"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble". Psalm 46:1

"If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land". 2 Chronicles 7:14 

The Prayer Team is actively looking for individuals who would like to minister to our congregation by meeting with those who need prayer following the Sunday services. Volunteers are on duty once a month for one service.  At this time, we particularly have a need for the following weeks/services: 1st Sunday/2nd Service, and 3rd Sunday/2nd Service.  If you are interested in serving with the Prayer Team, please contact Rebecca Cooke at 864-385-3368 or rcooke@fellowshipgreenville.org.

• Sylvia Christy, one of our missionaries to France, lost her mother on April 4th. Please keep her in your prayers as she prepares to return to France after being here for an extended stay to take care of her mother.  Obituary: Elaine Carr
  
• Please pray for the family of Lynn Price whose father passed away on April  8th.
• Matt Broad is praising God for answering their prayers about his wife's new job!
• Tracy Koehler asks for prayer for God's direction in her family relationships.
• Brandon Starr requests prayer for peace and trust in God in a time of stress over finances.
• Rebecca Bourland asks for prayer for healing and continued restoration in family relationships.
• Steve Methvin requests prayer for his father's health as he has some new treatments and needs to adjust to some new routines.
• Ashley Barr requests prayer for her health. She says, "My journey with breast health. My oncologist wants to start a drug to prevent further cancer that will put me into early menopause and can cause depression, blood clots and osteoporosis. I'm trying to find support and if there is anyone who has been where I am, I'd love to chat."
• Phil Chavez asks for prayer for his mother, Lorraine's, salvation.  She is also dealing with several health and financial issues.
• Allison Donovan requests prayer for her mother's health
• Linda Lowe asks for prayer.  She is fighting Stage 4 cancer that has spread to her bones.  She also has a broken spine.

"Roughly 2.5 million Malawians are part of the Muslim Yao people group. According to front-line workers, God has been moving significantly among the Yao people in the last two decades. But in recent years, Yao Christians have experienced severe pressure. 'They are beaten and cast out of their communities,' said a front-line worker. 'When others find out they are Christian, they have 24 hours to leave the village, and then they will put a fatwa on their life,' he added. Churches have been burned down, Christians have been attacked and front-line workers are under extreme pressure: 'They get so many death threats that one worker’s wife has developed severe PTSD and can no longer homeschool her own kids.'" (via: Voice of the Martyrs)

Way to pray:  The front-line worker asked for prayer that Yao Christians will have courage to stand firm in their faith amid intense opposition.

Jeff Coppins is the Southeast Regional Director of Development with Back2Back Ministries (B2B) and currently lives in Greenville, South Carolina. Jeff's personal involvement with orphans and vulnerable children began in 2005 when he and his wife Ashley adopted their first child, Haley. Since then, they have adopted three more children: Aidyn, Tyler, and Henry. Jeff and Ashley also started Fellowship Greenville's orphan care ministry, Hope for Children. Through this ministry, they have mentored numerous couples and families through the adoption process.

Jeff's relationship with B2B started in October of 2013 when he went to Monterrey, Mexico on a scouting trip to see if B2B would be a good ministry partner for members of Fellowship Greenville to serve alongside. Needless to say, the scouting trip was a success. Over these past few years, he has been blessed to visit Monterrey multiple times, each time leaving inspired and compelled to action. Following these visits, meetings with key B2B staff, and time in prayer with wise counsel of friends and family, Jeff accepted the role of Southeast Regional Director of Development with B2B Ministries. With a professional background in sales and project management, it has been humbling and exciting to see how God has been preparing and shaping him for this role both professionally and personally.

Way to Pray: Jeff asks that we pray for the B2B team. First, the strengthening and unification of the vision for the foster care program within the technical team and also for incoming national staff as they transition into new roles. Please pray for staff and national partners this holiday season. B2B is praying that they will be able to rest and enjoy this season. Jeff praises God for end-of-year funding--God is Faithful! Personally, he asks for prayer for his kids as Haley is preparing for college next year, Aidyn continues doing well in high school, and Tyler is transitioning to middle school. Please also pray for their youngest son, Henry, who will be having a medical procedure performed soon.

Our partner, Piedmont Women's Center, has a handful of upcoming needs!

They have their annual 5k coming up on May 11! If you'd like to participate in the actual 5k or volunteer, you can find more info here. 

They are also collecting donations for the 5k:

• Gatorade zero packets
• Cliff Bars
• Bananas
• Fruit Snacks

If you'd like to contribute, please email Kayla Sulaiman (kayla@piedmontwomenscenter.org) for more info!

• Please pray for our partners in Lebanon, Horizons International, who are dealing with instability in their country as well as caring for an influx of refugees. 
• Please pray for the McCrackens (Oregon) as they serve people coming from different backgrounds and have different traumas and hardships they are working through!
• Pray for Chad Gfeller (Germany) who has a hip replacement scheduled for later this month! Please also pray for him and his ministry partners as they engage refugees in the city. 
• Debra Blackwell (Senegal) was injured when someone hit her with a motorcycle in an attempt to snatch her purse. They have determined that she has a broken femur near her hip joint. Deb has had a successful surgery. Please pray for her recovery process now!

Homes of Hope began in 1998 when they discovered a need for safe, affordable and energy-efficient housing options for those in our community earning a low-to-moderate income. They provide market-value rentals at a below-market rate, offering families an opportunity to escape survival mode, catch their breath, and make steps towards economic mobility. To date, they've constructed 675 homes, and with hundreds more in the works, we continue to help remedy the affordable housing crisis in our state.

Through our congregation's generosity, the Fellowship Greenville Missional Impact Team recently provided funding for one of Homes of Hope's upcoming house builds! Our church family now has the opportunity to volunteer alongside the men of Homes of Hope's Workforce Development to construct this new home. Check out our website to volunteer!

Each volunteer will have training and oversight throughout the projects!

Build days will go until 3pm and lunch will be provided. 

Lt. Matthew Clark
Caleb Ford
2nd Lieutenant Parker Lewis
SFC Josh McSpadden
Cpt. Laura Rodgers
Major Tiffany Scheivert
...and the many others who are in active military service.