MAKING A DIFFERENCE STAN FRIEDMAN
A Church Steps Up to Help the Homeless
Mac spends Tuesdays at Take the Next Step. “I love it when I get an opportunity to pray with individuals and see them connect with God,” says Pastor Mac. “Everyone calls me ‘Pastor,’ whether they know my name or not.” Debbie is a marriage and family therapist who teaches parenting classes and works with at-risk teens through Take the Next Step. The ministry has opened the eyes of the Monroe Covenant congregation to the extreme circumstances in which some people live. Dozens of homeless kids come to the church weekly for sack lunches. A handful of teenagers live in a nearby wooded area. “It’s been an experience that has really made us stretch outside our comfort zone a lot,” Olson explains. “Most of us have
has taken a huge leap. There is a sense of purpose — that this is who God has made us to be.We just observe what God is doing and try to get on board.” Not surprisingly, the outreach also brings with it some challenging situations and interactions, says Pastor Mac.“Many of the people we work with lack some basic social skills; some have mental challenges. We are often lied to. But by faith, Monroe Covenant Church seems an we believe that some of the precious peounlikely place to start a job training and ple that God has entrusted to us will not educational support ministry, especially only get back on track from society’s when you learn that the ministry reached standpoint but will become strong folmore than 4,500 people in 2009. After lowers of Jesus Christ.” all, weekly worship attendance is usuOlson is not surprised that the small ally less than 50 people. congregation was able to make the minBut in 2005 the church launched istry a success. “It’s not about size,” she Take the Next Step, a ministry to help explains.“It’s about people’s hearts.We’re unemployed and homeless people. The very blessed to have a congregation that’s outreach met weekly in the church’s filled with compassion and goes the vacant parsonage, offering a hot meal “The congregation’s extra mile.” as well as family and job skills training. level of faith, prayer, Some of those who have received Since then, the program has become a assistance now attend the church. “It’s registered nonprofit organization assistand volunteer hours has made our church pretty diverse,” says ed by 15 different churches and comtaken a huge leap. There Olson. The Taylors served as missionarmunity groups. ies for 16 years in Costa Rica, so outLocal churches and a Scout troop is a sense of purpose — reach to the Hispanic community is provide dinner on Tuesday nights, folthat this is who God has another important part of their church’s lowed by classes on topics such as budmade us to be.” ministry. geting, computers, parenting, grief manOlson is grateful for the opportuagement, and Bible study.Take the Next Step also provides bus tickets and gas cards not personally known people with fel- nity to work with Take the Next Step. for those who need transportation to onies or who are drug addicts. We’ve “I know that God’s heart beats for the work, school, or medical appointments. learned a lot about why people are in people who suffer. I’ve gotten to know The idea for the project came in 2001 the situation they’re in. I used to think, a lot more about God’s heart. I’m just when church member Donna Olson, ‘Why don’t people just pull themselves very lucky that I’ve gotten to be in on who was teaching at a local welfare-to- up by their bootstraps? Why don’t they that.” N work program, asked if the congregation just try harder? Get with the program would offer its basement for graduation — finish school, go to college, get a job.’ Learn more at TheNextStepMonroe.org ceremonies. The church eagerly agreed. That’s what we all did. I didn’t realize (check out the moving “testimonial” video) “Within a year our congregation was life wasn’t a level playing field. In so and MonroeCov.org. fixing a luncheon for the families,” says many cases, there’s no way you can pull Stan Friedman is the news editor for the Olson, who is president of the Take the yourself up by your bootstraps.” The ministry has changed the church Evangelical Covenant Church and an ordained Next Step board.“So many of these folks were alone. They didn’t have any place and solidified its identity.“We all believe minister in the denomination.This article was that God is the one who caused Take the adapted from a piece that originally appeared to go where people respected them.” No one expected it to grow into Next Step to come to be and that he on the Evangelical Covenant Church website brings kids, teens, and adults to our door- (covchurch.org); © 2009, The Evangelical such a large ministry. Husband-and-wife team Mac and step,” says Pastor Mac. “The congregation’s Covenant Church. Reprinted with permission. DebbieTaylor co-pastor Monroe Covenant. level of faith, prayer, and volunteer hours All rights reserved. PRISM 2 0 1 0
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