Winter 2017
First Covenant Adds Ministry to Homeless Families Twice Monthly for Winter Emergency Overflow Housing Initiative Anchorage First Covenant Church is a busy place seven days a week. through AWAIC with participating cab companies. On Sundays, worshipers from the church congregation, Covenanters There are currently 23 volunteers organized into three teams who will from villages passing through Anchorage, and members of two other rotate staffing the overnight shelter. Teams will divide responsibilities congregations (Samoan and Moravian) gather at the church for weekly that include shifts for evening, overnight, and morning care for guests. services. Additionally, there are at least 18 other community-based Snacks and breakfast are provided as well, and one person will be meetings that happen weekly at the church responsible for laundering linens off-site. The including five Alcoholics Anonymous team will also be responsible for making sure groups, Pills Anonymous, AlAnon, and a needed food and toiletry items are purchased Freedom Group that meets eight times prior to each night they will be hosting. weekly. Hundreds of people find First According to Kathryn Hoffer, First Covenant as a place for connecting with Covenant’s ECWS coordinator, in order to God, others, healing and hope. participate, the church needed to make sure This winter, First Covenant has added a the facility was compliant with safety new care ministry to the community at large standards and receive approval from the by opening its doors at least eleven times church’s insurance company, the Municipality during the winter months. The congregation of Anchorage, and the fire department to is partnering with seven other Anchorage proceed. Smoke alarms were installed as congregations to provide overflow capacity required. Sleeping pads were ordered, and for homeless families needing a place to many donations of linens were received from sleep when other shelters are full. generous church members. In 2008, the United way and several other Additionally, the organizational team community partners and faith congregations comprised of Kathryn Hoffer, Joy Rivera, initiated the Emergency Cold Weather and Jim Hjelm identified this as the Shelter (ECWS) in response to shortage of opportune time to add two showers to the space at shelters for families with downstairs restrooms—an upgrade that has children. Building an additional shelter was been a desire of the church for years. Terry not viable, nor expedient, and alternative Shimek, one of the AA leaders, organized solutions needed to be created. The faith fundraising efforts and labor toward the community stepped forward as they had the Kathryn Hoffer, ECWS coordinator at Anchorage First Covenant completion of the showers. space and the congregation members willing Church, gladly shows off the stack of new sleeping pads that “I am so encouraged to see new leadership were purchased for the families that will spend a night in the to volunteer their time to provide safe and surface within our church enabling this church when they need overnight shelter. warm overnight lodging in winter months. ministry to happen, as well as many people Last winter, ECWS provided shelter to 82 families that included 123 who are excited about volunteering to serve this vulnerable population in children, with 37% of the families staying a week or more. According to our community,” explained Pastor Max Lopez-Cepero of First Covenant. the United Way website, without this option, families would be out in the First Covenant’s work with the homeless follows several other cold – literally. With subzero temperatures for many nights each year, ministries across the Alaska Conference that provide care for the freezing to death is a real threat to these families. homeless and hungry. Bethel Evangelical Covenant Church has First Covenant’s participation comes at a time when Anchorage is partnered with the Catholic Church in the Winter House Project in grappling with increased homelessness and continued decreasing capacity Bethel. Additionally the Bethel church hosts “Supper Club” every Friday at other shelters. First Covenant will be available for housing two night for anyone in need of nourishment—both physical and emotional. Thursdays a month to families, meaning a child, or children, with at least Nome Covenant Church holds a weekly soup kitchen for Nome's hungry one accompanying adult. and homeless population, and in 2017, served just under 2000 meals to The AWAIC (Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis) shelter that sits just two the children of Nome through the Checkpoint ministry. Mat-Su blocks away from the church, serves as the referring agency and Covenant has also participated in a homeless ministry in the valley called facilitates case management and follow up with people involved. Family Promise, where they provide compassionate care through shelter Transportation for children needing to make it to school is pre-arranged and meals to families without a home for one week at a time.
From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:16