GiveHope

Community Partner Spotlight: Child Advocacy Center of Northeast Missouri

This week, we are spotlighting our community partner, The Child Advocacy Center of Northeast Missouri. The primary goal of The Child Advocacy Center is to ensure that children disclosing abuse are not further victimized by the intervention systems designed to protect them. Services offered include forensic interviews, children and family advocacy, mental health therapy, and school and community-based prevention education programs. The Child Advocacy Center is a child-focused place where a comprehensive, coordinated approach is taken in response to allegations of child sexual and physical abuse occurring in a 14-county service area.

What is one specific way Harvester Christian Church’s GIVE HOPE contributions have unleashed hope in your organization or in the community through your organization?

It is $619 for a forensic interview. Your donations give a child a voice to start the process of healing.

If Harvester Christians have served at your organization, what impact have they had on the community you serve?

They have helped to create a warm, safe environment for the children of St Charles and Lincoln County to enter.

Please share a brief client-success or services-success story we can share with Harvester Christian Church. Specific identifying information is not needed

Recently, an 8-year-old girl came through to do an interview. She disclosed that an older neighbor boy showed her pornography and asked if she wanted to try it with him. She ran away and told her mother. When one of our advocates told her she did a good job informing her child what to do in this case, the mom said, “It wasn’t me. Someone came to her school two days ago and told her to say no, run away, and tell.” That was the CAC prevention team that was at the school that gave her the tools.

What existing volunteer needs can we share with Harvester Christians?

Painting interior walls, grounds, landscaping, Strip and wax bathrooms

Please list any upcoming NON-fundraising events your organization is hosting in the next 90 days. These could be tours, meet n greets, trainings, etc.

We don’t need you to help with fundraisers, but it would be great if you could let the church know that we do have some events that they can participate in.

Trafficking 101 Presentation, October 22, 2025 | 5:30-7 p.m.
Middendorf-Kredell Branch, St. Charles County Library
Community Room B

Goals of the presentation:
– Understanding trafficking vs. exploitation
– How technology, apps, and AI are used to target youth
– Recognizing tattoos and branding used by traffickers
– Key warning signs and red flags
– How to respond safely and appropriately
– Where and how to report concerns
– Using a trauma-informed approach with potential victims

Free event, please register at https://form.jotform.com/252545220742047

Trafficking & Tattoos Presentation: November 10, 2025 | 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
St. Charles County Library, Corporate Parkway Branch
Community Room A
Who should attend: Tattoo Artists, piercers, and apprentices. The Child Advocacy Center of Northeast Missouri is on the front lines of child sex trafficking and exploitation cases. Join us to learn more about tattoos and trafficking.

– Understand how traffickers use tattoos as a method of control, identification, and ownership.
– Learn common tattoo patterns, locations, and meanings associated with both victims and traffickers.
– Recognize non-verbal cues, situational signs, and contextual indicators that may point to trafficking activity.
– Learn safe, trauma-informed steps to take when you suspect trafficking is occurring

RSVP: https://form.jotform.com/252573686199171

What is a future program or project that could benefit from an investment of Harvester Christian GIVE HOPE funds?

We could use some outdoor patio furniture for our advocates and Forsentic interviewers. They need a comfortable place outside of the windowless rooms to decompress.

What is the estimated cost of this future program or project? $700

How can we pray for your organization, staff, volunteers, clients, and the community your organization serves?

Please pray to give our staff the strength to continue to do their jobs and not take it home with them. To sleep soundly knowing they did a good job, even though they might not know the result. Pray for peace for them and cover them with God’s love. Pray for the children and give them the courage to speak up. Give them peace with no guilt that they did the right thing.

What is one thing Harvester Christian can do to improve how we serve your organization?

Any additional thoughts, questions, opinions, comments, or feedback?

Grateful for Carissa and Harvester Christian Church! We do more through you and HIM!

June 17, 2025

in Alleviation of Poverty, Community Partner, GiveHope, HCC, Local, Outreach

Community Partner Spotlight: REACH St Charles

This week, we have another installment to spotlight one of our Community Partners and share the impact of HCC members’ generous giving in the community. This week, we are highlighting REACH St Charles. The goal of Reach St. Charles is to connect Our goal is to connect individuals in St. Charles County with resources to address their specific need(s), on a case-by-case basis. REACh St Charles provides food boxes, holiday meal boxes, distribute meals, supplies, and clothing to the homeless, and contact organizations and agencies to help meet various needs as they arise. We are especially proud of REACH St Charles founders, Lisa Davis and Stacey Enders, who are active Harvester Christian members! Read on and pray about how you might support REACH St Charles as they connect to our neighbors in need.

What is one specific way Harvester Christian Church’s GIVE HOPE contributions have unleashed hope in your organization or to the community through your organization?

