Adventist Community Services
In this quinquennium, the impact and influence of the Adventist Community Services (ACS) Department extended to organisations such as Parliament, government agencies, and statutory and voluntary services, as well as schools and educational institutions, through the department’s initiatives.
Specialist training such as Suicide Prevention, Grief Recovery, the Forgiveness Journey Experience, HEAL and elements of the RESTORE programme yielded complimentary reviews and powerful testimonials of lives positively impacted.
Collaborative working with the Stanborough Press, the Adventist Discovery Centre and Advent Press provided new departmental publications. Promotion of activities for national awareness days enabled leaders and members to engage with their communities.
Partnering with diverse organisations has augmented the scope and efficacy of outreach and raised the profile of our church in the media, and the department’s work was recognised through awards given by external agencies.
Departmental objectives:
To be part of the community, building a presence, influence and impact through outreach ministry.
To foster a welcoming and sensitive environment that makes our churches relevant, inclusive and available to every person, regardless of age, social class, gender, religious persuasion, ethnicity, cultural background or ability.
To produce relevant resources that meet the needs of the diverse communities that we serve.
The ACS Department fulfilled these objectives by undertaking interventions and producing resources addressing the following:
Compassionate outreach addressing present needs
Mission mandate fulfilment
Relational support & training
Social justice issues
Spiritual nurture needs
Total membership involvement/encouraging church engagement
Key Performance Indicators and Alignment with Strategic Targets
Reflecting Christ (Key Performance Indicator – Spiritual Nurture)
The department focused on 3 key aspects:
Emulating the ministry of Christ by making the Gospel available to diverse community groups through relevant, compassionate service and inclusive worship;
Developing and disseminating new relevant publications to nurture spiritual growth;
Maintaining support networks through encouragement, prayer and counselling interventions for individuals with personal, social, political and religious challenges in order to offer practical and spiritual support to themselves and their families.
Activities and Outcomes
The Forgiveness Journey Experience community course was delivered.
The departmental director was present for One Vision Charity events showing how faith and community initiatives impact wellbeing.
Collaboration with other faith groups was expanded in order to explore the impact of faith on the wellbeing of the wider community.
The department responded to increased demand for spiritual support from church members and individual members of the public encountering challenges due to the cost-of-living crisis and repercussions of the pandemic.
Various prayer networks were supported and accessed to support families living with a long COVID-19 diagnosis.
Inspirational messages were delivered to community groups on the Zoom platform to build their faith and resilience.
52 weekly faith-building reflections were shared annually on WhatsApp with diverse faith groups.
Bereavement care support was delivered for bereaved families.
Bespoke bereavement care ministry boxes were delivered due to increased demand for the facilitation of bereavement support groups for churches and community entities.
In response to an increased number of requests, there was increased dissemination of the book COMFORT: Solace, Support and Strength During Times of Grief to bereaved church members and community individuals.
Grief-recovery resources were distributed, including Bereavement Care Facilitators and Participants packs
Individuals were referred for spiritual nurture and Christian counselling.
Impact
There was a demonstrably increased interest in the Seventh-day Adventist faith, as members of the public contacted the department for denominational resources and some progressed to Bible studies.
Resources (Key Performance Indicator – Publications that Positively Impact Lives)
Departmental and organisational collaboration has augmented the impact of publications such as:
The Stanborough Press published the director’s book Sacred Hours: 52 Sabbath Reflections for Your Devotional Time
The Young Adults Resources Pack (YARP) was created for students (nurture and outreach materials, affirmation, encouragement and wellbeing resources/books/greeting cards) to facilitate their transition to university. Both male and female packs were created with gender-specific materials.
Spiritual nurture community cards were created.
Overcoming with God was disseminated among community groups and book clubs.
Resources were developed for refugees and traveller communities.
Resilience posters were redesigned and updated.
The Stanborough Press VOICES publication Urban Pain – Urban Promise was disseminated among church and community members.
