Daniel Bair

Culture Impact Committee Chair

The challenges emerging because of the COVID-19 pandemic threaten to overshadow the rest of the things we would like to highlight in this annual report. So we want begin with a few highlights from our committee and praises and prayers from and for our partner organizations before reflecting on our response to coronavirus in our culture.

First, we have enjoyed a journey of discovery in the gospel that we explored in outreach training classes to help our congregation become aware of avenues in which church members are impacting our culture and how we can more involved. These classes covered topics from outreach on college campuses to gospel-centered poverty alleviation. Along this vein of equipping each other for local outreach, we hosted a special event discussing the challenges our area school boards are facing with gender issues and began the conversation on how the church can have an impact on our local schools.

Our Sanctity of Human Life task force (SOHL) again organized our annual March for Life campaign. Despite the cold weather, 109 participants joined up for this event in downtown Chicago wearing matching hats and celebrating and standing for life.

Here are some brief updates on what God is doing through these ministries. Please email us (cultureimpact@college-church.org) for more information on how to learn more or be part of any of these.

FINANCIALLY AND VOLUNTEER-SUPPORTED ORGANIZATIONS

Caring Network

Our partnership with Caring Network continues to make available counseling services, adoption options and helping carry the affordable medical costs for vulnerable mothers in our community who choose life and need help. In addition, Caring Network offer programs for the restoration of those who have had an abortion and are now heartbroken or confused.

Please join us in praying for this ministry, the mothers who are considering abortions and the restoration of those who are seeking answers.

Naomi’s House

Naomi’s House provides a safe place for hope and healing rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ for victims of human trafficking. God has used Naomi’s House and the many workers and volunteers to help the women they serve gain new lives—a reflection of the gospel of Jesus.

Let us pray for these women to find restoration through their time at Naomi’s House and community in the church.

Outreach Community Ministries (OCM)

Many from our church have served at OCM over the years from tutoring to helping with the Christmas Store as Outreach seeks “to restore hope and provide opportunities for people to become all that God intends them to be.”

We are praying for the low-income families that OCM serves who are often the most impacted by times of economic uncertainty.

VOLUNTEER-SUPPORTED ORGANIZATIONS

DuPage PADS

PADS continues to make an effort at helping to restore the homeless in our community. Volunteers from our church help on our service nights a handful of times throughout the year as PADS offers interim (overnight) housing.

Join us in praying for the homeless population especially struggling during this season of uncertainty.

Safe Families

Our church continues to encourage our Safe Families as they seek to keep children safe and families intact by connecting with families in crisis as temporary hosts to care for children until the family is able to get back on its feet.

Join us in praying that God would stir hearts and open doors for our church members to love families in crisis around us in ways that boldly proclaim the gospel and encourage them to be part of our communities.

Obviously, as some of the prayer requests indicated, many of those served by these ministries are the ones most impacted by COVID-19. As we pray for those who are struggling, we are also doing what we can to help those in need. One way we helped is through the food drive hosted by College Church for Englewood Family Outreach. Everyone came together and donated tons (literally, estimated between 6,000 and 8,000 pounds) of food and home goods that were made available to families in need in the Englewood community on the south side of Chicago. Our church is continuing to seek ways to love our neighbors in need during this time. Please pray with us that we would all make the most of this time by impacting the culture around us with the gospel.