We have been able to help feed the community members who are facing food insecurity. It’s been rewarding to see how our efforts are making a positive impact, and we’re committed to continuing this vital work.

If Harvester Christians have served at your organization, what impact have they had on the community you serve?

*This summer, we are excited to partner with Harvester volunteers for the first time. We look forward to meeting the families who are experiencing food insecurity and working together to make a difference in their lives. It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect and support our community!

Please share a brief client-success or services-success story we can share with Harvester Christian Church. Specific identifying information is not needed

Here is a great testimony from some of REACH St Charles recipients: First, I want to say thanks to Lisa and Stacey with the Reach St. Charles Program. My name is Dwuan & my wife is Ms. Nancy Session. We are newlyweds from Saint Louis. We have lived here for two years now. Here recently, I fell on hard times, losing my job. We fell short on food, and I reached out to Reach St. Charles, and they were right there for us, providing us with fresh food etc. to help get us by, and I am truly grateful for them. Amen. May God continue to bless them and the Reach St. Charles program.

The Session Family

What existing volunteer needs can we share with Harvester Christians?

*Our deck, which provides access to the second-floor offices and the main entrance, is in poor condition. We would greatly appreciate any individuals with carpentry skills and access to materials who could lend a hand. Your support would make a significant difference in helping us improve this essential area!

Please list any upcoming NON-fundraising events your organization is hosting in the next 90 days. These could be tours, meet n greets, trainings, etc.

We are excited to announce that we are planning to open our market, host PopUp events, 2nd annual Scholarship Program, and kick off Lindenwood Outreach, all leading up to our Grand Opening this fall. We can’t wait to share these initiatives with the community.

What is a future program or project that could benefit from an investment of Harvester Christian GIVE HOPE funds?

The Reach Market is almost complete! We are actively seeking food donations to stock the market, including fresh vegetables, produce, and dairy items. Any contributions would be greatly appreciated and would help us provide vital resources to our community.

What is the estimated cost of this future program or project?

Due to the initial stages of launching this program, we are unable to specify an exact funding amount at this time. The financial support needed will largely depend upon us seeking out additional funding sources, such as grants and donations, to cover these costs so that we can assist the number of families in our community experiencing hardship due to economic challenges and societal factors. As we gather more information and assess the specific needs of those we aim to serve, we will be better positioned to determine a more precise figure. Please let us know if you need further clarification.

How can we pray for your organization, staff, volunteers, clients, and community your organization serves?

Please pray that we can find contributors for our market, ensuring that no one in our community goes hungry. We also ask for prayers for our team, to remain inspired with creative ideas to support our mission. Your prayers mean a lot to us as we work together to make a difference!

What is one thing Harvester Christian can do to improve how we serve your organization?

We truly appreciate your continued support of our initiatives aimed at helping families in need. Your encouragement means so much to us, and together we can make a lasting impact in our community. Thank you for standing with us in this important work!

Any additional thoughts, questions, opinions, comments, or feedback?

We cannot thank you enough for everything you do to support organizations that help make our community a true reflection of the hands and feet of Jesus. Your efforts are instrumental in bringing people closer to Him and fostering a spirit of love and compassion.

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*If you are interested in serving with REACH St Charles during the upcoming Good Neighbor Challenge, you can see all the serving opportunities here===>https://harvester.cc/goodneighbor

June 6, 2025

in Alleviation of Poverty, GiveHope, HCC, Local, Ministry Partner, Outreach, Serve Teams, The Sharing Shed

Ministry Partner Spotlight: The Sharing Shed

Halfway through each calendar year, I ask our ministry and community partners to share how your giving has impacted their mission. These partnerships outside the walls of the church meet tangible needs and unleash hope in ways we could never do on our own. Thank you for your continued ongoing generosity to support local outreach efforts like these.

This week, I want to share the responses from The Sharing Shed. The Sharing Shed is a longtime ministry partner with Harvester Christian. Their mission is to meet the needs of those in crisis, together for the glory of God, as they strive to provide their clients with anything from a bed to sleep on, a sofa to sit on, and a table to eat from. While our HCC volunteers are there serving each month, their focus is to share love and hope with those they are fortunate enough to serve through The Sharing Shed. After you read through their responses, be sure to comment below with words of encouragement or a prayer for the staff and volunteers at The Sharing Shed.

What is one specific way Harvester Christian Church’s GIVE HOPE contributions have unleashed hope in your organization or to the community through your organization?

We have been incredibly blessed to count Harvester among the very few churches, just two—that support us with consistent financial contributions. Your partnership through Give Hope has truly allowed The Sharing Shed to flourish.

