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serving Tag

June 17, 2025
in Alleviation of Poverty, Community Partner, GiveHope, HCC, Local, Outreach
by cefiggins
0 Comments

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
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May 1, 2025
in Local, Mental Health, Outreach, packapack, School Outreach, Serve Teams, The Sharing Shed
by cefiggins
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May 2025 Newsletter

First Things First

In the busyness of outreach—packing groceries, loving teachers and schools, caring for our unhoused neighbors, mentoring kids—it’s easy to pour ourselves out until we’re running on empty. But God never meant for our service to come from exhaustion. He calls us to serve from a place of rest. 

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
—Matthew 6:33 (ESV) 

God established the Sabbath not as a burden, but as a gift—a rhythm of rest and renewal that reminds us: our worth is not in what we do, but in Whose we are. 

As HCC Outreach volunteers, we love well when we live well—rested, rooted, and responsive to the Spirit. When we put God first in our weeks, our days, and our decisions, everything else falls into place—not always easily, but in order. The Sabbath helps reorient our hearts so we can give our best, not just what’s left. 

This month, let’s choose to rest with God before we work for God. Saving the best of ourselves—our time, our attention, our affection—for Him first is the most powerful way to love our neighbors well. 

May Serving Opportunities Looking for serving opportunities? Check out our new link on the  “big” church website! https://harvester.cc/outreach-events 

FHSD: God is opening doors for us left and right in the Francis Howell School District. However, it does require us to have many more volunteers complete the volunteer background check through FHSD. Even if you are cleared to serve at HCC you must complete the FHSD process. We will need at least 8 clear volunteers to serve at an immunization clinic in August and 15 cleared volunteers to participate in a pilot math tutoring program later this fall. Processing can take up to six weeks. Let’s get this done by June please!  

Good Neighbor Serve Group: Did you know we have a group of Harvester folk who answer the call when our members or neighbors need lawns mowed, simple repairs, or heavy items fixed? Let me know if you would like to be added to this group to be notified of needs.  

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 5-9. We have a ton of ways to show our local school teachers and staff how much we appreciate all they do in our neighborhoods!  

Sharing Shed: We have had such a response to serving at The Sharing Shed. They have provided a few more opportunities, but we need your input on how we are going to best divide this serve group. Be sure to complete this survey so we know the best way to communicate with you. It’s very important to RSVP to the event as a limited number of people can serve effectively at The Sharing Shed.  

Work Day at The Sharing Shed 

Saturday, May 17 9:00 –11:00 

Pack A Pack 

We have a goal to collect enough school supplies for 800 local children in need this year! Are you a small business owner or have access to a doctor, dentist, insurance agent, or small shop? Could you consider serving as a Pack A Pack Collection site June 1-30? Email Carissa to learn more about how you can have an impact on the community using your gifts, talents, and blessings. Huge shoutout to those HCC businesses who have already said yes! We have a goal to have ten businesses in total.

  • CC3 Solutions 
  • Dailey Chiropractic 
  • Edward Jones 
  • Midwest Scuba 
  • Tequila Restaurant  
Prayers: 

Pray the most audacious prayers this month for our neighborhoods. Pray for those seemingly impossibilities! Is it Satan’s release on someone’s mental health or freedom from addiction? Is it curing someone of cancer? Is it for safe, affordable housing for our unhoused neighbors? Is it for child abuse and neglect to be non-existent in St Charles County? Is it for 300 foster children in St Charles County to return to safe homes or find safe havens in adoptive families?

Comment below what you are praying for!  

 Resources:  

In these present times, our mental fitness requires us now more than ever to renew our minds with the Lord. Check out this new study from Kyle Idleman in Right Now Media.  https://app.rightnowmedia.org/en/content/details/920259 

“Jesus said, ‘Come to me all you who are weary and I will give you rest.’ This You Version plan is an invitation to partake in God’s abiding rest with many practical ways to make rest a lifestyle. This one discipline could deepen your intimacy with God and change the fruitfulness of your life.” Check out this Bible Study by yourself or with a friend! https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/25341-sabbath-living-from-rest 

Here is an interesting podcast from the Think Biblically Podcast How does a Christian view of mental health compare and contrast with a secular perspective? Are we in a mental health crisis today? And how do we best love our family and friends who are suffering from mental illness. In this video and podcast, Sean and Scott talk with Rosemead Professor Chris Adams about these questions and more. Dr. Adams shares about the new Flourishing in Ministry resource that helps pastors and churches address mental health. See www.flourishinginministry.org. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd0DoddNSCs 

 Recommended Reading:  

The Body Keeps Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk  

It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way by Lisa Terkeurst 

Troubled Minds by Amy Simpson 

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March 6, 2025
in Community Partner, Food Backpack Program, HCC, Local, Ministry Partner, Outreach, packapack, Safe Families for Children, School Outreach, Serve Teams
by cefiggins
0 Comments

Is Your Small Group Ready To Serve?

With winter finally melting away and Daylight Savings time just around the corner many of us are also coming back to life! I have heard that many small groups have been on hold since the holidays with the onslaught of rough weather and long weeks of illness. Is your small group coming back to life? Are they starting to talk about how they can serve their community? Here are a few ideas to get them going!

1. The HCC Food Backpack Ministry serves about 100-120 local students every week. Your small group can help these children who experience food insecurity by hosting a food drive. This is an easy way to get neighbors involved near your host home as well. Collect canned ravioli, individual mac n cheese, nut-free snacks such as granola bars, beef jerky, and healthy fruit snacks. Plan a special time to pray over these students and families hit with hard times.

2. In the same vein, on average the HCC Food Pantry provides groceries for 130 clients. Could your small group consider hosting a canned food drive to help keep the pantry shelves stocked?

3. Does your small group enjoy being outdoors? Could they consider weeding and mulching at one of our local schools on a weeknight? Would they enjoy helping to keep the Journey Trails free of weeds and trash?

4. Does your small group have the gift of hospitality? Could they consider hosting one of our teacher appreciation breakfasts or lunches? Could they stock and deliver our WOOT WOOT cart, a snack and drink cart, to one of our local school partners?

5. Does your small group love shopping? Could they consider collecting 24 packed backpacks this summer for Pack A Pack? Could they purchase children’s socks and underwear for HCC Back To School events?

6. Is your small group packed with Prayer Warriors? Could they consider joining our monthly School Outreach Pray and Prep where we pray over local schools, administrators, teachers, and students?

7. Does your small group like to plan and host parties and fun events? Could they consider helping to organize community breakfasts or dinners for our community and ministry partners to come to HCC to be encouraged? Or help plan a teacher appreciation dinner?

8. Does your small group love children? Could they consider becoming a Family Friend or a Host Family with Safe Families for Children?

9. Does your small group have a heart for individuals living with disabilities? Could they consider connecting with our ministry partner Joni & Friends and serving at summer camps or family retreats this summer?

10. Does your small group’s heartbreak for our unhoused neighbors? Could they consider serving at a cooling center this summer or a warming center in the winter?

BONUS option: Does your small group want to serve but is not sure where to start? Consider inviting Carissa Figgins, our local Outreach Pastor to visit your small group and learn more about how your small group can lead others to find and follow Jesus!

Make sure each of your small group members subscribes to this blog and is following the HCC Outreach- St Charles Campus Facebook page to stay up to date on serving opportunities and more!

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March 3, 2025
in Church, Community Partner, HCC, Local, Ministry Partner, Outreach, Safe Families for Children, School Outreach, Serve Teams, The Sharing Shed, Uncategorized
by cefiggins
0 Comments

March 2025 Edition: What’s Coming in HCC Local Outreach & Beyond

March 2025 Edition: What’s Coming in HCC Local Outreach & Beyond
Thank You Father

On Sunday Nikomas preached on Gratitude. I had the vantage point of sitting up top during the third service. As I looked down I saw two of our warming center guests praising God with all of their might during a sermon on gratitude I saw one of our members who I know is battling harsh health issues praising with all their might during a sermon on gratitude. I saw one of our Local Outreach volunteers who I know is going through a rough family season praising with all of their might during a sermon on gratitude. That was one of the “Thank You Fathers” I wrote down in my phone. Thank you Father for examples of spiritual giants who praise you and thank you and keep a laser focus on you no matter what life throws their way.” I would love for you to share one of your “Thank You Fathers” in the comments of the blog!

Local Outreach Updates:
In order to focus on the For The One Campaign we had very few events in February. But if you attended one of the vision nights I know you got a piece of the momentum and excitement. I personally loved when we turned to our neighbors and prayed with 3-4 people seated around us for courage and for our One. Be sure to sign up for a time slot for the 24 Hours of Prayer. Commitment Sunday is coming up on March 9th. Continue praying about how God wants you to share his gifts to go above and beyond your normal giving.

I have been working hard to build out this blog with useful information. You can now find an overview of all current serving opportunities as well as many specific volunteer descriptions. Make it a goal to share those links with people in your small group this month.

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February 27, 2025
in Child Welfare, HCC, Local, Ministry Partner, Outreach, Safe Families for Children, Serve Teams, Volunteer Spotlight
by cefiggins
2 Comments

Volunteer Job Description: Family Friend

Volunteer Job Description: Family Friend

Purpose:

  • Ephesians 4:11-12: “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”
  • Harvester Christian Church is dedicated to caring for the least of these. One of the ways we do this is by providing support and encouragement to Harvester Christians who have made the decision to be Safe Families, Foster Families, or Adoptive Families. Safe Family Friends play a crucial role in encouraging and strengthening these families through various means of support.

Key Responsibilities:

Prayer Support: Commit to praying regularly for Safe Families, Foster Families, and Adoptive Families within the Harvester community.

Practical Support: Provide practical assistance such as:

  • Dropping off diapers or essential supplies.
  • Preparing and delivering occasional meals.
  • Offering babysitting services for a few hours to give parents a break.
  • Providing transportation to appointments or school.

Emotional Support: Offer encouragement and a listening ear to families, providing a sense of community and understanding.

Flexible Assistance: Be available for other support tasks as needed, ensuring families feel supported and valued.

 

Qualifications:

  • Commitment to the mission and values of Harvester Christian Church through membership.
  • Completion of Belong and/or Discover Harvester class (highly recommended, though not required).
  • A heart for serving and supporting Safe Families host families, foster or adoptive families in need.
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to handle sensitive situations with confidentiality and compassion.

 Time Commitment:

  • Flexible and variable based on the needs of the families and the availability of the volunteer.
  • Regular check-ins with the Safe Family/Foster/Adopt Crew Leader to ensure families’ needs are being met effectively.

Training and Support:

  • Initial orientation and training will be provided to familiarize volunteers with the role and responsibilities.
  • Complete Core Training and Sexual Abuse Prevention Training through Safe Families for Children
  • Ongoing support and resources will be available through Harvester Christian Church.

Benefits:

Spiritual Growth: Deepen your faith through acts of service and prayer, fulfilling the call to love and support others as Christ loves us.

Community Connection: Build meaningful relationships with other volunteers and families within the Harvester Christian Church community.

Personal Fulfillment: Experience the joy and satisfaction that comes from making a positive impact on families who are caring for children in need.

Skill Development: Enhance your skills in areas such as caregiving, communication, and organization.

Flexibility: Enjoy a role that offers flexible hours and tasks that can fit into your personal schedule.

 

Reporting To: Crew Leader for Safe Families/Foster/Adopt

By serving as a Family Friend, you will be making a tangible difference in the lives of families who have opened their hearts and homes to children in need. Your support, whether through prayer, practical assistance, or emotional encouragement, helps to build up the body of Christ and strengthens our community.

 

Contact:

For more information or to sign up, please contact

Carissa Figgins

Local Outreach Pastor

cfiggins@harvester.cc

 

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February 27, 2025
in Church, HCC, Local, Outreach, Serve Teams, Volunteer Spotlight
by cefiggins
1 Comment

Volunteer Job Description: Administrative Ministry Volunteers

Volunteer Job Description: Administrative Ministry Volunteers

Purpose:

  • Local Outreach is in need of administrative volunteers. Administrative Ministry Volunteers play an essential role in the life of the Local Outreach, contributing to the effective administration and coordination of ministry tasks and activities. This is a wonderful opportunity to use your skills to serve the community and support the mission of the church.
  • Ephesians 4:11-12: “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”

Key Responsibilities:

Database Entry: Maintain and update Local Outreach databases with accurate and timely information.

Sorting and Organizing Supplies: Manage and organize ministry supplies, ensuring everything is in order and accessible.

Event Preparation: Assist in preparing for events, including setting up materials, coordinating logistics, and ensuring everything runs smoothly.

Copying and Printing: Handle copying and printing tasks for various ministry needs.

Administrative Support: Provide general administrative support to the Local Outreach team, including answering phones, responding to emails, and other tasks as needed.

 

Qualifications:

  • Commitment to the mission and values of Harvester Christian Church through membership.
  • Completion of Belong and/or Discover Harvester class (highly recommended, though not required).
  • Strong organizational and administrative skills.
  • Proficiency with basic office software (e.g., Microsoft Office, Google Workspace).
  • Attention to detail and accuracy in completing tasks.
  • Ability to handle sensitive information with confidentiality and discretion.
  • Good communication and interpersonal skills.

Time Commitment:

Flexible hours based on volunteer availability and ministry needs.

Regular commitment preferred (e.g., weekly or bi-weekly).

 

Training and Support:

  • Initial orientation and training provided to familiarize volunteers with their roles and responsibilities.
  • Ongoing support and resources available through the Local Outreach team.

Benefits:

Spiritual Growth: Deepen your faith through acts of service and contributing to the mission of the church.

Community Impact: Play a vital role in supporting the church’s outreach efforts and making a positive difference in the community.

Personal Fulfillment: Experience the joy and satisfaction that comes from using your skills to support ministry activities.

Skill Development: Enhance your administrative and organizational skills in a practical setting.

Networking: Connect with other church members and volunteers who share a commitment to serving the community.

Flexibility: Choose volunteer hours that fit your schedule, allowing you to serve in a way that complements your personal and professional commitments.

 

Reporting To: Outreach Ministry Coordinator

 

Contact:

For more information or to sign up, please contact

Jillian Hohensee

Outreach Ministry Assistant

jhohensee@harvester.cc

 

By serving as an Administrative Ministry Volunteer, you will be making a significant contribution to the effective operation of Local Outreach activities and events. Your dedication and skills will help build up the body of Christ and support the church’s mission to serve the community.

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February 27, 2025
in Local, Outreach, Serve Teams
by cefiggins
0 Comments

Volunteer Job Description: Emergency Weather Response (EWR) Crew Member

Volunteer Job Description: Emergency Weather Response Crew Member(EWR)

Vision: We envision the area churches in St. Charles, Lincoln, and Warren County will provide safe overnight sleep to protect our homeless neighbors from dangerous inclement weather.

Purpose:

  • Harvester Christian Church is a part of a county-wide initiative called Emergency Weather Response (EWR) that is activated if the temperatures are predicted to be 20 degrees or below overnight. We are part of a network that opens its doors as a Free Warming Center 1-2 weeks a year to provide our homeless neighbors safe sleeping accommodations for the night. Each night of activation, teams of 3 volunteers serve 4 or 8-hour shifts between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. to provide hospitality to these homeless neighbors.
  • Ephesians 4:11-12: “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”

 

Key Responsibilities:

Hospitality: Welcome and assist homeless neighbors as they arrive, ensuring they feel safe and comfortable.

Monitoring: Supervise the warming center throughout the night, maintaining a peaceful and secure environment.

Support Services: Provide basic amenities such as blankets, hot drinks, and snacks.

Assistance: Help with setting up and cleaning the warming center before and after use.

Coordination: Communicate with other volunteers and team leaders to ensure smooth operation during shifts.

 

Qualifications:

  • Commitment to the mission and values of Harvester Christian Church through membership.
  • Completion of Belong and/or Discover Harvester class (highly recommended, though not required).
  • Compassion and a heart for serving the homeless community.
  • Ability to work in a team and communicate effectively.
  • Flexibility to serve during late-night and early-morning hours.
  • Willingness to undergo any necessary training or background checks.

 

Time Commitment:

Flexible shifts of 4 or 8 hours between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. during activation periods from November to March.

Harvester Christian Church is expected to provide volunteers to serve 1-2 weeks per year during activation periods. 2024-25 Schedule TBD

 

Training and Support:

  • Initial orientation and training are provided by the EWR Network typically in early November to prepare volunteers for their roles.
  • Ongoing support and resources are available through Harvester Christian Church and the EWR initiative.

 

Benefits:

Spiritual Growth: Deepen your faith through acts of service and compassion, living out Christ’s call to serve the least of these.

Community Impact: Make a tangible difference in the lives of our homeless neighbors during extreme weather conditions.

Personal Fulfillment: Experience the joy and fulfillment that comes from providing critical support to those in need.

Skill Development: Enhance your skills in hospitality, crisis management, and teamwork.

Flexible Scheduling: Choose shifts that fit your availability, allowing you to serve in a way that complements your schedule.

 

Reporting To: EWR Crew Leader

 

Contact:

For more information or to sign up, please contact Carissa Figgins

Local Outreach Pastor

cfiggins@harvester.cc

 

By serving on the Emergency Weather Response Team, you will be providing essential support to our homeless neighbors during extreme weather conditions. Your dedication and compassion will help build up the body of Christ and demonstrate the love of Jesus to those in need.

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December 18, 2024
in Child Welfare, GiveHope, Jesus, Local, Mental Health, Ministry Partner, Outreach, Uncategorized
by cefiggins
0 Comments

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.
If you are interested in learning more about how you can get involved in the Joni and Friend ministry email Kevin Mullins 
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December 17, 2024
in Food Backpack Program, Guest Services, HCC, Local, Outreach, packapack, School Outreach, Serve Teams, Volunteer Spotlight
by cefiggins
0 Comments

Volunteer Spotlight: Ken Sabo

At Harvester Christian Church, we love highlighting how God works through our volunteers, and Ken Sabo is a powerful example of His hands at work. Ken’s service is not about recognition but about responding to God’s call to impact His kingdom. Through Ken’s obedience and heart for others, God brings hope, joy, and transformation to those he encounters. This story isn’t about Ken; it’s about the incredible things God is doing through him to glorify His name and lead people to find and follow Jesus. Continue reading below to learn more about Ken and his obedience to God through service to others!
Where do you serve with Local Outreach? 
I serve in the Food Pantry, the Parking Crew, the Backpack Program (which provides food for children at local schools who may not have the means to be fed on weekends), Local Outreach events at schools in the area, and other service projects through the church as needed.
How are your gifts and talents used in this service?
God uses my ability to serve others and to help meet their needs.
What inspired you to start volunteering with Harvester Christian Church Local Outreach?
When I first started serving, I was at Guest Central. One hot Sunday, our Then-Local Outreach pastor (Kevin Hamilton) asked me to drive the golf cart to pick up people and take them to the Worship Center. At that point, I wanted to keep doing more.
How has serving impacted your personal relationship with Jesus?
It has brought me closer to Him. Realizing that He made sacrifices for me, I should sacrifice my time and talents to help increase the size of the Kingdom and show His love to others.
What advice would you give to someone considering volunteering for Local Outreach at Harvester?
It is real easy to get plugged into a program that needs help. You can try one and if you feel that is not a fit for you, switch to another until you find one that works for you.
How do you see God working through the Local Outreach efforts at Harvester?
I see that we can all help to grow the Kingdom in some way, whether it is large or small part. Every part counts.
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December 9, 2024
in Discipleship, HCC, Jesus, Local, Outreach, packapack, School Outreach, Volunteer Spotlight
by cefiggins
0 Comments

Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Shannon Sebastian

Meet Shannon Sebastian, a dedicated Local Outreach volunteer at Harvester Christian Church who humbly embodies a heart for service. While volunteers like Shannon rarely seek the spotlight, we believe it’s important to highlight how God is moving through individuals to transform our community. Shannon’s commitment to unleashing the hope of Jesus shines through in her faithful service, and her story serves as an inspiring reminder of the power of generosity and compassion. Let’s celebrate what God is doing through Shannon and the ripple effects of her faithful work in our local outreach efforts!

Where do you serve with Local Outreach? 

Food Pantry, pack a pack. Tree House of Greater St Louis
How are your gifts and talents used in this service?
I love doing anything that I know is going to help kids. I also love to organize so packing backpacks for back to school and packing food for the schools is my jam! Also, I have been around horses most of my life so working at Tree House was working with therapy horses and kids. The looks on the kids’ faces when they were riding was all I needed to know I was where I was supposed to be.
What inspired you to start volunteering with Harvester Christian Church Local Outreach?
I started volunteering at HHC when my kids were little, I worked in the nursery. I worked full time back then so Sunday was pretty much the only day I didn’t work and I felt that I wanted to know the people I was going to church with and be part of the community. Over the past several years I have been fortunate to have more free time, so I have been able to do more with Food Pantry and the Pack a Pack programs.
How has serving impacted your personal relationship with Jesus?
I feel like God knew where I needed to be. I always knew I wanted to serve but wasn’t sure where. He pointed me in the right direction because He knew where my passion for kids would be put to good use.
What advice would you give to someone considering volunteering for Local Outreach at Harvester?
Do it!! There are so many opportunities, find what calls you. So many people think they don’t have time, it doesn’t take much to make an impact on a person in need. Once you start, you will want to do more! Get involved as a family or a couple, it can start all kinds of amazing conversations.
How do you see God working through the Local Outreach efforts at Harvester?
HCC is such a generous church. I have seen individuals and groups at our church do good things in the community and around the world. God knows that and He points us in the direction of where He knows we will share our love of Jesus and lead others to follow Him.
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September 14, 2024
in Discipleship, Jesus, Local, Outreach, Serve Teams
by cefiggins
1 Comment

A Little Raw & Honest Truth: Do We Need A Serve Week?

I will get right to the point. I debated for a long time this year on whether it was a good idea or not to organize another Serve Week for our HCC family. Let me be clear. My ping-ponging in my head was not about whether it was a good idea or a needed thing much less a commandment to serve. The Bible is pretty clear on that one. If you need a list of biblical proof you can find a growing list here.  

My concern is if I was giving people a reason NOT to serve. I worried that if we focused all of our attention and energy on this one week would we be fooled into thinking we had done our duty for the year. That somehow there was a spiritual checklist that we checked off serving one time that we were good to go until next year. I debated on perpetuating the idea that serving in this day and age had to be convenient, it had to fit in between this soccer game, this trip to the lake, this business engagement, and these two birthday parties, and if it was a full moon, and if it was not too hot and not too cold and with the people I know, doing a thing I know how to do that wasn’t too hard or too strenuous or too involved or too messy or if it interfered with my work-life balance. We tend not to commit to something ongoing or even one time as we wait to see if something better or more enticing or entertaining comes along.

Did I mention this post was a little raw and honest this time? 

I am genuinely worried that we are selling ourselves short of all the blessings God truly intends for us by offering ourselves up as a living sacrifice obedient to Him. There are loads of “feel good” reasons to serve. You no longer feel guilty about sidestepping your Local Outreach Pastor (wink, wink). It makes for some very likable Instagram posts. Science also tells us that serving makes us healthier, it helps us live longer fulfilling lives because we have a sense of purpose and identity in something greater than ourselves.  Our service directly glorifies Him. Serving isn’t a clickable option for living as a Jesus Follower. God hard-wired us to serve. Serving others is a form of worship. It puts us in our proper place and posture to God. But it’s also messy, And it doesn’t always work out into a neat social media post. And the people we serve are not always dripping with gratitude. And the people we serve with are just as likely to be stinky, biting, obstinant sheep like us. Serving is probably going to test our boundaries and push us way out of our comfort zone. It usually takes place during a time that doesn’t fit the family calendar.

Serving allows us to experience God’s presence in a new way. If we stop relying on an annual serving event to remind us that we are to love our neighbors as ourselves and rather allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit to serve others we start to see that the small, cumulative intentional acts of kindness, gentleness, and love in God’s name are what are truly pleasing to God. When we are real and authentic about serving, the cost of serving, the reason why we serve, and WHO we serve, this is what will lead our neighbors to find and follow Jesus.

we start to see that the small, cumulative intentional acts of kindness, gentleness, and love in God’s name are what are truly pleasing to God.

 

So here’s the confusing part about being raw and honest. God has cleared the way for Serve Week. 🙂

Our Good Neighbor Serve Week is September 28-October 3. I hope you will take advantage of some of the serving opportunities we have lined up to use your gifts and talents for God, connect to other HCC members, meet our neighbors at Fieldview Church who are also serving with us, to unleash the hope of Jesus. I also hope you and your life group will seek God and see where He wants you to consistently serve your neighbors again and again.

But my ultimate prayer is that you will wake every day asking God how you can love and serve others in His name through the everyday seemingly small but intentional acts of love. I hope you can’t help yourself because of what Jesus has done for you.

Click the link below to sign up for one of our

Good Neighbor Serve Week

serving opportunities here ==>

https://harvestercc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/487/responses/new

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August 22, 2024
in Alleviation of Poverty, Child Welfare, Church, Discipleship, Jesus, Local, Outreach
by Brendon
0 Comments

The Good Neighbor.

In Luke 10, we read a story that we have heard since we were kids, the Good Samaritan. It is a story that can encompass a lot of lessons learned throughout life. If you haven’t read the story or maybe haven’t read it as an adult…..take a moment to read it: 

 

” And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”  But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”  – Luke 10:25-37

 

It’s a fascinating story when you really dig into the content. First off, Jesus, being a master story/parable communicator, finds a man that is looking to catch him off guard and/or trick him into saying something that the Pharisee’s could use to arrest him, so Jesus uses a story to answer his question. Secondly, the content of the story revealed a glaring piece to not only the social status/structure, but also the image that some of these people that everyone would have known, had to the public. Lastly, Jesus uses a kind of a dark horse character in the end to illustrate the point of the story. 

 

This story, as much as it is about Jesus teaching about the two greatest commandments of the 10, but he also calls those that follow Him, to a goal in life: 

 

to be The Good Neighbor. 

 

That might look different for all of us. It might literally mean the person that lives right next store to you, in all reality those neighbors should be on your heart all the time, but it could also be someone that lives around the corner or up the street or around the block or in a different apartment building. It could be someone that lives in a completely different area. 

 

The thing about this story Jesus tells, is that it is in a random spot on the side of a dangerous road where this outside of the time, shows what it means to really show mercy to someone. The Good Samaritan in this case, was  The Good Neighbor. 

 

The question of our day, is will you be The Good Neighbor? 

 

John 13, gives us another example of what Jesus means by loving and being a good neighbor. In the upper room, before passover we see Jesus take the place of a servant, by bending down with a basin or water and a towel to wash his disciples feet. This was the role of typically a servant of the house to clean the guest’s feet, not the person sitting at the head of the table. But Jesus does this and then he looks at his disciples and says: 

 

” When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. ” – John 13:12-17

 

Even as Lord and Teacher and Rabbi and Messiah and King….Jesus showed us what it means to be The Good Neighbor. 

 

A few moments later, Jesus also commands his disciples to love one another and those around you just like Jesus loves them and that BY THAT LOVE SHOWN, people will know you are disciple of Jesus. 

 

As people, we have a hard time looking past our own situations and problems and seasons and tasks and home to-do lists and schedules and the rest of the things that keep us bogged down. What if as a group of people that love and follow Jesus, we look to be The Good Neighbor? Not just to our own neighborhood, but the one’s that need their lawns mowed or that need help moving or need help with getting a dresser up some stairs?? 

 

We have the ability and the time, we just need to think about re-prioritizing that time. 

 

If you would like to stay in touch with our Local Outreach opportunities — BE THE GOOD NEIGHBOR — click that link, it might bring you an experience that you don’t expect. 

 

When we allow God to work in our lives and then also through our lives……we can also be The Good Neighbor. 

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From the HCC Outreach Team:

Thanks so much for stopping by the Harvester Christian Church Outreach Team’s blog! We hope you find this resource helpful, insightful and encouraging as we strive to Unleash the Hope of Jesus back into our world!

This resource belongs to Harvester Christian Church in St. Charles, Mo.