Todd James retired a year ago from his CSRM Staff position as CSRM Director of Ireland but he remains active in Sports Ministry.  Currently, Todd is training basketball players and coaches who have come to Ireland to attend the North Atlantic Basketball Academy.  Todd leads bible studies with them and teaches them biblical principles based on John Wooden's Pyramid of Success.  Todd will also be leading a seminar at the 2018 REACHgathering.
Todd and Celeste recently returned from a fun and refreshing Holiday in Toronto where they visited their children and grandchildren and receive great joy from spending time with their family
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CSRM rejoices in efforts to enable the ongoing gospel impact of those who have served so faithfully through the years.  Any retired or soon to be retired Sport, Rec. or Fitness Ministers who desire to join the current group of CSRM Staff Emeritus (Bryan Mason; Rodger Oswald; Warren Fish; Barb Wagenfurh; Rob Burns), should contact Dr. Greg Linville (sportmin@integrity.com) 

 

This picture brings tears to my eyes.  One faithful saint continuing to worship Jesus despite horrible terror and persecution.  Will you help CSRM stand with our brothers and sisters who are being persecuted in many countries around the world.

To All CSRM Supporters,
I am respectfully asking you to prayerfully consider making a significant impact on people who are suffering persecution due to their faith in Jesus.  Your financial and prayerful support will be a huge encouragement for the churches and people CSRM is empowering in a country that is experiencing brutal religious repression.  For obvious reasons I cannot disclose the name of the staff and partners we have in this country, nor am I at liberty to even name the country but I can tell you CSRM Staff literally risk their lives as they minister to the physical, educational, social and spiritual needs of thousands of displaced people.  As they seek to meet such basic human needs they are also endeavoring to plant and grow churches using sport and recreational means.  I do not exaggerate in relaying to you that Christians in this country experience all kinds of persecution including economic hardship, imprisonment, torture and even death.  I can also assure you that our Staff go about their CSRM efforts with the utmost love, care and sensitivity to the majority population’s traditions and religions in order to model the love of Jesus, all while sharing the truths about Jesus so as to lead all whom are open to the gospel into a personal relationship with Him ….and might I add, all CSRM Staff are indigenous leaders of their country!
 
Your support will go directly to help finance the work in the afore mentioned, but unnamed country.  In the past such funds have been given to help pay the medical bills of people injured when their church was bombed and/or they were personally attacked.  It also is used to help fund health, fitness and wellness programs, leadership training, and to pay staff salaries.  While any one-time donation would be most appreciated, I urge you to consider making a commitment to supporting the work in this country on a monthly basis.  Once you have communicated your support, you will receive periodic reports on how your prayers and financial contributions have been utilized.  It is indeed heart-warming to review pictures and hear the testimonies of lives that have been changed forever.
 
On behalf of the countless lives your support will make an eternal difference for, I thank you for your prayerful consideration.  To make a financial contribution or commit to be a prayer supporter please either print off the following form and return it with a check or make your pledge via the digital instructions below by November 12th (Persecuted Church Sunday).  Can I count on you to stand for our brothers and sisters who make up the Persecuted Church?
 
Sincerely,         
Dr. Greg Linville
Executive Director - CSRM
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CSRM SUPPORT FORM
International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church | November 5, 2017
 
As an indication of my interest and support of CSRM, and as I am enabled by God, my desire is to provide support to CSRM as follows:
_______ I will pray regularly for CSRM  Staff/Global Network Partners (circle those you are led to pray for)

1. Bradley Barnes – South Africa
2. Bishop Henry Banda – Malawi Africa
3. Aimable Maniranbona – Burundi Africa
4. James Mhango – Malawi Africa
5. Charles Wanyonyi Mwanda – Kenya Africa
6. Benowartd Ungele – Tanzania
7. Ben Kawadza - Zimbabwe
8. Kennedy Salano – Kenya Africa
9. Asian Country #1
10. Asian Country #2
11. Middle East Country #1

                                 
                _______ I will provide financial support to Staff/GNP’s as follows:
 
                ______________________ - Name of Person / Country I am providing the following support for
                       
 $_______ Monthly    $_______Quarterly    $_______ Yearly   $______One Time Gift
 
Name____________________________   Email Address____________________________________
 
Address___________________________ City___________________State_____Zip Code_________
 
Thank you in advance of what you will do!  And, thank you again, for all you have done for CSRM!
Return this form and indicate method of giving:
____Donate by check made payable to CSRM
____Donate online at www.csrm.org/support
____Donate using your bank’s online bill pay option

Information you may need:              
    Our Company Name – CSRM or The Association of Church Sports and Recreation Ministers
    Our Address – 5350 Broadmoor Circle N W, Canton OH 44709
    Our Phone Number – 330-280-0037
    Our Bank Name – Huntington National Bank
    Our Routing Number – 044115090
    The amount of the check to be sent
    The date of the month that you want your check to go out
___I am interested in receiving more information about planned giving opportunities such as:
     Stocks, Bonds, IRA’s, Annuities, etc.
 
