Serve
Outreach Ministry
Our Biblical Basis for Outreach
God calls us to this ministry in His Word. Here is the Biblical basis for serving others that is found in the Old Testament and New Testament:
“What I’m interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad being available for your own families. Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way. The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer. You’ll call out for help and I’ll say: ‘Here I am.’ ” Isaiah 58:6-9 [The Message]
“Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison and visit you? And the King will say to them in reply: ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:37-40. [NIV]
“Real religion….is this: Reach out to the homeless and Loveless in their plight…” James 1:27 [The Message]
Why does the outreach ministry exist?
To reach out in love to serve the needs of our neighbors as the Lord has commanded us!
This ministry tries to make it easy to do what all of us naturally want to do AND are called to do by the greatest servant of them all, Jesus Christ:
- To give back and share our blessings.
- To connect with our brothers and sisters in need.
- To do something good for others in the name of Jesus.
- To share the gospel through service to others.
- To make a difference in the lives of those facing hunger, homelessness, and broken lives.
YES! The GSLC 5-year Strategic Plan has called upon us:
To maximize the impact we have on our community by coordinating with other GSLC ministries and age groups. We did this recently when our Twenty-Four7 high school group took responsibility for making hygiene kits and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches for the homeless served by the OC Rescue Mission.
We are always looking for “hands on” activities that involve children and teens. If you have any interest or ideas in this area, please let us know!!!
To provide “hands on” service activities in which people of all ages can participate and can “make a difference” in our community. We emphasized this with “Faith In Action” Sunday in November of 2007, 2008, and 2009 (with another to be held on 11/14/10). We have established relationships with homeless shelters in Santa Ana such as the Isaiah House and Salvation Army that welcome adults and young people as volunteers.
We host quarterly lunches at Human Options, a domestic violence shelter for women and children. GSLC women may serve as volunteers. This is a fun activity that includes crafts for children, manicures for the shelter’s residents and fellowship among all involved.
We are always thrilled to have teenagers join the painting crew at our “Paint Your Heart Out” events in the spring (must be at least 14-years old). They are more energetic than the rest of us and make the painting a lot more fun!
To reach out to make a difference on a regional and global level by providing more global mission activities to our congregation. In 2010, we will continue our work with the World Vision “Aids Caregiver Kits” program on Faith-In-Action Sunday.
We have established a great partnership with World Vision are our members are currently sponsoring 50 children in Umzimvubu South Africa. We have also made a financial commitment to support the Umzimvubu Area Development project for the next 3 years.
Our Children and Family Ministry inspire us each summer at Vacation Bible School (VBS) by raising funds to help with a local and global outreach project.
Our offerings at work: GSLC Benevolence
A portion of our GSLC offerings support local, regional and global organizations which seek to alleviate the suffering of our neighbors, or proclaim the Good News of God’s great love. “Benevolence” is the “church word” for gifts like these. It means generous gift or acts of kindness.
This year, or new Good Shepherd Benevolence Team has recommended, and the Church Council has approved, the following organizations to receive our local and global benevolence:
Local
Lutheran Social Services of OC
Families Forward – Irvine
Grace Lutheran Chinese Church – Pastors Stephen and Emily Kung
Lutheran Bible Institute -- Irvine
SCPI (Saturation Church Planting—Pastor Dwight Smith)
Vietnamese Radio Program at Reformation Lutheran in Westminster
Bethesda Lutheran Communities (for those with intellectual and developmental disablilities)
Crean Lutheran South High School -- Irvine
Light the Way -- an LCMC Mission Church in Arizona
Global
World Vision Umzimvubu South Africa Area Development Project (3yr commitment)
Lutheran World Relief
Support a Global Missionary (not yet identified)
Three Strand Cord – Pastor Henry Claude in Haiti
Siempre Para Los Ninos -- Mexico
Chrysalis – Christian Educators who travel worldwide
East European Missions Network – Pastor Bill Moberly
Lutheran Bible Translators
Emergency Response Fund
We are also retaining about 10% of our Local and Global Benevolence dollars for emergency response. We supported the Haiti earthquake recovery out of this fund.
How can I serve?
What a great question to be asking yourself. At Good Shepherd Lutheran Church there are many ways your can get involved. Almost all members of GSLC participate in the Outreach Ministry in one form or another. There is no age requirement (or limit!), no special skills or education needed, and no pressure to commit a particular amount of time.
GSLC members and friends participate by:
- Preparing and/or serving food to the homeless (e.g., Isaiah House, Salvation Army, Orange County Rescue Mission).
- Participating in events (e.g., Race for the Cure; Faith-In-Action Sunday).
- Donating goods and/or services to community organizations (e.g., Families Forward, Lutheran Social Services).
- Raising money for special needs in our community (e.g., Katrina family, Horizon Pregnancy Center).
- Sharing fellowship, lunch, and crafts with those who need special support (Human Options).
- And much more!
You are invited and welcome to participate in this ministry as the Lord calls you, as your interests prompt you, and as your time and other commitments permit.
Check out the Local Outreach pages and/or the Global Outreach pages for a list of activities and organizations in which GSLC is currently involved or has shared an affiliation in the last year. “Family friendly,” “teen” and “small group” activities are noted as such.
If a contact person is not specifically identified, contact the Outreach Chairs (Terry Fee 714-292-1699 [cell]; 949-786-1878 [home]; e-mail: dtdufee@sbcglobal.net, or (Cip Perez 949-552-0215 [home]; e-mail: cip@dslextreme.com.