Church Volunteer Network

Bible Lesson , a photo by CVNSac on Flickr.

Almost two years ago, Assistant Pastor John Goover at Jubliare Evangelical Ministries in Natomas, was listening to a radio program about service, and was inspired to contact CVN about collaboration opportunities. After meeting with Dan Meyerpeter and Scott Thurmond, they targeted the Willow Glen Apartments on the corner of Del Paso Road and Richter Road as a good location to launch a monthly children’s out-reach.

With a core group of eight to ten people, and others from the church who support the out-reach financially, the fellowship at Jubliare are faithfully sharing God’s love with not only the children who live at Willow Glen, but also their families. This outreach is not only making an impact on the community at Willow Glen, but also at Jubliare.

“We’ve got four families from Willow Glen who are faithfully attending church,” says Pastor Ronnie Walton, Sr. “Not only are they there on Sunday mornings, but they are there through-out the week too for Wednesday night Bible study and other events.”

But the outreach has not just reached children and their families. During one of the outreaches, a group of people went door to door, inviting people down to join them at the basketball court and picnic area. They encountered a young man in his early 30’s who just moved into the complex. He joined them and shared a meal with the group of people who had assembled there. Because of the knock on his door, and his willingness to join them, relationships were formed and a life was changed.

“The church helped him to get some resources and he was able to turn his life around,” says Pastor Goover. “With the churches help, he was also able to get a scholarship and continue his education in Oklahoma.”

What seems to just about children, has proven to be so much more. A children’s outreach at an apartment community is just one way a church can partner with CVN to show God’s love to their community.

The group from Jubliare keeps it simple. A craft, fun, games, fellowship, a Bible lesson and a meal on a Saturday morning. This once a month offering has become a blessing to not only a community but to the church as well.

CVN currently partners with 30 churches in Children’s Outreach, Homeless Outreach and Convalescent Outreach opportunities as well as Food Distribution. In supporting these churches in their efforts to bring God’s love to their community, we are planting seeds that will grow to be blessing to their communities.

On Saturday October 29th, Mission Church launched its very first outreach at Stonegate Apartments, a complex just down the street from where the church worships. Mission shared God’s Love by setting up a Harvest Carnival complete with a bounce house, pumpkin patch, cake walk, and about a dozen carnival games.

Mission Church's Stonegate Apartment Harvest Carnival

Many parents came with their children and everyone had a blast! Children quickly spread the word to their friends and soon kids were running up from everywhere to take part in the festivities.

Mission’s goal was to introduce themselves to the community and simply share the Love of jesus Christ with their neighbors. Mission hopes to continue a regular presence at Stonegate by launching a children’s program and adult discipleship event on a regular basis.

What encouraged me the most about Mission’s first outreach was the fact that there were about 20 volunteers who came out to serve, a large percentage of this small start-up church. It is very rare to see such a great percentage of a church body serving together on outreach. The DNA of Mission Church is a focus outward to the unsaved and unreached of their community. Mission Church truly believes that the church is not for them, but for God and for the lost.

Mission Church meets in the sanctuary of Hope Methodist Church on Sunday evenings at 6pm.
(8755 Center Parkway Sacramento, CA 95823)