This week at City Church marks our annual Diaconate Special Offering. Our deacons are a remarkable group of people doing God's work in the name of City Church, and this is the time of year when we get to replenish the fund that enables them to do their good work all year long.
Bravery in the economy of God's kingdom will always look different than it does to the rest of the world. In a culture (and especially in a part of the country) where self-sufficiency is prized, it takes a special kind of courage to ask for help. Every week at City Church there are people in the pews whose lives have thrown them for a loop, and the Deacons work with those folks to provide financial, emotional, and spiritual care. Relationships have been healed, marriages have been restored, lives have been changed, and the presence of Christ has been experience in a very tangible way by people in our community.
Here's how it works: Someone calls the Deacon hotline (listed online and in the worship folder). They leave a voicemail on a confidential line, and one of our Deacons calls them back no more than 48 hours later. The Deacon asks questions, comes to understand the person's situation, and establishes that they have some kind of relationship with City Church.
Following that conversation, the Deacon meets with the individual and they put together a plan. The plan involves a budget, counseling, and being paired up with two Deacons--one primary and one secondary. If someone comes in because of an emotional difficulty, the Deacons work with that person to create a schedule for counseling and regular care. If there is a financial crisis--someone can't make rent, has unexpected car repairs, has lost a job, needs help with medical bills, or so on--the Deacons are here to provide short-term care. Deacons offer one to one relational care and encourage deeper connection to the broader church community for additional support and care.
To date, the Diaconate Fund has been able been able to provide financial assistance for over 200 people. In the last year alone, 30 people have received financial, emotional, and spiritual care from our Deacons in various ways. This is one such story, from a woman named Jenilee:
My journey in the last year and a half has been the darkest and most challenging time of my life thus far. Death and grief and depression all ran like threads through the year, but God has still proven to be good and faithful. One of the ways he has shown his providence is through the resources and people available at City Church.They have kept me afloat, encouraged me and stood beside me, mourning while I mourn and rejoicing while I rejoice. I have truly experienced God's kingdom here on earth.
The support the Diaconate has provided for my emotional and spiritual health has been incredible. After some encouragement from friends I started seeking council through City Church's counseling center. The impact on my life just after the first couple of meetings was evident. Though I wanted to, because of my financial situation, I was unable to continue further in my sessions. Thankfully, the Diaconate was able to step in and provide the financial support I needed to continue my journey in my one-on-one counseling. I'm forever grateful for the love, support and grace I have experienced through the Diaconate.
These are the behind-the-scenes stories we rarely get to see or hear about. Diaconate support, through the work of the Deacons and the stewardship of our Diaconate Fund, is one of the most tangible ways our congregation works together in our mission to follow Christ to renew the city.
It may be that some day you need the help of the Diaconate. You may never need it. Those are both great reasons to give to the Diaconate Fund--as an investment in the health and wellness of our community. This is the work of the church. The people who call in--people you know, see, sit next to--are often people who never dreamed they would be in these circumstances. They are brave in asking for help, and it is a gift to devote ourselves to caring for our brothers and sisters when they--or we--are in need.
Simply select "02-Deacon Fund".
All proceeds will go to support the work of the Deacons with our community.
You can also give this weekend at our services by writing a check with "Deacon Fund" in the memo.