MISSIONS

Operation Christmas Child and Angel Tree
Both OCC and Angel Tree occur in November and December. Youth and adults can help by collecting and sorting boxes and delivering Angel Tree presents with the youth Sunday School classes. 

Other MISSION Opportunities
Vista Grande has numerous overseas opportunities not only for our high school students but also our church body. While we are open to other opportunities God may provide, the following list includes the trips we are taking in the coming year. Please be aware that prices fluctuate with plane ticket costs.

1. Brazil:
This trip is through Christian Missions Unlimited based in Florida. A team from our church, typically led by Keith Sennate, will attend in the summer. It is a missions trip where you will go and work hard building a church for the community and reaching and loving the people! You must be 18 to go without a parent. Look in January for more details!

2. MEXICO:  March 25-31, 2012  Approximate Cost = $350 w/o parent on trip, $275 with parent on trip 
The Mexico trip is our major mission endeavor because it involves the entire church body. Some help pay for the building costs, others provide supplies, still others cover the trip in prayer, and about 50-60 individuals travel to Mexico. This trip is open to high school student and adults; however, middle school students may go if their parents attend as well. This is a great time for the body to serve together, as we build homes with Casas Por Cristo for those in need.

3. We are currently praying through whether or not to take a team back to Uganda. Please join us in this prayer and may God guide us to where He would have us serve. Look for confirmation sometime before November.

4. ACACIA PARK:              
One Saturday each month we meet at 3:00 p.m. at the church to go to Acacia Park where we serve our own neighbors! Acacia park is where many homeless people gather on Saturday nights with hope of receiving food on Saturday nights. These people include married couples, teenagers, senior citizens, single parents, and children. We provide meals, clothing, and other necessities. We return by dark. This is a mission that requires some financial support that comes in as a donation/offering. We have an offering box on the Youth Booth. But it also requires prayer and volunteers. Please feel free to come and be part of this ministry. Anyone can come but if you are below 9th grade please come with a parent or guardian.

Vista Grande helps students raise money for mission trips. All who feel led to participate are encouraged to share God’s calling with the Missions Committee. This committee is a great group of people who want to encourage, support, and pray for those serving on mission.

We encourage all students to take part in some form of mission work, whether through Angel Tree and Operation Christmas Child or overseas trips. We do not take middle school students out of the country unless one of their parents attends as well. 

From the Youth Minister’s Heart:
About six years ago, God began to place on my heart a deeper passion and direction for mission work. This direction includes encouraging students and adults to be passionate about serving the Lord through some form of missions work. My passion and calling intensified in May 2007.   An opportunity opened to help lead our church in missions, and God led me to accept this challenge. Part of the challenge I took was to promote accountability, financial and spiritual support, and a ministry outlook to the missions of Vista Grande. Along with the Mexico trip, I am willing to lead two overseas mission trips per year to fulfill the challenge of this position. 

When I visit a new mission location, my goal is to serve along with those going. As we become aware of other ministry opportunities in that area, we begin planning to meet those needs in the following year. Much of my focus and desire is to see our church maximize the ministry opportunities God allows us in different parts of the world. Please keep us in prayer as we continue to spread the gospel throughout the world!

David Boncler