SEE OUR
LOCAL CHURCH DIRECTORY Vol. 26 | Iss. 7| July 2022
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INSIDE ...
FREEDOM PARK HOME OFFERS SAFETY AND SUPPORT THROUGH OPERATION LIFE FORCE
By Lily Belcher
Julie James is the director of Freedom Park, founded by Operation Light Force.
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to the increased need for long-term, supportive housing for human trafficking survivors. The four-bedroom house will have three rooms with two twin beds each The four-bedroom house will support six female overcomers with the help of a and one room that dedicated staff.
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Columns: Grace Notes: Hooked On Books: Faith & Footprints: News From The Wire:
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Operation Light Force, a local, Christian ministry dedicated to healing the community, recently opened a house in Dover for human trafficking overcomers. The sanctuary home for complex trauma overcomers will provide a safe place where six females can live, heal and learn with the help of round-the-clock staff. “It wasn’t until the last five or six years that we saw this huge increase in people who have been through horrible [and] horrendous trauma,” said Chief Operating Officer Dawn Leonard. “What we saw was a need for people to come and stay.” The house was purchased with the help of investors and generous donations from the community in response
will serve as an office. For now, Freedom Park is limited to only six female adults, but Operation Light Force is willing to provide assistance and guidance for all human trafficking victims. “We are more like a house for them to live in for a yearlong program where they can receive therapy, learn education, get job skills, receive healing for the wounds that they have had, just find freedom in their life,” said Leonard.
“[We want] to help them and empower them to live healthy lives and to have joy in their lives.” Operation Light Force was founded in 1998 by Richard Mull to help people heal from physical, emotional and mental trauma with roots in biblical principles. It prioritizes living as disciples and creating a loving fellowship of disciples. Now, it is asking for the community’s help in establishing a home for overcomers by providing furniture, games, appliances and other essentials for a loving and supportive home. A full list of requested items is available on its website. Freedom Park is also looking for volunteers and staff who would be willing to work shifts around the clock to provide consistent and reliable care to their six overcomers. For more information or to donate items, visit https://freedomparkheals. com/ or contact director Julie James at 336-989-1628. For monetary donations, visit https://olf.churchcenter. com/giving.
NEW FALL CURRICULUM AT CENTER 4LIFE LEARNING OUTREACH
By Kelly Wise Valdes
than one class per semester. Center 4Life In addition, many fun day trips are Learning is a fun, planned through Center 4Life and are postn o n a c c re d i te d adult education ed on the website. Some of these trips inoutreach proclude the comedy show and dinner theater in Largo on Thursday, July 21, a daytime gram that serves the entire communimusic cruise on the Anna Maria Princess ty. The classes are designed to inform, boat on Tuesday, September 13 and a sunentertain and inspire with its wide curriculum of subjects. In addition to the set dinner cruise out of Sarasota on Thursclasses, trips and tours are also part of day, November 10. the center’s offerings. “Most of our day trip travelers return to Center 4Life Learning was estabsign up for additional trips,” said Holter. Center 4Life Learning, located in Sun City Center, is a fun, nonaccredited adult educalished in 1976 as the Community tion outreach program that serves the entire community. In addition to classes, Center “They are very fond of our escorts, Patricia 4Life offers a variety of daytime trips. and Lenny Jones.” Church College by the United Community Center 4Life Learning is also reaching out Church. In 2019, it moved to the United ternational travel and music appreciation,” said Methodist Church of Sun City Center. Holter. “We hope to add more new classes when for new instructors needed for upcoming classes The fall semester curriculum is currently being we hear back from a number of new instructors.” in iPhone/iPad, conversational French, convercreated. Popular past classes have included sign The fall semester begins Monday, October 10 and sational Italian, bridge and mahjong. If you are language, current events discussions, genealogy, will take place at Sun City Center United Method- interested in joining the Center 4Life teaching calligraphy, finance, history, art sciences and psy- ist Church, located at 1210 W. Del Webb Blvd. in team, contact Holter at 813-634-8607 or email chology. Sun City Center. Each semester is six weeks long center4life@sccumc.com. Tuition for regular courses is $35 for six 90-minSue Holter, an advisory board member and of- with each class being 90 minutes long. All classfice manager for Center 4Life, is excited about es are held on weekdays between 8:30 a.m.-4:30 ute classes. For more information or registration, the upcoming classes and trips. p.m. According to Holter, more than 200 people visit www.sccumc.com/4lifelearning or call 813“We are adding conversational Spanish, in- attend Center 4Life classes, some attending more 634-8607.
