Promote Family: Our Ministries

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HOMELESSNESS
Thursday April 23rd is making and serving sandwiches day at Union Mission. Everyone is invited to participate and you will be glad you did. Sandwich making takes place in the church fellowship hall at 6 p.m. Sandwich serving – be ready to leave the church by 6:45 p.m. This month Bonnie Block needs donations of hard boiled eggs. At least 13 dozen are needed. Please see the sign up sheet in the Narthex. Your help is greatly appreciated.

For more information about the Union Mission, please contact their website here.

Apostles Lutheran Church has been a long-time supporter for the only homeless shelter for families in Chesapeake. Check out Our House Families at www.ourhousefamilies.org

HIDDEN DISABILITIES LIGHTHOUSE MINISTRIES
PROMOTE offers support to families living with mental illness through the Hidden Disabilities Lighthouse Ministry (HDLM). Volunteer outreach includes support group meetings, intentional prayer ministry, library of resources, speakers, workshops, advocacy. (Note: HDLM is not a professional medical or counseling service, but a networking organization for spiritual support.) If you would like to speak with someone about the Hidden Disabilities ministry, please call MaryLou at (757) 547-4692 and please click here to visit our blogsite

LITERACY TRAINING
PROMOTE is licensed to administer the Project Light literacy training program, a computer-based, interactive reading program for children and adults. The curriculum incorporates Christian material. PROMOTE is currently seeking tutors to work with students. If you would like to volunteer or if you are interested in knowing more about the Project Light program, please call (757) 410-1797 or promote.director@apostles-lutheran.org

MEDICAL CLINIC
PROMOTE is developing plans to host a free medical and dental clinic for uninsured, low income working families, utilizing volunteer medical practitioners and contributed materials. A business plan has been developed for this clinic.

HELP FOR PARENTS

PARENTING CLASSES
PROMOTE offers parenting classes to the school enrollee's parents and caregivers. PROMOTE is working now to expand this offering to our neighborhood families.

LIFE SKILLS CLASSES
PROMOTE plans to offer a number of classes at the Community Life Center including: parenting skills, fatherhood principles, personal financial management, job interview and resume preparation, basic household repair instruction.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH PARTNERS

Hope Charitable Services
One of the important ministries Apostles supports is Hope Charitable Services as they are our missionaries to the poor. For more information, click here.

Prisoner Relocation Service
The assignment God has given us to be at the center of community outreach for our area continues to expand in scope and opportunity. We were recently visited by Marianne Chalk the new executive director of A Place of New Beginnings. Marianne’s own story is compelling. She has served as a volunteer chaplain in the jail for years when the need to help prisoners get reestablished in a productive life strongly surfaced among the leadership of the sheriff’s department and the City of Chesapeake. Marianne felt so called by God to do this, that she resigned her job (even though she is the bread winner in her home), and agreed to work for this new ministry. Captain Branch (now Major Branch), who spoke at our ground breaking ceremony, serves on the Board of Directors for A Place of New Beginnings and told her of our heart for the community. As a result, she came and talked to us about their hopes for the new ministry. One of her needs was some office space and a place to occasionally do training of volunteers for the ministry. Because of her connection with the City and the fact that she is currently in the fundraising stage of her efforts, I asked Council if we could temporarily provide her with a corner in the annex chapel. I am pleased to say that yet another vital community ministry will now flow from Apostles. None of Marianne’s activities will interfere with any of our activities currently taking place in the annex. I cannot begin to tell you how pleased I am to see our reputation grow as a church that is connected to community service. If you would like to check out Marianne’s new ministry, by all means stop in and talk to her, and/or go to the website: www.aplaceofnewbeginnings.org