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Global

October 17, 2024

in Global, HCC, Outreach

by cefiggins

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Job posting with Harvest Initiative

One of our global partners, Harvest Initiative has a new job posting for Nicaragua Trip Coordinator as a contracted position. You can find all the details noted below. Serious inquiries should contact Marcus Pearson marcus.harvestinitiative@gmail.com

Nicaragua Trip Coordinator Job Description

Harvest Initiative, (HI), a Missouri based 501c3 not for profit seeks to fill the role of Nicaragua Trip Coordinator as a contracted position for 6 months to 2 years. The main focus would be the mission trips including pre field prep communication as well as the actual trip activity direction here in Nicaragua. It would be necessary to spend time here in Nicaragua to catch the clusters of trips, for example, we have 4 groups in Feb and March and we need to have someone here on the ground a couple of weeks prior to the trips, then during the visits, after that, it would be pretty flexible Nica base vs US base until we have another cluster later in the year. Other communications and administrative tasks could be carried out remotely except for planned events and occasional meetings, typically in the St Charles, MO area. In almost all aspects, this is a people-oriented, public-facing position so the ability to interact with people, sometimes in stressful situations is vital.

Qualifications:

Good Christian Testimony
High School graduate
Experience with the dynamics of mission trips
Spanish is desired but not indispensable, HI will pay for some language training

Mission trip Responsibilities: 60% time commitment

Nicaragua Based
correspond with trip leaders to align expectations according to the HI Delegation Guide
collect and forward information needed for compliance with local regulations
coordinate with project directors and pastors to set trip activity schedules and plan for needed transportation, materials, translators, food etc.
accompany teams during their stay and oversee the activities, coordinate on-site with local volunteers, directors, and pastors
conduct after-action evaluation and communicate results as appropriate
ensure that pictures, videos , and testimonies are collected and available for inclusion in social media postings

Other Responsibilities

Nicaragua-based or US
monitor email and respond/reroute/follow up as needed
REACH sponsorship and donor database monitoring+recruitment
correspond with sponsors regarding expiring payment info, missed payments general concerns, new sponsor welcome by phone, e mail, postal mail as
needed
contact prospective sponsors to encourage them to commit to sponsoring
maintain archives of corporate documents, contact lists, media resources and project information for use by others inside and outside the organization and facilitate access as needed

Other duties as needed

may include representing HI at churches or civic venues, logistics support, or online research

Stateside Admin Functions

Intern and Mission trip recruitment, orientation, debrief, travel to Nicaragua for in-country during the time the groups are in Nicaragua is necessary, other than when teams are in country, job could be remote.
Follow up on grant proposals generated by YourGrantSource & grants researched by volunteers (e.g. Tinker Fdn, Weekly Fdn, IDES, Emerson Electric)
Assist volunteers with data entry and retrieval as needed from Quickbooks, Reach Donor database, and Mailchimp
Routine correspondence and communication as needed
Recruit and integrate volunteers in strategic areas where HI lacks help (IT, graphic design, marketing)

Time commitment breakdown

Intern, Mission trip,volunteer recruitment 60%
Reports, Document prep, correspondence 10%
Grant followup, database 20%
Other 10%
Location 80% remote, 20% in person, various locations in St Louis Metro, most of our contacts are in the St Charles Co area.
In Nicaragua time $1000/mo stipend, all travel and housing pd by HI, pd language study if desired

US time

part time position approx 20 hrs/ week average, flexible schedule, occasional travel to Nicaragua possible. Spanish desirable, but not required. Compensation $18/hr billed monthly as 1099 contract position

As the organization has grown our volunteers have admirably taken on more responsibility and we are in a great debt to them. Our challenge is to increase our stateside capability in administration while not supplanting the efforts of our core volunteers.

May 13, 2024

in Alleviation of Poverty, Child Welfare, Church, DTOTD, Global, Guest Services, HCC, Local, Natural Disaster Response, Outreach, packapack, School Outreach, Serve Teams, The Sharing Shed

by Brendon

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Faith without works, is dead

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you say to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled”, without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

– James 2:14-17

Serving others, out of a humble heart, is not an easy choice that not everyone will make.

In the church, we talk about serving all of the time. And to be honest, we have too. Serving is of vital importance to every church’s existence and operational ability. The church was not created to be a paid enterprise organization that is able to pay every single person that changes a diaper or leads a small group. As crazy as it sounds, the church was created to be a vessel of people that would pour into the people around them and inside the walls of the church building to be able to lead those to knowing and following Jesus.

