Whether it is family day at Port Discovery, Christmas shopping at Mondawmin Mall, a GROCK picnic with smores, Graffiti Kids, GROCK tutors,or  sitting at the hospital with a family whose grandmother is in surgery, it has been an exciting season for us. Also pictured above are Scott & Vickie Heldreth and team who brought us over 300 Christmas shoe boxes from North Carolina. Thank you so much. Merry Christmas from all of us in East Baltimore. We want to thank you, all of our partners and friends, who have prayed and supported us this year.
     We launched GROCK After School Ministry in February. Currently we have eight middle/high school students who are growing spiritually, academically, and relationally. We have ten tutors who come throughout the course of the week from Towson U. Erica and Carlos anchor this team, loving our students and recruiting new tutors.
     We held our first baptism service in February and are currently planning another. Over 200 children attended our Children’s Easter Festival. We shared two Gospel presentations several times throughout the day. Families heard the Gospel all day, and had a great day of fun and fellowship.
      During our five weeks of sports camps many children along with some adults prayed to become followers of Jesus Christ.  We served over 3250 meals to children (breakfast and lunch) during this time. Our children enjoyed soccer, football, basketball, arts & crafts and cheerleading. Nine teams from five different states served with us over the course of the summer. God blessed us with the resources to have two full-time interns during the summer!
     In June we acquired our first public space at 2440 Greenmount Avenue for Bible Study. God is using our increased presence there as we serve fellowship meals, hold team meetings, Graffiti kids, and office hours for me. Sunday January 8, 2017 we will launch worship at this location. It been a long journey. We applied for a use and occupancy permit and were directed to apply for a zoning board variance hearing because we had no off street parking. That was an almost three- month process.  The variance was granted in October. Then we waited to be scheduled for a fire inspection and a final building inspection. ALL was completed last week! Praise God we passed. Carlos is one of our most faithful members and will be leading worship! Please pray for us.
     Our Fall Festival was a great time of fellowship in the community. We shared the Gospel, painted over 200 pumpkins, served over 600 hamburgers and hot dogs, many bags of popcorn, decorated gift bags that would soon hold a pound of candy and chocolate (accompanied by a toothbrush and toothpaste).  Friends from four partner churches, (Dunkirk MD, Elkin Valley NC, Grace Community MD, The Bridge Church, Towson CRU, and Towson BCM team served with us.
     We launched a new Bible Study group on Thursday nights Life’s Healing Choices. We all have hurts, habits, and hang ups and God addresses them in His Word and provides us with hope and recovery. This study is a precursor to launching Celebrate Recovery. Please pray for us as we provide community for those in and seeking recovery.
     Graffiti served in a supporting role for Thanksgiving alongside Rock City Church and Greenmount Recreation Center. Over 300 Thanksgiving dinners were served along with a program of Gospel Dance, Spoken Word, testimonies, and fun. Several teenagers answered an altar call to become followers of Jesus!
Please pray for us as we prepare for our Birthday Party for Jesus on Friday night December 18^th at Greenmount Recreation Center. This will be another opportunity to share the Gospel with our community and share 300 Christmas shoe boxes with children.
     We continue to serve once a month with our BSO - Bus Stop Outreach at Greenmount and North Avenues! We shared 12 dozen donuts, 80 lbs. of bananas, coffee, water, hot chocolate, copies of the Bible, and Gospel tracks. Thank you Dunkirk Baptist men who came to serve with us last week! 
     Thank You to all who have supported us this year. As the year comes to a close we would like to share a special need with you. We are embarking on a capital campaign in 2017 to prepare to purchase a permanent home for East Baltimore Graffiti Church. We have a goal of 400k. Please prayerfully consider giving an end of the year gift. We are praying and researching four properties that are geographically located in the center of our ministry area on Greenmount Avenue. Our rental space is small, and we are limited in our ministry efforts.  We have saved over $27,000.00 towards this goal in 2016! Please share our newsletter with others and on social media. You can now give securely at www.ebgraffitichurch.org You can send mail to East Baltimore Graffiti Church at PO Box 16091 Baltimore MD 21218.