We have all heard that Christmas time is the season for giving: of time, money, and service to others. But how many of us can honestly say we go out of our way to do even one thing for someone else during holiday times? We want to challenge you to consider how you can serve this month, then do it! We promise that in addition to those you serve being blessed, YOU will become all the more positive, uplifted, encouraged, and blessed by doing the serving.
Sometimes it’s hard to seek out opportunities to serve where we really feel needed. Frederick has a variety of charities, programs, and agencies where you can get involved. Whether you want to give a monetary donation, provide needed supplies and food goods, or physically serve in some way, there are options available!
We would like to draw your attention to a particular ministry that exists right here in downtown Frederick City that is always in need of help serving the local community. It is called the Frederick Rescue Mission. Not only do we believe in and support the purpose of this ministry, but we are also personally connected to it. Charlie, our founder, has been the president of the board at the Mission for the last 2 years.
The Frederick Rescue Mission
“Our vision is to change lives through Christ’s love by rescuing people from hunger, poverty, and chemical addiction. We are a Christ-centered ministry providing:
Residential recovery programs to those experiencing homelessness or chemical addiction.
Food to the hungry.
Clothing and personal care items to those in need.
Connection within our community through relationships.”
The Mission works through individual programs that minister to the different physical and spiritual needs of the community. . .
The BREAD OF LIFE ministry prepares and serves two meals a day to anyone in the community that wishes to come and partake. Also connected to this ministry is the food distribution center, where those in need can come and pick up grocery items to help them put meals on their own tables at home. The Mission is able to provide these services at a very low to no cost by partnering with local grocery stores, restaurants, and food banks.
Learn more about this ministry and how you can get involved here.
The CHANGED LIFE RECOVERY PROGRAM “is a Christ-centered, 6-month residential/6-month transitional recovery program designed to help men reclaim their lives following addiction and/or homelessness. What started as a 10-bed shelter in 1964 can now house over 40 men in residential program and sees an average of 80 men enter our doors to get their lives back each year. The Mission hopes to restore residents back to their families and communities as upstanding, influential men, leading lives of integrity.”
Learn more about this ministry and how you can get involved here.
The FAITH HOUSE ministry is a place of refuge for women and children in our
community who are experiencing homelessness. The Mission opened its door in 2016 with the purpose of “helping women in crises overcome obstacles and get back on their feet.” Faith House focuses on health and wellness, spiritual and emotional well-being, life skills, and making connections.
Learn more about this ministry and how you can get involved here.
The F.O.O.D. ministry’s main focus is supplementing food to those in need within the community. FOOD stands for Frederick Organizations Optimizing Distribution. The passion of this ministry is to ensure that everyone in Frederick County has access to food. Their objectives are to make sure people in need know where to get food, match the needs of the people with those who desire to help, and reach all areas of the county so that none are forgotten.
Learn more about this ministry and how you can get involved here.
The RESCUED TREASURES CLOTHING PROGRAM ministers to the clothing needs of the community. It “exists to provide free clothing, coats, shoes, backpacks, sleeping bags and linens for those in need, in the name of Jesus Christ.” Once a month, individuals can come and receive free clothing from the Mission. You can either make an appointment to stop by and pick out items, or fill out a form to request a specific item of clothing that you are in need of.
Learn more about this ministry and how you can get involved here.
The OUTREACH ministry is the Mission’s way of ministering directly to the
community by through various events from week to week. There is a Bible study on Tuesdays from 1:30 – 2:30 that is held via zoom. No RSVP is needed and all are welcome to participate! Another branch of the outreach ministry is the Hot Shower ministry (not available currently due to COVID). The Mission offers hot shows to the community from 2pm – 4pm Monday through Friday and they provide all the soap and towels as well, even razors! Additional events are put on by the Mission within the community such as summer camps like the Summer Enrichment Camp 2021, support groups, free haircuts, holiday events, and much more.
Learn more about this ministry and how you can get involved here.
The Frederick Rescue Mission is a wonderful example of how Jesus conducted His ministry while he was on earth. Jesus did not simply meet the spiritual needs of the people, or just their physically needs. He met BOTH. He had compassion on the sick, poor, and disabled and met the needs of those He came in contact with. But while doing this, He never failed to share the purpose of why He came to earth.
Jesus told those he encountered that He came to save the world from eternal separation from God. He came to pay a dept he did not owe for a people who owed a dept they could never afford to pay. He would soon pay that debt by dying on a cross and rising again on the third day, and in doing so, providing eternal life to those who put their faith and trust in Him.
“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water [from Jacob’s well] will be thirsty again,but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’” John 4:13-14
On another occasion, Jesus told a parable that emphasized the importance of meeting physical needs in addition to spiritual needs:
“’Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’” Matthew 25:34-36
It is always a great time to get involved at the Mission, but maybe never more so than now. At a time when we get to celebrate the coming of Jesus into the world, it is also the best time to remember WHY he came and share the good news of the gospel with those whose physical needs we are also ministering to.
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