SPRING ❁ 2021
Newsletter
Breaking the poverty cycle through relationship, resources, and education.
ProjectConnectNashville.org
Hindsight is 2020 None of us knew what 2020 would look like, but at this point, hindsight is 2020. Along with the difficult parts of the past year came opportunities to affect change in the community around us. With trust in God’s mercies and constant reminders to each other that He is in control, we left the past year with a deep sense of joy in all that He allowed us to do, all the love that He gave us to share, and all the lives that were filled with hope at PCN! I am so proud of the way PCN staff, volunteers, and board members walked with us as we stepped up to the challenge in the aftermath of the tornado, as the uncertainty of the pandemic hit, and even still, amid it all. In Matthew 22:39, we are instructed “to love our neighbors as ourselves,” and we have witnessed this spirit of love in our community. After the tornado and during the pandemic our staff, volunteers and partner organizations served over 65,000 hot meals from our North Nashville campus. At our Woodbine and Madison campuses, PCN worked with church and community disaster relief funding to help those with housing needs due to the disasters find a place to call home. During all this unexpected opportunity, our staff and volunteers continued the everyday work of connection management, workforce development, addiction recovery, trauma healing, and all the educational aspects of overcoming poverty that are the core of Project Connect Nashville. To say it was a challenging year for all is an understatement, but the rewards were great. We could not have possibly accomplished the work of 2020 had it not been for the ability to add additional staff. At the beginning of last year, PCN had six full time employees. Today, we have sixteen! Because of God’s provision through the church, individuals, and community funding, we have added much needed resources in both our staffing and our programming. We thank you for helping us achieve all we have in 2020. We prayerfully ask you to help sustain this vital work through your financial gifts and your hours of volunteer service. 2020 is in the rearview mirror. 2021 is known only to God. We trust Him to provide for our future as he has provided for our past. Now, let’s take a look at this past year in the following pages. We think you will be astounded by all that God has done through PCN in this most difficult year! God bless you for being on this journey with us. We could not do it without you. Blessings, Alan Murdock Executive Director
Congratulations Graduates! 31 Work Life Graduates have crossed our stage in Madison this past year! They connected with us and came to this class from all 3 of our locations! Meet a few of our December graduates…
Casundra
Chris
Angie
Michael
What brought you to Work Life class? I was tired of doing things on my own and knew I needed help from someone.
What are some things that you learned from Work Life class? The Lord gave me an example of how I need to live my life by staying humble and forgiving of others. I have gained a closer relationship with Jesus. I barely have words to explain it. I am very grateful and thankful for Project Connect.
What brought you to Work Life class? My first trauma healing class was the evening of a Work Life graduation ceremony. I decided to begin Work Life with the next class.
What brought you to Work Life class? Adam invited me. I had just moved to Nashville and didn’t have anything going on.
What was your favorite moment of Work Life? Graduation, I truly believe God was proud of me and I felt good. I still have a long way to go but the process has begun and there’s no going back.
What was your favorite moment of the 6 weeks of classes? When Pastor Ella came in to share her story with the ladies of the class, that was courageous in my eyes.
What was your favorite part of Work Life class? I learned to “open up” and got to meet such wonderful friends and family. What are you doing now? I am a full-time parent letting Christ use me and giving back to the community.
Did the class help you reach any goals? Yes, spiritual goals more than anything else.
What are the top 2 things that you took away from Work Life? Interview skills and keeping God at the center of my work life balance. What was your favorite part of the class? Making paper airplanes!
“[Work Life] surpassed my expectations. This was a source of energy and rejuvenation. I still come... It continues with the balance, it’s following through, and it’s continuing to meet and exceed my expectations every time.” — ANGIE | 2020 WORK LIFE GRADUATE GRADUATION PHOTOS BY JESSICA MCINTOSH PHOTOGRAPHY
There were too many celebrations of Christmas joy at PCN last December to share them all! Our supporters (YOU!) were incredibly generous as you shared gifts of time, toys, and more. We got creative and figured out ways to safely celebrate at our Woodbine, North Nashville, and Madison sites! These are a few of the highlights…
Christmas Recaps | by Adrianne Gott
This Christmas, PCN received a trailer full of gifts from an anonymous source for three different families. This donation from friends of PCN brought tears of joy to the families. One of the recipients, Angie, having just graduated Work Life, felt as if she had experienced the reward of her labor, and she was astounded by this blessing. In addition, this helped other clients that had moved into a new home just a week earlier. This was a jaw-dropping surprise that brought joy to the PCN community. December 12th was a day of love and cheer for the residents at Lexington Gardens. Volunteers from far and wide came to serve this hurting community in Madison. PCN offered blankets, food boxes, and a colorful Christmas parade. In preparation for this event, the volunteers had a decorating and float building event at First Baptist Church of Madison before parading into the apartment complex and sharing the joy, hope, and love of the season. People of all ages participated in the parade, and the residents responded with gratitude. We were so happy to meet some new friends, share the hope of Jesus, and invite them to our classes, as well! On December 13th, Project Connect hosted a caroling event in North Nashville. Throughout this event, PCN was able to create a cheerful atmosphere for the community while following social distancing guidelines. For many residents, this was their first time having carolers in the neighborhood. Each household received a blanket, a Christmas book for their children, hot chocolate, and candy canes. Volunteers even made bags of candied pecans to add to the gift bags that were distributed. This was a great opportunity for volunteers to spread merriment through song and for residents to enjoy themselves. “Project Connect has helped my family ever since the tornado last year. They always offer food and greet us with smiles. The caroling event was something like we’ve never seen before. It was such an awesome experience for my mom and I,” proclaimed resident Alicia Moore.
