non profits getting slammed by the economy

You feel it deeply...but imagine if you depended on the benevolence of others in these difficult economic times! Christian City does just that!

And, it’s not just the price of gas. As you well know, the cost of everything is skyrocketing...and in the middle of this...giving is down.

I realize that your own situation may be very challenging right now and funds just may not allow you to help Christian City. But for those that can, we pray that you will stop and consider those who have nothing, really — no resources of their own — and who depend on the kindness of others to meet their needs.

The pages of this FYI show that we have so many great things going on here. It’s a big place with many ministries and programs...but it all depends on the sacrificial giving of people just like you. It might require more sacrifice than normal during these times. Won’t you be thinking prayerfully about how you might be able to help us sustain the ministries here that children and seniors depend on every day? We really need it more than ever.

Thank you!

—Bob Crutchfield
President, CEO

the Goizueta School of Business at Emory, she has a bright future ahead of her. And to what does Sarah attribute her success? The Home for Children at Christian City.
“I wouldn’t have gone to college at all if it weren’t for Christian City. I came to Christian City on February 28th, 2000 at the end of my 6th grade...I was twelve. I had been living in an emergency shelter, I remember it all very well. I was very mean when I first came here, very angry and I felt like everything bad that had happened in my life was all my fault. Before, when I was living at home, I skipped school a lot, got in fights with other kids and was well on my way to...a very undesirable lifestyle”, she said.

By the eighth grade, Sarah decided to become a Christian. “The Christian environment was very important to me and Christian City provided it well. My house parents, the Ogdens, were close to God, they lived the life and helped me get closer to God. We had a great family life with sit down dinners, board games and had a connection as a family. Even if I was mean and hard to get along with, they still loved me. They let me know that no matter what, they were going to keep loving me. I still go to the Ogden’s for holidays and Christmas. I still call them Mom and Dad”, Sarah expressed.

Sarah says it was the positive influence at Christian City that has gotten her to where she is today. When she came to Christian City, she spoke in ebonics, having grown up in what she calls “the projects”. “My house parents encouraged us in our schoolwork, and in extra activities. When I was not making the grades I wanted to be making, they hired a tutor who helped me to make an “A” in my class. There was always someone there to help me with my school work. The family atmosphere created long lasting relationships with the other children who lived here, the staff, and with members of our church.

What is next for Sarah? “I want to be a top lawyer and go to a top law school in Los Angeles or Chicago. I want to do some volunteer work too, especially with kids. And, I just got hired to work part time for the Georgia Truancy Intervention Program at Emory assisting case managers who work with kids who skip school.” Sarah has come full circle and is a blessing to us all. Congratulations Sarah, You are a shining star and we are proud of you!

When I first met Jim, I was only 22 years old and was introduced to him by my new husband, Byron. Jim was preaching at a local church so we went to hear him.

Byron and Jim had grown up together in the Capitol Heights neighborhood and were boyhood friends. They had known each other ever since Jim was in grade school and a student in Byron’s Sunday school class. They had become “soul brothers” right from the beginning. As kids, Byron had a paper route and Jim used to help him deliver the papers.

Some time later, our church Southwest Christian was starting to grow and began searching for a full time preacher. Jim was preaching at a small church in Aniston, Alabama so we and some other friends paid the Dyers a visit to try to convince them to move back to Atlanta and head up our church. After many visits and a lot of back and forth, Jim and his wife Dura finally agreed. This decision began a ball rolling that eventually resulted in an amazing legacy...Christian City.

Everybody loved Jim Dyer. He gave 110 % all of the time and was an excellent preacher. He was articulate, well versed, just overall... outstanding. For years I would tape his sermons and go home and type them up afterwards. Under his leadership, the church grew in leaps and bounds, hundreds came to hear him preach. We went from meeting in a small white framed house to building the church we meet in today. Jim had a tremendous capacity for remembering names and making people feel welcomed, wanted and special.

Jim was always mission minded and was a visionary. One day, a member of our church, Ms. Millard (Connie) Price came to him and said “The Christian Church ought to have a home for abandoned and abused children”. That conversation sparked a fire in Jim that spread to other members of the church and throughout the community for years to come. He came to our home to see share his vision of a home for children with no place to live. We agreed to donate 50 acres of our land in Union City. Jim said, “What should we name it?”, and Byron responded, “Wouldn’t it be neat to have a whole city full of Christians?”…and they came up with the name “Christian City”.

