Life Community Impact Opportunities
How can we make a difference in our communities in a sustainable way? Here are a few tips.
Relationships over efficiency. Building relationships with those you serve requires personal time investment. It’s what people can do, but organizations and systems struggle with.
Location, location, location. There are so many extraordinary causes, but which ones can you and your friends serve? Chances are, the ones that are closer to where you live, work, worship, and shop. Who and what do you drive past? What is nearby?
But remember the global Church. We must pray, support, and find expressions of care to our ministry partners. Consider how we can be faithful with the opportunities that come along the way.
Missional living is collective and individual. There are some opportunities that lend themselves to group participation and there are some that are best addressed one-on-one. As you build momentum, you’ll experience a swing between the personal and the group dynamic. This is good.
Capitalize on what you and others are already doing. The good news is that some people in your group are probably already serving missionally. Think about what deepening and/or widening that work looks like when including others. Finish this sentence: “Now that we’ve been doing this a while, we wish we had someone who….”
Don’t wait until the whole team is on board; start with a few LC members. Not everyone in the group may be ready to jump in right away, and that’s ok. Start with a quorum of those who are ready to go – contact them, align calendars, pick a date (feel free to invite others of course), and build momentum.
Follow-up over “once-off.” Now that you have served in a particular capacity, a crucial step is to follow up with someone you can continue a relationship with. This is what keeps the cycle going.
Prayer is the fuel of the missional life. How is all of this different from general humanitarian work? We are best able to live out the redemptive message of Jesus when we are rooted in prayer and spiritual formation.
GRACE CHAPEL GLOBAL PARTNERS
[] Adopt a Missionary
Some of our Life Communities have committed to connect with and pray for one of Grace Chapel's missions partners. Members of your group might take turns writing to the partner(s) with notes of encouragement and if they are available during Global Awareness Week, the partners will already feel warmly welcomed by your LC. To connect with a missions partner, contact Elsie Kitchen. You can view a list of Grace Chapel's partners here.
[] Nepal Ministries
- Sponsor a child of a prisoner for higher education through Foresight Development International. Foresight is a non-profit organization which grew out of Grace Chapel’s work with Prison Fellowship Nepal. Foresight provides higher education or vocational training for older children who were rescued from life in an adult prison with a parent, have grown up in a Prison Fellowship home, and have "graduated" from the home after completing 10th grade. Because they lack any family support, Foresight provides educational and vocational guidance, and necessary scholarship money so they can escape the poverty cycle and develop into productive, faithful citizens. There are currently 16 young adults under Foresight guidance. Five are in need of partial sponsorship to continue their education. Click here to access descriptions and photos of the students along with the funds needed. Email contact with the sponsored student is encouraged.
- Provide scholarship funding for five students at National Bethel Academy (NBA). NBA is a school begun seven years ago by Grace Chapel’s partner, Bethel AG Church, and Foresight Development. It serves the historically oppressed Tamang people in the town of Trishuli which is one of the centers of girl trafficking in Nepal. The supplemental cost to cover five students for the current school year is $700.
For further information on any of the students or the school, contact John or Ellen Ratichek at ratichek@gmail.com or eratichek@gmail.com or visit the Foresight website and make donations.
GRACE CHAPEL REGIONAL PARTNERS
[] International Student Ministry
International Student Ministry strives to expose students and scholars to the love of Christ and to point them to resources to help their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. A key part of the ISM ministry is monthly gatherings held at a home in Waltham. On a yearly basis, approximately 80-120 international students are served.
Life communities can support this strategic ministry by preparing and serving meals for the students at one or more of the monthly gatherings. If interested in providing a meal, please contact Steve Hope at snhope5@yahoo.com or 617-875-8647.
[] Greater Boston Refugee Ministry
A ministry dedicated to helping refugee families resettle in the Greater Boston area. For more information, visit www.egc.org/refugee or contact Sarah Blumenshine, Co-Director, at sblumenshine@egc.org.