Because of this support, we’ve become a cornerstone for local agencies and churches that rely on us to help families recovering from abuse, mental health challenges, homelessness, and other life transitions. Our role is to provide essential household items that help families move toward independence and sustainable living. Your generosity directly supports these efforts.

Give Hope funding has also made it possible to complete our long-awaited renovations, transforming our space into one that reflects our values—serving families with dignity. The Shed has always been filled with warm, welcoming volunteers, and now, thanks to you, our environment reflects that same warmth and care.

Harvester has become a safety net that helps us stay mission-focused. When we run low on critical items, Give Hope funds allow us to quickly respond and fill the gap—whether it’s bunk beds, mattresses, vacuums, or simple essentials like pillows, sheets, trash cans, or cookie sheets. These items may seem small, but they bring immense comfort, dignity, and stability to the families we serve.

If Harvester Christians have served at your organization, what impact have they had on the community you serve?

The volunteers from Harvester continue to be a vital part of the work we do at The Sharing Shed. Month after month, they show up with compassion, dedication, and a heart for service—bringing hope and dignity to every family they encounter.

Their attention to detail ensures that families not only receive what they need, but feel seen and cared for. Whether it’s helping choose the perfect bed for a child or selecting a kitchen table that makes a house feel like a home, Harvester’s volunteers consistently go above and beyond.

But their service goes deeper than just meeting physical needs. Through prayer, kind words, and genuine encouragement, they pour into each family’s spirit—reminding them that they are not alone and that they matter. Their impact is felt far beyond the moment of service, and we’re deeply grateful for the way they help us carry out our mission with such love and grace.

Please share a brief client-success or services-success story we can share with Harvester Christian Church. Specific identifying information is not needed.

The impact of the services provided by The Sharing Shed is truly life-changing. Every week, we see firsthand how essential household items can restore dignity, bring hope, and help families move forward. Here are just a few recent stories that show how your support is making a difference: A gentleman who had been homeless for three years recently secured housing and was working to reunite with his three children. He came to us needing everything. We were able to provide him with beds, dressers, living room furniture, a kitchen table and chairs, bedding, bath linens, and all the kitchen essentials he needed. He was overjoyed—not just for the items, but because he could now welcome his children into a real home. He couldn’t wait for them to see the space and feel safe and settled.

We also served a family of four who had recently moved from Cuba. After living with a host family for a year, they finally found a place of their own. The Sharing Shed helped them turn their house into a home with furniture and household essentials. The mother was overwhelmed with gratitude. She said she had never heard of an organization that helps people like this and couldn’t believe the kindness she was receiving from complete strangers. Another mother came to us after escaping an abusive relationship. She was starting over with her two boys and had nothing. Through The Sharing Shed, she was able to furnish their new apartment and meet their basic needs. She told us she had no idea how she was going to provide for her children—and broke down in tears as she realized she finally could. It was a powerful reminder of how far a little help can go in restoring stability and hope. These stories are just a glimpse into the lives that are being changed thanks to Harvester’s continued support. Your generosity is helping families rebuild, recover, and thrive.

What existing volunteer needs can we share with Harvester Christians?

Harvester currently serves at The Sharing Shed on the 3rd Saturday of each month from 9-11 AM, helping families in need select furniture and household items. Additional help is also needed for furniture pickups during this time. We’re also excited to offer a new serving opportunity for Harvester’s Young Adult Group! They’ll be serving families on the 4th Wednesday of the month from 6-8 PM, starting in June and July. Whether it’s loading furniture, organizing donations, or offering encouragement to families, these are great ways to make a meaningful impact. We’d love to have you join us! We are also looking for a volunteer to help with our administrative duties, and 2 new team leaders for our warehouse on the first and second Monday nights. Training is required.

Please list any upcoming NON-fundraising events your organization is hosting in the next 90 days. These could be tours, meet n greets, trainings, etc.

The Sharing Shed will be hosting a 10-Year Anniversary and Remodel Celebration on Friday, June 21st, from 8:30 to 11:00 AM. This special event will honor our ongoing partnership with Harvester Christian Church and highlight the transformation of our facility. Guests are invited to enjoy refreshments, take guided tours of our newly renovated space, and connect with board members to learn more about how to get involved. We also welcome donations of hygiene items, which will directly benefit the families we serve.

What is a future program or project that could benefit from an investment of Harvester Christian GIVE HOPE funds?

We are currently exploring the option of wrapping our pickup and delivery truck to help increase awareness of our services throughout the community.

What is the estimated cost of this future program or project?

Wrap would cost between $2,000 and $3,000 depending on package option

How can we pray for your organization, staff, volunteers, clients, and the community your organization serves?

