Local Missions Newsletter

Merry Christmas! 

Let us choose to walk in hope, wonder, and peace this Christmas season. This is the perfect time for you and your people to engage with your community and share the Christmas story. Check out the volunteer opportunities below to serve this Christmas, and be thinking of who you can invite to a Christmas Eve service this year. Let us meditate on Isaiah 9:6-7, on who our King Jesus is and how we can share Him this season: 

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this."  

We are so grateful for you Johnson Ferry Family!

We want to take a moment and thank you for your generosity this year with Operation Christmas Child and Christmas gifts for Foster Children. It is a beautiful thing to see the Lord's kindness and generosity come through your time, gifts, and giving. 

This year National Collection week for Operation Christmas Child was November 12-20. During that time Johnson Ferry served as a drop-off location for the East Cobb area. Through your volunteering (collecting boxes and packing them in the trailers) and the shoeboxes you packed, we collected 14,350 shoeboxes!!!

We also partnered with Cobb County DFCS to provide Christmas gifts for 146 children in the foster care system. Through you gift shopping and volunteering on collection we were able to care for foster families well this Christmas season. 

Celebrate Christmas with the Adoption & Foster Care ministry!

Join us for a Christmas party Saturday, December 9, at 3:30pm in the Fellowship Hall before the start of the Sounds of the Season churchwide Christmas event. We'll have a nacho bar and Christmas themed activities for the whole family. 

Whether you are an adoptive or foster family or a friend of the ministry you are invited! 

You can register here.

Christmas Party at Stratford Ridge: 
Join us as we help the Star-C after school program at Stratford Ridge Apartments (where we also do summer lunches) celebrate Christmas by hosting a Christmas party. The party is December 18th from 1:30-3:30pm. Sign up here.

Christmas Baskets for our Refugee Friends:
When Afghan refugees began arriving in Atlanta after the fall of their country to the Taliban, our church generously adopted 25 families to assist in their resettlement. These refugees are working hard to provide for their families but are under employed and living paycheck to paycheck. In December, volunteers from Johnson Ferry Baptist Church will be visiting each refugee family, delivering the Good News of Christmas and a food basket. Please help JFBC share the joy of Christmas and the peace of Christ with our refugees by purchasing items for the baskets on our Amazon wish list. Please click on this link  to purchase items for the Christmas baskets. Please send the purchased items by December 8th to: Johnson Ferry Baptist Church C/O Susi Saddik955 Johnson Ferry Rd Marietta, GA 30068

Clarkston Kids Christmas Party:
We need your help with activities like crafts, face paint, games, treat bags, setup, clean up and more! We will be partnering with Jim and Jeanne Slaughenhoop from Love's Latitude to throw a Christmas party in the apartment complex. Follow the link to find a time slot that works for you and your people. There are two party dates: December 9 &10.

Check out some of our Local Partners that you can serve with not only during the Christmas season, but year-round.  You can click each name and it will take you to each organizations volunteer opportunity page. 

Wellspring Living

Storehouse Ministries

Atlanta Mission

First Care Women's Clinic

Good Sam Cobb

The Table on Delk

MUST Ministries

The year is coming to an end, but there are many opportunities to go on a trip in 2024.  God takes our "yes" and turns it into something life-changing. Check out the mission trips below and be praying about going on one. We will be adding trips throughout the rest of this year and for 2024, check out the JF Website to learn more and register for a trip today!

Spain: January 7-20 | The team will teach Christian education through a discipleship and education seminar.

Peru: March 2-8 | College students will be partnering with Living Mission by sharing Christ in local villages and putting on VBS.

South Asia: March 8-16 | The team will engage in spiritual conversations with adults within the city.

Peru: March 9-15 | College students will be partnering with Living Mission by sharing Christ in local villages and putting on VBS.

Nicaragua: March 16- 23 | The team will be partnering with Chosen Children ministries to share Christ through Bible teaching, VBS, door to door evangelism, feeding, and construction. 

Dominican Republic: May 1-9 | The Team will be working alongside local churches to engage the community through medical clinics and sharing Christ. 

Anchorage, Alaska: July 7-14 | Families will be serving the community through meals, Bible lessons, recreation games, and crafts.

Indialantic, Florida: July 20-24 | Team of SHINE volunteers will help FBC Indialantic with a VBS program for teens and adults with special needs.