SPRING ❁ 2022
Newsletter
Alleviating poverty through Christ-centered community, educational, and vocational resources.
ProjectConnectNashville.org
Equipping
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to s l a u d i v i nd
sh i r u Flo
Dear Faithful Friends and Supporters, Last December, I shared some words about what I find so beautiful and powerful in the work of Project Connect Nashville, and this month I’ll pull the curtain back just a bit more. Project Connect is a “Helping Without Hurting” organization, and many of us have an idea of what that means – that we provide a “hand-up and not a hand-out.” However, that doesn’t capture the full essence of what we do. Helping Without Hurting means that that we do provide some material resources, but that we do so in a way that honors the God-given gifts and dignity that everyone possesses as an image-bearer of God. We provide intentional resources in the context of healthy long-term relationships as we teach and encourage individuals to use the gifts, talents, and resources that God has given them. As we do this, it can be difficult and messy because good and transformative relationships often are. But the reasons for doing so are clear. It is biblical. Poverty is complex and difficult because it’s not only a lack of material resources – it is a result of broken relationship to God, self, others, and the rest of creation. Simply put - poverty is a result of The Fall. However, we know that Christ came to defeat sin and death, and Colossians 1 tells us that Christ came to reconcile all things to Himself. He came to restore broken relationships – including our relationships to work, money, and community. As Christians, we know that we are the vessels through which God often chooses to accomplish His purposes in the world, and so we are to be agents of healing and restoration. That is true poverty alleviation. Secondly, we’ve seen it work! Already this year, we have many reasons to celebrate. We celebrate housing and jobs for those who, 6 months ago, were homeless, discouraged, and short on hope. We celebrate the 8 new students who have joined our Work Life class this January because they have struggled at work and want to see if God’s design for work can help them succeed. We celebrate the second-year students who are discovering the power of their own stories through classes like Your Story Matters and New Hope. We celebrate the former clients who are now volunteering by bringing meals, acting as allies, and teaching because they want to be a part of the restoration process for others. That is the power of gospel transformation on display, and the ripple effects of those who are learning to flourish in the Kingdom.
PHOTO CREDITS: ROBERT PRICE, JESSICA MCINTOSH, AND ANGEL PYRZ
Which brings me back to what I shared last December: PCN is so special because the joyful relationships and transformative education equips individuals to not only break the cycle of poverty in their lives, but also to flourish as citizens in the Kingdom of God. Flourishing is not just staying up on bills and maintaining housing and a job. Flourishing is understanding that God wants to use our money and resources to accomplish His Kingdom purposes in the world, and then putting that into practice. That is Helping Without Hurting. And YOU are Helping Without Hurting. As a supporter of Project Connect, you have already chosen to honor this Kingdom reality – you have allowed God to use your money, time, and prayers to accomplish His work in the world! We are so grateful for you, and we could not do it without you. We want to see PCN continue to flourish and grow and invite you to join us through monthly giving. Monthly giving is the financial backbone of our ministry, allowing us to plan and budget well so that month in and month out, we know we can continue to help individuals find hope and stability in community and Christ. If you are not a monthly giver, would you consider becoming one? If you are a monthly giver, would you consider increasing your contribution? Please read on to see and hear stories of hope at Project Connect, and on the inside back pages you’ll see more about how you can be involved in new ways through giving, serving, and praying. More than anything, I pray that this note finds you flourishing where God has put you, contributing to His Kingdom work as you are able, and resting in the unshakable love and grace that sustains us all. Grateful to God for you,
Zach Bevill Interim Executive Director
Tonya
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28
Giving Back from a Renewed Spirit In 2017, Tonya experienced the devastating loss of her daughter’s life. As a follower of Christ, she did not falter in or lose her faith, but she admits that she felt, “dead inside.” She is the primary caretaker of 2 grandchildren, so she kept going through the motions of life, but it just wasn’t the same. Surprisingly, the tornado of March 2020 was the catalyst that began to change her heart. That is also when she discovered PCN. “People were pouring out the love for us,” she said as she described the days following the devastating event. Her North Nashville home wasn’t terribly damaged, but they were without power for two weeks, and it was cold. In those first cold and emotionally raw days, PCN volunteers stopped by to check on her and make sure she had everything she and her family needed. As power came back, but Covid restrictions set in, Tonya lost her 2 parttime jobs, and the daily lunches and supplies that continued to be provided through PCN became a valuable source of relief. “God always made sure I had enough,” she said. The love that she was seeing through the work of PCN started to tug on Tonya’s heart, pulling her back out into the community more and more. Soon, she accepted an invitation to take Trauma Healing—the very first class PCN offered at the North Nashville location. In the class she realized that while she had moved forward with her life, she had not dealt with the immense pain in her heart. According to Tonya, Trauma Healing was, “the class that helped me deal with what I had been through.” She went on to take more classes at PCN. Story of God and Faith & Finances were next, and she is now repeating the classes to keep learning from and contributing to the community. She takes home pieces of information that reassure her in her faith and give her encouragement as she raises her grandchildren. Plus, she continues to attend on Sunday nights for the community and fellowship that she has found at PCN. Tonya is not going through the motions anymore. She finds enjoyment in delivering lunches for Historic First Community Church on Wednesdays and giving back to the community in other ways. She knows through her experiences that, “every little bit helps!”
