Care & Community Ministries
We're committed to being a church in the community, serving the community. The love of Christ in the Gospel compels us to serve. To that end, we are committed to the following care and community ministries . . .
God's Storehouse Food Pantry
Firstfruits Farms
Homeless Shelter Ministries
Orphan & Foster Care Ministry
Sanctity of Life Ministry
Jail Ministry
Caring Callers
Caring Meals
Care Fund Financial Assistance
Prayer Ministries
Bereavement Care Team
Pastoral Counseling
God's Storehouse Volunteers Needed God's Storehouse
Weekly Serving Opportunities on Friday and Saturday! Friday morning, 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Help with sorting deliveries, inventory food and setting up for distribution. Saturday morning 7:00 AM - 9:30 AM Help with set-up of the pantry, distribution of food, and clean-up! Sign Up Now..scroll below! If you have questions about your volunteer schedule, please contact us at gsteam@graceslo.org.'
What is God's Storehouse at GraceSLO?
At God's Storehouse our mission is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ by helping meet the nutritional and spiritual needs of others, as we practically share Christ's love and care through the generosity of our community.
The Pantry will be open on Saturdays 8:00-9:15 am. Volunteer hours are on Saturdays 7:30-9:30 am.
How to get involved . . . We will arrive at 7:30 am to distribute the food, farmer’s market style, to those in need until 9:15 am every Saturday. We need servant volunteers to help gather, prep, and distribute the food.
How to get involved . . .
We will distribute the food, farmer’s market style, to those in need from 8:00-9:15 am every Saturday.
We need servant volunteers to help gather, prep, and distribute the food.
Sign Up to Serve!
“Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life, he who comes to Me will not hunger,
and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” John 6:35
“For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink;
I was a stranger, and you invited Me in.' Matthew 25: 35
The Story of God's Storehouse....
God's Storehouse is a Food Pantry overseen by the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County. It currently serves about 100 needy families every Saturday here in SLO . In the past it has been managed by Mary Baum, who is in her 90s and has attended SLO Naz here in town, for about 30 years. Understandably, Mary was looking to step down...and God brought this community ministry possibility before us as an opportunity to love and serve the needy in our community...not merely with food, but with the love & Gospel of Jesus.
Tim Arlen was very involved with God’s Storehouse for years and shared with Pastors Tim and Ken about the possibility of taking over the ministry. Pastor Ken, along with Tim Arlen, began looking into it and became more and more excited to see God’s hand at work, in leading us to manage God’s Storehouse.
As our ministry staff spent time talking and praying, they too became excited, but felt a key to moving forward was to share with our body to see if some would step forward to help lead this ministry here at Grace. Pastor Ken shared this ministry opportunity on a Sunday morning and the response was very positive, as was our body's willingness to serve and step forward to lead it. We then presented a proposal to our Elders, and then following their approval, to our Finance and Facility Trustees. All of these leadership teams gave approval to continue moving forward. We then set up our God’s Storehouse Management Team who has been, and will keep working very hard.
Who is our God's Storehouse Management Team?
Annie Schmidt, Camille DeBruin, Craig Hughes, Dale & Bev Barrett, Fred & Marti Kessler, Dan Helbert, Janice Nanninga, John Kelly, Aracelli Kelly, John Groves, Julie Theule, Ken Peet, Marguerite Thomas, Michael Nuzum, Rachel Cementina, Rebecca Wyer, Rich Jordan, and Steve Thomas.
If you have any questions related to God's Storehouse please contact Ken Peet at 805.543.2358 ext. 104 or email
ken@graceslo.org.
The Mission
Firstfruits Farm is dedicated to growing high-quality produce and distributing it to the economically disadvantaged in our community. More than 800 families receive food from the farm each week, distributed through God's Storehouse and other locations throughout our community. There are many generous donors who provide food to God's Storehouse, the Food Bank, and other community organizations. Often, however, the food that is donated is 'seconds,' leftover, expired, or wilted. Additionally, much of the donated food is packaged and processed. The need for fresh, wholesome fruits and vegetables is readily apparent. We desire to put our hands to the soil and bless our neighbors who struggle to make ends meet with our 'firstfruits' - the best our land can provide. Beginning in 2013, Firstfruits was generously allowed use of private land for this work, first on Serpa Ranch Road and now also for the current main site at the Alpha Academy location on Buckley Road. At both locations, the soil has been cultivated and nurtured, teams gathered and set to work, and we have been providing free produce to the community ever since. Learn more about Firstfruits Farm at their website HERE.