There is one thing about learning about God from an academic stand point, but it is something completely different when it comes to following Jesus’ example of life here on earth.

When we see the disciples, which eventually become Apostles in the book of Acts, get called by Jesus, very early on we see the disciples both learning things and unlearning things. The disciples are learning from Jesus about what life could look like and unlearning what they have been taught since they were kids. Jesus also takes the moments to send his disciples out, very often, the disciples are sent out to serve and to preach the good news of Jesus.

You see when you begin to follow Jesus, and become his disciple, we find that serving is intertwined with your faith and your deepening understanding of who Jesus is for us and through us.

The problem we all face, is that serving has become somewhat of a ‘glamour’ seeking endeavor. Serving has been distorted to be into something that we can brag about. If you read Thought #8, you may be thinking, this sounds a whole lot like hospitality, well because serving and hospitality go hand in hand with our discipleship to Jesus.

You see as we get closer to Jesus, we see that Jesus had a natural rhythm to life that we can emulate. It may not be as deep or as perfect as Jesus’, which is no surprise, it can be lived out in a daily way.

” ………….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 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 10:43-45

Serving is not about your ability to brag about where you serve or how many people you serve. Serving is about the love you have for Jesus overflowing out of our hearts towards others. It could look like this:

Having a meal with family friends that don’t know Jesus. (hospitality)

Planning a VBS while on a mission trip in Ethiopia. (serving)

Wiping the nose of an upset 3 year old at church in the middle of the summer. (serving)

Stopping to listen to a hurting friend or coworker. (hospitality)

Cleaning the bathrooms at a church that doesn’t have anyone to clean the church on a regular basis. (serving)

Reaching out to your neighbor about the doctors appointment they had. (hospitality)

Could it be hauling furniture from The Sharing Shed to a family in our community? (serving)

As our love for Jesus grows, our hearts for hospitality and serving increase.

There is a forward-facing part of serving and hospitality that is undeniable and very real.

When we serve someone or a group of people, there is a very real and undeniable focus put on you and the same goes for when you show hospitality to someone or a group. As Christians, we are called to go and make disciples of all nations, of anyone that will listen and accept the good news of Jesus and to lead them to following Jesus and his commands. Which means we will be looked at and unfortunately, potentially judged for our actions.

Jesus gave us a new command in John 13 by saying ” we must love one another, like I have loved you…..BY THIS, all people will know you are my DISCIPLES.” – John 13:34 & 35

Then again in John 17, Jesus says ” I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of this world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world…..I do not ask this for these only, but also for those who WILL believe in me through their word, that they may be one just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me….” – John 17:15-21

To James’ point, can we have faith with out works….yes but it doesn’t mean much. On the flip side of that, can we just serve others with out the faith behind it….sure but that also doesn’t mean much because there is nothing attached to the deed. Sure you could be looked at a good person, but in the discourse of salvation, serving to check a box on a to-do list, doesn’t lead to being a disciple of Jesus.

Serving should first and foremost always come from the outpour of love that Jesus has given you and now you attempt to give to others.

As much as bible study and worship and small groups and prayer and silence and solitude are important to your discipleship with Jesus, if we neglect to serve also, then we are missing the whole picture of being a disciple of Jesus.

The question then is, where will you serve to be able to breath the life and love of Jesus out to others?

If you are reading this and are not serving, here is a painted picture worth thinking about:

Here at Harvester Christian Church, there are hundreds of places you can serve…….hundreds really.

Recently I asked just some of the ministries around HCC, what kind of volunteer numbers could they use right now…….150…..Meaning, we could use 150 more people to come and serve the church and the guests that are coming to church each and every week and month.

That number gets even larger when asked what would a dream number of volunteers be….one ministry said 200, another said 270!!

Imagine the kingdom impact we could make as a church if we all took one opportunity to serve in some way….what would it look like, what would it feel like, how would you be used to impact someone else’s life?

Can I challenge you…..take a moment and think about where you would want to serve, just TWO TIMES…what ministry would be it, how would you be serving?

Could it be that you want to help guests find a parking spot with our parking team?

Could it be opening a door for one of our disabled guests that struggle to open the door themselves?

Could it be serving behind the cafe counter helping our guests with some donuts to make the environment of Sunday morning warm and welcoming?

Could it be holding a crying baby until they fall asleep in your arms so that the parents can go and worship?

