FORE Kingdom Causes Long Beach

I arrived at the Little Recreation Golf Course at 7 AM with my orange and blue plaid shorts on dressed as a golfer to compensate my lack of golfing skills. I find out I am teamed with two well-experienced golfers Jim Schorr and Frank Fry. I get even more nervous and embarrassed ,but soon those emotions were replaced with excitement. I had my own golf cart. It was my first time driving one. In a perfect world we would all drive around in golf carts. They are so smooth and quiet. I think I worked out more my legs because the parking break was hard to lock and unlock. We started at hole number five, it was a par 4 (one of the more difficult holes out of the nine holes). It was hard to distinguish the flag because it was so far away. All I knew was to hit it straight. I didn’t do as bad as I imagined. Frank Fry said that I actually had a good swing. The only bad thing for me was my contact with the ball. I would always hit the top of the ball. We hit five balls at one time and selected the best ball and lined up our ball next to it. I learned how to chip the ball onto the green with a wedge. Half way through the golf course I got tired and my arms started to get all noodlely. We were thirty holes in out of our 100 holes. But I pushed through. On our second time around the course I started to hit my stride. I was making lovely drives across the fairway that impressed me, my team, and Somatra (who joined me at the hole number one). I even out drove Jim at one hole. One of my balls hit the green and rolled off on the first shot! I made a few pars but mainly averaged around five shots per hole better than the ten shots I imagined I would do. It was finally time to take eat lunch and we were at 82 holes. Some of the golfers were already done! After lunch we push through to the last 18 holes, by that time I was already done with golf. We finished at golf hole number three where last year Jim Howell made a hole in one. He passed away this year so in honor of him we had a sign marking where someone hit the green closest to the hole on his or her first shot. No one had a hole in one but a few were a few inches from it.

Overall, I love my team. They were patient and encouraging. Golfing 100 holes is possible and I could do it! I wouldn’t mind doing it again. It was very encouraging for me personally to see so many people support Kingdom Causes Long Beach and me.

Many thanks,

Susana

Driving Rage... Range!

Last Wednesday I went to the driving range for the first time. I am practicing for the 5th Annual Kingdom Causes Golf Marathon on Monday, October 12. I didn't realize how difficult golf was. I came away with sore muscle I never knew I had (my elbow pits were sore) and a bruise on my shin. Yes my own golf ball ricochet off the side gate and into my shin. It is a lovely neon yellow and green. I am excited and nervous about the golf marathon. Excited to be raising money for Kingdom Causes Long Beach to fund our ongoing works and nervous about injuring myself and especially others. My suggestion is for everyone to stay out of my way! FORE!

If you would like to sponsor me or any other golfer please visit the Kingdom Causes homepage at www.kingdomcauses.org

IMPACTS at Hamilton

[from left to right: a local volunteer, Pastor John Teter and his daughter, Principal David Downing, and David Leonard] [Hamilton students delivering backpacks]

IMPACTS, [Individuals Motivating People And Communities Towards Schools] led by David Leonard, has set its focus on Hamilton Middle School. IMPACTS grew out of Church-School Partnerships where local churches committed to the success of Hamilton. Several churches including Fountain of Life and One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism Church have blessed the school and its students in very tangible ways. Just recently Pastor John Teter [and his daughter] help deliver 150 backpacks to students!

Results thus far for Hamilton: 150 filled backpacks of school supplies delivered (as part of a larger city wide effort that raised over 1300 for local schools!), a hosting of a teacher appreciation luncheon, revitalization of the parent center, gift cards donated by Staples and soon-to-be-given to the teachers (shhhh!) and a letter writing campaign that is under way that will send an "encouragement/thank you/we're praying for you" note to every single staff member at the school written by congregation members from various local congregations. And we've only just begun!

KCLB Board Member Profile Highlights: Tom Virtue

Tom Virtue has worked with college students with Campus Crusade for Christ for the past 37 years after coming to Christ in college his Sophomore year at Western Illinois University. Tom grew up on a farm in northwestern Illinois, and eventually he and Karen found themselves serving students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. While there they often discussed how they never wanted to move south of Ventura to avoid the Los Angeles area, but then when the opportunity came they chose to move to Long Beach.

That move to Long Beach was 30 years ago and they see it as one of the best decisions of their life. Through their kids going to schools throughout the city and working with several inner city college campuses a love grew for Long Beach in particular and cities in general! That has led to getting to spend time and work on campuses in some of the great cities of the US and around the world.

One of Tom & Karen’s favorite things in life is relating to their three grown kids and spouses who live in the area, all of whom they really like! On top of that they have the great joy of being grandparents to 2 of the most incredible kids in the world!

Galatians 2:20-21 has been a significant and powerful scripture from those early days as a college student until now… “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.”

Long Beach Leadership Prayer Breakfast this morning

(Pastor Brian Apodaca praying at prayer breakfast)

What a great morning spent praying for and inspiring leaders of all types here in our great city! If you have not yet been to one of these you really should give it a try. If you have been in the past and haven't been in a while you should revisit it. It is one of the key times of the year that many Christian leaders from various spheres of influence (Church, Business, Political, Medical, etc...) are all in the same room together. It is quite a visible encouragement to see and be part of.

Dr Townsend, our guest speaker for the morning, talked to a mixed faith, but still predominately Christian audience, about the skills needed for any quality leader for challenging times such as these:

1. They need to have 2 teams around them - a technical/craft team and a do-life with team
2. They invest in themselves as an asset - personal and professional development
3. They resolve catastrophic thinking - help people with anxiety by remaining calm
4. They pick the 'low hanging fruit' - provide hope!
5. They remember/revisit their vision often
6. They be the leader that people need them to be.

What a great encouragement for all in attendance. What a great way to intersect how Biblical truths totally gel with with everyday leadership environments and situations. Imagine that! We are fortunate that in our city/county we have a great number of people who consider Godly wisdom and daily Holy Spirit direction something of great worth and value.

Good job to all who worked hard to put this together! Glad that we could help too. Well done.