We commit ourselves to: An Entrepreneurial Spirit where the reality that the baptized are gifted by the Holy Spirit for ministry and service is realized in the freedom of each person to perceive, obey and implement the messages and vision God places in their lives.
Church of the Beloved invites people on a spiritual search in part by creating a community where God can be encountered. One of the transformations that can happen through this encounter is the personal transformation that allows us, each in our own way, to offer God’s love and tenderness as we serve the forgotten and powerless.
Here, in Christ’s name, the Beloved community does reach out to try and touch the lives of those who are having a tough time, those without adequate shelter, those who are hungry or alone, or those whose educational background is limited. This community of faithful Christians does this as a grateful response to the grace and love shown to us by God.
Church of the Beloved is blessed by the presence of Deacon Deb Blackwood who works to encourage and support this engagement by helping find opportunities for the congregation as a whole, to give their time, talent, and financial support to organizations that are furthering the work that Jesus taught us “to do unto the least of these.”
- 2006-2007 Human Needs Outreach Opportunities
- The Beloved Tithe and outside Ministries supported (2001-2006)
- Giving to Christ at Christmas (2001-2006)
2007-2008 Human Needs Outreach Opportunities
The Human Needs Outreach Team will soon be planning to provide quarterly options in 2007-2008 to aid you on your journey of service and giving to others. None are “required”, some will be more attractive to you than others, some are individual, others are group oriented. See which one speaks to your heart – consider picking one or two this year that may let you say a personal “thank you” to God for the blessings you have received.
Completed 2006-2007 events:
Hunger Relief (February 4 & 11, 2007)
Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger is something usually seen as being most important in developing countries. Yet we don’t have to go outside the boundaries of our own county to serve those who are hungry in the Name of Jesus!
For thousands in the greater Mecklenburg area, hunger becomes a fact of life. Loaves & Fishes is one local agency that tries to meet this need. People in need are provided with a week’s worth of nutritious groceries. This year’s February 3-11 Annual Food Drive is a way of raising funds and food to help people who are “in over their heads” though tough times without seeing their families go hungry.
Our next Human Needs Outreach effort is a two-pronged operation that benefits the ministry of Loaves & Fishes in our community:
Sunday, February 4: Souper Bowl of Caring. Beloved’s combined Fusion youth groups ask you to bring a dollar or more per person in your household to place in our soup pot for the hungry on Super Bowl Sunday.
Sunday, February 11: Canned Food Drive. Beloved’s Human Needs Outreach Committee team invites you to bring bags or boxes filled with canned or non-perishable food to church on Sunday, Feb 11, and leave them by the back of your vehicle in the parking lot. Food will be collected during worship and transported to the Arboretum to be added to the Loaves & Fishes Truck following worship.
Operation Christmas Child (November 19, 2006)
Church of the Beloved is once again participated in Operation Christmas Child, sponsored by Samaritan’s Purse. This program provides a shoebox for a child who lives in poverty somewhere in the world – and as a gift at Christmas – sends the hope that Jesus brings into the world in a hands-on project.
Jesus constantly reminded his followers to pray – unceasingly. This is a great “tool” for us as we start thinking about and collecting for our show box gifts. Pray for: those who are putting together shoe boxes; others in the greater Charlotte area who are also participating; for the boy or girl who will receive your shoe box(es). Special prayers can be given for people of other cultures, languages and world religions as we pray for the children who will receive their gifts.
We collected these shoeboxes, blessed them and then took them to the Samaritan’s Purse warehouse on Sunday, November 19th.
Baking Cookies for Kairos (September 3-17, 2006)
Twice a year, folks from Beloved join other Christians in baking cookies for Kairos, a faith-sharing, evangelistic weekend for prisoners in the Kershaw Correctional Institution. Each weekend needs about 48,000 home-baked cookies! Homemade cookies are a tangible expression of Christian love and an indication of God’s concern for a group of men who seldom encounter either in the course of their daily lives. Many of them have not had a visit from family in years.
Beloved’s own Rick Jordan led the September 2006 Kairos weekend. Click here to read testimonials from inmates that attended September’s Kairos weekend. The cookies Beloved baked are more than just snacks—they provide a backdrop for powerful Holy Spirit work!