We are deeply thankful for your willingness to pray for The Sharing Shed. Your prayers are a vital part of the support that sustains our team, our volunteers, and the families we serve. Please pray for clarity and discernment as we continue to grow. As the needs in our community expand, we are seeking God’s guidance in how to respond faithfully—with the right resources, the right people, and a heart rooted in compassion. Pray for our volunteers and staff—that they would be refreshed, encouraged, and filled with wisdom as they serve. Many carry heavy burdens alongside the families they support, and we ask for strength and joy in their work.

Lift up the families who come through our doors, often in times of deep transition and hardship. Pray that they would experience not only the practical help we provide, but also the love, dignity, and hope that reflect the heart of Christ. Finally, pray that The Sharing Shed would continue to be a light in our community—a place where people feel seen, supported, and uplifted, and where God’s love is evident in every interaction. We’re so grateful to know we are being covered in prayer as we continue this important work.

What is one thing Harvester Christian can do to improve how we serve your organization?

Harvester Christian continues to be a tremendous blessing to The Sharing Shed. Your volunteers consistently show up eager to serve, and they do so with kindness, flexibility, and compassion toward our clients. Your leadership—especially through Lisa and now Stephanie with the young adult group—has been outstanding. Communication has been clear and supportive, and we feel truly cared for. At this time, we honestly can’t think of anything you need to do differently. Just continuing to walk alongside us with the same heart and commitment means the world. Thank you for being such a faithful and valued partner in this ministry.

Any additional thoughts, questions, opinions, comments, or feedback?

January 25, 2025

in Alleviation of Poverty, GiveHope, HCC, Jesus, Local, Outreach

Reflections after our first Warming Center Experience

I don’t know if there are human words to express what we experienced this week hosting the overnight EWR Warming Center for our unhoused neighbors. Over 4 nights that dropped below the threshold of 20 degrees, HCC provided 115 beds to our homeless neighbors. As the temperatures plummeted outside it forced some of God’s most beautiful creations to come inside to us I’m not even sure how to organize my thoughts here to share our experiences.

I sway between being in awe and humility of God entrusting us with these people. I am grieved and saddened that God’s creations are so marginalized and so unseen. I swing back to being so proud of our volunteers stepping into the unknown and the uncomfortableness and watching them love and serve. I am blown away by God’s provision not only for us in the facilities that we have, and services we have and the generosity of Harvester Christian folk through our Give Hope campaigns to His provision and our volunteers of providing energy, stamina, and love. We had young adults to retired folk provide hot meals and drinks. We had our neighbors at O’Fallon Christian help us with all the pounds of laundry and packing the trailer. We had Harvester volunteers in the thick of their own battles step in to serve. We had volunteers sacrifice sleep all night and then go work a full-time job the next day.

I don’t want to say that we provided shelter for our homeless neighbors because I think that puts a worldly understanding of a human being in your mind which is probably inaccurate. When I say the word homeless, I think we tend to jump to preconceived ideas and judgments about why someone might be in that situation. I could tell you that we served addicts. I could tell you that we served convicts. I could tell you that we served the mentally ill. I could tell you we served veterans. I could tell you that we served women who had experienced horrific sexual abuse and domestic violence but those are labels that limit and do not give honor to God’s creation. These are His people who were fearfully and wonderfully made who are just as lost and wounded as you and I. I will tell you instead that God provided us the opportunity to serve men and women and sons and daughters and husbands and wives. I can tell you that God provided the opportunity for us to serve someone’s child.

The final night that we were activated I was running on fumes. I’d had extremely little sleep all week long. Every day I was struggling to find the right number of volunteers, and food, and replace things that we had run out of while trying to take care of myself and my family as well. I rushed around getting the laundry and trying to have things ready for our volunteers as they arrived. As I pulled into the church parking lot the song “Gratitude” by Brandon Lake came on Joy FM. If you know me at all you know that this song absolutely wrecks me and brings me to tears. I reached up to turn the volume down and said “Lord, Really? Gratitude? I cannot do this right now. I cannot break down. I have to keep going for the volunteers, our guests, and you!” The Lord’s response to me was,

“Baby girl, you know that you were never meant to do this on your own. I need you to remember to start and stop with gratitude. Don’t be just grateful that you are not homeless. Don’t be grateful that you do have a warm home to go to. Don’t be grateful that in the event of a major life crisis, you would have safety net after safety net after safety net. Don’t be grateful that you have insurance and that you are healthy. Don’t be grateful that you don’t have to sleep in your car. Be grateful for who I am and who I say I am and the things that I have done and will do.”

Talk about perspective.

