His Hands

His Hands

His Hands Ministry:
The Social, Compassion, and Mercy Ministry of University Reformed Church

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. — 1 John 3:16-18

CONTEXT FOR THE INITIATIVE

One of the initiatives in URC’s Vision, 15 by 2010, is Mercy Ministry and Social Action. The initiative reads:

Initiative #9: To commission the diaconate to accomplish the following ministry goals:

9a. Provide more opportunities for our congregation to show mercy to the poor and needy, and address the causes of poverty, in the Lansing area and around the world.

9b. Explore ways to be more integrated and involved in the Lansing Christian Services network of care.

In pursuit of this item in URC’s vision statement, a group of URC members and attendees met, over the course of a number of three months (August – October 2006), and developed the following approach to pursuing a Social, Compassion, and Mercy Ministry at URC. The major components of the ministry are outlined in the sections that follow.

GOALS OF THE INITIATIVE

This initiative has several primary goals:

  1. Provide more opportunities for our congregation to show compassion and mercy to the poor and needy, and address the causes of poverty, in the Lansing area and around the world.
  2. In addition to carrying out hands-on social, compassion, and mercy ministry, this ministry initiative will work to foster:
    1. A culture of social, compassion, and mercy ministry at URC, thus making such a ministry a fundamental part of URC’s identity
    2. Disciples capable of carrying on social, compassion, and mercy ministry
  3. Integrate social, compassion, and mercy ministry with evangelism

VISION OF THE INITIATIVE

“Honoring God with the resources He has given us, every member of our church body, in selfless generosity, becomes the hands and feet of Jesus serving the poor and disadvantaged.”

BIBLICAL BASIS FOR HIS HANDS MINISTRY

  1. The Bible makes reference to those who are traditionally ignored by society or who don’t have means to support themselves. Included in the list are usually “fatherless or orphans, widows and aliens”. Examples: Deuteronomy 14:29, Psalm 68:5, Jeremiah 7:6, and Ezekiel 22:7.

    At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns. And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do. Deuteronomy 14:28-29

    Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
    is God in his holy habitation. Psalm 68:5

    if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever. Jeremiah 7:6-7

    Father and mother are treated with contempt in you; the sojourner suffers extortion in your midst; the fatherless and the widow are wronged in you. Ezekiel 22:7

  2. In Exodus God commands the nation of Israel to welcome and take care of those that are defined as aliens, fatherless and widows. (Exodus 22:21-22 and Exodus 23:9). But in Deuteronomy the Lord God challenges them to go beyond this and to love the alien or sojourner. (Deuteronomy 10:18-19) He reminds them over and over that they were aliens in Egypt and that he showed them mercy by delivering them.You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. Exodus 22:21-22

    You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. Exodus 23:9

    He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. Deuteronomy 10:18-19

  3. The book of Proverbs has many exhortations about how to treat the poor. Proverbs 29:7 is an example.A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge. Proverbs 29:7
  4. The prophets continually exhorted the nation of Israel to meet the needs of the poor. God tied this treatment to what he defined as true worship that is authentic only when we live justly and mercifully toward the oppressed and needy.

    Is such the fast that I choose,
    a day for a person to humble himself?
    Is it to bow down his head like a reed,
    and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
    Will you call this a fast,
    and a day acceptable to the LORD?
    Is not this the fast that I choose:
    to loose the bonds of wickedness,
    to undo the straps of the yoke,
    to let the oppressed go free,
    and to break every yoke?
    Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
    and bring the homeless poor into your house;
    when you see the naked, to cover him,
    and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
    Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing shall spring up speedily;
    your righteousness shall go before you;
    the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
    Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
    you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
    If you take away the yoke from your midst,
    the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
    if you pour yourself out for the hungry
    and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
    then shall your light rise in the darkness
    and your gloom be as the noonday.
    Isaiah 58:5-10

  5. In the Gospels we have numerous references to dealing with those who are in need and Jesus explained in one of the parables; the Good Samaritan, what was expected of us. Jesus defines “neighbor” as anyone in need of mercy, or one who shows mercy to the needy put in our path.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