CSRM is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization.  Your gift is tax-deductible.

Olympian Susan Stewart enjoyed a 22-year playing career, including 12 years on the Canadian Women’s National Team. She represented Canada at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, 1994 FIBA World Championships, 1991 Pan American Games (fourth place), and 1991 FISU World Student Games (third place).

Stewart had an incredibly successful intercollegiate basketball career at Laurentian University from 1989-95, winning the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) title five years during her six-year tenure and winning back-to-back Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Championships in 1989-90 and 1990-91. Stewart had a standout season the following year when she was named OUA All-Star and OUA Player of the Year, and at the national level she was a CIS First-Team All-Canadian and the recipient of the Nan Copp Award for CIS Player of the Year. Stewart was an OUA All-Star four additional years during her playing career at Laurentian.  To top it all off, Laurentian’s 1989-90 and 1990-91 women’s basketball teams were inducted into the Laurentian Voyageur Hall of Fame in 2005 and 2010, respectively. Stewart also received Laurentian’s Hall of Fame Vogayeur Award in 2003.

Stewart then played professional basketball in Germany and later attended the WNBA draft camp, where she was selected by the Detroit Shock.  After her playing career, Stewart began coaching, beginning with Ontario Basketball club, Mississauga Monarchs, and Ontario Basketball high performance programs, including Centre for Performance and Bantam Development Program.  She continued as a graduate assistant for the women’s team at Malone College.  She has since coached various club and high school teams, and helped establish the Ontario Basketball club: Mississauga Wolverines. Stewart is a NCCP Level 3 Certified Coach and has worked as the Assistant Coach at Ryerson University and the University of Toronto.

Stewart has always been heavily involved in the sport community in her hometown, Mississauga where she currently runs a drop-in basketball program at her church, and she has served on the Mississauga Sports Council in various roles since 2009. She is currently President of the organization, and in 2010 she sat on the mayor’s Sports Taskforce and chaired the Annual Mississauga Sports Awards Dinner. She received a Volunteer Service Award in 2014 to recognize her contributions to the Council.

Stewart has received many additional awards and recognitions including being inducted into the Ontario Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 and was the first basketball athlete inducted into the Mississauga Sports Hall of Fame. She earned another citation in 2015 when she received the Mayor Hazel McCallion Spirt of Sport Award and in the same year, she was also recognized by the Malone University Alumni Association when she was awarded Graduate School Alumna of the Year.

In 2015, Stewart published Unbreakable: The Autobiography of the Life of Susan Stewart, which chronicled her recovery from a devastating brain injury that left her in a coma for months.  She claims only the power of God restored her life and has enabled her to bounce back from what was described as a condition she would never recover from. While she still suffers from some of the lingering effects of the brain aneurism and brain stem injury, her positive attitude and work ethic has made her an inspirational hero to all who know her.  Stewart now works as a motivational speaker to deliver a message of encouragement and inspiration based on her life experiences and directs the Sports Ministry of her church where she also works in the children's ministry and Sunday School ministry.

CSRM is pleased to welcome Derek and "Kat" Linhart as Board of Trustee Members.

Derek grew up in an Evangelical Friends Church which he still attends.  Being an active member for 28 years, he participated in the youth group and sports ministry throughout his childhood and remains active as a leader in the Sports Outreach Ministry, serves as a worship service usher, and he and Kat help lead a young married Sunday School group.  Derek has played sports his entire life including: baseball, basketball (high school), football, softball, tennis, and rugby (college).   He also enjoys running, weight lifting, and skiing. Other activities include remodeling, sport shooting and searching for his phone/wallet/keys that he misplaced around the house.  Derek graduated from Ohio Northern University where he received a Mechanical Engineering degree and is currently employed as an Engineer for Fresh Mark.

Kat grew up attending Living Water Ministries in Payne Ohio then joined Derek at First Friends Church after moving to Canton.   Kat is owner of Kat's Bake Shoppe, a home bakery in Canton, Ohio and has won multiple awards at including best in show at various "Taste of the Town" and other baking competitions.  Her lifestyle and career revolve around food!  She enjoys being fit and active, with the goal of burning more calories so she can eat more delicious food. Running, weight lifting, and skiing are some of her favorite calorie burning activities. When not baking or being active, you might find her planning remodeling projects around the house or busy finding her husbands lost phone/wallet/keys.  She studied Marketing and Management at Ohio Northern University.

Helen Zulu-Kawadza is a much beloved, respected and honored leader within the local church sports outreach movement.  A women of great vision, administrative skills and unending energy, Helen  helps her husband Ben direct CSRM's movement in Zimbabwe.  Together, the Kawadza’s oversee not only CSRM's endeavors in their country but are also recognized leaders throughout Zimbabwe, Southern Africa and beyond.  They are currently developing sports ministry within their country in all spheres, the church,  the local government and within community centres in Harare and Cromlet.   A great amount of their ministry work within Zimbabwe is working with under-privileged and marginalised people using sports. Ben has written several Sports manuals currently endorsed by USAID, World Education and the government through the Ministry of Education in Zimbabwe training on HIV/Aids using sports.    Both are taking primary roles in envisioning, planning and expediting the very first African Continental Sports Outreach Summit. 

