Happy Thanksgiving!

We are so grateful for your prayers and partnership both emotionally and financially.  We have had a really fun month of walking alongside our church as they use their creativity and God given talents to reach others and strengthen the church.

UPDATES

Cooking Class

Chef Jorge did a great job! In all the years we’ve been in ministry here in Los Angeles I don’t think we’ve ever seen an event do such a good job of drawing people together. We know food helps fellowship and outreach, but this cooking class took that to a whole new level. The class was fun and relevant and a great evangelistic word was given by another emerging leader, also named Jorge.  The class created a momentum and really allowed Jorge and the team he formed for this event to use their gifts and experience new things.

During the class there were four different Mexican fusion dishes taught. Many students were able to try the techniques out after the demonstration (and lots of sampling). After two dishes were demonstrated there was a short and clear gospel presentation – nobody made a decision to follow Christ during this class, but there have been some really great follow-up conversations, so we know seeds were planted and doors were opened.

South Park Remodeling

This month was the ground breaking and dedication of some new soccer fields and other improvements being made at the park across from our church, South Park. This is a needed improvement for our neighborhood. There are two new apartment building and a new school also being built within two blocks of our church. 

Many city leaders came out, along with local elementary schools and other community groups to celebrate. We were the only church represented. We have been helping out and involved where possible in these city and community projects. We also continue to pray fervently for our community and reach out on a spiritual level because we know no amount of beautification or physical structures will heal the deep hurt and remove the consequences of living far from God.

Other special moments

Jorge preached his first ever message this month. He studied and prepared a message on Haggai. It was communicated clearly and powerfully. He definitely will be preaching more so he can continue to develop that gift.

Fabiola with one of her disciples at a birthday party celebration this month

Thanksgiving Celebration

We changed our Sunday service from the morning to the afternoon for our special Thanksgiving celebration and were encouraged to have double the amount of people show-up. At the end of the service a group from the children’s ministry did a dance choreography – we didn’t have enough space for everyone to watch from inside, so a group gathered outside on the porch and watched from the window. 

We had so much wonderful food. Our desserts and side dishes were donated from a host of different restaurants. Then the turkeys and hams were prepared by our church. After the meal, those that wanted to spend more time together gathered around a bonfire in front of the church where we were able to laugh, share stories and share the gospel with many new families.  There were at least a few people that prayed to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior that evening.  

A special family thanksgiving. One foster mother heard about our Thanksgiving service and the feast to follow so she arranged for her two foster children to reunite with their parents and two other siblings for a special family thanksgiving. It was a time of sharing, reconciling and making good memories. This is something we can definitely be thankful for – being able to help people while they are going through difficult times.  

Youth

Our youth leaders were out of town so we were able to step in and cover the youth group one evening. Since we worship in Spanish on Sundays it was great hearing the same songs in English being led by the youth worship team. We allowed students to ask us any questions they had on their heart about faith, God, the Bible, life, etc. We were able to share the gospel very clearly for a couple of the new students and address hot topics they asked about bullying, the right way to deal with ungodly authorities (some teachers, police, etc.), death and grieving, heaven and spending eternity with God (“Isn’t that [eternity] a looong time,” asked one student). They could’ve kept going all night. It was great seeing how much they are maturing in their faith.

Coming up:

Christmas Banquet & Toy Store        December 19

WE STILL NEED A LOT OF HELP WITH TOYS for CHRISTMAS.

We have found that the toy store is the best way to allow parents ownership and dignity in choosing and purchasing (75% off) a gift for their children for Christmas. It is a fun, practical way that helps us celebrate Christmas with many people as we share the love of Christ.

**We need donations of new, unwrapped toys for this event. If you do not want to ship, we can also do the shopping for you if you give us enough time (Preferably by December 11^th). Send your gifts or checks to: World Impact (C/O Chad Wolyn)/ 2001 S. Vermont Ave. / Los Angeles, CA 90007 / If a check, please write “FUENTE” in the memo. We need toys/gifts for boys and girls ages 0-18.  If you would like a specific gender/age, please email us and we can give you some more specifics.  Maybe you could get your whole small group or church involved!

