L`INC Letter - Whatcom Love INC

L’INC Letter
The official newsletter of
Whatcom Love in the Name of Christ
Spring 2015
“Celebrating 26 Years of Faithful Service”
Message from the
Board Chair
Psalms 90:12 “Teach us to
count our days that we may gain a
wise heart.” People who need the
help of Love INC typically don’t
have the luxury of taking weeks
off to observe Lent, so our office has continued its services in
spite of this most important period in the life of Christians. We
cannot say enough thanks to our
volunteers and staff who have
carried on during Lent attending
to calls and taking care of needs.
The message in Psalms is a
call to seize the day and take the
time to be God’s servants as we
are able. Surely, the 40 some
folks helping with the clearinghouse, the furniture ministry and
the financial coaching ministry
are wisely making the most of
their days for the Lord.
The board and staff have
also been wisely making the most
of our time here. Celebrate with us
the exciting achievements that
have happened.
(continued on page 3)
HELP US REPLACE OUR OLD DELIVERY TRUCK
For several years our current furniture delivery truck has
been failing us. Repairs are far too frequent and expensive.
Without a lift in the back, our volunteers have struggled. It’s
time for a newer truck with easier loading capabilities. Recently
a donor gave us $5,000 toward a newer vehicle. If we can raise
an additional $20,000, we will be able to purchase the truck we
need. Our furniture ministry is very busy and we anticipate it to
continue to grow. In 2014, 305 families received 1,242 pieces of
furniture! Most do not have any way to pickup their furniture.
Would you consider being one of those who help make it
possible for us to continue to deliver furniture with a newer
truck? You may donate by phoning the office with your credit
card information, mail in a check, or visit our website and pay by
PayPal. There are many people in our community who don’t even
have a bed to sleep on. Please help us continue to bless them!
We hope to reach our goal by June 1st!
“A little boy receives his
“big boy” bed!”
“A great day for delivering and
picking up furniture”
We are always in need of gently used furniture. We have a long
waiting list for even just basic furniture. Please keep us in mind
the next time you have furniture to donate!
Our mission is to mobilize local churches to transform lives and communities In the Name of Christ.
L’INC Letter Spring 2015 Page 2
Board Of Directors
Dan Sanford, Chair
Kim Jones, Vice Chair
Darlene Moore, Secretary
Kristen Krumdiack, Treasurer
Mary Carlson
Chet Kenoyer
Don Lotze
Khalil Nakano
Partner Churches
Bellingham Covenant Church
Birch Bay Bible Church
Birchwood Presbyterian Church
Christ Episcopal Church
Christ the King Community Church
Christ the King Comm. Church NC
City Bible Church
Community Baptist Church
Cornerstone Community Church
Cornwall Park Church of God
Ferndale Alliance Church
First Presbyterian Church
Good News Fellowship
Good Shepherd Community Church
Hillcrest Chapel
Hope in Christ Church
Hope Lutheran Church
Immanuel Bible Church
Laurel Community Baptist Church
Light and Life Christian Fellowship
Mt View Christian Reformed Church
North Bay Christ the King Church
North Shore Church
Northlake Community Church
Northwest Baptist Church
Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church
Redeemer Lutheran Church
River of Life
Rome Community Bible Church
Roosevelt Community Church
Spring Creek Community Church
Sterling Drive Church of Christ
Sumas Advent Church
Sumas Christian Reformed Church
Trinity Lutheran Church
Triumph Lutheran Church
Meet 4 Of Our New Enthusiastic Board Members!
Kim Jones and her husband relocated from Tucson to Bellingham in 2006.
After 35 years in the desert southwest and 27 years in a law enforcement
career, she was ready to embrace a new phase of life. She has a married
daughter and brand new granddaughter in Maui and additional family in
Tucson. Kim has been a clearinghouse volunteer at Love INC for the past
five years and has been active at her church, First Presbyterian. She loves
living in the PNW and treasures her time serving God, gardening, quilting
and reading.
Chet Kenoyer has been selling real estate for 40 years and with his son,
Jess, and daughter, Gina, works with Windermere Real Estate. He serves
on multiple boards including the Peace Health Foundation and Bellingham
Christian School Foundation. While previously serving on the council for
CTK Bellingham and also their mission board, Chet saw the direct positive
effects of Love INC as CTK’s clearinghouse for multiple functions. In addition, Chet’s wife, Lynette, volunteers as the furniture ministry coordinator for Love INC so he has seen first hand many lives touched by the ministry.
Don Lotze taught high school science in Blaine from 1983 to 2011. He
now volunteers at the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center and at Love
INC as a budget coach. Don and his wife, Joan, are members of First Presbyterian Church. Some years back the two took a sabbatical from their
work to serve as mission teachers in southern China.
Darlene Moore has a 40 year accounting background working for Sears,
St Luke’s Hospital, Olympic Health Management and Haggen/Top Foods.
A member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, she joined Love INC as
board member back in 2002. She is also our longest serving Love INC
budget couch having helped in this ministry for 13 years.
1-on-1: Managing Your Money
An energetic team of budget coaches met several times to revamp our budgeting program, formally called Budget Boot Camp.
Changes include flexible starting dates and additional group presentations. Joan Lotze has stepped forward to coordinate the
program. This program is appropriate for any income level. Each
couple/individual is assigned a coach and an assistant coach who
works with them to help them take control of their money. The
program is free of charge and includes free child care if needed.
