Service | Justice
Testimony
I’m skeptical about institutionalized religion; nevertheless I'm on the lookout for genuine community that is not self-centered.
“…for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink…”
- Matthew 25.35
You don’t have to look very hard in the Scriptures to find that God cares deeply about offering enough to eat and drink. At the beginning of Genesis, God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” At the end of Revelation in a vision of a new and eternal city, God declares that, “to the thirsty I will give water as a gift.” And, of course, there are numerous examples of Jesus gathering with friends and strangers around a table to share a meal.
As Christians, we are told to pray and ask for daily bread. For most of us, that’s something we take for granted. Not so for countless others in our city and around the world. In 2011, then, our Service|Justice focus for Urban Village Church will be to do what we can to combat hunger. That will happen in different ways. We’ll volunteer with organizations that provide meals throughout the city. We’ll work with organizations that advocate for systemic change. We’ll return to Haiti because we are called to care for our neighbors around the world.
We hope you choose to get involved!
CURRENT PARTNERS
We have, or are establishing, ongoing relationships with these organizations. If you are interested in getting involved with one or more, please reach out to the respective contact person(s).
Market Pantry – A new project with Ravenswood Community Services and the Greater Chicagoland Food depository brings fresh fruits and vegetables to area families. Contact: Caelyn Randall, aaacmr@gmail.com
Breakfast Ministry – This longstanding project of the Chicago Temple, with whom we partner, serves well over 100 people a warm meal every Saturday morning in the South Loop. Contact: Karen Sabaka, ksabaka@yahoo.com
Growing Power – A non-profit that, among other things, helps create Community Food Centers and urban gardens in underserved neighborhoods. Contact: Jess Root, jdibernardo@gmail.com
Greater Chicago Food Depository – Service and mission are important, but so is working for justice and systemic change. The Greater Chicago Food Depository not only serves as Cook County’s food bank, it’s also an important resource for ongoing local and national legislative issues. Contact: Jeff Jones, jeffjones312@gmail.com
Ravenswood Community Services - RCS supplies daily meals, groceries and health care to local residents who are in need. Several times throughout the year they host “All Saints Cafe”, offering guests a fine dining experience with live entertainment. They also provide life skills classes and mentoring programs for high school students. Contact: Caelyn Randall, aaacmr@gmail.com.
Night Ministry – Join Urban Village Church as we support the Night Ministry this holiday season! UVC is asking each member to participate by providing ingredients for “The Stuffed Stockings.” Each stuffed stocking is designed to provide essentials for someone during the winter – find out more details here. Our target goal this year is 65 stockings! Please bring your completed stockings to any worship site by December 11. UVC will also volunteer at the Night Ministry office on December 17 to help sort stockings. Contact: Samuel, sam@urbanvillagechurch.org.
Contact Christian Coon or Jess Root with general Service|Justice questions and suggestions.