CLA Job Network

If you know more than 10 people you probably know someone who is unemployed or needs a change in jobs.  In today’s economy you may even be one of them. Unfortunately many people have been in their previous jobs for so long they may not know the best way to find a new job or they may simply not know where to look or have the resources necessary.

You can help though! If you know of job openings where you work, or anywhere else, please send them to Michael at gallops@bww.com. Michael forwards the job openings to those who have indicated they are in need of a job. If you prefer to send them anonymously just state that in the email.

If you are one of those in need of a job please let Michael know that as well.  You can also go to  http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/CLAJobs/ and join the Yahoo group. This simplifies sending out the job notices. Yahoo groups give you the option of receiving every email or a digest of emails. Of course right now there are very few emails going out – maybe an average of 1 per day.

Other ways you can help are to create profiles in LinkedIn.com and even Facebook. Upload your address book and you’ll probably be surprised how many people you know are already there!  We have a CLA Group page in Facebook that you can also join. Both Facebook and LinkedIn give those looking for jobs more networking ability. They can search for local people in similar jobs, ask for referrals and introductions, and in some cases even contact the hiring person directly.

Less useful but still important are sites like Plaxo and Twitter. Plaxo lets you keep your contact information (as much or as little as you want) up to date and available to everyone you are connected with. Twitter will let you reach out and communicate with people who can help you find a job.

Don’t forget about Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com. While they are primarily useful for those looking for technical jobs they do have listings for a variety of other jobs. And of course you can always Google “Job Networking Dallas” to find several other networking groups that might be useful.

Most importantly, remember that God is on control. Pray and trust Him. And know that we are here to support you and pray for you too!

February Meeting Notes

The Men’s Connection meeting last Saturday was one of the best ever. You really missed a great time if you weren’t there! About 20 men from CLA showed up at 7:30 for some incredible food, fun, friendship and worship!

After eating we began with prayer requests. Most of those centered around people in the church needing jobs, homes or properties needing to be sold, sickness, and comfort for families who lost loved ones recently. Of course we prayed for Pastor Carl’s quick and total recovery and return to church.

Originally the discussion was going to be about the current economic crisis in America and how it was impacting us. Soon it became much more than that and ended up being a discussion about “practical Christianity.” In other words, what are some practical ways, we as men of God can help those in the church who are in severe financial crisis?

Several ideas were presented, including buying groceries, educating church members on the basics of finances, and even doing minor car and home repairs.

We also discussed discipleship training and how we have failed to really disciple men. It seems our focus may have been on evangelizing them but then we tend to forget about what comes next. Living for Christ is much more than just “getting saved.” We need to help and teach people about having a continuing relationship with Christ.

One way we can do this is by improving our attendance at Sunday School – the place where we can learn (or teach) Bible basics. Ron Nelson asked, “are we so strapped for time and money that we can’t fit in time for Sunday School?” Many of us grew up in Sunday School and learned a great deal about God and God’s Word.

Another serious problem is that our culture is devoid of teaching boys to become men. How do we fix this?

It was pointed out that we can help grow our church by inviting people. But we must have the answer, we can’t simply invite them and expect the staff to “make it happen.” Men must step up and do their part.

Dan White pointed out that the next step is to prioritize the things we discussed. He said these are all great ideas but we must set a priority so we can get started. Ron added that we can start with educating people – pick a course, market it well in the church and then do it!

On Sunday be sure and shake a hand and introduce yourself to someone new. A good way to remember their name is to repeat it several times while you’re talking to them. This simple thing can bring people back to our church again and again.

Don’t forget the job network! If you know of job opening in your company please send those to Michael Gallops at gallops@bww.com. If you need a job please let Michael know. He’ll be working to hook people up with job openings that “fit” them. There are forms in the foyer to complete so that Michael has your contact information. And remember, there is a job networking class on March 15 in the fellowship Hall, immediately following the service. We’ll be reviewing resumes, discussing job skills and ways to refresh and improve them and showing you how to create an on-line presence that will help in your job hunt!

Be sure and check back here for the dates of next month’s Men’s Connection meeting!

Breakfast with Ronnie Mac

Ronald McDonald House Breakfast-This Saturday at 7:30am!

If you haven’t had the opportunity to be blessed by serving the Ronald McDonald House families, you do not know what you are missing.  It’s a great time for fellowship with the other men of CLA and a great opportunity to let your light shine on lives that are in need of hope.  Volunteers should arrive at 7:30 sharp.  This week’s coordinator is Dan White.  Contact Dan if you are interested.