The post International Dream Hunters VBS Curriculum appeared first on Zoe Empowers.

The post Walking with Jesus Through Lent appeared first on Zoe Empowers.

The post Downloadable Videos appeared first on Zoe Empowers.

This set of lessons is designed to be used in a sequence and fits nicely into Lent, Advent, or a VBS model. However, the lessons can also be used separately without the detective theme if you only have one meeting.

Click to Download an Individual Session

1. Session 1: Introduce “Together We Can Detective Club” and Make Chicken Bank

2. Session 2: What We Know, Wonder, Learn

3. Session 3: Different Home: Same God

4. Session 4: Being the Hands and Feet of Christ

5. Session 5: Making a Difference Everyday

6. Detective Clue Sheet

Each week your little detectives can record the weekly clue in their detective notebooks. To create these simply print off the clue tracker sheet and have copies of the clues for each child to paste onto the sheet each week.

Download Together We Can! Curriculum

The post Together We Can! Curriculum appeared first on Zoe Empowers.

For guiding questions that facilitate group discussion, prompt individuals to apply the principles of the book to their own lives, and challenge the body of Christ to think critically about the impacts of their own church’s mission, download the Toxic Charity Book Study Guide.

It can be used well as a weekly study, discussing one or two chapters each week. Or, if you would prefer, you could host a one-time event and consider making it into a retreat for focusing on your church’s missions. One person can choose to lead the group through discussion, or as a group you can casually discuss which questions interest you the most. Feel free to adapt it to your needs and preferences!

The post Toxic Charity Study appeared first on Zoe Empowers.

Please fill out the form below to download the Advent Devotional:

The post Advent Devotional appeared first on Zoe Empowers.

In-Person Group Fundraising Activity

1. Encourage participants to give something up for a week, month or other specified time period. This works particularly well during Lent.
2. Ask participants to download the poster, or distribute copies you have printed ahead of time.
3. Schedule a time for participants to fill out the poster, choosing what they will do less of and which of the Gift Catalog Items they will give to an orphan instead. You can alternatively set a group goal, such as a cow.
4. Take photos of participants holding their posters.
5. Post photos on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ or other social media to invite friends and family to join in (#ZoeEmpowers and #dolessfororphans).
6. Ask participants save the money they otherwise would have spent, possibly in a free Zoe Empowers offering box.
7. At the end of the time period, collect the funds and send to Zoe Empowers. You can make checks payable to Zoe Empowers and send to: P.O. Box 28839, Raleigh, NC 27611.
8. Celebrate your success and thank your participants!

Peer-to-Peer Online Fundraising

1. Make a decision to DO LESS to empower orphans to achieve their dreams! It’s easy to rally your friends and family to join you in your goal to empower orphans to become self-reliant.
2. Use your creativity to share your passion and get others involved.  You can give up some of the conventional things like caffeine, watching TV or eating out.  Then again, you could be really creative to get people’s attention and give up something like your bed, wearing makeup, warm water for your shower, or traditional silverware – and only use chopsticks to eat for a month. The more creative, the more fun it will be!
3. Visit our Do Less fundraising page and select “Become a Fundraiser.” Use our online fundraising tools to reach supporters, take online donations and keep updated on your progress. It only takes a few minutes to set up your own page.
4. Share your page with others and raise funds that will empower lives with the money you raise.

[fluidvideo url=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/yRc9KcGj76A”]

The post “Do Less” for Orphans appeared first on Zoe Empowers.

Encourage your church or organization to give gifts that go further than a shelf or a drawer – ones that help children transform their lives. The Zoe Empowers Gift Catalog provides these giving opportunities during holidays, birthdays, and many other occasions. From chickens to goats to sewing machines, there are many ways your group can help children help themselves and give memorable gifts that honor friends and loved ones.

Download Information About The Gift Catalog Alternative Market

Request an alternative market kit with bookmarks, gifts cards and other materials, using our online request form.

Request an Alternative Market Kit

The post Gift Market Guide appeared first on Zoe Empowers.

The post Lent Resources appeared first on Zoe Empowers.

1. First, they made a giving tree banner by gluing a tree shape on a four foot tall banner (can be felt or other fabric or even paper).
2. They then put 100 individual leaves on the tree which could be easily removed. Each leaf represented a child in a working group.
3. The banner was placed in a prominent place outside of the sanctuary.
4. Members were asked to make a contribution by taking a leaf and writing a check to the church for $75 (the cost of one child for one year in a 100-member working group) with Zoe Empowers in the memo line. They were to take the leaf and put it in a visible place in their home (like the refrigerator) so they would be reminded to pray for their children.

Sunbury’s Presentation During Worship

A worship service was planned around the theme “Planting Seeds for Missions.” The service began with a video of Matthew West’s Do Something. Church members were asked if they had ever wondered if the seeds they had planted by sending money to a charity took root.

Success stories of the orphans in their Hope Companion working group with were shared by members of the church who had visited them. They shared with the congregation that that the members have graduated from ZOE’s three-year program and are financially independent, respected members of their community.

They ended the presentation with the good news that their working group had adopted eight other orphans into the group and plan to adopt another twelve by the end of this year. Though their group is no longer receiving any financial help from Sunbury UMC or from Zoe Empowers, because they have graduated, so many other orphans still need help.

The leaders challenged church members to partner with another working group by “purchasing a leaf from the Giving Tree.” All the leaves were gone before the end of their third service! When all the leaves were taken, the banner came down, and they had funded a new working group for one year. Next year and the following year they will put the tree up again with new leaves, and that will take care of their three-year commitment.

The post Giving Tree appeared first on Zoe Empowers.