The coming days, weeks, months, and potentially years will be challenging as a community to provide resources to serve a variety of people. Whether it’s people dealing with mental illness, homelessness, job loss, a family with a child with autism or cerebral palsy, or people trying to acquire job skills. It will be tempting to hunker down for all the things God showed me I was holding onto. It will be tempting to allow Satan to convince us to shield our eyes, to guard our hearts, to proceed in ignorance and judgment, to ignore the issues, and to go along with the status quo. My prayer for us after this week is that we won’t be able to help ourselves in serving others no matter the cost. My prayer is that we will all cooperate with the Holy Spirit and not assume it is the church’s responsibility to provide an event or program. My prayer is that when it is the most uncomfortable, when it is the most unknown we will turn to God first and trust him to guide our steps and to provide wisdom and discernment. I pray we will be obedient to the Greatest Commandment of Loving God and Loving Others. I pray as Harvester Christians that we would continue to live out justice and generosity in our families, literal neighborhoods, in Saint Charles County, and across the globe.

December 18, 2024

in Child Welfare, GiveHope, Jesus, Local, Mental Health, Ministry Partner, Outreach, Uncategorized

*Click here to check out some great pics from last year’s Family Retreat!

Local Outreach Ministry Partner Spotlight: Joni & Friends

This is one of my favorite times of the year. We ask each of our Local Outreach partners to send brief impact reports back to us. This allows us to glimpse what God is doing to unleash hope in our community through your generous Give Hope gifts. This week we are spotlighting our ministry partners Joni & Friends. Be sure not to skip over the success story section!

Joni and Friends

What is one specific way Harvester Christian Church’s GIVE HOPE financial contributions or in-kind donations have unleashed hope in your organization or to the community through your organization?

The funds gifted to Joni and Friends helped us reach individuals and families living with disabilities and allowed us to serve and care for them through our Retreats and Getaway outreaches. Our Family Retreat in August was our most impactful event. Families living with disabilities were welcomed, cared for, and loved on in a fully accessible, fully inclusive environment. God’s presence was felt throughout the week, and our families were refreshed and filled with the love of Christ.

Without sharing identifying information, please share a brief client-success or services-success story we can share with Harvester Christian Church.

There are many success stories to share. One specific story is about a family from the St. Charles County area. This family has a recently divorced single mom, a 16-year-old typically developed daughter and a 13-year-old daughter with Down syndrome. The mother was very hesitant about attending, as was her oldest daughter. But one of our other families convinced them to come and try it. On the first day, they were very shy and withdrawn. But each day, we could see them becoming more and more at ease and enjoying themselves. By the fourth and fifth day, they fully participated in worship, and activities, and the youngest daughter with Down syndrome participated in our talent show. The mother stated the family retreat experience was amazing – it restored their family after going through a tough season, strengthened their faith, and gave them a community of other families that live with disability.

What existing volunteer needs can we share with Harvester Christians?

We need volunteers to serve at our Family Retreat in August and our Warrior Getaway in November. For those interested in an out-of-country mission trip, we need volunteers for our Wheels for the World outreach to the Philippines in June.

Please list any upcoming non-fundraising events your organization is hosting in the next 90 days.

We will have a Church network meeting for disability ministry leaders and volunteers in St. Louis on January 14th, and in St. Charles on March 11th.

What is a future program or project that could benefit from Harvester Christian GIVE HOPE funds?

2025 Family Retreat, 2025 Marriage Getaway, 2025 Warrior Getaway

What is the estimated cost of this future program or project?

The total cost for these outreaches comes to about $75,000.

How can we pray for your organization, staff, volunteers, clients, and community your organization serves?

Please pray for the families we serve, asking God to continue to give them the strength, stamina, and energy needed to be the caretakers for their family members with disabilities. Please pray for God to send us the volunteers needed, and for the financial means to continue to do ministry well.

What is one thing Harvester Christian can do to improve how we serve your organization?

Encourage volunteers to serve with us in ministry.

July 15, 2024

in Alleviation of Poverty, Child Welfare, GiveHope, Local, Outreach, packapack, School Outreach

2024 Pack A Pack School Supply Lists

Middle & High School Backpacks

Plain Backpack (neutral, gray, black, navy)-1

Main Pocket of Backpack

Binder -1
Spiral bound, 70-sheet, college ruled notebooks-3
Pocket folders-5
Water bottle -1

Middle pocket of backpack:

12 pack of pencils-1
12 pack of colored pencils-1
8 pack of black pens-1
Pencil pouch-1
Calculator-1
100 pack of index cards-1

Small front of backpack– leave empty

Top loop of backpack: hook on green tag to designate as middle/highschool

Backpack 1

Main pocket of backpack

Spiral bound 7- sheet wide ruled notebooks-3
Pocket folders-5
Water bottle-1

Middle pocket of backpack

12 pack of #2 pencils-1
1 Pack of markers-1
24 pack of crayons-1
Pencil pouch-1
Glue sticks-2 (insert into pencil pouch)
Scissors-2 (insert into pencil pouch)

Small front pocket of backpack leave empty

Top loop of backpack: hook on a tag: yellow to designate elementary

July 10, 2024

in Alleviation of Poverty, GiveHope, HCC, Local, Outreach, Uncategorized

Give Hope Ministry Partner Spotlight: REACH St Charles

I just stand in awe of the way God moves in the hearts of Harvester Christians! I know you will be encouraged to learn more about one of our Give Hope community partners especially when you learn it was started by two of our members Lisa Davis and Stacey Enders! Leave a comment below to encourage them to keep doing good in the name of the Lord!