  6. Jesus makes mention of our being judged as to how we show love and mercy to our brothers, even those we don’t know.Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Matthew 25:34-36.
  7. Our hospitality should be toward those who can not or will not reciprocate. Jesus responds to a host who had guests picking places of honor at the table.He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” Luke 14:12-14
  8. Paul commands believers not to put hope in material wealth. He commands instead that we be generous and willing to share.As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19
  9. John wrote to the church in I John 3:16-18 to express the Love of God that is in them by ministering to the poor in their Christian community.By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:16-18

FOUNDATIONS OF THE INITIATIVE

  1. Fundamental Themes: The themes which will guide this effort are expressed through the set of themes that the initiative will be built around:
    • avoid false dichotomy between good theology and social action
    • make disciples and share the gospel
    • surround decision making and action in prayer
    • ensure sustainability and the maintenance of momentum over the long run
    • seek to walk before we run
    • celebrate a diversity of talents and levels of involvement in the ministry
    • avoid the comparison with other churches
    • avoid a guilt-based motivation
    • be multi-generational in its leadership and participation
    • focus on what binds us together in this ministry and avoid the polarizing effects of partisan politics
    • avoid the temptation to pity or feel superior to those whom we serve
    • avoid the temptation to pursue every mercy ministry that is possible
    • be biased toward action and service and committed to learning and adapting, via action, along the way – avoiding the imposition of the requirement to “get it right the first time”, which often leads to paralysis
  2. Built upon long history of mercy ministry: The initiative is built upon the foundation of mercy ministry that the URC Diaconate has carried out for decades.
  3. Types of social ministry that may be pursued: Recognizing that social ministry can take many forms, the His Hands Ministry will take one of several forms:

    4. Ministry methods most often to be pursued by His Hands:

    • Relief: directly providing food, clothing, shelter, housing, health care and other essentials to those in need (examples include serving in a homeless shelter; working in a free clinic)
    • Individual development: empowering persons to improve his or her condition or status – physical, emotional, intellectual/educational (examples include teaching money management; running a parents support group)

    Ministry methods which would require dialogue with and approval of the URC Diaconate:

    • Community development: develop or change the resources in a community to better meet the needs of its residents (examples include the development of a educational stipend program to allow persons, without the means, to pursue their education; the development of low income housing)

    Ministry methods not to be pursued by the His Hands ministry:

    • Structural change: transforming unfair political, economic, environmental, or cultural systems, institutions or legal structures (examples include advocacy to change tax policy to ensure tax fairness; advocacy to change employers’ policies that make it possible for single parents to go work)

    The His Hands Ministry will not pursue this type of ministry, in keeping with one of His Hands’ fundamental themes (see section 1, above, “focus on what binds us together in this ministry and avoid the polarizing effects of partisan politics”). Rather His Hands activities may result in increased awareness and/or dialogue that may lead members of URC, on their own but not through the auspices of URC, to pursue action of this type.

  4. Blending evangelism and social/compassion/mercy ministry: Drawing on the writings of a several Christian writers and the experience of a number of Christian churches, the His Hands Ministry will have a number of ministry opportunities which represent a range of ways in which evangelism and mercy ministry/social action are integrated, including the following:

    5. The approaches that may be used by the His Hands Ministry, include:

    • invitational: those served are invited to attend, at their option, church services or events
    • relational: those carrying out the ministry share their faith, in natural settings and conversation, with those whom they are serving
    • integrated-optional: explicitly Christian content is woven into the delivery of the services provided; those being served can opt out of any activity that calls for them to interact with or respond to explicitly religious teachings
    • integrated-mandatory: Spiritual development is at the heart of this type of program. This approach is used when the full and mandatory participation, by those being served, in the spiritual development components of the effort is considered essential to the desired social benefit and therefore required.
  5. Relationship to Diaconate and Consistory: The goals, vision, fundamental themes and the initial focus of the initiative will be reviewed, modified as needed, and approved by the Consistory.

    The His Hands Ministry will be tethered to the Diaconate through a liaison relationship similar to the one that the Diaconate has with the Missions Committee: one or more Diaconate members will attend the His Hands Organizing and Support Group meetings (possibly rotating among Diaconate members) to ensure that the two group stay in sync. The Diaconate liaison to the Ministry will make regular reports to the Diaconate, on the progress of the His Hands Ministry and serve as the communication/guidance link between the Ministry and the Diaconate.