Please Pray with Us…

- An amazing Christmas Banquet & Toy Store.

          Here is what a win looks like (how we should pray):

• Families smiling, being drawn together in quality, Christ-centered fun and fellowship
• Great food; crafts that tell the meaning of Christmas and help create memories.
• Family photos, salvations, God-centered, edifying conversations and new friendships forged.
• Gifts for everyone without the commercialism or competitive spirit, jealousy, etc.
• Everyone leaving saying to themselves, “That was the most fun – and good, clean fun – that I’ve had this year.”
• Lots of new families and individuals that feel connected to God and the church and return and become a part of the family of God.

- Good down time, fun and memories for our family around Christmas.

- More salvations and more leaders empowered!

As you celebrate Thanksgiving please know that we as a family are giving thanks for YOU.

God bless you!

Chad, Fabiola, Rebecca, Justice and Beniah

New Fall Ministry

Reconciliation. It isn’t easy, but it is so necessary. This month the Holy Spirit is moving through different people and stirring up in them the need to be reconciled to Him, to ask people for forgiveness and just make things right after years of sweeping things under the rug. God is so good at working through situations and circumstances. While areas of the neighborhoods we walk and pray, preach and proclaim still are very hardened…we are seeing some new tenderness to God.

Please join us this month as we pray for more open, tender hearts and for more reconciliation. Salvation is made available to all, but we still need to go out and cast more seed…pray for the soil of their hearts and for us to be able to raise-up more workers with a heart 4 the city.

October 2015 - UPDATES

We have been instilling vision into the church to do what they were made to do: love others and share their gifts. We want to equip and empower them to do what they’ve been called to do no matter what form ‘their’ ministry takes. As a result, some fun new ministries have emerged this fall. We’d like to share a couple of those this month:

 

Boxes of Love: In a neighborhood where there is so much physical and spiritual need it is exciting that recently a desire to collect resources to give away to the elderly and neediest families has been birthed within our church. We are asking local businesses to donate, but we’re also giving from our own pantries as a church. Every other week a small group from our church will go and deliver the box full of staple items (food goods, toiletries, etc.) and pray for and share the love of Christ for this family. It is a way for us to practically share the love with people on a personal and meaningful way.

 

Cooking Class: Using his talents in the kitchen, Chef Jorge, decided to organize an outreach where he will be teaching techniques and recipes (think: live cooking show). If this is a success, we may continue with more classes. There will be a time for sharing the gospel in a creative way and this class will involve most of the church in one way or another.

Pray that this event is a success – we are praying for 50 people to attend and for several new families to accept the Lord and become part of the church as a result of this class. Pictured above is Chef Jorge preparing some food at Chad’s birthday party last month.

Yard Sale: We’ve been holding yard sales for some time now to help us engage with the community. They provide some extra income too which we invest into our outreach efforts, but most importantly it serves as an outreach. We have been able to hand needed items to families or provide great discounts…but even more exciting are the conversations over deeper, inner needs. It is really the ‘public market place’ where people can come and chat and share hurts, burdens, and be prayed for and connected to a spiritual family. Omar, who has been leading this ministry, has been doing a great job of training up some other individuals in the church to help. This is exciting because we want to see discipleship and reproduction in every area of the church life.

 

Fuente Leadership Intern Program (FLiP): Our new school year is off to a great start. We only have one intern this year, but he is doing really well. He is being challenged, but we wouldn’t want it any other way. We have already seen huge growth spiritually and relationally with his family and the church body through these first two months. It is exciting discerning God’s will for his life with him as we take him through many opportunities, experiences and lessons this year.

We had a powerful time prayer walking the neighborhood this last week (picture at top). There is so much need! Our hearts were both broken anew for the people that live here. In our brokenness God will do great things!

(The picture above is a small memorial to the man who was shot and killed outside our church last month – see last month’s update for more information. www.heart4thecity.blogspot.com )

Youth: It has been fun watching the youth mature in their faith. Each Friday they gather for youth group and study the Bible and have fun and fellowship. There is a group of 6 youth that have been developing as they lead worship each week. They are beginning to make preparations for the Youth Winter Camp in early 2016 already. 

