GET INVOLVED

How Churches Can Get Involved

Every church can participate in ways that fit their size, gifts, and capacity. The goal is not to do everything — but for every church to do something for their city. Here are some ways that you can get involved:

Partner With Schools

Schools are at the heart of every community; they are raising up the next generation. Through the For Our City Initiative, churches have a unique opportunity to encourage and come alongside teachers, support students, and equip families. 

Churches can partner with a local school and serve them in powerful and simple ways. 

School Partnership Examples:

— Teacher appreciation events 

— Providing meals or supplies 

— Encouragement notes and prayer 

— Big Brother / Big Sister style mentoring 

— Tutoring programs 

— Supporting school clubs or activities 

— Helping families connect with community resources 

—Parenting support or workshops 

— Back-to-school events 

The goal is simple: serve the school in the ways they actually need. 

This starts with meeting with the school district or school administration and find out specific ways that they are seeing a gap and coming alongside them to support and care for them.

Partner With Local Organizations

Many organizations are already doing incredible work in our cities. Rather than reinventing the wheel, churches can come alongside and support what is already making a difference. 

<b><span><span></span></span></b><span style="color:var(--secondary-color-bg)"><b><span><span>Examples of organizations might include:</span></span><span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></b><ul><li><span><span>Food Banks</span></span><span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></li><li>Family Resource Centers&nbsp;</li><li>Youth Programs</li><li>Foster Care &amp; Advocacy Groups</li><li>Homeless Outreach Programs</li><li>Recovery Ministries</li></ul></span>
Examples of organizations might include: 
  • Food Banks 
  • Family Resource Centers 
  • Youth Programs
  • Foster Care & Advocacy Groups
  • Homeless Outreach Programs
  • Recovery Ministries
Churches can help by:
  • Volunteering
  • Providing Resources
  • Raising Awareness
  • Supporting Events
  • Offering Prayer & Encouragement

A great way to start is to have your church do a serve day or serve week and select an organization or two and go serve there. 

Contact the organizations, find out their needs and then take a group from your church to go help serve and meet those needs. 

When churches and organizations work together, the impact multiplies.

Pray For Your City

Learn How You Can Make A Difference Through Prayer

Serve Week

Once or twice each year, a church can host a Serve Week — a coordinated week of service designed to mobilize the Church and make a tangible impact throughout our communities.

<span style="color:var(--tertiary-color-bg)"></span><span style="color:var(--tertiary-color-bg)">Rather than serving as individuals, churches are encouraged to create and host meaningful service projects that their congregations can participate in together. As many volunteers step out to serve schools, neighborhoods, nonprofits, and community organizations, the collective impact becomes far greater than what any a small group or individual could accomplish alone.<br></span>

Rather than serving as individuals, churches are encouraged to create and host meaningful service projects that their congregations can participate in together. As many volunteers step out to serve schools, neighborhoods, nonprofits, and community organizations, the collective impact becomes far greater than what any a small group or individual could accomplish alone.

Serve Week is an opportunity to put faith into action, strengthen community partnerships, and demonstrate the love of Jesus through practical acts of service.

Project Ideas:
  • Serving local schools and teachers
  • Community beautification and clean-up projects
  • Tangible support of food banks and local shelters
  • Home repair and yard work for senior citizens
  • Partnering with local nonprofits onsite
  • Encouraging first responders and city employees

The Goal: Mobilize the entire church body to serve together, creating a visible expression of unity and love across our city.

Many Churches. One Mission. One City.

Be A Good Neighbor

Impact doesn’t only happen through programs. Some of the most powerful ways to serve our cities happen right where we live. 

Church members are encouraged to love their neighborhoods through simple acts like: hosting block parties, building relationships with neighbors, supporting local families, starting sports ministries, and creating small community groups. 

Small acts of kindness can create powerful change.

Start New Ministries

Start New Ministries

Sometimes churches identify needs that are not currently being met.

The For Our City Initiative encourages churches to prayerfully start ministries that serve real community needs. 

Examples might include:
  • Sports Ministries For Kids
  • Parenting Support Groups
  • Recovery Ministries
  • Mentorship Programs
  • Job Training Or Life-Skills Classes

Our goal is to help churches start simple, sustainable ministries that bless the community.