Community Development
SUNDAY CELEBRATIONS: 10:31 A.M. • CELEBRATION CINEMA • BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN

Overflow Church and the OCCDA



From the start of Overflow Church there has been a clear call from Jeremiah 29:7 to, “seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” We have believed from the beginning that we were to look for innovative ways to take Jesus beyond the walls of the church and to help our community. As we prayerfully listened to our community and to God, it became clear that God was asking us to help the faith based community, other organizations, and community members to work together to bring lasting impact to:

  • job creation
  • education
  • housing, and
  • health care

Overflow Church leaders shared the vision for community development from our infancy in 2007 and worked to form the OCCDA (Overflow Christian Community Development Association)  formally in 2008-09. The name “Overflow” was used in the organization’s name to leverage the trust and relationships the church has built from the beginning. We are excited that God used us to push a snowball in its early stages and that now others are pushing that snowball with us.

Today, Overflow Church stands as one of many partner churches of the OCCDA, a separate 501 c3 with a board of directors comprised of multiple community, regional, and church leaders. We look forward to continuing to see the love of Jesus shared in practical ways beyond the walls of the traditional church and through community development!

OCCDA

MOSAIC RESALE STORE HAS MOVED!
510 Main Street, Benton Harbor

God has opened a door for the OCCDA and our Mosaic Resale ministry in the Benton Harbor community that is truly miraculous! We have been provided the opportunity to use the facility at 510 W. Main St. in downtown Benton Harbor for $1 a month on an on-going long-term lease. The new location will allow us to take our mission to a new level as we are directly across the street from Michigan Works and on the adjacent block to the new Whirlpool headquarters. The possibilities to build bridges and work with our community in new ways is extremely exciting as we also launch the “Jobs for Life” curriculum in 2012: www.jobsforlife.org.

Additionally, Overflow Church’s leadership team has donated the use of its coffee café equipment in order for the OCCDA to open Café Mosaic on the front of the store. The opportunity to reach more people and provide jobs through the café in this new location is extremely exciting and in alignment with the original vision for the café. The café will open as near to the re-opening of Mosaic as possible and in alignment with local health department time lines.