May 2026 Newsletter

May 2026 Newsletter

Unleashing Hope:

HCC-St. Charles Local Outreach

May Update

Hello, Harvester Church Family!

As the spring weather warms up, our opportunities to show up and build trustworthy relationships in St. Charles County are heating up too. Our dream has always been for Harvester Christians to love God and love their neighbors naturally as a lifestyle, rather than just waiting for events and programming. This summer, let’s look at how we can carry the hope of Jesus into our everyday spaces, prepare for a massive summer of serving, and remain rooted in our discipleship foundation.

Devotional: Showing Up and Showing Up Again and Again and Again

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” — Acts 1:8

In Local Outreach, our core strategy is simple but requires radical commitment: We show up, and we show up again, and again, and again.

When we meet the tangible, physical needs of our community—whether that’s through the Food Pantry on Tuesday mornings, sorting furniture with the Sharing Shed, or packing school backpacks—we aren’t just checking off a volunteer box. We are earning the right to be heard as followers of Christ, not as humanitarian aid workers.

Our neighbors who are fighting poverty, navigating child welfare systems, or seeking mental health support need more than a one-time transaction; they need a relationship. Our teachers in our schools must be more than teachers in this age. They are social workers, mental health crisis counselors, and Supreme Court-level negotiators. This month, look at your “Jerusalem” (your neighborhood, your local grocery store, your sideline, your workplace). Where is the Holy Spirit calling you to show up consistently so that you can earn the right to share Christ’s life-changing love? Where do you need to take a step of faith and not wait for the perfect time or the perfect relationship or the perfect situation to share the hope of Jesus?

Reminders from Discipleship Training

For those who have walked through our recent discipleship training, the summer months are the ultimate testing ground for what we’ve learned. Let’s keep these three core principles at the front of our minds this month:

• Move from Event to Lifestyle: True disciples don’t just participate in a service project; they live on mission. Watch for the needs around you daily. Discipleship is not only conversion. The lifestyle is our willingness to be discipled by Jesus, to walk and learn from him. Then discipling others, whether in our families, small groups, neighbors, or serve teams, to walk and learn from Jesus as well.

• The Power of the Simple Question: As you see new faces in our community and at the St. Charles campus, keep our age-old question ready: “How long have you been attending Harvester?” It’s the easiest way to break the ice and start a real connection. Take some time and practice the Art of Small Talk to build relationships.

• Serve from Rest, Not Weariness: We cannot pour out what we aren’t taking in. Prioritize your personal time with Jesus so your service comes from a place of spiritual overflow.

Speaking of showing up again and again! HUGE Shoutout to our Food Backpack Packing Crews. From January of this year to the middle of May, this crew packed and delivered approximately 2040 food backpacks for local school children experiencing food insecurity. Thank you to our Crew Leaders, Shelly Swart and Susan Nash, for your countless hours of leadership, coordination, and communication to the schools and to the volunteers! We also want to thank our Food Pantry volunteers, who are more reliable than the USPS used to be. It can be 20 below our 2000 degrees, and these volunteers show up week after week with joy and hope and beautiful servant hearts!

HCC Food Pantry Need: Canned meals such as Beefaroni, Beef Stew, Ravioli, etc. These can be dropped off in the bin outside the South Entrance or placed in the collection bin in the Mission Cafe.

 Mark Your Calendars: Good Neighbor Serve Week is Coming in July!

Our biggest outreach push of the summer is right around the corner. Get ready for Good Neighbor Serve Week, July 13-18!

This is an incredible, all-church, all-campus effort to unleash the hope of Jesus across our communities. We will partner with local municipalities, support our community and ministry partners, and tackle Pack A Pack to provide 300+ local students with school supplies before the new school year starts.

Whether you serve with your family, your small group, or your co-workers, make sure to save the date. Pray for God to lead you where He wants you to use your gifts and talents to serve your neighbors, then check out all the serving opportunities by clicking here==> Good Neighbor Serve Week 2026. Register as soon as possible so you don’t miss out on your FREE Good Neighbor Serve T-shirt! There will be an opportunity for everyone to play a part in being good neighbors and in unleashing the hope of Jesus!

Pack A Pack Collection

Our Annual Pack A Pack Collection will run from June 28 through July 12 in the Mission Cafe. Drop off a complete backpack or any of the items needed. These school supplies will be used for the Boys and Girls Club St Charles Back to School Bash on July 25, as well as the Good Neighbor Market on July 30th. The shopping list is below, or you can pick one up in the Mission Cafe beginning June 28. An easy peasy way to shop is our Amazon wish list that you can find by clicking here==> 2026 Pack A Pack School Supply Drive

NEW THIS YEAR: If you plan to serve as a Pack A Pack volunteer, check with Jillian Hohensee, our Ministry Coordinator, to make sure you have an up-to-date HCC background check to serve with children who will also be serving in this ministry.

Upcoming Serving Opportunities

Saturday, June 13, 9 a.m.-11 a.m. The Sharing Shed

Wednesday, June 24, 6:00 p.m. -8:00 p.m. The Sharing Shed

Sunday, June 28- July 12 Pack A Pack Collection in the Mission Cafe. Choose your shift here==> Pack A Pack Collection Volunteer

July 13-18 Click here for full descriptions ==> Good Neighbor Serve Week

Wednesday, July 22, 6:00 -8:00 p.m. The Sharing Shed

Saturday, July 25, 9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. Click here to RSVP==> Boys & Girls Club- St Charles Unit Back to School Bash

Thursday, July 30  Click here to RSVP==>Good Neighbor Market

May Prayer Prompts

Please join us in lifting up these specific requests for our local community and outreach ministries this month:

• For Hearts of Service: Pray that our church family expands their vision of neighboring—moving from seeing service as a calendar event to adopting it as a daily lifestyle.

• For Our Vulnerable Neighbors: Pray for the unhoused individuals, families utilizing our Food Pantry, and single parents in St. Charles County. Pray that as they interact with Harvester, they feel safe, dignified, and deeply loved by God.

• For the Logistics & Leaders: Pray for our Local Outreach Crew Leaders as they manage the moving parts of the upcoming heavy preparation for Good Neighbor Serve Week. Pray for endurance, wisdom, and joy. Pray for more HCC members to answer the call to lead a one-time Good Neighbor Serving Opportunity.