School Supply Collection (August 23-27, 2006)
A big thank you to the Human Needs Outreach Team, the Marketing Team and all who served in making the Blessing of the Backpacks and the collection of school supplies for A Child’s Place possible! Sixteen heaping boxes of supplies were collected for homeless children in our community. Forty-five children as well as teachers, adult students and home school educators came forward to be blessed, representing 21 different schools in our community. Photos appeared in the August 28th (B2) and August 31st (South Meck Neighbors) editions of the Charlotte Observer. The Community Resources Director at A Child’s Place, Cheryl Carrothers, who wedged the visit to our congregation into her busy calendar the week before the collection said, “This was no mistake coming here today; it was wonderful.”
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The Beloved Tithe
Each year, Church of the Beloved is committed to giving a minimum of 10% of the gifts received in each Sunday's basket offering to local, national and international ministries that serve Jesus by making disciples and supporting those in physical need. Distribution of the Beloved Tithe is determined at the recommendation of the Servant Member Community, with the tithe proceeds for each year being accrued and distributed in the subsequent calendar year. Through 2006, over $55,000 in Tithe funds have been distributed.
Below you will find a comprehensive list of ministries in our community, nation and world supported through the Beloved Tithe as well as offerings of time and labor:
A Child's Place, supports children who are homeless or in foster care that need school supplies and clothing so that they can better "fit in" with their peers ($890 plus boxes of school supplies and uniforms).
Anglican Communion Office, monies have assisted in human needs around the world ($2702) and assisted in the eradiction of AIDS in Tanzania, AFRICA and provide assistance to AIDS orphans ($1730 in addition to Giving to Christ at Christmas funds [$1372, see below]).
Chapel of Christ the King’s Afterschool Program, the inner city ministry of the Episcopal church in uptown Charlotte that works offering after school care to children in the area ($1270).
Community Blood Center of the Carolinas (Community blood drive at Beloved Garden)
Crisis Assistance Ministry, an agency in Charlotte that provides emergency assistance to those in need ($2335 in addition to Giving to Christ at Christmas funds [$3871, see below]).
CROP Walk, an annual 6 kilometer event to support hunger relief around the world (20 Beloved participants raised $1759 in 2006).
Episcopal Farm Workers Ministry, a ministry supported by both the Diocese of North Carolina and East Carolina which supports migrants workers in the eastern part of North Carolina ($1583 plus 3 pickup trucks filled with supplies and resources).
Episcopal Relief and Development Fund (formerly the Presiding Bishop’s Fund for World Relief), for Tsunami victims in Asia ($2917).
Episcopal Outreach Camp, home repairs for those in need and literacy work with children through Project Starfish.
Food for the Poor’s Episcopal Feeding Program, a ministry agency that meets the needs of the hungry who are in third world countries ($1503).
Friendship Trays, a ministry delivering and visiting those who are homebound in the Charlotte area ($4294).
Hurricane Relief in Florida and the Gulf Region (50 backpacks filled with school supplies and Sunday Offering cancelled with funds diverted to hurricane relief).
Joni and Friends, a ministry which exists to communicate the Gospel and equip Christ-honoring churches worldwide to evangelize and disciple people affected by disabilities ($1583).
Kairos Prison Ministry, offers the reconciling love of Jesus Christ to those serving time in Kershaw Correctional Institution (500+ dozen cookies as well as staff leadership)
Kanuga Conferences’ Camp Bob, a summer camp experience for children who reside in inner large city neighborhoods ($2311).
Loaves and Fishes, assists with feeding the hungry of Mecklenburg County (NC) through a network of volunteers and local food pantries ($2311).
Misty Meadows Farm (Mighty Riders Program), a horseback riding program for children with special needs located in Weddington, NC ($1583).
National Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, an association supporting the religious development of adults and children in the United States and nineteen countries around the world ($5247).
Penick Village, the Diocesan retirement community in Southern Pines, NC ($1597).
Project HOPE, for inner city Charlotte youth ($1588).
Samaritan House, a ministry of respite care for the homeless who are discharged from the hospital ($1729 in addition to Giving to Christ at Christmas funds [$3198, see below]).
Samaritan’s Purse, a ministry that collects and ships shoeboxes of toys, personal hygiene items and school supplies to children around the world at Christmas time (300+ boxes and warehouse labor for Operation Christmas Child).