When
Varies from season to season...
Get Involved
Firstfruits Farm is always in need of volunteers to help with planting, weeding, or harvesting. Sign up for the mailing list HERE to recieve Firstfruits Farm news as well as volunteer schedules & needs.
Contact
Phone: 805.234.7686
Email: firstfruitsfarmslo@gmail.com
Serving the homeless is a great way to reach out with the love of Christ to the most needy in our community. You can help serve the homeless by volunteering for the Overflow Homeless Shelter at GraceSLO or by serving meals at the Homeless Shelter.
Overflow Homeless Shelter
Serving the Homeless women and children of the SLO community is a great way to reach out with the love of Christ. This year, 2018, we are hosting the “Women’s Overflow Shelter,” at Grace SLO during the month of July. You can help out by volunteering to stay overnight at Grace, serving breakfast or being a “Good Neighbor.” Overnight volunteers arrive at 7pm and help by greeting the women and children when they arrive, playing with kids, holding babies, or talking with a mom. Two volunteers work together until 9 o’clock p.m. when it’s “light out.” One volunteer sleeps in the prayer room next to the sanctuary, while the other volunteer stays awake in the hall right outside the Founders Hall where the clients are. At around 1 a.m. the volunteers switch places. By 7 a.m. everyone leaves Grace Church to start their day. This is a very fulfilling way to serve our Lord. (Matthew 25:40 – “Truly I say whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters you did for me.”) On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays we serve a breakfast too. If you would like to help out, please call Kirt Collins at 805.801.3293
Sign Up to Serve!
Homeless Shelter Meals
There is a service in our community that feeds the homeless people a warm lunch every day of the year and we at Grace Church have the privilege of serving this group of people a 1-2 times a month. There is a need though for one of the times we serve lunch, the 3rd Thursday of every month. We are looking for a group of people to train and rotate in when others are sick, on vacation, or working. The time commitment is 1 hour of serving lunch plus prep time to prepare the food. Please call Tim Tryon for more information 805.543.9238
At Grace, three realities compel us toward the care of orphans through adoption and foster care. The first is the reality that the family is God's thing. God designed and ordained marriage and the human family as the building block of human society and human flourishing. Therefore, children belong in families. The second is the reality that the Gospel is all about adoption. The Gospel is the good news of God's grace in the person and saving work of Jesus Christ to bring lost, blind, spiritually dead sinners into His eternal family. As those who have been adopted, we are eager to promote and practice adoption and foster care. The third is the reality that the Bible speaks repeatedly about God's care and our responsibility to care for orphans, as the people of God. (Deut.10:18, Ps.10:14, Is. 1:17, Jer. 22:3, Jam. 1:27). The Gospel compels us toward gracious care.
These 3 realities give rise to our mission and vision. Our mission is to celebrate, proclaim and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ by caring for orphans and children in need of families. Our vision is to encourage and support both local and international adoptions as well as foster care among the Grace family so that we might see the lives of orphans and children in need of families transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We pursue this mission and vision through the oversight of the Grace Adoption Fund and through ongoing efforts to promote and educate the Grace Family about the joys, challenges, and opportunities to care for orphans and children in need.
Welcoming Children Home Orphan Conference
The purpose of this annual Central Coast Orphan Care Conference is to motivate and inform Christians of both the Biblical call and the needs of orphans. There are three tracks: 1) for those interested in foster care and adoption; 2) for those with adopted kids who need more support and training; 3) those who are wanting to care for orphans globally and domestically but not called to adopt.
View WCH Conference Info HERE!
The Grace Central Coast Adoption Fund
The Grace Adoption Fund has been established by Grace to help families at Grace overcome the financial obstacle of adoption. The cost of many forms of adoption seems financially impossible to many Christian couples. That reality results in thousands of children remaining in orphanages or being adopted by unbelievers instead of learning the gospel of Jesus Christ in a forever family. God has commanded His people – the Church – to care for those in need. We believe God wants to use His church as part of a couple’s financial provision in adoption.