STRUCTURE AND PROCESS OF HIS HANDS MINISTRY

  1. Organizing and Support Group: An Organizing and Support Group will meet to keep this Ministry and the Coordinators of specific ministries supported through prayer, reading, guidance (providing a brain trust), linkage to the Diaconate (through the Diaconate liaison) and assistance in recruitment of URC members to become involved in a given ministry. This group is open to any who want to play this role. This group will meet on the 2nd Monday of every month, from 7:30 – 9:00 pm, in room 102 of URC. Thus the organizing and support group acts as a support and prayer hub for the ministry-specific leaders (ministry spokes).
  2. Ministry-specific leadership: Each mercy ministry action/effort will be organized by a Coordinator (see, below, for the two sets of ministry-specific Coordinators that have been identified for His Hands’ initial efforts, 2007) and carried out by individuals and/or groups who come together for this specific component of the ministry.
  3. Ministry recruitment, training, and discipling: The ministry leadership will recruit participation in the His Hands Ministry in a number of ways, including: informing the URC congregation, as a whole, of His Hands ministry opportunities; and urging the sponsorship of a specific ministry by a small group.
  4. The training and discipling of URC congregation members, in social/compassion/mercy ministry, will be carried out in a number of ways, including: on-going education, study, and prayer by the Organizing and Support Group, one-on-one dialogue and prayer, shadowing of current participants by new participants; and the teaching of key concepts related to social/compassion/mercy ministry, especially those upon which the His Hands Ministry is founded.
  5. Centralized communication support: A communications work group carries out the bulk of the communications needs of the His Hands Ministry. Thus the Coordinators of each ministry are not burdened with communication, about the ministry, to the URC community while also working to coordinate the work of the ministry. Such communication will:
    • support volunteer recruitment efforts of a given ministry
    • educate the congregation on the work of the His Hands Ministry
    • serve as a clearinghouse for ministry opportunities – including those formally adopted by the Organizing and Support Group as well as those identified by URC members who are seeking other URC members to join them in the ministry. The latter will be screened by the communications committee and, if needed, by the Organizing and Support Group

    Among others, the communication methods could include:

    • a well organized bulletin board
    • a weblog
    • a subpage to URC’s website
    • flyers
    • bulletin announcements and inserts
    • announcements at Sunday worship services, Sunday suppers, GABs, and other URC events
  6. Educational effort: The final component of the effort will be an educational one which may involve any of the following (in addition to the ministry participant-specific training and discipling which is described in section 3, above):
    • Sunday School classes
    • Seminars
    • Newsletter

INITIAL FOCUS OF THE HIS HANDS MINISTRY(2007)

While not limited by these initial ministry efforts, but in fulfillment of the themes of a bias toward action and walking before we run, the initial efforts of the His Hands Ministry (2007) will revolve around:

  • Lansing Christian Services (with URC serving as a Network Partner Church)
  • Reach Studio Art Center

His Hands Ministry efforts relative to these two ministries: These two ministries will be coordinated in the following ways:

Lansing Christian Services: The His Hands ministry is charged with identifying and supporting (in prayer, ideas, communication) a Lansing Christian Services Church Ministry Coordinator (CMC) for URC. Whenever possible, URC will have two CMCs – so as to distribute the work of coordinating this partnership. URC will serve as a Network Partner Church within the Christian Services system. One of the requirements of a Network Partner Church, a resource inventory, will be fulfilled by the URC Diaconate survey. Based on the dialogue between the His Hands Ministry Organizing and Support Group and Mary Anne Harkema, the initial efforts of URC’s His Hands Ministry work with LCS will revolve around LCS’s relief efforts (personal needs, food, clothing drives) and, when possible, work with other churches in support of their personal needs bank.

Reach Studio Art Center: A Reach Ministry Coordinator (RMC) will serve as the link between URC and Reach. Based on the dialogue between the Organizing and Support Group and Alice Brinkman, the initial efforts of the His Hands Ministry work with Reach will, in all likelihood, revolve around efforts to transport kids – and coordinate efforts to transport kids – to Reach for arts activities. The provision of “roof over the head” funding (rent, heat, lights) by URC was also noted as a potential focus of URC’s work with Reach.