[] Kingston House Meal Preparation
Like to Cook? Can you Drive? Our ministry to the Kingston House needs you! Prepare a simple meal in your home kitchen, and deliver it to the church refrigerator on your assigned Sunday. Dishes can be made ahead of time and frozen - whatever works for your schedule. Or, volunteer to drive the meals to the Kingston House after service on Sunday. If you have an hour of time a month, you can be a part of this important ministry to the homeless. Contact Beth Lepore at 781-789-7202 or beth_lepore@yahoo.com.
[] New Life Home
New Life Home for Women in Children in Manchester, NH is a Christian rehabilitative home for women with drug or alcohol addictions. This home allows the women to confront their addictions without separating from their children. Contact George and Grace Rosado at newlifehome@comcast.net or visit www.newlifehome.org.
[] Place of Promise
Place of Promise is a Christian organization that owns four houses in Lowell, where broken and hurting people can come to find restoration and life. For more information contact Beth Kidd at promise411@verizon.net or visit www.placeofpromise.org.
GREATER THINGS FOR GREATER BOSTON NETWORK
[] Trotter Elementary School
Grace Chapel is partnering with the Trotter Elementary School in Dorchester - including parents, teachers, and friends - to beautify the school and encourage the teachers and staff in their work. For more information, contact Dana Baker at dbaker@grace.org.
GRASSROOTS MINISTRIES
[] SHINE! Special Needs Ministry
People of every age and ability, from birth through senior years, matter to God and should be given the same opportunities. SHINE! strives to love as Jesus has commanded us in 1 John through providing opportunities to serve within our ministry. Whether you are looking for a one-time serving opportunity or an ongoing commitment, we have a fit for you! Please take a look at our list of programs and opportunities here. If you've never done this kind of work, don't worry! We offer training and support for our volunteers. Contact Becky Voigt at rvoigt@grace.org for more information.
GRACE CHAPEL MINISTRIES
[] Kidstown
Each Sunday, our kids have an opportunity to learn about Jesus at Kidstown through, lessons, worship, and interaction with people like you. We're grateful for the many students who are volunteering, but are also in need of adults who can help out. To learn more about the available Kidstown volunteer opportunities, visit this page.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
[] World Relief Gifts
Join the Advent Conspiracy in worshiping fully, spending less, giving more, and loving all. The practical gifts in World Relief's Catalog of Hope can help to change people's lives in tangible ways. Choose from a variety of options, such as cleaning supplies, bus passes, fruit trees, wells, goats, and pastoral training. Visit worldrelief.org to view the list of items.
[] World Vision Child Sponsorships
Is your group interested in financially supporting a child, upholding him/her in prayer, and keeping in touch through letters? Visit www.worldvision.org/sponsorship/how-sponsorship-works to learn more.
[] Arlington Meals on Wheels
Two Arlington Meals on Wheels sites are in need of volunteers to deliver meals and to help out as Dining Assistants in the kitchen (preparing the Meals on Wheels and helping to serve the congregate dining meals). They operate Monday - Friday, with the exception of holidays. Site locations are at the Arlington Senior Center on Maple Street, and at Drake Village on Drake Road. For more information, contact Diane Taylor at Minuteman Senior Services: D.Taylor@minutemansenior.org, 781-221-7093.
[] Bedford Plaza Hotel Translation Help
A number of the families in transitional housing at the Bedford Plaza Hotel have children enrolled in the Bedford Public Schools. Some of the parents either do not speak English or are not proficient enough in English to understand written materials. The superintendent's office would welcome community volunteers who could be available to help with both oral and written translation in the following languages: Somali, Arabic, Haitian Creole, French, French Creole, Khmer (Cambodian), Spanish, Portuguese. If you or someone you know is interested, please contact Richard Rhodes at richard@grace.org.
[] Serve.gov
Serve.gov is a national site that supports President Obama's program for local service. It lists many volunteer opportunities for our region and can be searched by location.