Third Reformed Church takes seriously the responsibility to reach out and become more missional in our focus as a congregation.
Please prayerfully consider your involvement in the following 2009 G.O. (Global Outreach) Trips...
If you would like more info or to register for any of these trips, please contact the church office... 269-375-4815.
Red Lake Reservation, Red Lake, Minnesota
July 11-19, 2009
Participant Cap: 70
Age Range: Senior High & Incoming 9th graders
Coordinated by Group Workcamps, this trip will be a dynamic, transformational, faith-building mission experience. We will join up to 400 other students from around the country in providing needed home repairs in Christ's Name for the low-income, disabled and elderly residents of the Red Lake Chippewa Nation. For more information, contact Pastor Darren Tigelaar, 375-4815.
Trip Cost: $599 (Travel, meals, lodging and construction supplies)
Level of Difficulty: 1 (on a scale of 1-5 with 5 as the most challenging)
Jesus Loves Kazoo
Jesus Loves Kzoo
Join us as we FLOOD God’s love throughout downtown
The
To build unity among Christ-following churches in the city
To show the love of Jesus in a tangible way by reaching out into the neighborhoods with food and prayer – boosting ongoing street ministry efforts
Two opportunities available:
1) Grill Nights / Prayer Walks (5-8 PM) – cost: $10 for t-shirt. Sign up for one or more nights. Pre-registration IS necessary! Call the church office, 269-375-4815!
2) Five-Day Teen Mission Experience -- $75 (covers food, lodging, t-shirt, supplies)
Age: 13 – 18, plus adult leaders. Join other teens and adults from several area churches! We will be open to teens from several churches. The mission team will sleep in a downtown church, do service projects in the morning and help with Grill Nights / Prayer Walks in the evening. Pre-registration IS necessary! Call the church office, 269-375-4815!
T-Shirts Available:
Show your support and get your JESUS LOVES KZOO T-SHIRTS. The cost is only $10; proceeds support the downtown outreach. Get them at the Jesus Loves Kzoo table in the lobby or call the church office!
We need YOUR help! Would you be willing to donate:
- Hot Dogs
- Hot Dog Buns
- Condiments
- Chips
- Water
- Face Paint
Please contact the church office if you are able to help with the donations! 269-375-4815!
Ecuador
Date: July 30 - August 9, 2009
Cost: Participant Cap: 15
Age Range: Adults and teenagers accompanied by parents
Quito is the capital of this small, impoverished nation in South America, a city surrounded by beautiful mountain peaks. Although located very near the equator, the climate is mild due to the high altitude (9300 ft.) and Quito is known as the “land of eternal spring.” Third has a long-standing relationship with missionaries Carlos and Becki Pinto and we will join them in their work there. We will stay at a guesthouse and will work with two local churches to minister to children and adults. We also plan to visit an indigenous church in the highlands which has many material and spiritual needs. The trip is highly relational. No mission experience or special skills are required.
The cost for the trip including roundtrip airfare from Kalamazoo, ground transportation, meals and lodging is $1450 (cost subject to change based on airfare rates). It will be an amazing way to spend part of your summer, sharing God's love with those in need and enjoying true community with brothers and sisters in Christ. For more information, please contact Pastors Daniel or Jonathan at 375-4815.
Trip Cost: Approx $1450 (depending on airfare) (Airfare, meals and lodging)
Level of Difficulty: 3 or 4 (on a scale of 1-5 with 5 as the most challenging)
LOCAL OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES...
To volunteer with any of these ministries, please call the church office for further contact information...
Restore Ministries
Mission: To assist those coming out of incarceration by providing spiritual support, help with housing, employment, transportation, and readjustment to life in the community.
Ways to get involved:
- Prayer support for those currently in prison and those coming out
- Prayer support for those who serve as VIPs (Very Important Partners) or spiritual mentors to staff and programs.
- Regular financial support for staff and programs.
- Volunteer as a VIP (Spiritual Mentor).
- Employers can hire those coming out of prison.
Kalamazoo Deacon's Conference
Mission: A Christian ministry to provide relief and development that shares Christ's love with people in need.
Ways to get involved:
- Volunteer as a servant - listen to guests who seek help with clothing, personal care needs, furniture and appliances.
- Warehouse volunteers - Load and unload donations and small appliance repair.
- Clothing volunteers - Sort and hang clothes, assist guests.
Forgotten Man Ministries
Mission: To place Chaplains in Michigan County Jails to give the Gospel and through the teaching of God's Word to win men and women to Christ.
Ways to get involved:
- Donate underwear, t-shirts, and socks for men and women
- Donate stamped postcards and stamps
- Donate puzzles and books
Kalamazoo Gospel Mission
Mission: Changing lives through the power of Christ.
