This
is a story about building community.
It is a story about choices we make when we move into
neighborhoods to share the peace of Jesus Christ. Relationship, partnership,
invitation, and stewardship make this story possible. It is about Community of
Christ.
As we prepare for the 2010 Conference this month, we look
forward to sharing the privilege of building community. The Extreme
Makeover Service Project at the Leslie Unit of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater
Kansas City will be such an event.
The impact will reach beyond the Leslie club, located 1.4 miles
east of the Temple; it could spread throughout the USA. More about that later.
This story will not be complete without volunteers who have a
servant’s heart. As with past Conference projects, this one will invite
volunteers from all over Community of Christ to join in something special. They
will paint, landscape, build, and clean as we transform the club into a place
where kids can thrive.
The church’s relationship with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater
Kansas City holds immeasurable worth. It started four years ago when the Village
Heights Congregation of Independence, Missouri, partnered with the Hawthorne
Unit of the Boys & Girls Clubs for a weekly Jesus and Me (JAM) program.
That program reaches more than 100 children in the Hawthorne community. That one
partnership grew into summer programs, holiday events, and more.
As the relationship deepened, so did chances to build community.
Those opportunities led the Central USA Mission Center toward the Boys & Girls
Clubs’ Leslie Unit. Unlike the Hawthorne Unit, which is in a new facility, the
Leslie Unit is 30 years old. It needs loving care.
“Because years of wear and tear had taken their toll on the
building, there were some obstacles that made daily programming a challenge,”
said Tyrone Moore, area director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas
City.
Overcoming obstacles is an important part of the story. The
Extreme Makeover Project includes light construction that will allow the Leslie
Unit to become eligible for funding and grants from the state of Missouri.
The funding cannot happen without the remodeling.
Updating the kitchen will enable the club to provide healthy
meals to kids who otherwise wouldn’t get three meals at home.
“Community of Christ continues to be one of our most-valued
partners in Independence,” Moore said. “We have been blessed by the church’s
desire to make a difference with our kids. It’s rare to have such a loving
group take such an interest in the clubs. It’s even rarer that so many from all
over the world want to give of their time to make the Leslie Unit a better
place. I can’t wait to see the club filled with people who care.”
Being in partnership is about understanding potential. Community
of Christ and the Boys & Girls Clubs together are seeking to make a difference
in kids’ lives—on a national scale. Boys & Girls Clubs representatives will be
onsite to help church members connect with clubs all over the country.
This endorsement will be a great aid for congregations interested in their own
JAM programs.
Conference week will bring two chances to experience JAM. Buses
will shuttle Conference attendees to the Hawthorne Unit on Tuesday, April 13,
for the JAM at Hawthorne Place. And a special celebration Friday, April 16, will
kick off the program at the newly remodeled Leslie Unit. Church representatives
will offer materials to copy the program in other areas.
The potential for Community of Christ congregations is limitless
because the relationship is strong. The partnership is invigorating the clubs
and congregations.
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To
Learn More…
We are currently seeking volunteers for all phases of the project
including staff to help prepare for the project in the weeks prior to
Conference. We also need project managers and support staff who would be
willing to be on site during Conference week to help facilitate the
project once we have officially kicked off the Makeover.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we need
volunteers willing to make it all happen by volunteering to participate in
the project itself. These people will help with the painting, light
construction, landscaping, flooring installation, cleaning, tear out prior
to remodel, and anything else that may come up during that week needs to
be done. If you would like to learn more or volunteer, contact
project manager
Tom Cochran,
816/595-1737. |
“Our partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs has been enriching
and rewarding,” Village Heights Pastor Hazel Browne said. “We went to the Boys &
Girls Clubs to bring ministry, but what we found when we got there was the kids
brought such a ministry to our volunteers. It was really a shot in the arm for
our entire congregation.” The clubs also feel blessed. “Our kids get so excited
on church days, it is unbelievable,” said Yolanda Robinson, Hawthorne Unit
director. “Every Tuesday they want to know if it is church day. JAM has
been great for our kids.”
You are invited to help write the ending to this story. Your
willingness to volunteer during Conference week will put your fingerprints on a
great chapter in the partnership. Come share in the project and then return to
your community with the tools to make a difference.
—Tom Cochran
April 2010 Herald
