ensures Crossways continues bringing people together in Christ so lives are changed.

In Christ,
Pastor Wayne Harrison, Executive Director

Dollar-for-Dollar matching funds for donations to Crossways

A wonderful opportunity that has arisen for matching funds, dollar for dollar, for gifts to Crossways that are given through the Community Foundation of the Fox Valley. Donors can live any where in the U.S., but donations need to be given ON DECEMBER 18TH, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. They can be given in person at five different locations in Appleton, Chilton, Shawano, Clintonville, or Waupaca or on line. Gifts given on that date will be transferred to Crossways before December 31st. This is a great way to DOUBLE gifts, especially for those who don’t have or haven’t fully used their Thrivent GivingPlus benefit. Visit the Community Foundation website for full details.

There are some limitations:

1. Maximum match per household is $1,000.
2. Each non-profit is limited to $10,000 through this special 1 day effort.
3. A total of $100,000 is available for matching money from the Community Foundation for this program. Matches will be made on a first received basis, so going on line at 7 a.m. on December 18th gives the best chance to ensure a match.
   

We would be happy to discuss with anyone how to maximize matching fund opportunities with those who haven’t used all of their Thrivent Giving Plus benefit, but are intending to give more than the maximum of either program. Donations to be matched by the Community Foundation must be made directly to the Community Foundation. Donations to be matched by Thrivent must be made directly to Crossways. The same gift cannot be matched through both programs.

All donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. The donation to the Community Foundation will be reportable to the IRS as a donation to them, but the same donation will show up on your gift statement to Crossways with a note that it was received through the Community Foundation. You cannot claim it twice, however.

This is a wonderful opportunity and we hope we will be able to maximize it. We already have at least $1,700 pledged to our potential of $10,000 (possibly more).

Thanks for your help!
Pastor Wayne Harrison, Executive Director
Barb Wolf, Development Director

We did it! Tents of Hope splashes color and compassion in Washington DC!

Below are excerpts from an email sent from the National Coordinator of the Tents of Hope campaign recapping the event and updating us the efforts and things needed to move forward even further on the project.

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Dear Friends,

In June 2007, I began a 40-day train trip around the country to speak about Darfur and ask activists, students and people of faith about an idea for a new one-year campaign called Tents of Hope. We launched the campaign in September 2007.

Would the campaign take off? I wasn’t sure. I had many discussions with Darfur activists about low morale in the Darfur movement and I spoke about my concerns with Elly Simmons, a brilliant Marin artist with a long history of social activism. We thought the idea of painting tents would work because it could bring communities together in a creative and fun way. But the task of organizing Tents of Hope was daunting. We had no office, no staff and no money. We only had an idea. I was very discouraged and wondered if we should give up.

Then something remarkable happened. In January 2008, we began to receive calls from dozens of small towns across the country. Youth directors at churches and synagogues and teachers at K-12 schools wanted to use the tents as a way to teach young people about the world and social responsibility. In the end, over 400 cities in 48 states and 8 countries had joined the campaign.

The “Gathering of the Tents” at the National Mall in Washington DC on November 7-9 was incredibly successful. Almost 400 tents were on the National Mall! The tents are beautiful works of art and a powerful message of our solidarity with the people of Darfur.

We did it! In the coming weeks, we will post your stories, photos and media coverage on the website. (www.tentsofhope.org) I encourage everyone to continue this creative dialogue of hope and compassion as we work together for an end to the genocide in Darfur.

The campaign still faces some challenging financial hurdles. We will be sending hundreds of tents to Darfur through the Darfur Peace and Development Organization. We need your financial help to ship the tents to Darfur. Please consider making a donation online at www.tentsofhope.org. Small donations are welcomed just as much as large ones because Tents of Hope has always been about people everywhere pitching in to help.

My understanding of the Darfur Movement has been radically transformed. I used to think that hope would arise from a change of policy toward Sudan by the international community. In other words, I thought that hope for ending the genocide in Darfur rested in the hands of governments. It doesn’t. You are the hope. It may take many years for peace and justice to come to Sudan. At times, we may get discouraged and want to give up. The only thing that will keep us going in this movement to end genocide in Darfur is the strength that we get from one another. We are a community of compassion. Compassion is a powerful force for change. It allows us to see that we all belong to one human family and that we have a responsibility to one another. When you look at the images and messages on the tents, you will see this consciousness of global solidarity in every color and every language.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your decision to act on your compassion and desire for peace and justice in Sudan by participating in the Tents of Hope campaign. Remember, you are the hope.

With gratitude and joy,
Tim Nonn
National Coordinator
Tents of Hope