|
Churches United is a
United Way Partner
|
Ask your church members, school groups, organizations or anyone you think might be interested in donating CARE PACKAGES to Churches United. We distribute the packages to the homeless and low-income clients we serve daily. WHAT TO DO: Purchase plastic shoe boxes at your local store (they can be found for as low as $1-$2) or large zip lock bags and fill them with needed items. Bring them to the Churches United office at St. Philip’s church office between 12 noon and 4pm. THINGS TO INCLUDE:
Toothpaste/Toothbrushes
Combs/Brushes
Soap
Feminine Items
Disposable razors
Shaving cream
Mouthwash
Small packages of Tissues
And any other items you think someone in need would like.
We ask that the packages include no medicines or pain relievers as we are unable to distribute them.
|
Welcome everyone. Our site is currently undergoing some construction here and there. We are adding the content as it is brought forth. Stay tuned for updates and any questions or comments feel free to contact Churches United at 218-444-1380 or you may contact us through our email at cunited@paulbunyan.net  |
|
President
Pastor Vern Lathe
Vice President
Pastor Eric Hucke
Treasurer
Bruce Kaehne
Secretary
Beth Warrick
Jim Aylesworth
Barry Cervenka
Don Conner
Ginger Feiock
Jen Frederick
Clare Lyman
Fr. Bill Merhkens
Gary Nieuwsma
Kathy Paulson
Pastor Steve Thompson
Lowell Vaughn
Jodi Watson
Charles Wiggins
|
|
CHURCHES UNITED VISITS LOCAL CHURCHES
|
|
|
Sarah spoke to groups at United Methodist and Calvary Lutheran churches about Churches United. If you would like her to speak at your church or organization, please contact her at (218)444-1380
|
|  |
Hello and welcome!
Services we offer - Emergency Financial Assistance - for “basic needs”
(shelter, food, utilities and emergency transportation)
- Referrals - to area agencies and businesses
- Advocacy - for individuals, children and families
- Mediating - between clients, landlords, property managers,
utility companies and other vendors
Who is Churches United?
Churches United is a collaboration of Bemidji area churches led by the Spirit of Christ, organized to serve and meet the needs of homeless, persistently poor, and impoverished individuals and families by providing individuals and family’s financial assistance and referrals in an empowering manner, while also seeking the causes of poverty with the goal to reach a solution to the current concerns.
All churches are welcome to join us in this ministry. If your congregation is interested, please contact Sarah at 218 444-1380 or cunited@paulbunyan.net.
Volunteers
Volunteers play a vital role in the ministry of Churches United. The volunteers offer spirituality, compassion and are committed to listening to the clients at a time when it is so needed.
Volunteers serve 4 hours (minimum) once a month. If you would be interested in becoming a volunteer, please call 444-1380.
How we are Supported
Member Churches pay $1.00 per member per year or the highest Sunday attendance (whichever is higher). So, if your church has 500 members the dues for one year would be $500. Member churches also provide one or more volunteer to serve this ministry in the Churches United office. Additional support has come from individuals and area businesses by providing services and/or items needed to them we say “Thank you!”
|
|
Thank You
Thank you First Presbyterian Church and First Lutheran for bringing us hats, scarves and gloves--some were given as Christmas Presents and many to people coming in our office with none!
Thanks go to First Presbyterian Church, United Methodist Church and Bethany Free Church. They supplied our organization with numerous care packages to give to our clients. It is a pleasure to watch their faces when presented with such a gift. See to the left what you can do to help show we care.
Thank you to the Fijrst Presbyterian Church and First Lutheran Church for supplying us with baby quilts. We've been giving them to new mothers as a gift. You should see how their faces light up! |
|
New Member Churches
Calvary Chapel and Sacred Heart of Wilton have joined Churches United. We look forward to working with our new member churches! |
|
SLUMBERLAND DONATES BEDS
John Neff at Slumberland donated 10 twin beds. 2 went to families from Habitat for Humanity, 3 to another family and the remaining five to Churches United clients whose children had been sleeping on the floor.
Thank you John and Slumberland for making this Thanksgiving one to be truly thankful for. |
|
SERVANTS OF SHELTER
|
|
Organization provides shelter for homeless at Bemidji churches
Michelle Bedard Bemidji Pioneer
Published Friday, December 26, 2008
Six months ago, one area couple had it all – a house where they lived with their three children, a car and a job.
But, said the couple, who since lost all but the car, that was when they hit rock bottom.