Standard program is 12 weeks. Call the Love INC office for more
information, to register for the program or volunteer as a coach.
We would like to thank Kirsti Charlton for her many years of service coordinating the program!
Did you know that you can donate to Love INC using your credit
card? Either phone the Love INC office and provide your credit card
information (we will mail you a receipt) or go to our website and use
PayPal. Thank you for considering a donation!
The Official Newsletter of Whatcom Love INC Page 3
Looking Back At 2014
For those of you who may not know exactly
what we do, Love INC operates as a clearinghouse,
receiving calls for needs of all kinds and verifying the
legitimacy of all needs. It is our foundation. Our clearinghouse was busy again this past year. We received
over 3,100 calls. Our volunteers logged in over 3,500
hours of volunteer time! Many of the needs were either met by a church, a church volunteer , a Love INC
ministry or through referrals to an appropriate resource.
We are grateful for our continued relationship
with DeWaard and Bode who bring us their gently
used mattresses and Griffith Furniture who bring us
gently used mattresses and other furniture!
Our 25th Anniversary of serving in Whatcom
County culminated with a successful fundraiser auction.
Twenty families were blessed with Thanksgiving Baskets and twenty families were “adopted” for
Christmas plus an additional 8 received meals. We
have the most generous donors!
(Message from Board Chair continued from page 1)
Your Love INC Board and planning groups have also
been counting our days as well, but in a different
way. We are on the count down to a lot of deadlines:
 Revamped financial coaching start- April 9
 Deadline for Executive Director applications–
April 17
 Women’s Luncheon– May 2
 Special fundraising effort to purchase a newer
delivery truck– June 1
 Annual “council” breakfast for representatives of
our partner churches– June 9
 Startup preparations for our October 23 auction
Please pray that we may be following God’s
will in these endeavors and able to complete these
preparations with energy and charity toward one another.
We’ve agreed to partner with Engedi Refuge
for bringing financial coaching and furniture assistance to their clients.
Birchwood Church’s outreach/service team
(Inside/Out) has agreed to a collaborative effort to
match its volunteers to needs identified by our
Clearinghouse.
Several big donations of furniture have been
donated by hotels undergoing renovations.
Your board has set ambitious goals in its planning:
 Closer liaison with partner churches
 More efficient furniture warehouse operations
 Revitalization of financial coaching
 Stronger fundraising
In all things, our aim is to assist congregations to reach out in service and transformational
aid to those in great need. And lastly,
Announcement from Board Chair, Dan Sanford:
For five years we have benefited from the dedicated
service of our Executive Director Kae Unrein. Your
Board accepted Kae’s request for retirement effective
this coming summer. Under Kae’s leadership we have
added exciting new services and greatly expanded the
number of folks we have been able to help in the various ministries. New churches have joined our cooperative effort and we are finding creative ways to partner
with other programs in the area that compliment us.
Kae has truly kept us centered on our Christ directed
mission. We are sad to have Kae drop her official title
SAVE THE DATE: OCTOBER 23, 2015 FOR
but trust she can continue to lend a hand as volunteer.
OUR ANNUAL FALL FUNDRAISER AUCTION
Your Board has begun receiving applications for her
position with a deadline set for April 17th.
Dan Sanford, Board Chair
Would you like to be part of the Love INC ministry without even leaving home?
Then join our “Prayer Ministry”. Every Thursday prayer requests and praises are emailed to
those on our list. We can never have too many prayer warriors! Please contact Jaymie at office@whatcomloveinc.org to join.
L’INC Letter Spring 2015 Page 4
Message from the Executive Director:
8th Women’s Spring Gathering
It has been an honor and a privilege to be the executive
Join us for a luncheon
director of Love INC for the past 5 years. I have met
May 2, 2015, Noon
the most wonderful people here who volunteer for us.
Birchwood Presbyterian Church
Their love for the Lord and their dedication to this
ministry is amazing. I will miss them the most. I wish Guest Speaker, Heather Emerson, will speak
to thank all of you for your support. Please continue to
on “Bloom Where You Are Planted”
keep Whatcom Love INC in your prayers.
Heather spoke at our luncheon 4 years ago.
Blessings, Kae Unrein
She and her husband have just recently returned
Amazon Smile Program
Whatcom Love INC is registered with the AmazonSmile Program. Simply go into the AmazonSmile website and choose Love In The Name of Christ Of Bellingham Whatcom County as your charity of choice.
Then each time you shop, go to Amazon Smile’s website to order your items (same selection as Amazon’s
regular website) and Amazon will donate 0.5% of each
and every purchase you make to our ministry!
from living and working in Saudi Arabia for over
4 years. Come hear “the rest of her story”.
Please RSVP to the office by April 27th
Fred Meyer’s Community Rewards Program Link your
Rewards Card to us at www.fredmeyer.com/
communityrewards. Search for us by name or our
#94022. Every time you shop & use your Rewards Card,
you can help us earn a donation! You still earn all your
points & rebates, just as before.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Roman 15:13
Love INC
Love in the Name of
Christ
PO Box 1602
Bellingham, WA 98227
(360) 671-6201
office@whatcomloveinc.org
www.whatcomloveinc.org
www.facebook.com/whatcomloveinc
PROVIDING
HELP, HOPE
AND
A HAND UP
SINCE 1989