Volunteer Perspective Moving to a new city right before a pandemic was not my ideal type of transition. However, PCN and the people I have met along the way made my adjustments just a little bit easier. My desire to help began with meal prep and lunch delivery to the victims who suffered from the storm. Through those deliveries, I had the chance to work with North Nashville’s Program Manager, Laura Ingram, and became more familiar with the mission of PCN. I then acquired the itch to investigate more ways I could help! After attending a volunteer equipping session, I signed up online to be an “ally” in the next Work Life class. Entering the PCN teaching space was exciting! It didn’t take long to feel a sense of community and belonging. “All of the things that would impede our ability to grow, somehow magically, it doesn’t enter this space. When you get to this space, it’s calming,” my classmate Angie says. I wholeheartedly agree! We focused in on prayer, listening, and connecting with God. The space was there for all of us to deepen our workplace skills and to be ourselves, genuinely and unapologetically. Angie first found out about Work Life when attending a Trauma Healing class on Sunday evenings. She says, “I have peace, and that’s priceless. I’m going to be a better employee whenever I get a job because of the
| by Stephanie Law
experience that I’ve had with Work Life.” As an ally, I know that I was showing up for the same reasons as Angie and the rest of the students were—to be better than I was the day before, and to trust in God during the process along my journey. Another classmate from Work Life, Carol, developed the same confidence that Angie and I did while attending Work Life. “The biggest room in my house is the room for improvement,” Carol said. She crossed paths with the Murdocks at Restoration Church a few years ago and now she is happy to be part of the PCN family. As a talented musician, she helps to lead worship at Historic First Community Church, and she has also been volunteering her time around our Madison office. I’ve discovered the line between client and volunteer often gets blurred in this beautiful way as we all grow with each other as image-bearers in community together. “Learning how to deal with conflict as it arises, stepping back instead of reacting, we are all flawed human beings. We don’t necessarily know how to relate on a completely healthy level,” Carol says. Work Life really explored the idea that we are uniquely created with our own strengths and weaknesses for our own path. Whatever plan God has in store for each of us, we showed up for the six-week course at Project Connect to learn, to grow, to explore, to heal, and to relate to one another—all while gaining valuable experience. I am so appreciative of the new friendships that were made, the unique connections that formed, and the great memories that were created!
Dinner on the lawn, outdoor worship, education programs, lives impacted, and PCN clients joining the Woodbine congregation! All these amazing things happened for our campus at The Church at Woodbine since its beginning in February 2020! Yes, it was a tough time to start a new ministry, especially one like ours that works directly with people to build relationship and hope. But with the support of Brentwood Baptist and with faith that as the scripture says, “With God, all things are possible,” Project Connect opened! PCN Woodbine now has three fulltime staff; our Connection Manager, Stephanie Carlson, our Volunteer Coordinator, Hannah Kehrer, and our newest addition, Matt Worley (pictured), who joined in November as our Program Manager. Matt comes to us with extensive non-profit and ministry experience - he was instrumental in the growth of Cul2vate and served at Brentwood Baptist in a ministry residency and as a member of their mission's department. He is a long-time member of the Church at Woodbine and brings existing relationships and knowledge of the community to his work at PCN. This dynamic trio is stepping into 2021 with their first onsite Work Life class this winter. They are also looking forward to serving alongside you, our volunteers, and reaching even more individuals and families through the education programs and fellowship opportunities that make PCN such a gift to the Woodbine community!
Come join us as we serve God and His children through the ministry of PCN at Woodbine!
