Sudan in Continued Crisis

Sudan weighs heavy on our hearts here at Good News Church for a couple different reasons:

• We have families here from Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan.
• Nebraska is home to more refugees from Sudan than any other state in the United States. Omaha is known as South Sudan #2!

Facts to Know about Sudan and South Sudan:

• There has been no political stability in Sudan since 1955. Two countries emerged out of one in 2011 but the war and bloodshed continue.
• Armed conflict and food shortages have made South Sudan one of the most difficult places to live today.
• 80% of the population in the country of Sudan is unreached. 90% of the population is Muslim.
  Approximately 57% of the population in South Sudan professes to be Christian. There are still unreached people groups in this country.

Prayer Points:

• Pray for transformation that can only come from Jesus: forgiveness, peace and mercy in the hearts of those in both countries.
• Pray for the pressing needs of the Church there: for unity, discipleship/teaching and recovery.
• Pray for the children and young people – more than half of the total population is under 18; almost all have grown up in a context of suffering, violence and trauma.
• Sudan is #6 on the World Watch List. Pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ.
• Pray for divine intervention as neighboring Islamic countries have their own agendas for the Sudanese people.
• There are over a million Sudanese refugees in Uganda. Pray for this overwhelming situation.
• Pray that Jesus will visit the unreached peoples through dreams and visions and they will submit to the one and only true God.
• Pray that all Sudanese will turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. Psalm 34:14

Luke 24:1-12 NIV

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Then they remembered his words.

When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

Monday: Jesus is Alive
“He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’”Luke 24:1-12, NIV

Tuesday: Eternal Life
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?'” John 11:25-26, NIV

Wednesday: No Fear of Death
“For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” 1 Thessalonians 4:14, NIV

Thursday: Living Hope
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3, NIV

Friday: Free from Sin
“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” Romans 6:5-6, NIV

Saturday: Purest Love
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16, NIV

Timeline for the Resurrection

Volunteer at the Salvation Army Location Disaster Resource Center

Must be 15 or older.

1001 Fort Crook Rd. N. Suite #250
Bellevue, NE 68005

Hours:
Monday: 9:00am – 6:00pm
Tuesday: 9:00am – 6:00pm
Wednesday: 9:00am – 6:00pm
Thursday: 9:00am – 6:00pm
Friday: 9:00am – 6:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am – 6:00pm
Sunday: 12:00pm – 5:00pm

This list will be updated as needs fluctuate.

If you would like to donate to flood relief, you can do so under “Give” and designating “Flood Relief” under “Fund.”

The following items are urgently needed for families displaced by flooding. Items can be dropped off at Good News Church:

• Rice-a-Roni
• Hamburger Helper
• Canned Fruit

The prayer focus on April 24 will be miscarriage and infertility, and the prayer focus on May 1 will be Islamic strongholds in Omaha and around the world.

Befriend a refugee or refugee family in Omaha who needs someone in their lives who speaks and acts like Jesus! Embrace the Nations is hosting a Family Advocate Training. Lunch is provided. Contact Pam Franks at 402.391.6515 x219 for more details!

Unplug from the distractions of life and spend time connecting with God. This weekend filled with games, small groups, worship, and services is for all 6th-12th grade students. The cost is $85, and you can sign up below!

If you would like to be baptized or dedicate a child, sign up below!

New date! Transformed Life: Prayer starts on April 28. This is one of the steps in our discipleship process and we will be discussing topics such as intercession, praying from relationship, praying in the Holy Spirit, how to have effective prayer, spiritual warfare and how Jesus prayed. Sign up for this 7-week small group below.

As our church-wide study of the book of Luke is coming to a close, what better opportunity to continue an in-depth study of the Bible than by joining us as we study the book of Acts, also written by Luke! In Transformed Life: Bible we will learn valuable skills for studying the Bible no matter what book you are reading. This 7-week small group is another step in our process of living life as a transformed disciple of Christ. Sign up below.

Join us as we study this amazing curriculum which teaches parents how to train up their children through choices and consequences rather than control, while also reinforcing the value of the heart to heart relationship between parent and child. Sign up for this 9-week Group below.

We’ll have a contest for the craziest hair in Grow Kids and Up Kids, and there will be prizes for those that dare to leave home with hair that is out of sight!

The church office will be closed during the day, and noon prayer will be canceled. This does not affect 6:00am prayer or any evening events.

Churches across Omaha will be leading us in prayer throughout the day. Come pray together for our nation!

Good News men, we’re cleaning up yards and serving our community! We will meet at the church then travel in teams to our cleanup assignment. Sign up below!

MOPS is celebrating every mom out there who wants to find her people, have more fun, and live life to the full! Please join us for a brunch in honor of YOU. IF you’re interested in joining MOPS next year this is a great opportunity to see what MOPS is all about! Free Kids Ministry is provided with RSVP. You can RSVP below.