Above: Joshua, one of our youth leaders, teaches out of the Gospel of John. Below: Rocio, another youth leader (Joshua’s wife), talks with a group of youth during Chad’s birthday party. 

Multimedia Training: We’ve been piecing some computers together to create a mini-lab and have been training a group on how to use different programs that will allow them to create worship slides, bulletins, fliers, handouts, Sunday school lessons, and videos. For many of us who work (and play) on computers all the time these are tasks that are relatively basic, but for many in our church they have no knowledge or experience with a computer, not even using programs like Word or PowerPoint – so while it is a process we are equipping this group with some skills that will serve them well in ministry and even help them with future job endeavors.

Chad's Birthday: Fabiola put together a special 40th birthday party for me (Chad). It was fun having some people from all over the LA area come out and celebrate what God has done and will be doing in my life. It was good to have missionaries from World Impact, folks from our church Fuente para las Naciones, as well as a variety of many other friends, ministries and churches represented. Thank you for all the notes and wishes from afar as well.

Chad, Fabiola, Beniah, Justice and Rebecca Wolyn celebrating Chad's birthday.

Justice’s Birthday: Justice turned 8 this last month. His desire was that we celebrate with the church by sharing cake with everyone after the service.

 

Church Planting Conference: I had the chance to go to a conference on church planting as we continue to prepare and pray into when and where our next church will be planted. It was a good time of teaching and fellowship.

There were representatives from all over Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Brazil, Hawaii, Chicago, Philippines, Singapore, New Zealand, Canada, and Cuba…and of course I represented Los Angeles. 

Coming up:
*New Members Class                              October 31

*Rebecca’s 10th Birthday                        November 5

*Cooking Class w/ Jorge A. (Outreach)  November 14

*Jorge E. to preach (1st Time!!!)             November 15

*Thanksgiving Meal (Outreach)              November 22

*Thanksgiving Box Distribution             November 24-25

*Toy Store                        We are planning our 3rd annual toy store.

 

We have found that the toy store is the best way to allow parents ownership and dignity in choosing and purchasing (75% off) a gift for their children for Christmas. It is a fun, practical way that helps us celebrate Christmas with many people as we share the love of Christ.

**We need donations of new, unwrapped toys for this event. If you do not want to ship, we can also do the shopping for you if you give us enough time. Send your gifts or checks to: World Impact (C/O Chad Wolyn)/ 2001 S. Vermont Ave. / Los Angeles, CA 90007 / If a check, please write “FUENTE” in the memo. We need toys/gifts for boys and girls ages 0-18. If you would like a specific gender/age, please email us and we can give you some more specifics. Maybe you could get your whole small group or church involved!


Please Pray with Us…

*Pray for all of these new creative ministries that have been birthed by our church…. more importantly pray for those leading and helping with them. We want to see growth in the individuals and healthy, fruitful evangelism and discipleship taking place through each one.

*Pray for the upcoming Cooking Class, Thanksgiving Outreach and Toy Store to bless and reach many new people for Christ.

Thank you for your prayers!
Let us know how we can be praying for you too.


Serving with you in Los Angeles,

Chad, Fabiola, Rebecca, Justice and Beniah

Holiday Giving Ideas

Our heart and passion is to help more people meet Jesus, walk in His ways and create contagious, life-giving churches that continue to reproduce and multiply.

This month we would like to share four ministry events that we are holding in the next couple months. These have all blessed many people both physically and spiritually in the past.  Please join us in prayer for each ministry. We even invite you to give financially to these ministries as well. We cannot do this alone!

Thanksgiving Turkey Baskets (Late November)                                                                                                        

We gather and distribute baskets (boxes/bags) of food to families in need in our church, outreaches and the community.  We visit homes and then put on a Thanksgiving dinner. This year the children’s ministry will be performing. If you live locally and would like to fill a box with food, email us at: heart4thecity@gmail.com for a list of suggested items.

If you would like to give a financial donation we suggest $50 for a box of food.

Christmas Toy Drive (Early December)        

We are planning our 3^rd annual toy store.  We don’t just hand out new toys, but allow the parents to choose and buy something special for their children at 75% off of the regular price. This makes for a more dignified and meaningful experience, where the parents truly are buying a gift for their children and the kids get something they want and not us what got handed to them. We reinvest the proceeds into our outreach ministries to continue blessing the community. We need toys/gifts for boy and girls ages 0-18.  