Seabury Institute, creates programs to train church leaders in sharing the Gospel effectively in the 21st century ($4969).
Second Harvest Food Bank, an agency that coordinates the collection of day old bread and surplus food from local grocery stores and restaurants (canned goods collections exceeding 1 ton).
South American Missionary Society (SAMS), Church of the Beloved sponsors the Smith Family assigned to do missionary work in Chile ($6390).
Thompson Child and Family Focus (formerly Thompson Children’s Home), a group home for children with special needs sponsored by the Episcopal churches in Charlotte since its inception in 1886 ($2203).
Urban Ministry Center, an inter-faith organization serving the poor, the homeless and others in need through love, compassion and practical help. This agency specifically sponsors the St. Peter Soup Kitchen to which most of Beloved’s funds are directed ($4303).
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Giving to Christ at Christmas
Each Christmas the Beloved Community remembers that the “reason for the season” is the incarnation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus' passion centered around two heartbeats: making disciples and service to others. Through Christmas 2006, over $37,800 has been received and distributed from these annual offerings.
Since its 2001 inauguration, Giving to Christ at Christmas has made a dramatic impact for the gospel of Jesus Christ, both here and around the world. The physical survival and spiritual lives of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of children and adults around the world have been forever transformed by these generous gifts to the Christ Child:
Speaking of the human need portion (20%) of the $4414 gift to Jesus in 2001 ($1372), Secretary General John Peterson of the Anglican Communion Office in London, wrote, “I am particularly grateful for your contribution given for (our church’s) work with the children of Bethlehem. What a great gift you have given to the children, particularly at this horrific time when the people of Bethlehem have no food to eat. Your generosity is appreciated so much.” The evangelistic portion was earmarked for both the development of an interim ministry location and a future permanent ministry site for Church of the Beloved in order to strategically advance our mission to share the love of Jesus Christ to those in the Charlotte area with no church home.
In 2002, half of our $7,742 Gift to Jesus ($3871) touched human needs close to home as we partnered with Crisis Assistance Ministry to assist those in our community who lacked food, shelter, clothing and basic utilities during a particularly cold winter where we all experienced extended cold with the power failures during a winter storm. The evangelistic portion made possible in part the existence of Beloved Garden, the retail program ministry location we continue using to strategically advance our mission to share the love of Jesus Christ to children and adults in the Charlotte area, with the vision of ultimately reaching those with no church home.
In 2003, half of our $7,685 Gift ($3843) to Jesus touched human needs across the globe as we partnered with the Anglican Communion Office in the work to assist in the eradication of the AIDS plague that is ravaging millions of men, women and children on the African continent. We received personal and heartfelt thanks from those in the field who used our money for a disease prevention drama ministry and vitally needed medicine to insure the health and survival of those innocent young children and their families who are presently suffering and dying with this devastating disease. The evangelistic portion was used (with several other generous bequests) to fund the cost of the physical materials (tables, chairs, shelving, educational and multimedia materials, etc.) needed to begin the operation of Beloved Garden. Now in its third year of programming, Beloved Garden hosts four weekly sessions of FaithQuest (with forty percent of the participating children from outside the Beloved community) as well as other youth and adult offerings.
In 2004, half of our $6,395 gift to Jesus ($3198) assisted the startup of Samaritan House, a recuperation and transition ministry for the homeless who are discharged from the hospital. Incorporated as a non-profit, Samaritan House has leased a house on the grounds of the YWCA on Park Road, where it now serves hundreds of adults annually. The remaining half was used to strategically advance our mission to share the love of Jesus Christ to children and adults in the newly created neighborhoods of Charlotte’s South Perimeter by providing a pool of money with which to enhance our web presence and fund marketing campaigns for Church of the Beloved in 2005 and 2006.
In 2005, our $5,280 gift to Jesus assisted our visiting Nigerian priest, Fr. Benjamin Nnaji ($1320), the Anglican Cathedral Middle School in Okigwe, Nigeria where he taught ($1320) and the Beloved Garden Scholarship Fund for those children and adults who cannot afford to pay the minimal fee for the programming offered there ($2640).
In 2006, our $6373 gift to Jesus came home to Beloved for her 5th birthday, designated to be used to strengthen our ministry presence in Charlotte's South Perimeter with a Tithe ($673) being designated to help start a new church in the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia.
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