Let me take this moment and introduce myself. My name is Bethany Condit and I am 29 years old. Oregon City, Oregon is the place I call home. I live there with my husband of 10 years and our two beautiful daughters. The oldest is 9 and the youngest is 3. My husband works full time+ every single week. That leaves me blessed to stay home and take care of our kids. A couple years ago, I became ordained to pastor over the children and families at Connection Church.
Last year, an awareness grew of a need for children with extra challenges to have a place that they could feel comfortable and safe. A place to feel God's Love. Children with extra challenges can be any child that cannot sit through a typical Sunday School Class. They may have been diagnosed with autism, Asperger's, ADHD, or down syndrome. With the increase of diagnoses of autism on the rise, why is there not a multiplication of classes or groups within the church where families can go?
At church, we have one child who attends occasionally. He was diagnosed with autism at a very young age. My goal is to start a class that he can attend. Starting in October 2013, it will be one Sunday a month. As the volunteers in our church increase, I will be able to offer the class every single Sunday.
My second goal is to take a trip to Houston, Texas. Lakewood Church has a program for Special Needs Children. It would be beneficiary for me to get out there and experience it all first hand. Talk to some teachers/pastors/volunteers and take a tour of the classrooms. The congregation of Connection Church has started a fund to pay for the trip's expenses. It is currently at $749! I need about $500 more before I can get the trip scheduled. (Wahoo! We are over half way there!!) The fund will pay for 2 airline tickets and hotel accommodations for my husband and me.
If you would like to contribute to this fund you can mail a check to:
Connection Church
PO BOX 1973
Oregon City, OR 97045
Please mark "Houston Trip" in the memo of the check or on a note enclosed with the check.
I want to thank everyone who has given me words of encouragement, money, or kept me in their prayers as I embark on this mission.
With Gratitude,
Bethany Condit
Let the little children come to Me; do not get in their way. For the kingdom of heaven belongs to children like these.
Matthew 19:14 (The Voice)
How exciting you have this mission on your heart, for God and the children that will come to you through His direction. You will be in my prayers for an increase of funds and children.
ReplyDeleteI love Pastor Bethany, the vision, God's plan for the children we have now & those yet to come! Can't wait to see it come to pass! Can't wait to send you to Texas!
ReplyDeleteWell done Bethany...well done. So blessed that there is someone out there like you that loves children the way Jesus does! And when you get back from Texas it will just be the beginning :)
ReplyDeleteI wish I could share financially with you at this point, but the best I can do is offer my morning prayers. I have such a heart for these kids, partly because I raised such a child and struggled alone as a widowed mom. It was not an easy path. He is 29 now, really very much like a 12-year old in many ways. May God bless you in this much needed ministry.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gayle for your kind words and prayer. I really appreciate it! Stay tuned as the progress continues at Connection Church! :) Also, feel free to pass this information to family and friends.
DeleteThank you, Everyone!!
ReplyDeleteBethany, thank you for all you do. Your desire to learn about Autism and reach my grandson and others is a testament to your faith. All children deserve to know the word of God and you are just the right person to bring it to them.
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