Give Hope Spring Impact Report

What is one specific way Harvester Christian Church’s GIVE HOPE contributions have unleashed hope in your organization or to the community through your organization?

Harvester Christian Church has given us the ability to help more people in our community by giving out food, and feminine products to schools, and resources, as well as through special events and pop-ups.

2. If Harvester Christians have served at your organization, what impact have they had on the community you serve?

We have had Harvester volunteers help with our community pop-ups. They have been a tremendous help in putting food bags together and handing them out.

3. Please share a brief client-success or services-success story we can share with Harvester Christian Church.

After our Holiday Meal Box Outreach, we received a letter and photo from a family eating Christmas dinner. They wrote that without our meal box, they would not have been able to have a Christmas meal.

4. What existing volunteer needs can we share with Harvester Christians?

During the school year, we could use help in delivering feminine products to schools. We could also benefit from volunteers handing out food bags during our pop-ups.

5. Please list any upcoming non-fundraising events your organization is hosting in the next 90 days.

July 21st will be our next popup, where we will be handing out bags of food to the community. We will also be grilling hot dogs and hamburgers for the St. Charles COPS Camp pool party on July 19th. In the next month or so, we will also be announcing a scholarship opportunity for local community college students.

6. What is a future program or project that could benefit from Harvester Christian GIVE HOPE funds?

We are in the planning stages of offering a ‘Hometown Experience’ for local underprivileged kids or their families with special needs. The Hometown Experience is estimated to cost between $500-$700.We would also love to have a building of our own to keep feminine products, food and meet with clients.

7. How can we pray for your organization, staff, volunteers, clients, and community your organization serves?

We have been praying for the opportunity to purchase a building. We also need assistance in grant writing.

8. What is one thing Harvester Christian can do to improve how we serve your organization?

We appreciate the support and funding! If anything, more exposure so more people can learn about our organization.

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To volunteer to deliver feminine products to schools or to hand out food bags during pop up events volunteers can connect with the REACH St Charles website reachstcharles.org and click the ‘join us’ tab on the main page or you can send them an email at reachstcharles@gmail.com. Anyone interested should follow the Reach St. Charles Facebook page, where they announce future events and volunteer opportunities.

June 10, 2024

in Child Welfare, GiveHope, Outreach, Serve Teams

Give Hope Ministry Partner Spotlight: The Sparrow’s Nest

We unleash hope in our community through generosity and justice. One way God provides the opportunity to do that is through local ministry partners such as The Sparrow’s Nest. I recently asked for and received The Sparrow’s Nest Give Hope Impact Report. I thought this would be very useful information to share with you as you continue to pray over Give Hope and as you look for opportunities to consistently serve in our community.

The mission of The Sparrow’s Nest is to embrace the God-given dignity of all human life by empowering young families with resources to realize their full potential. They fulfill this mission by coming alongside young families with the love of Christ to educate, equip, and empower both the parent and the child. Through their innovative childcare cooperative families enrolled in their program will receive free childcare, mentorship, and case management to reach their family goals. They also have access to a resource closet and pregnancy help.

What is one specific way Harvester Christian Church’s GIVE HOPE contributions have unleashed hope in your organization or to the community through your organization?

GIVE HOPE has allowed The Sparrow’s Nest to

1. Remain open in a time of transition while we were going through the very lengthy process of acquiring licensing to become a child care cooperative.

2. Plan for our future. We KNOW we need to purchase/lease a larger facility. We are currently serving the maximum number of children we are licensed to provide care for, 5. We currently have 7 children on our waitlist. We have had to turn away over 120 children who could not wait for a spot to open up.

Please share a brief client-success or services-success story we can share with Harvester Christian Church.

“Words can not express the thanks my family has to each and every staff member as well as volunteers at Sparrows Nest who have become a part of our family. As a parent, I trust Sparrows Nest with my greatest blessing and I am thankful for all the love, attention, and guidance that my son receives as well as myself. I have received nothing but the utmost respect and care. Sparrows Nest genuinely cares about my family and not just our current situation but the future. I feel like Sparrows Nest is a family always willing to help in any way they can. I have no worries when my son is there which is the greatest peace of mind any parent can ask for when you have to work to provide for your family. If I have a need they have multiple solutions to assist us, I never feel alone in this journey thanks to the amazing staff at Sparrows Nest.”