For more information or to request financial assistance for your adoption, please contact the Adoption & Fostercare Adoption Team at adoption@graceslo.org
Adoption & Foster Care Resources
To encourage GraceSLO families toward the care of orphans, we offer the following list of resources as a starting point. The views expressed in and by each, do not necessarily represent the perspective of GraceSLO in every instance.
Websites & Organizations
Books & Other Resources
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Adopted for Life - Russell Moore
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Parenting the Hurt Child - Gregory Reck
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The Connected Child - Purvis, Cross & Kupeck
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Thriving as an Adopted Family - David & Renee Sanford
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Successful Adoption: A Guide for Christian Families by Natalie Nichols Gillespie
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Trust-based Parenting - DVD
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Empowered to Connect - DVD
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If You were Mine - DVD
Our ministry exists to encourage and support the Sanctity of Life, a whole life belief that ALL life is to be respected and protected from conception to natural death. As our Lord commands, we honor people in every stage of life - from the preborn to the support for mothers who are faced with a challenging pregnancy, to those suffering from post-abortive issues, those with special needs, the elderly and the shut-in. For more information or to join our mailing list, contact us at sanctityoflifeteam@gracecentralcoast.org.
The following are outreach opportunities that reflect and encourage a whole life focus, belief and purpose:
Tree of Life Pregnancy Support Center: We support Tree of Life in its efforts to support women facing an unplanned pregnancy where they'll find caring help, hope, positive options and practical help from friendly and knowledgeable staff and volunteers. In addition, they provide Post Abortion counseling with a trained counselor.
https://www.treeoflifepsc.com
40 Days for Life: The largest prayer ministry in the world, this international group gathers to pray for an end to abortion, the leading cause of death across the globe. https://40daysforlife.com/local-campaigns/san-luis-obispo/
Prayer Care Partners: We serve and interact to bring love, hope, and comfort through the Good News of the Scripture and life-giving prayer to the elderly and infirm in our Senior Living Communities. Please contact pamelakcrum@yahoo.com
Sanctity of Life Newsletters: join our Sanctity of Life Ministry and receive and newsletter displaying local ministry activities, pivotal information, and suggestions for book reading to further your own understanding of whole life issues. To join or to receive the newsletter contact Kirt and Katie at kirt.katie@gmail.com
Here is an opportunity to build relationships with people behind bars, showing the love of Jesus by visiting them and communicating to them that they are valuable and not forgotten. Contact the Church office 543-2358 or email Pastor Ken.
Visiting seniors at their homes or visiting people in the hospital is a great way to live out the Gospel. Individuals and/or families have the opportunity to form relationships with seniors from Grace Church and to pray with people who have been hospitalized.
Contact Ken Peet, 543-2358.
Preparing a meal is a caring and practical way to be a neighbor to someone going through a time of trial or change. Opportunities include helping a new mom and dad with dinner or taking a meal to a person who is home after surgery. To help provide a meal, email Jenny Nanninga to get on the list.
Helping those in need through financial assistance.
From food to utility bills and rent we become neighbors to the poor in our community, demonstrating that Jesus cares for them and so do we. Our desire is to be “a church in the community, serving the community.” To that end, we desire to meet real and felt needs of those in our community. If you would like to give to the ministry, click here or contact the church office 543-2358.
Helping a family grieving the loss of a loved one is a way to “weep with those who weep”. This team organizes a meal after a funeral or memorial service to help family and friends focus on what they need to during that time. Contact Cyndie Hamley, 544-1554, if you'd like to help with these meals.
Praying is a way we admit we are powerless without God to do anything of lasting value. At Grace we want to pray continually and purposefully, seeking God’s power in all situations.
Prayer Chain
Where there is an urgent prayer need the Prayer Chain begins contacting many people who will then faithfully pray to our loving God for that need. Contact the church office, 543-2358.
Drawing Near
Every Wednesday the Grace Church group, Drawing Near, meets for a concentrated time of prayer for the needs of the church and our community. Drawing Near meets at 6:00 PM in the Fireside Room.
If you would like to meet with a pastor to discuss emotional, physical or spiritual needs please contact the church office at 543-2358 and ask to leave a message for Leon Maksoudian, or email Leon directly.