Suggested donation: $25-50 or a new toy/gift

Photo above: A mother lovingly selects some special gifts for her children at last year’s Christmas Toy Store.

Kid’s Bible Club (Ongoing/Weekly)         

                                                      

This ministry is the re-birth of something we started out doing when we moved into this community. This time, however, it has been birthed and organized by our own church members. Children from all over the neighborhood are invited, picked-up and taught the Bible along with fun activities, songs, crafts, snacks and prizes. Along with praying for these amazing kids – and their families –could help underwrite the snack, craft, prizes and transportation for these unreached children? Please also pray for their amazing teachers. 

Kid’s Club Sponsor/Suggested donation: $50

Photo above: Neighborhood children listen intently as their Bible teachers act out a lesson about Jesus.

Youth Winter Camp (Mid-January)          

                                                                     

Our Jr. High and High School youth will be going to Winter Camp where they will have a life-transforming experience. They are already talking about it! They spend a lot of time working to raise funds and always want to invite their friends, but we need help providing a couple full or partial scholarships to give everyone a chance to get away on this spiritual retreat.  

One student costs: $95

Photo above: Students pressed into God – some for the first time – at early morning prayer at youth camp last year.

Thank you for your love, prayers and support. 

Together, God is using us to bring more people to Jesus!

Chad, Fabiola, Rebecca, Justice and Beniah

NOTE: All financial gifts for the above ministries should be designated to World Impact with “Fuente” in the memo line. If you would like to give a year-end gift to help our family’s ministry support write “Wolyn #2242” in the memo line.  Thank you!

Breaking News

A driver crashed into a South Los Angeles home after being fatally shot. The shooter is still at large. This happened behind the church Fuente para las Naciones (our church) on 50^th & S. San Pedro St. at 2:55 p.m. September 3. We’ve heard a lot of gun shots here in South Central Los Angeles, but these were by far the loudest – and there were at least 10 shots that rang out. The SUV drove about a block further after being shot at and then crashed on the opposite corner from our church, slamming into the building and causing the vehicle to immediately erupt into flames.  Within minutes police, firemen and the media were swarming the area and had it blocked off until evening. The victim was rescued from the car and rushed to the hospital, but was pronounced dead soon afterwards. Police said the shooting was likely gang-related, and they are still looking for the shooter. This crime is the 39th killing in South L.A in the last month, the highest murder rate in eight years.

(Sources: Our eyewitness account, ABC news and Univision websites)

Please be in prayer for our community.  We held a prayer meeting from 6am-11am this morning to intercede for the community and ask God to lead us into what we are to do help bring peace and wholeness into South L.A..

We had a dinner for the community (sorry no pictures) last week and got to meet and reconnect with some neat people. One guy was a gang member who brought his kids over to eat. He shared a lot about the crazy life he has had growing up in this community. He shared about things he has seen and done that sound like a movie script. He has been out of prison for a couple years and is trying to do what’s right, but it hasn’t been easy. After listening some I shared how he and his kids need Jesus.

A Look Back at Summer

We have not sent out an update since May – we are sorry. We spent most of the summer working on getting our financial support levels up to cover our family’s needs as we continue to minister in Los Angeles this coming year.  With a third child, increasing costs of school and other daily needs we needed to have some focused effort in communicating our need and vision for future ministry to move us forward. There are a lot of great opportunities both in church planting and coaching/ mentoring other church planters and leaders lying ahead….so we’re excited, but we do need to eat.

In this update we will highlight parts of the summer months – before, during and after our trip.  We’ll share what we did as well as share about all the great things happening in Los Angeles while we were gone through the disciples that we have trained-up.

In June…

Music Workshop

 Free Music Classes!  We continue to partner with musicians from LA and Orange Counties that give us some of their time and expertise so we can give more experiences and classes to children, youth and adults in our church and community.

Tutoring Graduation

We finished off our 3^rd year of tutoring and 1^st year of English classes (ESL for adults) with a celebration. We spoke to everyone about God being our ultimate hero. Both the children and the parents were honored and affirmed.