Now as guests of Servants of Shelter, the couple has hope for the future and a warm place to stay with three meals a day.
| Servants of Shelter guest Don Wilkey, right, visits with volunteers Lisa Wisniewski, center, and Phoebe Lee Mathius last week at Calvary Chapel in Bemidji. Pioneer Photo/Monte Draper
| | |
|
| | |
|
SOS is a new organization providing shelter for the homeless at churches in Bemidji. Since Oct. 30, SOS has been offering overnight accommodations, hot supper, hot breakfast and sack lunches to families, single men and single women.
“We’re averaging between 10 and 15 different people at the church sites,” said Kathie Pederson, SOS director. “We can take up to 20 people.”
Each church in the rotation houses overnight guests from 4 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. for six nights at a time. A man and a woman stay at the church overnight as hosts who stay awake at all times. The program will continue through the winter and spring months until March 30.
Pederson said reaching out to the homeless is what Jesus would have done, and area churches have responded.
“We’ve seen the churches have the attitude to give the best to these people,” she said.
SOS guests, she said, have responded with appreciation.
“They seem very happy to be able to sleep in a safe place and a warm place,” Pederson said. “They’ve been very wonderful and very thankful for what people are doing for them.”
‘A real blessing’
From their temporary living quarters last week at Calvary Chapel, the area couple who has found hope through SOS shared their story.
The husband, who wished to be identified as Joseph, said a January 2007 car accident prevented him from working and providing for his family. Joseph said the accident opened the door to drug addictions for both him and his wife because of the amount of the medication in their home.
“We had a house, we had a car, we had money, we had a job,” said Joseph’s wife, who wished to be identified as Julie.
Julie, who had a job, entered inpatient treatment for her addiction. With no income, the couple could no longer pay the bills and lost their house.
Additionally, Julie said, “Because of our addictions, we lost our kids to foster care.”
Joseph and Julie decided to move to Bemidji to be closer to their treatment programs, but with both not working, they couldn’t find housing. This summer, they lived in a tent. As the weather turned cold, they began sleeping in their car. In November, they found SOS.
“It’s been a real blessing to have a warm place to sleep and warm meals,” Julie said.
Joseph, who was recently offered a job, said SOS hasn’t just given them a place to stay, it’s also given them spirituality, hope and a sense of security.
“It’s made us rich on the inside,” he said. “Richer than we’ve ever felt before.”
Giving to others
One recent night at Calvary Chapel, Karin Moreno volunteered with her daughter Dallas, 13, whose eighth-grade advent project at St. Philip’s School is to donate to SOS.
“This season is just for giving,” said Karin Moreno, who attends Trinity Lutheran Church with her daughter.
Phoebe Lee Mathius, a Bemidji State University junior from Malaysia, said she and other BSU students were inspired to volunteer with SOS after Pederson spoke at House of Prayer.
“It’s a new experience for us, and to be in that position to serve others … it’s a good thing,” Mathius said.
Cindy Schuppert, who attends Calvary Chapel, said she was asked to volunteer. She said she feels so blessed in her life and wants to help others.
“I’ve never worked at a shelter before,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to, though.”
Needs for new year
With the new year around the corner, SOS has opportunities for the community to help.
“As we go into 2009, we could use a few more church sites,” Pederson said.
The list of church sites currently includes Evangelical Covenant, Evangelical Free, Mount Zion, Crossroads, First Baptist, First Lutheran, Calvary Chapel and First Assembly.
Most of the sites have showers. However, having showers is not a prerequisite for a church to be a host site.
Other churches, including Tenstrike Community, St. Philip’s and House of Prayer, have provided volunteers to provide meals and work shifts. The soup kitchens at United Methodist and Mount Zion churches also provide meals.
On weekdays, First Presbyterian Church hosts SOS guests from 8:30-10:30 a.m.
Besides more church sites, Pederson said SOS could use more volunteers to serve on the overnight shifts at the sites as well as to serve on the morning shift at First Presbyterian. All shift volunteers are screened.
Churches interested in being host sites and people interested in volunteering may contact Pederson at 760-0029 or kpederson@stemshare.org.
|
How to sign up for Servants of Shelter
Bemidji Pioneer
Published Friday, December 26, 2008
Anyone needing a warm place to stay can sign up by 4 p.m. at the following locations: -- Between noon and 4 p.m. weekdays at Churches United at St. Philip’s Church, 702 Beltrami Ave. N.W., 444-1380. -- Between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays at Bi-CAP, 2529 15th St. N.W., 751-4631. -- Between noon and 4 p.m. weekends at Ours to Serve House of Hospitality, 416 Irvine Ave. N.W., 751-0722. People who sign up will receive bus tokens for rides to and from the host church. People who sign up will be screened for sexual offender history. SOS is not for people who are currently drinking alcohol or using drugs. People must re-register after they’ve been in SOS for 30 days. |
|
| |
|
