Page 20 - 2018 Annual Report | Catalyst Magazine

In February 1996, Joe and Gladys Gri- maud, along with a group of Colum- bia area Christians began meetingand seeking God’s direction for our city. The group included Pastors, communi- ty leaders, and lay people from di er- ent racial, cultural and denomination- al backgrounds with di erent 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 breakdown of the family unity. The group knew that thereisawealthofavailabletalentand resources, and that if mobilized, could be used to address the spiritual and physical needs of individuals, families, and the community.CityLight Columbia organized as a non-pro t 501 (c)(3) corporation inWe 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.June 1996 to bring churches and the body of Christ together to make a pos- itive impact in our community. Our Mis- sion is “to unify the Christian commu- nity by lifting up Christ, evangelizing, disciplining, and impacting the com- munity 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 work together in addressingthe needs of the community. CityLight serves as a liaison and a facilitator be- tween Churches, the public and pri- vate sectors, and the community at- large to help identify needs and match those needs with available resources. We help Churches and the community to become more vibrant by encourag- ing them to become actively involved in community outreach and to expe- rience 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 to- gether in a spirit of revival to empow- er us to begin the process of bringing moral, spiritual, and economic change to our community. Dr. Evans’ messages during the three nights of the crusade addressed racial reconciliation, one’s personal responsibility in helping to bring about change, family renew- al, 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 community, to mo- bilize the body of Christ, and to match available resources with the needs of the community. As we grow and the opportunities to serve Him increase, we need more volunteers and workers to help ful ll the Mission of CityLight.If you would like to join the e orts of CityLight, 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 e ec-20 CITYLIGHT | CROSS STYLE | ECUMENICAL CHURCH & UNIVERSITYCityLight| a Catalyst Connecting Christ to the Culture forCommunity Change