Discovery church to host prom for those with special needs
Discovery Community Church is one of the more than 100 churches worldwide that will host Night to Shine, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, simultaneously on Friday, Feb. 12.
Night to Shine is a prom night experience, centered on God’s love, for people with special needs, ages 16 and older. This worldwide movement is already set to take place next year in 41 states across the nation and seven countries around the world.
Every guest of Night to Shine will enter their prom on a red carpet, complete with welcoming friendly paparazzi. Once inside, guests will receive VIP treatment including hair and makeup stations, shoe shining stations, corsages and boutonnieres, a karaoke room and of course, dancing! The highlight of the night will come when every one of the Night to Shine guests is crowned as a king or queen of the prom.
“We are honored to be able to work with so many churches across the county and around the world to impact the lives of people with special needs,” said Erik Dellenback, executive director of the Tim Tebow Foundation.
“After such an amazing response to the inaugural event held in 44 locations earlier this year, our prayer is that this event will one day change the face of Valentine’s Day weekend from simply a celebration of love, to a celebration of God’s love for people with special needs.”
As sponsor of Night to Shine, the Tim Tebow Foundation will provide each host church with a detailed instruction manual, a Prom Kit complete with
decorations and gifts for the guests, financial support and individualized staff guidance.
During Night to Shine 2015, 44 hosts churches and 15,000 volunteers worked together to honor the more than 7,000 kings and queens of the prom. This year, the host churches are expected to see more than 20,000 people with special needs at prom all at one time around the world.
For more information on this worldwide movement and to support the continued growth of Night to Shine with a donation, visit: http://www. timtebowfoundation.org/index.php/
night-to-shine/
For additional information on the Night to Shine hosted by Discovery Community Church, visit www.discoverycc.org.
The Tim Tebow Foundation exists to bring faith, hope and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need. That mission is being fulfilled every day through the foundation’s seven areas of outreach, including W15H, Timmy’s Playrooms, orphan care, adoption aid, the Tebow CURE Hospital, Team Tebow and Night to Shine. For more information on the Tim Tebow Foundation, visit www. timtebowfoundation.org.
Gilbert, Chandler residents send holiday joy to children in need worldwide
Thousands of children experiencing hardship in countries all over the world received Christmas gifts in December, thanks to the generous donations from the Gilbert and Chandler community. Residents packed empty shoeboxes with small items like toys, school supplies and hygiene items for Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse that sends gifts to children living in difficult situations around the world.
Late last year, Gilbert and Chandler volunteers and residents contributed to the Southeast Phoenix Valley Operation Christmas Child Area Team collection of more than 12,000 shoebox gifts for the annual local project.
For those who missed National Collection Week, you can still get involved. Through the Samaritan’s Purse website, you can virtually “pack” a shoebox, allowing anyone with a computer or mobile device to provide a tangible gift to a child a world away. At www.samaritanspurse.org/ buildonline, visitors can select a child’s age and gender, shop through an online selection of culturally relevant gifts, and finish by uploading a photo and writing a note of encouragement to the child who will receive it. After the shoeboxes are packed and sent by the Operation Christmas Child team, participants can discover where in the world their gifts
will be delivered. It is a convenient yet meaningful way to join in a project that brings hope to children in need.
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has delivered gift-filled shoeboxes to more than 124 million children in more than 150 countries and territories. In 2015, Operation Christmas Child hopes to deliver gifts to another 11 million children.
For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call (303) 745-9179 or visit www. samaritanspurse.org/occ.
Reflections
Prayer reaffirms Divine consciousness
When I pray, I draw upon the spiritual gift of creative imagination, affirming Divine consciousness.
I affirm that divinity is all there is. I experience spiritual courage, pure joy, profound peace, laughter, wisdom and the spontaneity to enjoy life.
It is often easier to recognize Divinity in others than to see our own unity with the Divine.
But through prayer and connection with my Creator, I become more aware of these same Divine attributes in myself. God is, I am and we are one! How can I be filled with anything less than infinite intelligence, magnificence, power, and love?
The Rev. Julianne Lewis, pastor Interfaith CommUNITY
Spiritual Center
Share your Spiritual Reflections
The spiritual leaders of Gilbertarea churches, temples, mosques and other religious and spiritual gathering places are invited to contribute their Spiritual Reflections in essay format by sending their thoughts, enlightening insights and other writings of a spiritual nature to news@gilbertsunnews.com. Be certain to put “Spiritual Reflections submission” in the subject line. Include your first and last name, title and facility name, address, phone number and website. Spiritual Reflections are printed on a space-available basis, and submission does not guarantee print. The opinions represented in this column are those of the author and not that of the Gilbert Sun News.
Individuals with special needs, ages 16 years and older, may participate in Night to Shine, a prom night experience. Submitted photo
Interfaith Council to celebrate love, diversity
The Greater Sun Lakes Interfaith Council will celebrate “Love in Diversity,” a tribute to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18, at All Faiths Chapel, 9240 Sun Lakes Blvd.
King was a man of nonviolence whose integrity and strength of spirit brought incredible change. His legacy of peaceful means to social change continues to be an example to us all.
The gathering honors the diversity in world faiths and the universal power of peace that exists in every human heart.