| by Angel Pyrz
Darby From Client to Facilitator
| by Stephanie Law
There’s a familiar face among PCN facilitators this semester at our Woodbine location! Darby, a student of PCN for the past two and a half years, has made the transition from classmate to class educator, openly, honestly, and gracefully. They say that God works in mysterious ways, and Darby can certainly attest to this as he was “in the right place at the right time.” It is no coincidence that Darby is sharing his gifts and talents with our community, and we are excited to see this next step happen! Darby is facilitating Your Story Matters, a class dedicated to revealing the sacredness of our own lives, including our past, our present, and our future. Students are encouraged to journal and to be vulnerable with one another. “It’s more than writing. It helps you to process things—your memories, your feelings…” says Darby. He continues to share his understanding of patience and compassion with his students, as he has also struggled with hardships in relation to his past. “We can make it through anything if we have to, but that shouldn’t be our whole methodology for life—God didn’t intend for us to be isolated.” Darby’s first class at PCN was Work Life where he says his big take-away was, “how important work and day-to-day enjoyment was.” He continued classes with Faith & Finances and Story of God, and eventually completed all our first and second-year courses. He says that each class that he took was instrumental in creating and sustaining his relationship with Jesus. “No one had ever explained to me what being a Christian really meant,” said Darby. When asked if he would teach more classes down the line, Darby’s response was, “That’s a possibility.” He has an interest in teaching Trauma Healing one day, but that is not his only focus. He says, “I want to stay involved, period. I want to be plugged in. Serving God is serving God, and that’s my main goal! From his experience as a program participant, Darby says that as you become more involved and grow, “you develop a sense of wanting to pay back, to pay it forward, pick up the torch… however you want to put it.” We are grateful for Darby’s desire to give back and be a light around PCN and The Church at Woodbine, where he is an active member, and we can’t wait to see what’s next in his journey! Darby considers his story and connection with PCN as sacred. He says, “PCN helps you better understand the way that God loves you and how much he loves you. The classes that they give, that’s just one aspect of it, the fellowship and the community that they offer is just awesome, it’s something we need a whole lot more of these days!”
Education that Transforms! Education is an integral part of the way we approach poverty alleviation at PCN. When someone comes through our doors, we meet them where they are, refer them to partner agencies if needed, and invite them to consider coming to classes. Certainly, the classes aren’t for everyone at that initial moment. However, we follow up and do our best to create
First-Year Classes
Work Life
A workforce development class that examines who God has made us to be, and how we have unique gifts and skills to offer to the world. The class culminates in resume-building, mock interviews, and assistance with job-placement.
Faith & Finances
a safe place that individuals will want to return to when they are ready. Why? Because we’ve seen the transformation that happens when participants jump in and take these Christcentered courses, and we want them to experience it! As you read the class descriptions below, we would love for you to consider joining our students as a volunteer ally!
Second-Year Classes
Money & Work: The Restored Life A class that reviews and builds on key concepts from Work Life and Faith & Finances including how to advance and grow in the workplace, and how to set and attain financial goals.
New Hope
A class about financial stewardship and money as a tool in the greater story of God’s Kingdom in the world. Participants track spending, build budgets, learn about debt and saving, and more.
Through scriptural storytelling, participants learn about how suffering, when brought and surrendered to God, can be used for our healing and for the good of many people. The class also includes a focus on going out and sharing the stories and healing with others.
Trauma Healing
Boundaries
An important class (really, more of a group) that addresses hard questions around naming, understanding, and processing pain and suffering – all in light of God’s design, His care for the brokenhearted, and His healing power.
Story of God
A class that focuses on the entire narrative arc of scripture. Participants discuss major Biblical concepts and connect their own stories to the grand story that weaves in and through our lives.
A class about healthy relationships and when, where, and how to draw boundaries based on the best-selling book Boundaries by Cloud and Townsend.
Your Story Matters
A writing class that encourages students to write and share their stories as a way of processing life, knowing ourselves, and sharing our gifts with others. This class is based on the book Your Story Matters by Leslie Leyland Fields.
