As a part of Grace Avenue Mission to “eradicate homelessness in whatever form it presents itself” we believe the everyone needs and emotional home. Our experience teaches us that loved people love and hurt people hurt. When people have an emotional home, they thrive in their sense of well-being and vocation. The Care and Support Ministries at Grace Avenue are designed to create a sense of emotional home for all.
Care Ministires
“In loving and appreciating our neighbor, we’re participating in something sacred.” –Fred Rogers
Care Ministries at Grace Avenue is comprised of members living out our call to love our neighbors during life’s difficult times. We do this by offering to join with and serve both those in our congregation and the community at large through prayer, meals, transportation, connection, conversation and worship.
Please email [email protected] if you would like more information on volunteering with these ministries or if you or someone you know is in need of care.
Care Partners: Serve through committed presence at a Sunday worship service each month where you welcome members and/or visitors who are in need of prayer or a listening ear.
Prayer Partners: Serve through weekly commitment to praying over all prayer requests presented to the church for those in need.
Visitation Partners: Serve through visiting members of our community who are in long term care or homebound. (This includes Prairie Estates)
Meal Partners: Serve through helping in cooking and/or delivering meals to those in need.
Worship Partners: Serve through assisting a minister in taking elements of worship to those unable to attend services on campus.
Transportation Partners: Serve through providing a ride to those with the ability and desire to attend a service but who are unable to drive themselves.
Prayer Shawl Partners: Serve through making blessing blankets and other items of comfort. Read more about the Prayer Shawl Ministry HERE.
Hospitality Partners: Serve through assisting with all church meals as well as providing comfort in times of grief for families who have lost a loved one by helping with luncheons following funeral services.
Support Ministries
Grace Avenue offerers a variety of support ministries to help those working toward emotional health. Some programs are operated through partner organization and others are exclusively via Grace Avenue staff and volunteers.
Journey of Hope (MORE INFO)
2nd & 4th Wednesdays at 5:00pm
Grace Avenue hosts grief group support sessions from Journey of Hope to children, adolescents, and their parents or adult caregivers who have lost a loved one to death. Find more information at www.jogriefsupport.org.
LINK Special Needs Ministry (MORE INFO)
Every Saturday at 5:30pm (During worship)
LINK stands for “Learning, Including, and Nurturing with Kindness” and consists of programs and activities for special needs children while offering their parents a time to attend worship. Contact Cindy Badon at [email protected] with questions.
Making Memories Respite Care Program (MORE INFO)
2nd & 4th Mondays from 10:00am-2:00pm
Making Memories is a free “day out” program for those suffering with the early stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s. Caregivers are welcome to stay, but we exist to provide this time as a period of rest from the demands of care-giving. Contact Joyce Cravens at [email protected] or Laura Echols-Richter at [email protected] for more information.
Sober Speak
Are you or a loved one navigating the path of recovery? Are you interested in learning more about the AA community but uncertain about attending a meeting for the first time? Sober Speak is a podcast for those in recovery, those who love someone in recovery, and those who support someone in recovery. It is a podcast where stories of the power of redemption are shared. We know our stories matter. We know sharing our stories in an honest way is important to our own mental and emotional health. Sober Speak has become a place where stories are shared and we discover we are not alone. Learn more at www.SoberSpeak.com.
Grace Avenue periodically hosts live Sober Speak events. Email John M. at [email protected] for details about our next event.
PC: Parent Connection for Parents of Teens
Sunday, September 15 from 4:00-5:30pm
EDGE Room
All parents of 6th-12th grade youth are invited to attend our first PC gathering. This will be a time of discussion sharing our questions, joys and challenges. Our youth don’t come with manuals and every one of them is different. A parenting coach once said: “There is no such thing as a perfect parent. So just be a real one.” We hope you will join Laura Echols-Richter and Kristen Lane for some real conversation about being parents of teens.
After our first meeting we will plan more PC Gatherings allowing for separate conversations for Junior High and Senior High parents. For more information, contact Kristen Lane at [email protected].
Date Nights at Grace Avenue
We periodically schedule “Date Nights” for couples. Events might be a discussion about marriage, be a game night, dance lessons or any number of activities. Every event included dinner. Each is sure to be enriching to your relationship and FUN! Contact Kristen Lane at [email protected] with questions or to find out when our next Date Night is planned.
NAMI – National Alliance on Mental Illness
Family Meetings (More Info)
These meetings are for adult caregivers, family members and friends of individuals diagnosed with mental illness. Our Family Support Group is facilitated by NAMI-trained family members.
Good Grief
First Saturdays from 4:00-5:00pm
Meets in Tom Graves Hall
Join Rev. Joyce Cravens and “workout” your grief journey. We will taking about finding hope, reaching out to others, and living life as fully as you can each and every day. Stay after and celebrate Sabbath worship at 5:30pm in the Worship Center. For more information, e-mail [email protected].
Divorce Care
Scheduled Periodically
This is a study/support group that invites participants to begin the journey toward acceptance and hope in the midst of divorce. Contact [email protected] with questions or to find out when the next group starts.