Page 32 - January15-Catalyst

CityLight| a Catalyst Connecting Christ to the Culture for
Community Change
IIn February 1996,Joe and Gladys Gri- maud, along with a group of Colum- bia area Christians began meeting and
seeking God’s direction for our city. The group included Pastors, community lead- ers, and lay people from different racial, cultural and denominational backgrounds with different talents and gifts. Each member of the group was concerned about the problems and needs of the community, many of which are the result of the break- down of the family unity. The group knew that there is a wealth of available talent and resources, and that if mobilized, could be used to address the spiritual and physi- cal needs of individuals, families, and the community.
We believe that Churches and the body of Christ should be the focal point of love and compassion in our community and should work together in addressing the needs of the community.
CityLight Columbia organized as a non- profit 501 (c)(3) corporation in June 1996 to bring churches and the body of Christ together to make a positive impact in our community. Our Mission is “to unify the Christian community by lifting up Christ, evangelizing, disciplining, and impacting the community through the local Church”. We believe that Churches and the body of Christ should be the focal point of love and compassion in our community and should
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work together in addressing the needs of the community. CityLight serves as a li- aison and a facilitator between Church- es, the public and private sectors, and the community at-large to help identify needs and match those needs with avail- able resources. We help Churches and the community to become more vibrant by encouraging them to become actively involved in community outreach and to experience the rewards of helping the less fortunate and those in need.
CityLight Columbia sponsored the Tony Evans Crusade at Williams-Brice Stadium in May 1997 which served as a catalyst for bringing God’s people together in a spirit of revival to empower us to begin the pro- cess of bringing moral, spiritual, and eco- nomic change to our community. Dr. Ev- ans’ messages during the three nights of the crusade addressed racial reconciliation, one’s personal responsibility in helping to bring about change, family renewal, and the role of the local Church in reaching out to help meet the needs of the community.
The vision that God has given to CityLight is unlimited. Every day, we are seeking new opportunities to reach out into the com- munity, to mobilize the body of Christ, and to match available resources with the needs of the community. As we grow and the op- portunities to serve Him increase, we need more volunteers and workers to help fulfill the Mission of CityLight.
If you would like to join the efforts of City- Light, you can begin by praying for us. You can become a contact person in your own church body to help us form a spiritually powerful and effective movement of God in the Columbia area. You can help support us financially, or volunteer to serve in one of the following areas of CityLight Columbia.
January 2015