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Coming Up
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Reaching Out Community Compassion
Click here to see specific short-term opportunities for November and December, 2008. History
Christian Fellowship created a formal benevolence ministry in 1998, in order to become more intentional and strategic in our extension of compassion to those in need in our community. The ministry emerged from our two initial benevolence activities - Freeprayer (a door-to-door prayer ministry in public housing) and weekly service at Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen. Jane Williams has directed the ministry which serves to both stimulate and facilitate outreach to various groups in the community and administrate the benevolence fund created by our annual offering. Eager to Remember the Poor
"They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do." Gal 2:10 God has caused us to be eager to serve those in need. He has also continued to expand our hearts to care about an ever-widening range of people, needs, and injustices. Each year we have seen new ministries created and staffed by CF members. Jesus looked with compassion and did something. He is calling out to all of us to follow him. Click here for a list of ministries in which you could serve. Email Jane Williams at sjwms@mchsi.com if you have questions about how to best match your passion and gifting with the available opportunities. If you would like to know more about what the Bible says about God's heart for the poor, His call to us and the blessings that come as we respond, click here. Looking for Friends and Partners
God came to us in our poverty with a Person not a program. "The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood." John 1:14 The Message It is our desire to form relationships with those we serve. We go forth hoping to make friends and see ourselves as learners, in need of what those with different backgrounds and in different settings/circumstances have to teach us. James tells us that the poor are "rich in faith". (James 2:5) We see our benevolence ministry as one of reciprocity - we are gaining as much as we are giving and more often than not we have found that we are the greatest beneficiaries. We go out into our city as treasure hunters looking for the treasure in others and, in the process, we are profoundly changed. As we move outside our comfort zones we come face to face with our own prejudices and fears and see them melt away as God shows up and pours out His love into our hearts. Our annual benevolence offering allows us to give practical aide but our desire is to always couple financial help with relationship. We have found that merely giving someone a handout does little to promote change. The recipient may be helped for the moment and the giver may briefly experience the joy of giving but it is unlikely that deep change has occurred in anyone. Questions we are increasingly trying to ask are: How can we deeply connect? How can we walk beside? How can we share a burden together and as we do share Christ? We have never heard a success story of someone leaving poverty, addiction or other serious struggle that does not include a person who came alongside them. We want to be that person for as many in our city as we possibly can. It is our desire to be able to say as Paul: “But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.” 1 Thess 2:7 Clearly though there are too many for us or our church so we are always looking for partners. As a result, most of the ministries we have helped to create and now sponsor are multi-church ministries. We believe that our greatest effectiveness comes as we link arms with others in our city. It is also our belief that ministry to the disadvantaged is the most likely place that the body of Christ can be brought together in unity and love. Benevolence Fund
A fund is maintained through regular giving throughout the year and a special offering taken in November and December. Funds are used to support our church outreach efforts and related ministries and assist individuals in need. We feel especially privileged to have been able to help launch several new ministries in recent years and particularly enjoy matching funds to the passions of our church members. Devotional Reading by Jane Williams:: For more see www.awakentheday.com To see the benevolence ministry in the news click here. To listen to Grace for Those in Need - a teaching by Jane Williams - click here |
