This will be the sixth year we’ve come together as a church family to celebrate Christmas by intentionally choosing generosity in a season that can so easily be marred by consumption and materialism. Our prayer is that our Christmas Giving never becomes just another ritual of the season, but that God would meet each of us in a fresh way as we consider how He is leading us to engage. We absolutely want to partner with God in what He is doing in our church, our city, and in the world. But we are also intentionally choosing a counter-cultural path that will form our hearts in the way of Jesus as we celebrate His birth.
We are praying for $112,000 in total giving to Restoration City this Christmas. Lord willing, here’s what we'd be able to accomplish together for His glory, the advancement of His kingdom, and the good of others locally and abroad. Check out our list of specific initiatives below.
We are praying for $112,000 in total giving to Restoration City this Christmas. Lord willing, here’s what we'd be able to accomplish together for His glory, the advancement of His kingdom, and the good of others locally and abroad. Check out our list of specific initiatives below.
HUMILITY
HOSPITALITY
FORGIVENESS
WORSHIP
JOY
Arlington Bridge Builders
One month of food pantry operating expenses ($5,500)
ABB's food pantry is open Mon/Wed/Sat and provides healthy and nutritious food to over 1,000 people each week. About 90% of food recipients are immigrants, living in or near South Arlington. Due to federal layoffs, they are increasingly seeing career professionals visit our pantry, including dual-income couples that are both unemployed and struggling to make ends meet. We see it as a great invitation and our obligation as followers of Jesus to help care for the most vulnerable among us.
Bridge Kids After-School Program ($4,000)
ABB is developing a faith-based after-school program (Bridge Kids) that will connect vulnerable children to the people, resources, and care they need to flourish. We would love to help make that possible.
Arlington Bridge Builders Website
ABB's food pantry is open Mon/Wed/Sat and provides healthy and nutritious food to over 1,000 people each week. About 90% of food recipients are immigrants, living in or near South Arlington. Due to federal layoffs, they are increasingly seeing career professionals visit our pantry, including dual-income couples that are both unemployed and struggling to make ends meet. We see it as a great invitation and our obligation as followers of Jesus to help care for the most vulnerable among us.
Bridge Kids After-School Program ($4,000)
ABB is developing a faith-based after-school program (Bridge Kids) that will connect vulnerable children to the people, resources, and care they need to flourish. We would love to help make that possible.
- One month of supplies for Bridge Kids - $500
- Summer VBS afterschool program - $1000
- One month of afterschool program expenses - $6000
Arlington Bridge Builders Website
Afghan Refugee Care
Over the past few years, RCC has helped resettle and care for 3 families from Afghanistan. This Christmas, we hope to help meet the following needs:
- Childcare training certificates for daycare employment -- $650.
- Transmission repair for one of the families' vehicle so the father can continue working as an Amazon driver - $1850
- Important dental care not covered by insurance for one of the families' sons - $3500
Hispaniola Institute of Theology
The Hispaniola Institute of Theology exists to magnify God through equipping current and future church leaders to lead churches and make disciples of Christ among Haitians, Dominicans, and all nations.
This year, we are hoping to provide $6,000 of funding that will ensure the salary of HIT's in-country Director of Operations, Elmond Jean. This would be a massive stabilizer for both HIT and Elmond.
Check out HIT's website here.
This year, we are hoping to provide $6,000 of funding that will ensure the salary of HIT's in-country Director of Operations, Elmond Jean. This would be a massive stabilizer for both HIT and Elmond.
Check out HIT's website here.
Three Roots International
Three Roots International works to cultivate community development and economic capacity in rural Ethiopian villages by empowering families through education, health, and income generating activities.
We are asking the Lord for the opportunity to give $6,000 to TRI. This will go towards helping students to learn, grow, and thrive in a safe and healthy school environment through:
We are asking the Lord for the opportunity to give $6,000 to TRI. This will go towards helping students to learn, grow, and thrive in a safe and healthy school environment through:
- Teacher training to promote readiness for computer lab management and use
- Essential maintenance of handwashing stations and two latrines, along with ongoing supplies for cleaning and sanitizing, safeguarding student health.
- Renovation of one latrine block to upgrade latrine piping, venting, and cement flooring to increase student hygiene and student retention at school
The Summit Collaborative
RCC is a part of the Summit Collaborative, a collaborative of churches dedicated to gospel-centered church multiplication. This year we hope to give $6,000 to help support further church planting domestically and abroad through the Summit.
Summit Collaborative
Summit Collaborative
RCC Benevolence Fund
Part of our call as followers of Jesus and a local church is to care for those in need, both inside and outside our church family. To that end, we maintain a separate benevolence fund outside of our annual operating budget to help care for those in need. We hope to set aside $6,000 to help replenish this fund after the care we provided throughout the year as a church.
RCC Special Projects
RCC Building Fund
Last year we started a building fund in a step of faith as we pray towards an eventual meeting space of our own. We would like to continue giving towards this goal in 2025. As a meaningful first step in this process, we are praying that God would provide a secondary gathering space to hold classes, prayer gatherings, and other ministry events throughout the week, in addition to our Sunday gathering at Gunston Middle School. We hope to give $10,000 towards this goal.
Last year we started a building fund in a step of faith as we pray towards an eventual meeting space of our own. We would like to continue giving towards this goal in 2025. As a meaningful first step in this process, we are praying that God would provide a secondary gathering space to hold classes, prayer gatherings, and other ministry events throughout the week, in addition to our Sunday gathering at Gunston Middle School. We hope to give $10,000 towards this goal.
ABOUT US
Restoration City Church exists to make disciples of Jesus for the restoration of DC. To us, church isn't just an event you attend - it's a community you join. So we're a gospel community seeking to encounter God more fully, to be formed by Him in all aspects of life, and to participate in His mission of restoration locally and abroad.
Our Lead Pastor, John McGowan, and his wife, Laura, planted RCC in the fall of 2014 through the Summit Collaborative in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. Since then, we've seen so many lives transformed by the power of the gospel, and we continue to grow as a community of faith living for the glory of Christ and the good of our city. We'd love for you to be a part of what God is doing here!
Our Lead Pastor, John McGowan, and his wife, Laura, planted RCC in the fall of 2014 through the Summit Collaborative in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. Since then, we've seen so many lives transformed by the power of the gospel, and we continue to grow as a community of faith living for the glory of Christ and the good of our city. We'd love for you to be a part of what God is doing here!