The range of nurture materials for community outreach events was expanded to cover holistic wellbeing and outline initiatives, interventions and projects that meet diverse needs.
Seasonal materials created by the departmental director included:
The Innkeeper (first edition)
The Innkeeper’s Story (second edition)
The Manger Cross
There’s a Cross in the Manger
Outcome
Members and community individuals requested seasonal booklets in large numbers annually, with feedback to the department that they yielded an increased interest and requests for other religious literature.
The Innkeeper’s Story was enacted for Christmas plays nationally and internationally.
Impact
There were increased requests for the book COMFORT: Solace, Support and Strength During Times of Griefto be disseminated among bereaved church members and community individuals – this necessitated multiple reprints to accommodate demand. Testimonials were received of individuals making a good recovery during their bereavement.
The book Sacred Hours increased other denominations and faith groups’ interest in the Sabbath.
Resourcing Churches and Leaders
A complimentary box of departmental materials for new Community Services leaders as part of their orientation provided relevant resources to equip them in their role, especially with outreach initiatives.
Contribution to Publications
Departmental articles were published in BUC News, the Messenger and TED News.
People-Focused (Key Performance Indicator – Valuing People and Demonstrating Care)
The department collaborated extensively with external agencies and voluntary support groups in the community to support individuals experiencing hardship.
The department worked with churches to facilitate delivery of food and daily essentials to communities struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
The LAYERS (warm clothing/bedding) project was expanded as a response to rising energy bills and the cost-of-living crisis.
The SHARE (food products) project was expanded to resource individuals during the cost-of-living crisis.
A 10-point integrative model for refugee support was implemented.
Baby clothes were disseminated to churches working with homeless communities and individuals impacted by the cost-of-living crisis.
The department worked with One Vision to disseminate support packages, food and resources to families impacted by the cost-of-living crisis.
The department offered support and worked collaboratively to assist churches in their outreach to the homeless community.
The departmental director was invited to be the keynote speaker for community church events.
The departmental director was invited to be the keynote speaker for the One Vision charity’s cultural, social justice and community wellbeing events
Impact
The SHARE & LAYERS initiatives provided resources for food hubs, homeless shelters, single-family households and individuals in crisis, with positive testimonials received.
There was also increased community engagement from local churches providing outreach.
Summary
A key objective was to emulate the ministry of Christ by ‘living the Gospel’ and ‘making faith visible’ to diverse community groups through relevant, compassionate service and inclusion.
In order to offer practical and spiritual support to individuals, their families and their communities, we enhanced and augmented our support networks and referral to voluntary and statutory agencies and chaplaincy services.This yielded positive evaluations from individuals reporting the impact of our interventions in terms of addressing their personal, social, political and religious needs.
Referrals to specialist agencies provided practical interventions to address identified needs, and counselling services proved beneficial for psychological support. Prayer also provided spiritual support and encouragement to individuals and their families.
Working in partnership with diverse external organisations and ongoing community engagement have brought healing and hope to communities and their families.
Recommendations
Relaunch of the Community Services Outreach Survey to ascertain current needs
An assessment and monitoring framework to ascertain efficacy and measure impact of outreach activities
Adequate resourcing for full-time administrative support
Acknowledgements
Gratitude must be extended to the following individuals whose diligent service and support over the past five years have helped to shape our department and achieve its mission:
Secretarial support
Reny Iunac
Pilira Zapita
Shirley Harper
Jackie Ramharacksingh
Voluntary support
Layken Venter
Abigail Davidson
Sheneka Davis
Team members
Dr Beatrice Kastrati
Pastor Nerine Barrett
Pastor Max McKenzie-Cook
Beavon Sanderson
Helena Kunova
Keisha Durrant
Thoko Kapida
Pauline Allcock
Hellevi Walker
The director applauds God’s leading and provision as He enables the restoration of individuals’ lives through their use of departmental resources, training and engagement with outreach initiatives.