Helen is not only a ministry leader but also a business-woman.  Helen has a real heart pull for poor and marginalised communities in Zimbabwe.  She started a FMCG distribution business keeping this heart-pull in mind.  They distribute basic groceries into marginalised communities ensuring the poor and under-privileged get the basics but also without having to pay inflated and exorbitant pricing.    She has successfully done so and has made an impact being one of the few invited to speak on this achievement within the Army.  Helen also heads Naniso which is a local non-profit formed to complement CSRM Zimbabwe. 

Helen and her husband Ben, parent six children, Jonah, Matthew, Samuel and Daniel born of them and adopted, Noreen and Tapiwa.   They reside in Harare, Zimbabwe, active members of Northside Community Church (Ben served for 7 years as Youth Pastor).  Helen holds Business & Marketing qualifications, and a Counselling Certification.  She currently is the Chaplain for Zimbabwe’s Woman Soccer National team, The Mighty Warriors.    As REACHgathering's co-emcee Helen’s  infectious personality will be used to inform, inspire and encourage all in attendance

Lyndon Thomas, Director of Operations at CSRM, joined CSRM upon retiring after 34 years with the TimkenSteel Corporation.  At The Timken Company and TimkenSteel Corporation he held several roles in IT including Manager of Information Security and Manager of Global IT Operations which included being responsible for leading and managing the real estate and facility services for TimkenSteel and a $10M project to redesign the previous Timken corporate offices into a TimkenSteel Corporate Campus which featured a new industrial Technology Center, dining space, customer experience center, and outdoor green space.

Lyndon completed Corporate Real Estate Network’s (CoreNet) MCR certification and MCR Workplace Strategy certification. Thomas holds a BA from Malone and an MBA from Kent State University. 

Thomas's resume includes a significant commitment to community and church service as evidenced by his serving the children of the world through Kiwanis for over 30 years as President of the Belden Village Club twice, Lt. Governor for Division 17, and Membership Chair for the Ohio District.  Lyndon and wife Barb attend Canton First Friends Church where Barb is the church Scheduler and Administrative Assistant and Lyndon is chair of the church’s Finance Committee, has served on the church's Administrative Council and Lead usher.

The Thomases have one son, Rick, who, along with his wife Sarah, served as short term missionaries on the World Race with Adventures In Missions - an 11 month mission program working in 11 different countries.  In their last month, they worked with Kingdom Sports Ministry in South Africa which is run by Bradley Barnes who is a CSRM's Director of South Africa.  September is

Lyndon’s favorite month because the first issue of Skiing magazine for the upcoming ski season arrives in the mail and Lyndon starts to day dream about the slopes and sunny cold days of winter which he enjoys as a ski instructor of Boston Mills Resort.  He is also a member of PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America).

Announcing the exciting hiring of Deb Hogsed as CSRM's Executive Assistant
and Office Manager, effective February 1, 2017. Deb and her husband, Rick
are members of First Friends Church in Canton, Ohio... a church with a
long history of an effective Sport, Rec & Fitness Outreach Ministry.
This ministry has impacted the Hogsed's and remains very close to their
hearts because of its successful outreach to our community, helping many
to come to know Jesus.


God has blessed the Hogseds with two grown sons and four very precious
grandsons.


Welcome Deb.
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Long time CSRM Office Manager Martha Wertz announced her retirement
effective January 31, 2017. The entire CSRM family expresses their
gratitude for Martha's faithful service to CSRM for nearly two decades.

FEATURED CSRM BOARD OF TRUSTEE MEMBER
Jamie Balcom serves as the Sports & Youth Pastor at Spring Valley Church in Allendale, Michigan.  Balcom also serves as Life Coach/Chaplain for the Grand Valley State University XC, Track & Field teams.  Married to the love of his life – Stacy – the Balcom’s will celebrate their 5th anniversary and have a beautiful miracle daughter Atarah (pronounced AT-uh-Rah) who was born in late 2016 in spite of the collective medical community’s belief the Balcom’s could never have children!  Balcom grew up on a dairy farm in the small town of Conklin, Michigan trying to avoid the calling of God which Jamie had felt since early on in his childhood…. 22 years ago.  Starting as a ministry volunteer, Jamie has a heart for all ministry volunteers who may be struggling with God’s call.  He says: “God finally got his hands on me for good when I was 30 years old… I went back to school at Kuyper College in Grand Rapids, Michigan where I earned a degree in Youth Ministry, Bible & Theology, and a Minor in Sports Ministry.”  The Balcom’s have a passion for the youth in this world and feel God has called them to share who He is through our lives. Jamie bleeds Detroit Tigers Blue and Orange, loves to play softball, fish & hunt in that order. He lives by the words of his college professor Brian Telzerow, "Always Share the Gospel; and, If Necessary use Words!!!!  Balcom is currently trying to shorten his time in purgatory by reading Dr. Linville’s Christmanship a second time!