Novo Ministries Celebrates 5 Years of Change

Five Year Anniversary for Novo Ministries Proves it's Here to Stay
Novo Ministries Celebrates Five Years of Change

Oklahoma City – Novo Ministries is celebrating its five year anniversary of incorporation and charitable service to underserved, underesourced communities in Oklahoma City. Since its incorporation, Novo Ministries has reached out to hundreds of Oklahoma City’s children by connecting them with passionate, committed mentors, churches, and organizations.

“Novo” – a Latin word for change – has been the driving force of Novo Ministries for the past five years. Novo Ministries’ founder, Valerie Sherrer, has seen this change first-hand, not only within the organization, but also within the communities that Novo serves. Several of Novo’s current volunteers were once program participants, proving that the impact Novo Ministries and its volunteers has is lasting.

Currently, over 1500 children are being reached through Novo programming by more than 150 volunteers. Novo plans to continue working within its 17 current program sites and will continue expanding its impact to other locations in the greater Oklahoma City area.

Novo Ministries provides curriculum, consultation, program facilitation, and training to its partnering volunteers, churches, and organizations at no charge to them. Novo seeks to be a resource to its various partners as they reach out to their surrounding communities.

Five years later, the organization has evolved, but its mission remains the same – bringing positive change and making a positive, lasting impact on Oklahoma City’s underserved, underresourced communities.

Direct questions to 405-209-9765 or email vsherrer@novoministries.org

Novo Ministries is a non-profit organization that serves primarily inner-city, at-risk portions of Oklahoma City and its surrounding communities. Novo Ministries exists to reach, train, and mentor inner-city, underserved children and youth through important life- changing relationships. Our website can be found at www.novoministries.org

What's Your Story?

Stories resonate with people. We love a good story – about 3 little pigs, fairy-tale endings, Shakespearian tragedies, and ridiculous twenty-two minute sitcoms. I think stories resonate with people because, after all, we each have a story to tell. Stories are what string together the moments of our lives – the mundane, the exciting, the everyday moments that make up who we are. Some stories are nothing much (or at least we think so) and some stories are life-changing.

At Novo Ministries, we believe the greatest story of all is the story of God’s love for His creation – a love that stretches beyond heaven’s boundaries and meets us right where we are. And if you have been involved with Novo Ministries as a small group teacher, handing out snacks, attending a Novo training session, or have even just perused our website, you know this is the essence of Novo’s story. But within this greater narrative are the little stories that make up who we are. Our story wouldn’t exist without the chapters that you contribute. You are writing this story.

So if you’ve got a story about your experience with Novo, why don’t you share it with us? Maybe you’ve had the privilege of watching a child change from the inside out, believing on Jesus. Or maybe you’ve had a crazy Club experience. Maybe something happened at a training that totally changed your perspective. Or maybe you just ate one too many snacks one day at Bible Club . . .

If you have a story you want to share, we want to hear it! You are the authors of Novo’s story, so don’t be shy – email, post, or call us with your favorite Novo story! We’ll be posting some of them online and publishing them in other places as we share Novo’s story with others. Check out the details below:

3 Categories of Stories . . .
1) Humorous – tell us about the funniest memory you have.
2) Memorable – tell us about a time that you will never forget.
3) Quotable – tell us about something special that you heard someone say.

There will be a prize given for each category listed above.

Note: To protect the privacy and for the safety of the children with whom we work, please change the names of the children in any of the stories that you make public.

You’ve always got a story to tell, but this contest won’t last forever, so get writing!

Questions? Contact Valerie! (Email to: vsherrer@novoministries.org , or call at 405.209.9765)

What are you a fan of?

Are you a fan of fall? As the school year gets into full swing, fall feelings are in the air – football season will kickoff, summer vacations will be only memories, and the leaves will begin to change from their summer green to autumn’s red, orange, and golden hues.

And that’s what fall’s really all about – change: the change from one season to the next. Not quite hot, not quite cold. Change is so much bigger than just a season, though. For many facets of our lives, change is happening all the time, from clothes to jobs to the inside changes that we don’t see but are very real.

Novo Ministries is all about this inside-out change. While there are many areas where we could focus our energy and try to affect positive change in Oklahoma City, we believe that the catalyst for sparking transformation in our city begins by sharing the life-changing message of Jesus Christ with the children of our inner city. Often, they are the inheritors of life circumstances most of us couldn’t imagine and, in turn, pass this legacy on to their children. And while negative family patterns can take generations to reverse, the revolutionizing message of the Gospel – the greatest life-change of all – takes only a moment of clarity, when the overwhelming grace of God speaks to the heart of a child who is ready to listen and ready to believe. At Novo Ministries, we believe that, as Christ-followers, it’s our responsibility – our privilege – to share this message that has totally turned our lives around with these children. God’s grace is big enough to reach beyond the stained glass of a church, beyond human circumstances, beyond our limitations – God’s grace has been big enough for me. It’s big enough for them, too.

Yes, I guess you could say that at Novo Ministries, we’re fans of change. If you are involved with Novo Ministries as a volunteer, a financial supporter, have attended a training, pray for us, or have even just taken the time to read this blog, I suspect you’re a fan of change too. So if you’re a fan of the life-change that has taken place, the transformation that’s occurring right now, and potential for future heart revolution, why not show it? Become a fan of Novo Ministries on Facebook and let the world (or at least your friends list) know that you’re a fan of change!

Why you should fan us . . .
1) Did you read the above blog?!
2) We have a fun name.
3) Next week we’ll be giving away prizes to some of our Facebook fans!

Do you have questions or are you interested in learning more about Novo? Contact us at: vsherrer@novoministries.org