 We opened up a craft room for the children to create cards where they could express their thanks to their parents.  We then opened another room where parents worked on creating a special card for their children where they could speak affirmation and life over them. They took family pictures, had a meal and left filled up (with lots of love).

The Send Off

It took 3-4 months to really prepare everyone and hand off responsibilites so that we could be away from the church we pastor for 8 Sundays. We were sent off with love and prayers and left the church in the hands of God and the emerging leadership.  

In July & August…

Our Support Raising Travels

• We drove a lot - over 7,000 miles.
• We were in 4 different states.
• We had car troubles and had to do an impromptu visit to the mechanic.
• Thanks to many generous contributions all our expenses were met for the trip!
• We were rear-ended in Portland on the way to a lunch meeting. 
• We slept on 15 different beds, couches, floors.
• Our kids thought they were on vacation and made some new friends. (We didn’t want them feeling like they were being dragged around or forced to do ministry so this is a big praise!) 
• We got to worship and fellowship at some really cool churches. 
• Our health was great the whole trip.
• God used us to speak to others.
• God used others to speak to us: encourage us, challenge us, and remind us how loved we are.
• We got to see so many super special friends and family!
• Unfortunately we were unable to see everyone….though 8 weeks seems like plenty of time – the longest we stayed in one place was one week and that just isn’t enough time to see everyone. 
• We left with the goal to raise $1,500/month in new support. (In order to reach 100% of our needed monthly support for our family of five.)
• We were able to solidify $1,000 in new monthly pledges!
• We still need $500/month. If you would like to help us with any part of that please let us know.  

Pastor’s Conference

The last two weeks of our time away was in Mexico.  We were in Puebla visiting family and friends and the church down there.  We then went to Morelos where we attended a pastor’s conference. 

Great fellowship and teaching with pastors from all over different parts of Mexico.

Ministry in Los Angeles while we were gone

A common question we heard as we were traveling was “Who is taking care of the church while you are gone?”  We are blessed to have been able to raise-up leaders from within the church to be able to take care of all the different aspects of the ministry while we are gone. 

The preaching, small groups, worship, ushers, hospitality, garden and facilities, camps, youth, children’s ministry, admin., etc. were all taken care of very well.  When we returned several parts of the building were painted and fixed up.  What previously people would tell us was “ours” (our property, our responsibility, our job, etc.) is now clearly “theirs”…it is great to see how the church is taking ownership of the ministry and facilities.  

The church celebrated birthdays together, went fishing and other things that as one man put it, “fill that longing and desire I’ve had for friendship and fellowship in a Christian context.”  The amount of fellowship and impromptu Bible studies seemed to increase while we were away.  Honestly, a lot of things were done better than when we were leading everything.  We are so encouraged by that! 

One of our leaders, Yuri, took 8 of our youth to summer camp. Others helped her with the driving.  It was good for us to be away so that the church could learn to do things on their own more and realized that they depend on God and not on their missionary, church-planting pastors for their growth and health.  

Back in L.A. – A Grand Reception

The Sunday we returned we were surprised with special decorations, flowers, cards and a meal.  The church also put on a drama saying “Thank you” for all you do and welcoming us back. It was great to see everyone and return to the mission field that God has called us to.  

Please Pray with Us…

• Pray for our family to be full of life and hope and have a fresh deposit of God’s presence for every day’s ministry and life challenges.
• Pray for the violence in our neighborhood and other South LA neighborhoods to stop (see the “Breaking News” at the introduction for more information).
• Pray for our church to grow in their passion for the lost and in our effectiveness to reach more people with the Gospel. 
• Pray for Rebecca as she starts 5^th grade, Justice as he begins 3^rd and Fabiola as she continues to be with Beniah all day.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Beginning of this year’s FLIP (internship) program.     September 6
• Day of Prayer and Fasting                                          September 14
• Church Multiplication Conference                               September 22-25
• Chad’s birthday – “40”                                              September 28
• Music Workshop                                                       October 3

 Thank you for your prayer, love and support!!!

Chad, Fabiola, Rebecca, Justice and Beniah