Love INC Medina is a nonprofit organization that has been committed to serving the people in Medina County who are facing financial hardships since 2010. Our Christian ministry works together with partner churches, organizations and agencies to help financially empower individuals and families. We help by providing financial assistance when struggling families and individuals are faced with utility disconnections, evictions and other financial crisis. Our trained volunteers and staff clarify and evaluate the requests for assistance to verify legitimate need.
Medina Light Ministries
MEDINA LIGHT MINISTRIES has been proclaiming the Good News of Jesus to men and women behind bars since 1992. Larry and Susan Jarvis walked into the newly-built jail in 1996 and the ministry immediately tripled in size, leading Larry to leave his day job and commit to fulltime ministry. In l999, the Juvenile Center opened and Susan has been there as the chaplain ever since. This has been an exhilarating, challenging, miracle-laden ministry that never has a dull moment. In these past three decades, we have talked to thousands of inmates, operated a women's halfway house for fourteen years, helped with marriages, officiated at funerals, helped with two baby deliveries, led a rough-and-tumble choir, started a newsletter for those in prison and jail called Uncuffed, and have continued to enthusiastically talk about Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!
Gabo and Barbara Ayala
Thank you for partnering with our family in God’s work in Granada, Spain.
Both of us came to the Lord in Caracas, Venezuela, where we were born and raised. In Caracas, God not only called us into the mission field, but also helped us to take our first steps into ministry. By His grace, we helped plant two churches, and also aided in equipping preachers, training others and served alongside the missionaries working with Team Expansion in Venezuela.
We have been serving in Spain since 2016, taking part in a team that is located in the south of Spain in the city of Granada. Our team’s goal to see a disciple-making movement (DMM) and church-planting movement (CPM) in our state (Granada) by the year 2024. We are also pushing forward a coalition to help others see a DMM or CPM in their states (17 in total) by the end of 2032. We’ve named this the Coalition 1700.
We have embraced this strategy because statistically, Spain is currently is the least evangelized country in the Spanish speaking world. More than 90% of the towns and villages are still without a Christian presence and around 10 million Spaniards (about 20% of the population) have not yet heard the Gospel.
Our strategy starts with us, being followers of Christ who obey, put into practice, and share with others what the Word of God says. Our mission begins at home in our own lives trying to follow and imitate Christ every day. We take that mindset to every relationship we can establish by prayer walking through unreached towns, seeking opportunities to meet others, especially spiritual seekers. We want to be part of our community and serve them. We also plant Gospel seeds through media efforts that allow us to find and reach those who are not currently not in our circle of influence but are still seeking God. These principles and tools that we are living out are helping us to mobilize and partner with local churches to equip them and work together on the task of multiplying disciples of Christ and churches throughout the country.
We trust that God has a plan for this nation and we strive to see it happen in our time. We would love to partner with you to bring Christ to this nation.
https://teamexpansion.org/ayala/
Ben Ruprecht
In 1952 the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional right of Americans to provide a religious education to public school students during school hours through a practice known as Released-Time Religious Instruction. Christians in Van Wert, Ohio learned of this strategy to reach the next generation with the Gospel in 2012 and started a Bible education program for their elementary students. By 2015 nearly 95% of the entire elementary, grades 1-5, were receiving a Bible education during school hours. In 2018, the positive impact was undeniable and those who started the program began asking, “Why doesn’t every school in the nation have a Bible education program?” The answer seemed to be that there were just too many barriers to entry. With that answer in mind, LifeWise Academy was formed; a plug-and-play model designed to remove those barriers to entry and help communities all across the nation start a Bible education program for their public school students. God has been blessing LifeWise with tremendous growth since 2018.
‘18-’19 - 2 schools
‘19-’20 - 5 schools
‘20-’21 - 8 schools
‘21-’22 - 36 schools
‘22-’23 - 133 schools & 15,000 students, 4 states
‘23-’24 - (Confirmed) 330 schools & 35,000+ students, 12 states
Ben Ruprecht is a Regional Representative with LifeWise Academy driving growth in Northern Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. Ben began volunteering with LifeWise in 2020 and came on staff in April of 2022. Ben resides with his wife Holly and three children; Silas, Lilly, and Ella, in Auburn, Indiana.
Ben can be reached at benruprecht@lifewise.org.
LifeWise Academy
LifeWise Academy is a released time religious instruction program that provides Bible-based character education to public school students during school hours. Under released time laws, students can be released from public school during the day to attend religious classes, provided the privately funded and parent-permitted.
Jackie Brant - Glad Tidings Ministries
Glad Tidings Ministries (Jackie Brant) served in Africa for 31 years. We also served in Spain for 2 years. Glad Tidings still supports Malawi Christian Mission as their stateside representatives. The work is in the hands of lead pastor, Alfred Kachipeso. I’m thankful that the small group of Churches and individuals that support them have been so faithful through the years.
On returning to the states in 1999, I was asked to help in the Missions Dept. at KCU as a volunteer staff which I did until the programs changed. I’m still mentoring students. In 2012 I joined the Jail ministry our church started. Although I can’t visit each week (since the pandemic began) I still keep in touch through letters and the staff passes out the Daily Bread devotionals the Church provides regularly. We receive 45 copies and if the women all get one they give the rest to any men or staff who want them. I’m hoping I will soon be visiting and sharing on a regular basis. As a result of this ministry and because we saw that any women who wanted one got a Celebrate Recovery Bible, we now have CR meetings in Grayson, the only one in this county. It is really doing well and through a private group on Facebook for women inmates who are out, CCDC FRIENDS, I encourage them to come. Some have and they are responding well; even sharing testimonies. God bless you for part in spreading the Gospel!
Operation Homes
Operation HOMES is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the homeless of Medina County, Ohio. By rotational partnering with local churches for shelter, food and the administration of life skill programs, Operation HOMES provides the opportunity for individuals to be independent, both personally and financially.
Velocity Church
Velocity Church started back in 2009 with the goal of starting a Restoration Movement congregation on Cleveland’s east side. In addition to having Sunday services, Bible studies, and small groups, Velocity is committed to being a huge part of the city. We run leadership development for two of our local school systems, host city wide events for children, and do our best to be a part of the fabric in Cleveland. God has blessed our congregation so much that there have been 407 baptisms since we began.
While Velocity has been extremely blessed, we have gone through a very difficult time over the past few years. We had to shut down one of our campuses completely because of Covid 19. Then in October, we had a 37 year old staff member who passed away from a heart attack. The grief of her loss has been a difficult season for everyone at Velocity.
Prayer Requests
- Please pray that God will continue to send lost and broken people to be a part of the congregation here at Velocity. Right now, a large part of our church are men and women who have battled some form of addiction. We feel very thankful that the Lord finds us faithful to send people who are struggling to be a part of this ministry.
- Please pray that our ministry opportunities in the school system and city continue to increase. We have been very blessed to be able to run programs for at-risk young people during school hours. Right now, we work with over 60 students who have amazing leadership potential but come from challenging backgrounds.
- Please pray for our volunteers. Over half of the people who come to Velocity serve in some capacity. They volunteer in Kidz City, worship teams, small group leaders, ministry leaders, etc. Please pray that God fills their heart with joy and that He uses them to help all people follow after Jesus with all of their heart.