Metro Hope

I received this letter from the adult ministries pastor at my Church.

June 20, 2006

Dear Body of Christ,

A week ago, our construction crew leader on our Healing House renovation project passed away suddenly. This has left us with big shoes to fill. We are now up against a deadline of being approved for occupancy mid July and need lots of volunteer help! Please post this info in your church bulletin or spread the word to your network. We really need the body of Christ to work together to complete our renovations.

Healing House projects*

Painting
Installing Phone & Computer Cable
Landscape Labor
Ceiling Tiles
Build Fence around dumpster

*These projects are time sensitive with our top priority being painting.
To schedule your volunteer group, please call or email me @ 612-721-9415 or marym@metrohope.org

We appreciate your prayer and volunteer support.

Mary Marshall
Events/Volunteer Coordinator
Metro Hope Ministries
www.metrohope.org
612-721-9415 x.103

Metro Hope has other volunteer opportunities that you can research here www.metrohope.org but please consider helping with the Healing House at this critical time.

Second Harvest Heartland

This month's organization of the month comes as a request of my 7 year old daughter. With her Girl Scout troop, Abby toured Second Harvest Heartland in St Paul. Her favorite 'fact' was that for every $1 that she gives, Second Harvest is able to provide $9 worth of food to someone in need.

Second Harvest is Minnesota’s largest hunger-relief organization with a mission to fight hunger through community partnerships. Their hunger-relief partners include non-profit emergency food providers, like food shelves and shelters, local and national food manufacturers, government agencies and individual, community, corporate and foundational support. They serve thousands of hungry families, seniors and children who need emergency food.

Second Harvest has two current locations - St. Paul is their main building and they have a service center in minneapolis. They rely heavily on volunteers and require over 2000 hours a month of volunteer time. Because of this, they are able to put 96% of every dollar donated directly to their programs. They operate 5 days a week - into the evening hours Tuesdays and Thursdays. They have numerous opportunities to volunteer and are an excellent option for youth groups, small groups, neighborhoods and families.

Second Harvest is committed to education and promote on site visits for individuals and groups. They also have a dedicated area on their web site : https://www.2harvest.org/get_informed/

Please visit https://www.2harvest.org/give_help/give_time/ to learn more about volunteer opportunities.

Kinship

Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity for your WHOLE FAMILY? Kinship of greater Minneapolis has an incredible ministry - it pairs children ages 5-15 in need of additional adult support with individual adults, or couples, or even entire families.

There are over 100 children waiting for an adult friend/mentor or family throughout the Twin Cities area. These are kids that need to experience the social, physical, spiritual and intellectual development that can come from a mentorship program.

The requirements for this program are pretty simple:
-love for kids
-an hour or two free a week
-one year commitment
-wide variety of interests
-must be reliable

Please contact Kinship at (612) 588-4655
or visit their website:
www.kinship.org

To learn more about this unique mentoring opportunity or other volunteer opportunities that exist.

Meals On Wheels

Kudos to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. In todays paper they ran a story - on the front page of the local section titled 'Hungry For Volunteers' - promoting the Meals on Wheels organization and how they are in desperate need of volunteers.

"It's time for the next generation of Meals on Wheels drivers to step forward"

I know that I've mentioned Meals on Wheels in a previous post (Under Bill's Pantry) but I thought I would spotlight this organization this time; the least I could do given the front page treatment from the paper.

The article points out the growing problem in both the increase of those that need Meals On Wheels and the decrease in volunteer drivers to deliver those meals. In many cases, the drivers themselves - many who have been volunteering for 10 or more years - are getting to points in their lives where they now become the clients. When drivers are not available, people simply don't get their meal that they need.

Meals on Wheels delivers the lunch time meal, Monday through Friday, to senior citizens and other individuals that are temporarily or permanently home bound throughout the twin city metro area. They rely exclusively on volunteers to deliver these meals to those in need. Each route is set up to take about an hour and routes can and are often shared. This makes Meals On Wheels a great opportunity for businesses that want to be involved as well as Faith based organizations like a Church Small Group.

