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Impacting the Community
RE: Pairs
Although First Christian Church (Leesburg, Florida) is only 45 minutes from metro Orlando, the church ministers in an interracial, low-income community “with all the dynamics of the inner city,” says senior minister Mike McCann. For years FCC members served this community with after-school kids’ clubs and other ministries, but when the school changed location, volunteers needed new ways to connect.
“Donna Gull, a member at our church and a teacher, suggested we develop a program to help second- and third-graders with reading skills,” McCann says. “In our area, if third-graders fail reading standardized tests they have to repeat the grade—so this helps meet a huge need.”
Today, almost 40 “PAIRS” (Partnering And Including Reading with Students) volunteers—many of them retired senior adults—provide one-on-one tutoring. The weekly sessions also include snacks, computer time, a Bible lesson, and games.
“We’re a church of 150, so this project involves a large percentage of our church family,” McCann says. “It’s a rallying mission for us, and people are very faithful about tutoring and building a friendship with their student.”
He says it’s also a new experience for many of the retirees. “When we began to realize an inner-city dynamic in our ministry area it was a stretch for them, but this activity helps them connect with individuals and families in our neighborhood.”
RE: Discovery
The Southside location of Discovery Christian Church (Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania) meets on Sunday nights in a renovated warehouse used during the rest of the week for photography, film, radio, and television.
In contrast, Discovery’s second alternative campus, Myanmar Christian Church, meets one Sunday afternoon a month at Grace Lutheran Church in nearby Troy Hill. About 100 people attend the services and worship in three languages (English, Burmese, and Pwo Karen).
“The Myanmar Christian Church is made up of both Karen and Burmese people that have come to the U.S. from refugee camps in Thailand,” says the church’s Web site. “With the help of Jewish Family Services and Catholic Charities, several hundred Myanmar refugees have been relocated in three areas of Pittsburgh. . . . Discovery Christian Church has helped to organize Bible studies, worship services, and social events that bring the Burmese and Karen people from these three areas together as one.”
www.discovertogether.com
www.myanmarchurchpgh.com
RE: Action
Although southern Arizona doesn’t have to worry about hurricanes, Pantano Christian Church (Tucson, Arizona) formed its Disaster Action Team (DAT) shortly after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and launched as an “official” service group in January 2007. The DAT exists to prepare for, respond to, and aid in recovery from disasters; it affiliates with the American Red Cross, local bioterrorism and Homeland Security offices, the county sheriff’s department, and others.
Pantano does not require church membership to serve on the team. “In fact, you don’t even have to be a Christ follower,” says Tom Taylor, the church’s director of operations. “We talk about service first, evangelism if possible. Our evangelism policy is pretty simple: service (a good deed) may create goodwill, which may provide the opportunity for a door to open for the gospel. Do the service regardless.”
Pantano requires training for each level of participation and conducts background checks for leadership positions. For those who do attend the church, the DAT also provides service opportunities beyond “typical” ministries; volunteers serve in areas including food service, shelter, community emergency response, preparedness training, and special events such as blood drives.
The team recently received the President’s Volunteer Service Award. “Not only are we serving our community, but our community is noticing,” says lead pastor Glen Elliott. “We are developing a reputation as a church here to serve, and each opportunity opens another door.”
www.pccwired.org
Jennifer Taylor, one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD's contributing editors, lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
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