Ways to get involved:
- Prepare and/or serve meals
- Sort food donations
- Sort, receive or display donations for Rescued Treasures Thrift Store
Detail cars - Donate personal care items, clothing, bedding, furniture, appliances, or anything used in the home
- General maintenance work
- Drive truck for donation pick-up
Dream Center
Mission: "To Care, Share, and Work There." We want to show the people of Kalamazoo, especially those located within the inner-city that someone cares. This means that we want to share with them the things that will first meet their physical needs which will lend to the privilege of sharing Jesus Christ who will ultimately meet their spiritual needs. We can only do this as we work there in the proximity of where the people are who are in the midst of desperate need.
Ways to get involved:
- Financial support
- Volunteer as a clothing worker, receptionist, administrative helper, Alternative Women's Care adviser, or cleaning helper.
- Adopt-A-Block worker. Join our staff on Saturday mornings to build relationships with those in the inner-city.
- Prayer partner
Martha's Table
Mission: To provide an intimate environment for church communities and homeless people to build nurturing, long term, mutually transforming relationships with one another.
Ways to get involved:
- Serve as a host for the service one week out of the year.
- Contact Third Reformed for other needs
SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES...
Service Opportunities: Mission Task Force
There are many service volunteer positions we are trying to fill that would be a part of a new Mission Task Force. With our restructuring and new focus we have designed job descriptions in "bite size" portions that will help us achieve our vision for missions together. Please contact: Daniel Teerman, Pastor of Evangelism and Missions (PEM) for more information at 375-4815.
Deacon's Outreach Coordinator “provide oversight to the 10-12 local ministries directly supported by Third Reformed Church deacons." Duties include: working with deacons to build relationships with each local ministry: connecting weekly with the director of each ministry to assess needs and ways to support the ministry; arranging small groups, volunteers and members of the congregation to fill needs of the ministries such as: servers, mentors and other care giving. Also, communicate the specific needs of the local ministries (as they arise) to the congregation through bulletin, email, website, slides and verbal announcements. 10-15 hours per week (or 2 positions).
Local Project Coordinator - Help coordinate large-scale events that connect the congregation to reaching the community, such as: Habitat for Humanity, special Community Center Outreach events; community service projects (leaf raking/snow shoveling day); home/church repair (i.e. Vanguard church plant remodel; widow home repairs); car repair for single moms/widows. Part of coordinating the events is communicating to the congregation/community through bulletins, newspaper, website and verbal/slide announcements. 3-5 hours per week.
Missionary Care Coordinator - care for missionaries of Third: monthly communication with missionaries, respond to financial and other concerns, help with furlough arrangements, arrange meetings with PEM when on furlough, work with bulletin board, website and other mediums to get current information to the congregation in a way that protects and advocates each missionary, notify PEM of any change of status or emergency with any missionary, receive ministry reports and summarize, communicate possible mission team connection to PEM, monitor support being sent on time to missionaries. Work with Advocate volunteers and small groups. 10-15 hours per week (or 2 positions).
Disaster Relief Coordinator - work with Church World Service (RCA) and other organizations in the event of a natural disaster. Have a trained team ready to go in coordination with other first response organizations to help clear disaster areas and secure people and possessions. Have a second trained team of construction workers able to go to rebuild the community affected by the disaster. Communicate with the congregation by directing support and ways they can get involved. (Seasonal)
Fund Raising Coordinator - Work with short-term mission teams and multiple volunteers to manage a comprehensive fund raising strategy involving 3-4 large events, team projects and individual support raising. Help with ideas and implementation, especially centering on the management of the large events. 10-15 hours per week during peak season - Oct.-April.
Support Tracker and Scholarship Counselor - short term mission management of database of support using a central system, send reminders of funds due dates to trip participants, work with those struggling to raise support, help with ideas and guide through scholarship process, work with finance to process contribution receipts, send names of givers to participants for "thank you" cards. Work closely with the Fund Raising Coordinator. 5 hours a week.
Travel Coordinator - work with short-term mission hosts, research costs to determine trip costs, book travel - airlines, ground transport, lodging and food - and trip itinerary for entire trip. Communicate all travel arrangements with PEM and Training Coordinator. 5-10 hours per week.
Training Coordinator - work with the Travel Coordinator and the PEM to communicate forms and logistical information to each short-term mission team. As part of the training, help with: copies, logistics and details for pre-trip preparation. When teams return, assist with details concerning the debriefing and re-entry process. 5 hours a week (revolving around trips).
Mission Videographer and Presentation Creator - collect photos and videos of each trip, help each team put together a professional presentation of their experience for each to have as part of their debrief process, but also packaged in a way that can be presented to the congregation for greatest impact. Also, help missionaries put together presentations for when they return (if they don't have anything recent) and be the tech person that helps with any mission type presentation. Work in coordination with the Mission Care Coordinator. (Seasonal)
Tech Comm Creator - This person would bring the newest of technology and communications to the missions program at Third. Help with: website interaction with short-term mission teams and long team missionaries and the congregation; create blog pages; introduce Skype and other real-time technologies to connect missionaries with the congregation. 5 hours a week.