The Greater Sun Lakes Interfaith Council is hosting this event in response to crosscultural tensions. In the spirit of King’s dream of peace in our time this interfaith service features the voice of reason in the presence of love to foster renewed hope.
Worship guide
There is a place of worship for a variety of religions in Gilbert. Here is a partial list of some of the congregations in the town. Want to be added to this list? Email christina@gilbertsunnews. com.
The Bridge Church
860 E. Warner Rd., Suites 101 & 103 Gilbert 85296 480-294-7888
www.bridgechurchaz.org
Services: 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sundays We exist to show the world who Jesus is, and we believe that when people get to know Jesus as He really is, their lives will change forever. Therefore, it is our passion to help people know Jesus throughout Gilbert, Metro Phoenix and the world.
Central Christian Church—Gilbert 965 E. Germann Rd., Gilbert 85297 www.centralaz.com Services: 5:30 p.m. Saturdays; and 9 a.m., 10:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Sundays
While the Bible itself is the church’s official document of faith, the website lists a variety of statements that fundamentally define the church. Please visit the website for more information.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints 3301 S. Greenfield Rd., Gilbert 85297 (480) 822-5000
For more information about the church, visit the website above.
The Greater Sun Lakes Interfaith Council has invited the Arizona Interfaith Movement, Islamic Speakers Bureau, Arizona Christian Speakers bureau, Hindu Speakers Bureau, Arizona Sikh community, the Arizona Intertribal Council and others. It is the Interfaith Council’s intention to facilitate opportunities to further peaceful solutions by holding peace supporting events for the community. This initial event honors King and those who continue to create conversations that support the Season of Nonviolence.
The event will be held monthly through April.
For more information, call the Rev. Debbie Brown of Unity of Sun Lakes at (602) 309-1818 or the Rev. Vernon Meyer, Sun Lakes United Church of Christ, at (480) 895-6317.
First United Methodist Church of Gilbert
331 S. Cooper Rd., Gilbert 85233 (480) 892-9166
www.gilbertumc.org
Services: 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. (traditional services) and 11 a.m. (contemporary service) Sundays
There are two traditional services—8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.—with the Chancel choir and traditional worship. The 11 a.m. service has a contemporary feel, with music from the Praise Band. The 9:30 a.m. service generally has the largest attendance.
Gilbert Presbyterian Church
235 E. Guadalupe Rd., Gilbert 85234 (480) 892-6753
www.azgpc.org
Services: 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sundays
Gilbert Presbyterian Church is called to be a Christ-centered covenant family nurtured by the Holy Spirit to worship God and to share God’s love with everyone.
Living Water United
Methodist Fellowship
Highland Park Elementary School 230 N Cole. Dr., Gilbert 85234
www.livingwaterum.org
Services: 10 a.m. Sundays
Living Water exists to bring people in to meet Christ, build people up to follow Christ and send people out to share Christ.
Mission Community Church
4450 E. Elliot Rd., Gilbert 85234 (480) 545-4024
www.mission68.org
Services: 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.
No perfect people allowed Whoever you are, and wherever you are on your spiritual journey... ...you are
Happy New Year
Saturdays; and 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 11:59 a.m. Sundays
The Bible is God’s word to all people. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth and without error in the original manuscripts.
Redemption Gilbert 1820 W. Elliot Rd, Gilbert 85233 (480) 632-2220
Gospel means good news, but it is truly the most profound and glorious truth ever revealed. It is not advice, nor is it a system or philosophy to add to the congregants’ lives. It is an exclusive truth claim, a holistic worldview, the true story of the whole world, which by its very nature must redefine and recolor everything else.
Resurrection Episcopal Church
Meets at Gilbert Community Center, 130 N. Oak St., Gilbert 85233 (480) 719-5343
www.resurrectiongilbert.org
Services: 10 a.m. Sundays
Resurrection officials say the congregation is a church you can believe in because you belong. This means it welcomes and embraces all people because God already has. Come for worship, fellowship and Bible study on Sundays and join the group on a spiritual journey to better understand God’s plan for our lives.
San Tan Bible Church 1424 S. Promenade Lane, Gilbert 85296
Phone number not available. www.santanbible.org
Services: 8:30 a.m. (Bible hour); 9:30 a.m. (Café 2:42) and 10 a.m. worship service Sundays
The church believes the glory of God is the chief end of all we do.
Sun Valley Community Church
456 E. Ray Rd., Gilbert 85296 (480) 632-8920, www.sunvalleycc.com
Services: 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Saturdays; and 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 11:59 a.m. Sundays
The atmosphere is casual and friendly at Sun Valley Community Church. It places high value on authentic Christian living and placing Christ at the center of all our teachings. The church also offers worship music that is current and uplifting, along with focused weekend sermons that break down the Bible in a way that makes it easy to connect the word of God with today’s busy life.
Two Rivers Church
326 E. Guadalupe Rd., Gilbert 85234 (480) 892-2435, www.2riverschurch. org
Services: 6 p.m. Saturdays; and 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. (Spanish) Sundays
Two Rivers Church exists to help lead congregants into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ by encouraging and equipping them to love God intimately and serve others. It has a casual environment with a serious faith.