Could it be leading a small group of 2nd graders to help them understand how much God loves them?

Could it be flipping switches on our tech team in that back where if we didn’t have people, our services wouldn’t happen?

Could it be having conversation with our online guests to welcome them and help them have the best online experience they can?

Could it be helping a new family walk from Guest Central to Kids Check in to help them feel calm and welcomed as they bring their kids to Harvester Kids?

There are so many opportunities for you to step out, in faith, and serve those coming to Harvester Christian Church.

The question is, will you?

If you are interested, let us know or join us for Discover Harvester on June 9th, here is a link – Discover Harvester –

April 6, 2023

in Church, Global, Outreach

by Brendon

0 Comments

Serving Spotlight – Emily Windsor

Meet Emily Windsor!

I enjoy serving because _______,

It humbles me. It is a continual reminder that this life I am living isn’t about me. The things that I do and the accomplishments that I achieve aren’t for my glory, but for God’s. I love seeing the impact that I can make by simply showing up.

I got to serve and see this impact on ________

There are so many stories that I could share. A fond, impactful memory I have is when my team traveled to Haiti in 2016 to spend our spring break with orphaned girls at the House of Hope. We stayed there for a little under a week and got to share the love of Jesus Christ through storytelling, craft making, wall painting, and quality time. That week was very memorable for all of us and on the final day, when we were leaving the orphanage, I remember looking back at the kids, who were ever so sad to see us go. Seeing their eager waves goodbye and the smiles on their faces is when I knew, just by showing up, Christ’s love is revealed to others.

Serving has impacted me through, by ________

Sometimes in life, we don’t feel like we have the energy to serve others. As an introvert, I get this feeling more often than I wish. However, every time I do serve, especially if it’s with the right heart, I feel refreshed and renewed. I feel closer to Christ and am reminded of the many blessings I have and the opportunities that are right before me. Through serving, I am humbled and get to see things from a new perspective.

Where did/do you serve?

My passion is serving internationally! I have served in other areas of the church, such as in the nursery for many many years, but currently my passion is missions. For the past couple of years, I have heard God’s calling in my life toward international missions. It has only grown stronger after my return from Lebanon in 2022. I’ve been seeking out other avenues/locations to see what the Lord is doing and have trips planned to Nicaragua, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Middle East, and hopefully more!

What is your favorite thing about serving?

Growing Christ’s kingdom. To see more and more knees bow to the Lord. To see a lost person open up the Holy Bible and read about this man named Jesus. To be able to answer questions, to guide, and to be a friend. To experience other cultures and see how they praise the Lord. To be humbled.

What did/do you do while serving?

Every experience is different and I never assume what I will come across! The Lord has a way of showing you things you would’ve never thought you could do. I’ve loved on the little kiddos who come to Harvester, I’ve gone on service trips, such as the one mentioned earlier to Haiti, I’ve also done evangelistic trips and more. Personally, I love the trips where I get to share the gospel! I’m always taken back to the story of the woman at the well in John 4. This Samaritan woman, who only had a short encounter with Jesus and immediately went to tell the people about Him makes me wonder, where is our boldness and courage as Christians?! I have been prayerfully asking God to give me just that and He has! I can feel the Holy Spirit inside me as I write this, excited to be able to share my passion for the lost. There are so many people in this world, in our communities, and in our own homes who need to hear about Jesus Christ. It is my encouragement to you to be that woman at the well and go! Share about this man who knows you so personally that He can name your 5 husbands (John 4:18) and doesn’t condemn you but chooses to love you!

How has serving helped you grow in your relationship with God?

When I don’t serve, when I am dormant, I feel distant from God. I get stuck with my thoughts and that’s where the devil likes to attack. He likes to find us when we are focused on ourselves and then feeds us lies. I felt this way when I was in early high school. I was lost. I didn’t understand what my life was for and it wasn’t until I started serving with the right heart that I began to see that this life isn’t for me, it’s for God! I was put here on this earth to serve Him and to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20) Whenever I serve, I am reminded of what Jesus spoke here and feel close to Him.

How has serving helped you or others find and follow Jesus?