Where is God leading The Sparrow’s Nest in the future?

Our goal is to be in a much larger facility in the very near future. We will continue to not charge the families who participate in our programming and will remain donor-funded. The estimated cost of this project depends on the type and size of the facility we are able to move into and the amount of staff that will be required to care for the children. If we were able to accommodate 50 children that could require we hire up to 10 childcare providers depending on how many kiddos are in the different age groups.

What existing volunteer needs can we share with Harvester Christians?

We are looking for volunteers for a donor appreciation event on June 27. Volunteer information can be found here ==>https://thesparrowsneststl.org/volunteers/

*Lance Rogers, a Harvester Christian currently serves as the board president for The Sparrow’s Nest. Harvester Christians routinely serve in The Resource Closet as well as maintaining the grounds.)

How can we pray for your organization, staff, volunteers, clients, and community your organization serves?

Please pray that we are able to secure the funding required to grow the organization. We know that the need we are filling a critical need of so many families. Please pray that our state legislators pass legislation for the child care tax credit.

May 3, 2024

in Alleviation of Poverty, GiveHope, Local, Outreach, The Sharing Shed

The Reward of Seemingly Small Parts- Guest Blog Post by Lisa Rogers

A little over a year ago, I started searching for additional opportunities to serve through Harvester Christian Outreach. My husband and I have called Harvester, “our home”, for a while now, but being a large church, I wanted to meet new people and find new ways to serve. The perfect opportunity presented itself when I was introduced to the idea of volunteering at The Sharing Shed. I fell in love with this ministry on the first day I volunteered. They serve families in crisis, each with their own stories and struggles. The Sharing Shed provides furniture and household items to individuals and families coming out of homelessness, loss of home due to a fire or flood, displacement due to loss of a job, or individuals coming out of abusive home environments. Their stories and struggles are as diverse as their needs and The Sharing Shed provides a place of hope where they can begin a new story.

I wasn’t sure what to expect on my first day volunteering

as I had never visited the location.

I wasn’t sure what to expect on my first day volunteering as I had never visited the location. It was immediately evident to me that great care and thought were used to create a space where clients could shop with dignity and respect. This is not just a warehouse full of items to poke through but is designed as a picturesque shop with an array of items like comforters, towels, dishes, small appliances, furniture, and everything in between. It is truly a wonderful space with an opportunity to serve in various roles. Our volunteers serve as Personal Shoppers, Processors for newly donated items, along with Pick-up and Delivery Crews.

It has been rewarding to play a small part in helping people

find solutions and items that fit their current needs.

It has been rewarding to play a small part in helping people find solutions and items that fit their current needs. This ministry has been a blessing to me in more ways than one. I always leave The Sharing Shed with a sense of fulfillment. I have been blessed by meeting new individuals and families, hearing their stories, and witnessing their renewed sense of hope and gratitude for what they have received. One of the first clients I helped was a military veteran who had been homeless for a good portion of his life. As we shopped for the items he needed to fill his new home, he requested that I pick them out. He said he didn’t care what they looked like or even if everything matched. He was simply thankful to have a home and the things needed to fill it…the everyday necessities that we often take for granted. I

Serving consistently at The Sharing Shed has left me with a renewed sense of gratitude for the blessings in my own life. The Sharing Shed has also gifted me the opportunity to meet new volunteers from Harvester. I am grateful for the team I work alongside and the connections and friendships formed. It truly feels like family.

Harvester Christians serve at The Sharing Shed every 3rd Saturday from 9 a.m.-11 a.m.

If you are interested in joining this team please email cfiggins@harvester.cc

Lisa Rogers Harvester Christian Sharing Shed Crew Member

On mission with the community to meet the needs of those in crisis together for the Glory of God. We are a furniture bank that provides household goods and furniture to families in need, in St Charles, Lincoln, and Warren county.

February 26, 2024

in Alleviation of Poverty, Church, GiveHope, Local, Outreach, School Outreach

Spring Serving Opportunities 2024

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and all is right with the world! Ok, 2 out of 3 ain’t bad. It turns out we are living in a lost and wounded world that is in desperate need of the hope of Jesus. And God wants us to show up consistently in trustworthy relationships with our neighbors in order to share that hope with them. Below you will find serving opportunities, trainings, and events to equip you to do just that. Hover on each event to see the link to register or RSVP for an event. If you have any questions be sure to email Carissa at cfiggins@harvester.cc