Rebuilding Homes, Rebuilding Lives in North Nashville
North Nashville
Woodbine
NEW THINGS ARE HAPPENING! NEW THINGS ARE HAPPENING! It’s hard to think that almost a year after the tornado of 2020 hit Nashville, we are still in the rebuilding stage! With so many other major issues over the past many months, the destruction of March 3rd has turned into a distant memory for much of our community. But in hard-hit North Nashville, the struggle to rebuild homes is still very real. PCN is working hard to make sure the progress continues. If you’ve ever been involved in a building project, you know the many setbacks and delays that can happen. PCN has been very blessed to have both the financial donations and a knowledgeable construction leader to help us manage that work. John Heineman, our construction manager, has worked diligently for the last several months to make these steps happen for 3 different houses that have been placed in PCN’s hands. John is an accomplished construction manager who could be working on many for-profit projects but feels led to be a part of the PCN team. He will be working with many of you as opportunities to volunteer come up on the construction sites. Be on the lookout for opportunities to be a part of the ongoing rebuilding work in North Nashville. Many hands make light work! As 2021 starts, we are saying a fond farewell to Laura Ingram, our amazing Program Manager in North Nashville. Laura’s family will be moving back to their native Texas where her husband will be on staff as worship leader. She came to us in the aftermath of the storm and has done an incredible job overseeing the site's inception and growth. Laura built wonderful relationships with many residents in the neighborhood and partners in the community. Laura will be deeply missed by PCN and North Nashville, but she has built a solid foundation for kingdom building work in years to come. Ella Clay (formerly our Madison Program Manager) will be stepping into the position in North Nashville and with her presence already established in the community as pastor of First Historic Community Church, we are excited to see God use her to touch many with the hope of the Gospel.
Your Story Matters! | by Barb Smith
PCN is now a part of 94FM “The Fish”
| by Stephanie Law
“Everyone’s story matters because everyone matters to God” – that’s what second-year Work Life Students at the Madison Campus are discovering on Sunday nights in PCN’s newest class. Taught by Debi Thompson, a 4th-year Volunteer and Work Life facilitator, the class is based on Your Story Matters: Finding, Writing and Living the Truth of your Life by Leslie Leyland Fields, (NavPress, 2020).
If you’re driving through town and happen to spot either an eye-catching billboard or a company vehicle sporting PCN’s familiar logo don’t be surprised! We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with one of Nashville’s top radio stations – 94 FM “The Fish.”
“This is so much more than a writing class,” says Debi. “It’s about recovering what’s been lost and discovering new truth about our experiences and God’s involvement in our personal stories. This is a perfect continuation of what we do in Work Life.”
Project Connect Nashville and The Fish have recently formed a partnership and we are thrilled to be a part of their on-air promotions with spots featuring many of our clients and volunteers. You can also expect to see The Fish at some of our planned events, including the Fundraiser Dinners and Work Life Graduation.
In March Debi participated in a Zoom class based on the book and taught by Fields. “I was struck by how helpful it would be to encourage our PCN clients to write their stories as part of their journey of self-examination and restoration,” said Debi, who wrote to the author and asked for permission to teach the class based on her book. Fields enthusiastically approved and graciously donated the first batch of books for the PCN program.
On The Fish’s website, you’ll find a link to PCN along with prayer requests, a “Church Search” and more.
“Love Happens Here” is The Fish’s current campaign and it coincides beautifully with PCN’s mission as both organizations work to break the cycle of poverty, bring hope and healing, all while restoring faith in God. Christina Eckert – Media Strategist at The Fish originally started by doing volunteer work for PCN, participating in a Resume Writing Workshop. “I love PCN’s heart, and this ministry needs to be heard,” Christina said. It’s no wonder we joined forces, since loving on Nashville is what both The Fish and PCN are committed to doing every day!
Sharing life stories in a safe and encouraging environment is a key part of establishing community at PCN. “Writing helps us to notice what God notices,” says Debi. “And writing can help us to unlock the closet of forgetting and denial, and by doing so, we can find healing and insight as we move forward.”
“The sad things that happened long ago will always remain part of who we are just as the glad and gracious things will too, but instead of being a burden of guilt, recrimination, and regret that make us constantly stumble as we go, even the saddest things can become, once we have made peace with them, a source of wisdom and strength for the journey that still lies ahead.” — Frederick Buechner, Telling Secrets
Project Connect Nashville PO Box 295 Madison, TN 37116
SHARE THE HOPE, GIVE TODAY! Give to our “Hope Happens Here” Campaign today at ProjectConnectNashville.org!
JOIN US FOR PCN'S ANNUAL SPRING FUNDRAISER
PHIL. 1:27
THURSDAY, MAY 6 IN-PERSON CITY ROAD CHAPEL MADISON ONLINE HOST A TABLE AT HOME FOR FAMILY & FRIENDS “DINNER IN A BOX” DETAILS TBA
RSVP CONTACT@PROJECTCONNECTNASHVILLE.ORG THERE IS NO COST TO ATTEND. MARK YOUR CALENDAR & PLAN TO JOIN US!
SPONSOR AN EVENT OR TABLE |
VOLUNTEER TO SERVE
CONTACT MICHELLE@PROJECTCONNECTNASHVILLE.ORG