We met around the kitchen table at Fred Wilkerson’s house and started to plan. Someone said it would cost $7,000-$8,000 to build the first cottage and to start the ministry for children, and we just gauked! But we went ahead anyway. Jim gathered 4 or 5 couples who became the initial founders of Christian City. Jim served as Chairman for a zillion years for he really had a heart for the children who lived in the cottages. He received a Life Time Achievement Award for his servant leadership for Christian City which is displayed in the Welcome Center today.

Where there was a need, Jim tried to meet it. He started an alcohol and drug recovery ministry at Southwest Christian church and many souls have been redeemed because of him. He was the visionary behind Southwest Christian Care which is the only hospice of it’s kind in Georgia and a wonderful place that I have experienced personally. With my son Rick, Jim also inspired and helped birth Georgia Tech Christian Campus Fellowship which is a campus bible study group for students. It started with 3-4 kids and now has over 600 members who meet weekly. Out of this group came “Global Scope” a missionary group of students who have traveled to Santiago, Chile, Mexico, Thailand and other countries doing God’s work. The kids loved Jim and called him “Friar Dyer”. There are more “Timothys” ministering to others far and wide, due to his leadership.

Jim was always there for us, a real Shepherd in our family over the years. He was an influence to those young and old…an inspiration to us all.

Jim & Dura Dyer Lifetime Achievement Award
Jim's Legacy Lives On.

Jim Dyer, a great visionary and servant leader, has passed away but his legacy remains with us in many forms. He was Trustee Emeritus at Christian City and was recognized with the first ever Life Time Achievement Award, ultimately named “The Jim and Dura Dyer Life Time Achievement Award” in their honor. Christian City is just one of many ministries Jim worked so hard to make possible. We have all been blessed by “Preacher Jim’s” passion for ministry to “the least of these.”— Bob Crutchfield

The Jim & Dura Dyer Lifetime Achievement Award has this inscription: “But Those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (From Isaiah 40:31)

“This bronze eagle is hand crafted by Michael Malden, one of the worlds leading sculptors. It is given to Christian City by Bob & Elsie Sacre to glorify God and honor Jim and Dura Dyer for their life, ministry, service and witness to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We also appreciate their many years of loving service and support to the growth and success of Christian City.”

Christian City Seniors Have A “Wii” Bit Of Fun In The Name Of Physical Therapy

Who knew that the hottest pastime for teens would also become the hottest trend among seniors? After all, what could these two groups possibly have in common? The answer can be found in household living rooms and senior facilities across America, most recently at Christian City… the Wii video game by Nintendo.

The Wii game that enthralls millions of teens has proved remarkably effective in improving the lives of some seniors as well. It is fast becoming a craze in rehab therapy for patients recovering from strokes, broken bones, surgery and even combat injuries.

Unlike regular video games, the Wii requires players to use their whole body to participate. This makes for a fun, often competitive way to engage seniors who may be using muscles and skills they have not used for years. The body movements help to regain strength for every day living skills like brushing their teeth or fastening their clothes. The result can be a dramatic increase in the physical and emotional self confidence of the patient. “It’s fun, and it helps me build muscles that I had forgotten I had!” said one Christian City resident.

Christian City’s Executive Vice President Terry Thompkins comments, “Physical therapy can become boring, repetitive, and motivation can take a dive. When playing the Wii, residents forget it is therapy! It is amazing how quickly the competitive drive comes out, which is just as therapeutic as the physical activity. Some seniors have complex medical issues, but forget them when they are playing the video game.”

Several times a week at Christian City, dozens of seniors compete in virtual bowling, baseball games and tennis matches, all supervised by recreational therapists and social workers. “The seniors, most of whom had never played video games before, were a bit skeptical at first. Many have physical and mental limitations that made them hesitant and a bit shy. But the Wii caught on quickly and now they are even forming a bowling league! This is a great addition to our many programs for seniors, not only having great physical benefits but social benefits as well,” Thompkins said.