The key is simply having the desire to bring a hot nutritious meal to someone in need.

Please go to http://www.meals-on-wheels.com/ to find out more and to get a volunteer application.
Or call 612-789-5007.

World Witness

While I am an adamant supporter of charitable community involvement and local volunteer work - I am humbled by those that pursue 'the call' to Full Time Overseas Ministry. While many of us struggle to find 5 or 6 hours a week to 'give' to others - these folks truly give 24 hours a day - and do so away from hometown family, friends, homes, churches, etc. They start over in a foreign land. And that amazes me.

So this month I wanted to highlight one such organization: World Witness

My information comes from a close source - My brother in law and his wife - as they serve with World Witness in East Berlin, Germany. I will use Jeff's own words as I asked him how people can get involved:

"... besides prayer and financial support, we are also looking for interns who would be interested in living here and working here for a summer or a year. Housing would be provided. We’re looking for younger people especially, who could reach out to teens and young adults. Music and sports are two of the most successful outreaches here, so interests in those are a plus. (Sarah Kaiser—on the CD’s we’ve given you—directs a youth Gospel Choir that is very popular and does concerts all over the city). Naturally, some previous German experience would help too. I’m looking for a young basketball player in particular—I can still school the young kids, but I’m feeling it more the next day!
Another way to get involved is to host a German exchange student (one from east Berlin would be great for us, of course). Several of the teens in our church were first introduced to the Gospel through their Christian host families."

While foreign Missions is not everyone's calling - Prayer should be a standard practice for us all. Financial support should be seriously considered. And for those that feel that pull - look into an internship! And as stated, hosting an exchange student is another way to be involved locally with foreign missions.

Here is a link to World Witness:
www.worldwitness.org - They have opportunities literally all over the world.

Here is a link to the Ministry that Jeff and Suzanne are with:
www.jugendkirche-marzahn.de - in the bottom of the left frame there is an English Version link.

Here is a link to Sarah Kaiser:
www.sarahkaiser.de - This is here simply because her CD's are FANTASTIC! Especially if you like Jazz with a gospel flavor! (She's got at least one CD at Amazon by the way)

Here is a final link to the Missions site for my denomination - the Evangelical Covenant Church:
http://www.covchurch.org/cov/mission/index.html - Another wonderful Missions Organization

SAVE - Suicide Awareness/Voices of Education

If you are over 20 years old there is an extremely good chance that someone you know has had serious thoughts of committing suicide.

There is a very good chance that someone you know has actually attempted suicide.

And there is - unfortunately - a good chance that someone you know has ended their own life.

And if you're like me, you can put names and faces in each category.

SAVE - Founded and headquartered in Bloomington, MN - is an organization with national exposure and is a member of the National Council for Suicide Prevention. They rely HEAVILY on volunteers who are integral in EVERY aspect of the organization. The mission of SAVE is to prevent suicide through public awareness and education, eliminate stigma and serve as a resource to those touched by suicide.

If you are interested in learning more about Suicide Prevention and resources - or want to find out more about volunteering opportunities:

www.save.org

Or call:

(952) 946-7998 ext. 19

Christmas Giving Options

Christmas is a special season. However, many people simply don't experience the joy that we take for granted. Please consider supporting any of these organizations:

Toys for Tots - Providing gifts to needy children for over 50 years
www.toysfortots.org

Courage Cards - A great place to buy your Christmas cards as proceeds go to Courage Center.
www.couragecards.org

Secret Santa - Another 'toys for needy kids' option.
www.secretsanta.org

Operaton Chrismas Child - Franklin Graham's organization with an international goal.
www.samaritanspurse.org

Mercy Corps - Helping those in dire straits around the globe for over 25 years.
www.mercycorps.org/mercykits

World Vision - The 'Sponsor a Child' organization with a Christmas gift option.
www.worldvisiongifts.org


My Pastor - Phil Print - challenged our congregation to match 'present' giving dollar for dollar with 'charitable' giving. Are you up for the challenge?