Other Vital Parts of Our Programming Include: • Connection Management • Housing Assistance • Trauma-Informed Care • ID Recovery
• Shared Meals • Art • Volunteer Development TURN THE PAGE TO LEARN MORE!
Monday Prayer Zoom Calls
An Invitation from Matt Worley, Woodbine Program Manager There’s a story in the Gospels that often hits me hard whenever I come across it in reading or hear someone preaching on it. It’s in Mark, chapter 9. Jesus’s disciples tried their best to drive a demon out of a man’s son but didn’t succeed. Then Jesus talks with the man and drives the demon out of the boy. Afterward the disciples ask Jesus why they couldn't drive the demon out; and Jesus’ reply has always captured my attention—“this kind can come out by nothing but prayer.” Everyone who is a part of Project Connect Nashville—the board of directors, our staff, our champions and volunteers, and many of our students are all on a mission to bring light into the world. This work can only be done through the Power of God, a power that we can see by regularly spending time in prayer and asking for it. So, we created a time and place to come together and present the work of PCN to Him in a time of prayer and ask for His power to be at work in it. Every Monday morning from 8:30am to 9:00am, you are invited to our virtual prayer room on Zoom. Come and stay for as long as you can or just drop in for a few minutes. Let’s pray together, seeking God’s will and presence in the work being done at PCN, and anticipating His mighty work among us. Scan the QR code on Monday morning to join us or email Matt@ProjectConnectNashville.org to ask for the link!
There are many ways to jump in and serve at PCN, and we are committed to walking with you as you step out in faith! Below are two opportunities for volunteer training that will help you get started:
Poverty 101 Training OFFERED IN-PERSON AND ONLINE
If you have never attended a Poverty 101 Training (formerly called a Volunteer Equipping Session), we suggest that you start there! These 90-minute sessions are offered monthly on Wednesday evenings and cover the definition of poverty, many of its complexities, and what the Bible says about helping the marginalized. In this class, you will also get a look into how you can help.
Ally Equipping Session These sessions are for anyone interested in being an ally in our Work Life or Sunday Program classes. Offered quarterly, this 90-minute class takes a deeper dive into what it means to be an ally, what the role is and is not, and how to develop more meaningful relationships with fellow students as you walk alongside them on their journey out of poverty. “Walking with wounded people presents many challenges and some of them happen in the immediate moment. The better prepared you are, the better you can handle those challenges.” — Susan Garland, PCN Volunteer
Sunday Site Host: A New Volunteer Opportunity This year we are introducing an exciting new volunteer opportunity to our Sunday night classes! If you have the gift of hospitality or enjoy coordinating events, assisting PCN staff as the Sunday Site Host might be a great fit for you! In this role, volunteers will welcome other volunteers at the door, get them checked in, help them get set up in their designated areas, and help with other needs that arise each week. This is an 8-week commitment that you’ll be trained for, and we need one for each site. If you think you might be interested, head over to our volunteer website to check out the full “job” description and requirements. If it’s a good fit for you, sign up for each night! If this isn't a commitment that you can make for a full quarter, but you are interested in being trained as a substitute, email hannah@projectconnectnashville.org.
Join our Sustainers Circle! You’re invited to join our team of 82 monthly donors in PCN’s Sustainers Circle, partnering with us as we alleviate poverty through Christ-centered relationships, education, and vocational resources and making a long-term impact in the community! Did you know that Nashville ranks in the nation’s bottom 5% in economic mobility? Many of our neighbors are struggling to make ends meet and need the support and hope that PCN offers, and you can help us share it with them!
$200/month provides housing assistance to students committed to our long-term programming
$100/month gives a student the opportunity to attend 4 Core Classes throughout the year
$50/month provides vocational training through our Work Life Program
$25/month provides transportation for a student to make it to and from classes
As a part of the Sustainers Circle, you will receive regular updates on student progress and organizational prayer requests, a gift box of PCN swag, and the joy of being an integral part of the PCN community.
We have a goal to welcome 25 more partners into our Sustainers Circle by April 1st! Will you consider joining us?
Project Connect Nashville PO Box 295 Madison, TN 37116
SHARE THE HOPE, GIVE TODAY! Open to read stories of clients flourishing and giving back to the community!
S AV E T H E DAT E
A New Season of Hope Project Connect Nashville’s 7th Annual Fundraiser Dinner M AY 12, 2022 • BR ENT WOOD BAP TIS T CHURCH
God is at work in the PCN community, and we hope you’ll make plans to invite your friends and join us to celebrate! Stay tuned for more details and email angel@projectconnectnashville.org for information about sponsoring the event or a table!