Christian City, located on a 500 acre campus in Union City, is home to over 1,000 seniors including active retirees, those in need of nursing and rehabilitation, assisted living and care for Azheimer’s disease. As a nonprofit organization, Christian City is also home The Children’s Village, a residential, family centered home for children. For more information please access our website at christiancity.org or call 770-703-2636.

WE'VE MOVED! Celebrate this milestone with us on Nov. 1st!

Our heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to all our donors and supporters whose financial contributions and sacrifice have made The Children’s Village at Christian City possible. We pray that God will bless all of you as you have blessed us, and that God’s blessings will continue on this ministry to HIS children for many years to come! Join us at The Children’s Village on November 1, 2008 for an Open House, and a special day of celebration and prayer. See ad above for more information about this fun event!

Come One, Come All to our Open House & Pancake Breakfast!
November 1st, 2008

Please join us Saturday, November 1st from 8am until 3pm for a celebration of The Children’s Village. We are planning a full day of fun including a pancake breakfast starting at 8am, tours of The Children’s Village beginning at 9am, a car show displaying antique cars, the Atlanta Corvette Club, music and entertainment. Come shop for bargains and help pay for our children’s educational needs at our big annual Autumn Days Sale at Graceland Thrift Store. This will be a fun filled day you won’t want to miss! Tickets for the pancake breakfast are $5 at the door or in advance by calling Lauren at 770-964-3309.

Christian City is proud to announce our 2008 limited edition Christmas ornament. This year’s beautifully minted pewter ornament, depicts the administration building of the new Children’s Village. It is our gift to you for sponsoring one of the children who live on our campus. For less than a dollar a day – $30 a month – you can sponsor a child. We depend on child sponsorships to help pay for basic needs such as medical care, food and clothing for the abandoned and abused children God has put in our care. You may choose your child’s age, gender and race and will be mailed a biographical profile on your child describing their background and a list of their “favorite things”. For a better tomorrow, please become a child sponsor today, For more information or to sign up and receive your free ornament please call Lauren at 770-964-3309.

Pam Ross, Director of Church Relations, represented the ministry of Christian City at the North American Christian Convention this year in Cincinnati. It was an especially exciting time since Cam Huxford, Minister of Savannah Christian Church was the President of the Convention. It was a superb convention and an excellent way to network with people from California to Virginia and from Canada to Florida. There were international folks who visited our display booths as well as local supporters (above) who came by to receive information.


See Christian City!
Churches get creative in VBS programming

We have been very blessed this year to have several churches sponsor Christian City as their VBS Mission: Among those are: Resurrection House Church, First Christian of Dalton, Pleasant Hill Christian Church, Hamilton Mill Christian Church, Elberton Christian Church, Tucker Christian Church, First Christian Church of Carrollton and Crossroads Christian Church of Stockbridge. Pam Ross recently spoke at the closing program of the Tucker Christian Church and we invite you – just as the sign says – VISIT CHRISTIAN CITY!

If you would like someone to come and give an update about Christian City, please call or e-mail Church Relations at 678-466-1107 or email us.
If you would like to sign up to receive our monthly Church Updates or to receive the Kneemail, please contact us at 678-466-1107 or email us.

The Line Creek Civitans and the Fayette County Civitan Clubs joined hands to host a statewide golf tournament which raised over $28,000 for Christian City. The money will be used to support our new initiative for residential housing on our campus for the developmentally disabled. Thank you Civitans! Pictured are President/CEO Bob Crutchfield and COO of The Children’s Village Phil Kouns accepting the check.

“In the beginning was the Word….” and only an incomprehensible void. Then God spoke and creation emerged. In God’s time, man was invited to participate by naming the result of God’s work and he has continued in partnership with Him by articulating His heart.
“In the beginning was the Word,.…and the Word became flesh..” There is a connection between words spoken in faith and the unlimited resources of God.

The Christian City founders prayed and spoke mere words, but, just as God said “Let there be light…”, they said “Let there be a refuge for children and a Christian community for the aged and infirm. Let it be Christian City”. God blessed it and their “words” became “flesh”.
For two years, our Trustees have been meeting and praying together. Just as the original founders “spoke” Christian City into existence, a new vision has been born. We hope to share it with you soon.

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