Event	Description	Date	Time	Location
Local Outreach/Guest Services Gathering #1	Training for Local Outreach Guest Services serving teams focusing on safety	2/29/24	6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.	Mission Café- St Charles Campus
Harvest Ridge Pancake Dinner	Prepare and Serve Pancakes for Harvest Ridge Elementary Families	3/7/24	3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.	Harvest Ridge Elementary 1220 Harvest Ridge Dr. St. Charles MO 63304
Becky David Elementary Literacy Night	Help Becky David students prepare trail mix at Literacy Night	3/7/24	5:45 p.m.-7:00 p.m.	Becky David Elementary 1155 Jungs Station Rd St. Charles MO 63304
Heart & Soul Fellowship Meal (sign-up link coming soon)	A “no agenda” time to enjoy a meal with Local Outreach/Guest Services team members and their families	3/10/24	12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m	Lower Level of Church Offices
Come & See: Faith Haven House	A field trip to Faith Haven House to learn firsthand about the ministry	3/14/24	6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.	Faith Haven House 7338 Mexico Rd St. Peters, MO 63376 Limited parking, carpooling recommended
Come & See: The Sharing Shed	A field trip to The Sharing Shed to learn firsthand about the ministry	3/16/24	9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.	The Sharing Shed 923 E. Terra Ln O’Fallon, MO 63366
The Sharing Shed Serve Day	Volunteers receive donations, clean, and assist clients in picking out basic household items, delivery of items is helpful	3/16/24	9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.	The Sharing Shed 923 E Terra Ln O’Fallon, MO 63366
Teacher Appreciation Card and Gift Assembling	Write cards of encouragement and assemble small token gifts of appreciation	3/19/24	1:00-3:00 p.m.	Local Outreach Storage Room in Annex- Enter Door 15 on Veterans Memorial side
Kona Ice Days at Barnwell Middle	Volunteer at Barnwell Middle to help hand out Kona Ice	3/21/24	11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.	Barnwell Middle School 1035 Jungs Station Rd St. Charles MO 63304
Election Day (Sign-up link coming soon)	Greet voters as they come to HCC as their polling place	4/2/24	Various times all day	HCC Worship Center
Stewards of Children: Darkness To Light Training (sign-up link coming soon)	Child abuse prevention training with Child Advocacy Center	4/11/24	11:30-2:00 p.m.	HCC Family Life Center

January 24, 2024

in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, GiveHope, Guest Services

by Brendon

DTOTD – Thought 3

” If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you……These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” – John 14: 15-17, 25-26

Just follow your heart.

Have you heard that phrase before? It is a phrase that you can find in all of culture, movies, songs, art and even the news cycles. Just follow your heart.

That phrase has led to most likely, heartache, confusion, questions, counseling, divorce, anger, resentment, mistrust, bad financial moves, and maybe even worse but the hurt of your own body.

Just follow your heart is a dangerous phrase. It can lead us down so many different paths that we may not know where we end up at the end of it.

There is a story in the Gospel of Luke, where the author writes a parable that Jesus used in teaching about Grace and God the Father. The parable goes that the youngest of two brothers went up to his father while he was still living and asked him to give him his portion of the inheritance that he would receive when his father is dead. For some reason, the Father says ok and gives the youngest son a whole pile of money. The youngest son, follows his heart and the bible says:

” not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need….” - Luke 15:13-14

The youngest son followed his heart and it led him to nothing.

We might not all be able to resonate with the youngest son, that followed his heart and it lead him to literally having nothing to his name other than his clothes. But, we probably are able to look back at seasons or years of our lives where we followed our hearts and it led into a place of desolate isolation and regret.

What if there was something or maybe someone that would remind us of who we are, what we are, what we are made to be, the concrete truths that we can stand firm on in our lives…..

” But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” - Acts 1:8

Recently in a discussion about the Farewell Discourse of Jesus in John 14-18, the topic of the Holy Spirit came up and if we would rather have Jesus still on earth or if we understand the power of the Holy Spirit. Conversation ensued and the thoughts came to this:

There is a reason Jesus told us that it was better for us for him to go back to Heaven and the Helper come to Us. Because if The Holy Spirit did not come, then we would never be able to break free from anything that our hearts lead us towards.

Just follow your heart is not the phrase to lead us to Jesus or even help us become more like Jesus in our every day lives.

Allowing the Holy Spirit of Jesus/God to come into our hearts, so that when we have moments of time to make a decision, the Spirit Helps us through those times.

There are lots of thoughts and perceptions of the Holy Spirit. Some are right, some are off and some are just downright weird.

But for the simple-minded, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God that brings us knowledge and strength and power and healing and grace. The question is whether or not we allow the Holy Spirit to come into our hearts or whether we will continue to just follow our own hearts that are riddled with sin.

The Holy Spirit is a Helper.

The Holy Spirit is a Healer.

The Holy Spirit is a Guide.

The Holy Spirit is a Presence.

Take a breath and allow the Holy Spirit to come into your lives.

October 6, 2023

in GiveHope, HCC, Local, Natural Disaster Response, Outreach