Story Tellers Series
” And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave or servant of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Mark 10: 42-45
If you have been around Harvester Christian Church for any given amount of time, you have heard us talk about serving and loving people as they are. Well, it’s true. We have a heartbeat of serving and invite anyone that calls Harvester home to join us in our mission to serve others. You will hear this phrase a lot:
UNLEASH THE HOPE OF JESUS into our World.
One way we do this whole thing is through our School Outreach programs. One in particular that is coming up, which is the entire month of July, is our Pack-a-Pack initiative. Last year we saw close to 1000 back packs packed and given away to love on families of St Charles County. This year we hope to collect and distribute more than 1k to help and serve with 5 other organizations to Unleash the Hope of Jesus into the lives of families throughout the Francis Howell and St Charles School district. We will be serving with the Boys and Girls club of O’Fallon and St Charles, Harvest Ridge Elementary, Becky-David Elementary, The St Charles School District and We Love St Charles.
Pretty cool eh?
What else is pretty cool, is that we have people in our midst that are champions of serving in certain schools or areas. One of those champions is Rachel Vandermeulen:
Rachel along with her husband Brett and two girls Avery and Emma, live in the St Charles area and attend Harvest Ridge Elementary. Rachel has watched Avery go through all grades and is ready to see her move on to Middle school after next year and Emma just a few years behind. Rachel has served on the PTO as president that last few years at Harvest Ridge which has allowed a unique partnership with Harvester Christian Church to be able to love and serve on the families that attend Harvest Ridge Elementary.
I reached out and asked Rachel about her time serving the families at Harvest Ridge and what she has dreams of for impacting the Kingdom of God in the lives of those families, here is her heart:
- Mark 10:45 states, “ for the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.” This is one of my favorite verses when it comes to serving. Do you have a verse that you come back to that keeps you grounded that you are serving for the Kingdom when you serve at Harvest Ridge?
- RV – Honestly, not really. God just keeps reminding me that it isn’t about me. It’s about bringing others to Christ and showing them His Love. I still find myself amazed how God is using me to serve His Kingdom in a public school setting. God works in ways we never would have imagined.
- How did you fall into serving with schools? Why do you continue to do it?
- RV – When we moved to STL I didn’t have friends and felt so lost. Life felt very foreign to what I knew in KY. I threw myself into the PTO as an attempt to make friends and get to know the school. I continue to serve the schools because I feel that is where God has led me. Showing the love of Christ through a cup of lemonade or an event to feed hundreds has brought multiple HR families to experience the difference at HCC.
- I know that your girls go or will go to Harvest Ridge, how do you show love to the other students and families on a day to day basis when you are in the school?
- RV – Some days it’s a simple smile, delivering notes of encouragement, or passing out a delicious cup of coffee. Other days it’s planning large events that are affordable and convenient for families to attend.
- Can you remember a specific time that stands out to you during an event or conversation where you felt you were in the right place for serving?
- RV – Recently we had a family attend HCC because the church continues to show up at HR. HCC wasn’t and hasn’t pushed a message or a motive but shows love and support to families and staff. This family recognized something was different about HCC and felt led to see what HCC was all about. While I’ve always understood the mission, I don’t know that I have ever truly experienced it like this. Showing up and doing the small things really makes a big impact. I was brought to tears finally understanding why God has placed me on this journey to serve at HR.
- What are your dreams for serving at Harvest Ridge? How do you hope to partner with God and impact the families you serve for the kingdom?
- RV – I pray that I can continue to be a vessel to show families God’s love. Whether that is generating different events to feel included and a part of the community at HR, or feeding them a meal to ease a financial burden. I pray that He will continue to open doors in the public schools for our church to be a partner and support for families in need.
- What has been your favorite part of serving at Harvest Ridge over the past few years?
- RV – For me it is planning events. I love the logistics of a good, organized event but I didn’t realize the impact it had on others. Allowing families time to enjoy things together, to join in community with others, to kindle friendships that will last forever.
- What would you hope to communicate to others that might be on the fence with serving, whether in general or on a school team?
- RV – God has a plan and a purpose for us all. Step outside of your comfort zone and listen to what the Holy Spirit is calling you to do. Be the light for someone in the small moments and serve the Kingdom of God.
I love her heart for serving others and loving people for their benefit and allowing God to lead where she walks. I also love the encouragement she gives to anyone that is on the fence about serving or getting involved at a school.
If you are interested in getting involved with our School Outreach Team reach out to Carissa Figgins or Rachel herself!