I will share a specific story from my month in Lebanon. There is a student, I’ll call him Mohammed, who is of the Muslim faith. He drew a liking to the group of Americans on his campus and began to tag along with us wherever we went. To the coffee shops, to the mall, on our excursions, everywhere and anywhere! He quickly became one of our closest friends. Every Sunday, our group attended church and every Sunday, Mohammed was invited but never came. Fast forward to our final Sunday there. It was routine

I didn’t expect to see any of our Lebanese friends come, but here he comes, walking down the aisle to sit with our group! My heart was overwhelmed with happiness, pure joy! This student, our friend, who was very devoted to the Muslim faith was sitting in a Christian church service! He got to hear how the Lord loves him in a way that was so foreign to him. He got to see our hearts pour out to a God who sees our sins and forgives us. It is my prayer that Mohammed has continued to wrestle with who Jesus Christ is. That the Lord is revealing Himself every day and that Mohammed can one day truly find and follow Jesus! Through serving, I get to share in these experiences and walk hand in hand with someone as they discover Jesus for themselves.

How has serving helped you unleash hope into our community?

My passion for international serving has fueled me while I am stateside! I get to share my experiences with coworkers, bosses, guests (I’m a server), friends, and family! It has been so special getting to share about what God is doing out of our borders with strangers. Every person who gets sat at my table, I try and strike up a conversation. I’ve lost count of how many people I’ve been able to share my faith with while at work. It always brings a smile to their faces and many ask where I go to church. Being able to have a job opportunity like this is a way I can serve right here in our community. It provides me with countless open doors to share the gospel and I know the Lord is using it to make a difference.

How did you get involved and start serving?

I grew up in the church. For as long as I can remember I’ve been serving in some capacity. As far as international serving goes, the first trip I took was in 2016 to Haiti. This trip really sparked my interest in overseas missions. After that, I followed what society tells a young girl to do. I went to college, got married, and got a “big girl job” (as I like to call it). All of that changed in 2021 when I found out that my husband was having an affair and wasn’t willing to repair what was broken. Now, still going through a divorce, with a different job, and with only an Associate’s Degree I see that what society says is the right path isn’t always so. I am blessed to be where I am today and know that the path the Lord made was so much more beautiful than my own. Christ rekindled the flame in me toward missions and I am doing my best to be faithful to this calling!

What leads you to serve?

The joy that it brings me! Knowing that I am giving someone the hope of Jesus will never be a waste of time.

We would love to hear your testimony .

Hi, my name is Emily Windsor and I am 24 years old. I grew up going to church, reading Bible stories, and learning about who Jesus was. It wasn’t until I was in middle school, however, that I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Before then, I always knew He loved me, but I didn’t understand just how deeply. I didn’t grasp that I was a sinner in need of a Savior. But one Sunday, I remember the Pastor speaking about how we are full of sin and don’t deserve forgiveness or grace, but God gives it to us regardless. All we must do is believe in Him, believe in His son and what He did for us on that cross, and ask for forgiveness. I remember praying at that very moment for the Holy Spirit to enter my life.
Fast forward a few years, I was in college and thoroughly enjoyed every Sunday. Going to church and spending time with fellow believers is something I cherish. One such person I met, I fell in love with and we got married shortly thereafter. Sorrowfully, after just shy of a couple of years of marriage, I discovered that my husband was having an affair. I will spare you the full details and state that, if it wasn’t for Christ, I wouldn’t be where I am today. He was with me every step of the way. He showed me that, even though He may have orchestrated our marriage, the devil is powerful, sin is powerful and it led my husband to do some awful things. Now, today, I can say that I have forgiven my husband for what he did. Being a follower of Christ doesn’t mean that I will live a cushy life with no pain. But it does guarantee that I have Him to run to for refuge, for comfort.
After the separation from my husband, I rediscovered my love for mission work. My experience gave me a new perspective on how I had been living and what was driving my day-to-day life. I wasn’t living for God’s glory, but my own. I’m not saying I’m perfect today, far from it in fact, but I can say that it has made me realize that life is too short here on this earth to not share my faith. I yearn for everyone to have that rock to lean on and that steady hand to guide them in difficult times.
Since then, I have been out of the country twice and have loved every single moment! From the Middle East to Europe, I yearn for God’s ultimate calling on my life. I continue to seek opportunities and am asking for prayer as I go through this journey. I pray that I can be an encourager to those in my community and to those around the world. My hope and prayer for you, dear reader, is that you find the calling the Lord is placing on your heart. But remember, in all things, go and make disciples!

Global

Job posting with Harvest Initiative

Faith without works, is dead

Serving Spotlight – Emily Windsor

Meet Emily Windsor!

From the HCC Outreach Team: