Volunteer Spotlight: Mike Coumerilh
My name is Mike Coumerilh. My family found HCC in the summer of 2021 while Nikomas and the rest of the leadership were laying out the vision for us to encounter Jesus, become like Jesus, and unleash the hope of Jesus – something that resonates with us so much. Hearing this from the leaders confirmed to us that we belong right here, right now. And while we have plugged ourselves into multiple places here at HCC, I most recently volunteered to help with EWR, the Emergency Weather Response Team when Harvester was a warming center this winter for our unhoused neighbors. I believe we need to have a love of the Word (theologically sound preaching), a love for the Church (serve the local body), and a love for the world (reach and evangelize the lost). HCC clearly and intentionally makes room for each one of these. My focus for these last few years has been to do more to love the world. And volunteering for EWR does exactly that. Even though HCC has offered to be a ‘host’ church these last three years for EWR to shelter the homeless overnight, it had yet to be cold enough during our week to activate. This year was different. We activated four of the seven nights, including the first three consecutive! For my part, I volunteered to be available to stay overnight to ensure things went smoothly, to provide some sense of consistency each night, and hope the peace was kept. Given that I also have a full-time day job to report to each day, it was nothing short of supernatural to be able to go those more than 72 hours with less than 6 hours of sleep in total and still function at a normal level! There were some difficult moments, for sure. But God has promised to provide for ALL our needs (Philippians 4:19), especially where we are weak and lacking – and He truly did during that week. I may not have formal training in conflict resolution, but in Mark 13:11 Jesus instructs us in a slightly different context to “not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit” (ESV). I experienced exactly that multiple times throughout the week. There were also so many enjoyable and lighthearted moments all week long! The feeling you get when those whom you have been serving are walking out the door, pause to turn around, look you in the eyes and thank you with a gratitude from deep within their heart is incomparable! THAT is a warming center I want to be a part of!
In 1 Corinthians Paul lays out that while he has entitlements for who he is as an educated, free Apostle, he eagerly lays those aside for the LORD to use him to further the Gospel. In 1 Corinthians 9:12, 19-23 Paul exhorts us to stay out of the way of ourselves (and the Gospel) by being more relatable to those whom we are trying to reach. “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews, I became as a Jew in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law, I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” I will add….to the unshaven, I became unshaven so as to not stick out quite as much. 
Literally. For about a week before we activated, I hadn’t shaved (but even that wasn’t THAT significant, LOL). And while I was there, I tried to avoid wearing anything that made me look like I never wear the same shirt twice. I dressed down and left my clean clothes at home. If I’m going to have a chance to listen to someone’s story or talk with someone about the LORD, I don’t want them to be distracted with thinking about the “good life” I must be living!
I said earlier that the LORD provides for our needs (Philippians 4:19). This is never more evident than when you put yourself in a place of weakness and vulnerability! To live is Christ, and someday, to die will be gain. But for now, as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:12, I will endure anything (even staying up for almost 72 hours straight!) rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. It’s the least I can do (Matthew 25:31-46). His Spirit in me makes it easy given the reward of seeing the LORD touching the hearts of the lost. And to God be all the glory!
