BEING MISSIONAL
At Englewood we strive to not only look inside our church walls to care for others, but to also reach outside of ourselves to find those in need. We believe that an essential part of being the hands and feet of Christ in our world means learning to reach out in care.
Hunger Ministry
For over thirty years Englewood has provided a Food Pantry to feed hungry people in the Northland. In 2007 we provided groceries to 101 families consisting of 170 adults and 140 children. Church members provide food to stock the pantry. We work in conjunction with area agencies to identify those in need. We are also seeking ways to address the root causes of hunger in our community, our country and around the world.
Golden Oaks School Partnership
We began a partnership with Golden Oaks School in October 2005. Through our partnership we are able to be YouthFriends to Golden Oaks' children and teenagers. We have also contributed prizes for behavioral incentives and packed BackSnack Back Packs for the students. In December 2007, we sponsored a Holiday Store at Golden Oaks so the students could shop for free for presents for family members. Each fall we collect school supplies for the students and school. We also provide support and encouragement to the faculty and staff. In turn the students at Golden Oaks have ministered to us by contributing boxes and boxes of food items to stock our food pantry as well as raise money to contribute to the pantry. We are elated to have this wonderful give-and-take partnership with Golden Oaks School.
Monthly Mission Projects
Each month the church participates in a mission project. In 2007 we:
- collected food for our food pantry. We gave food to 100 families
- collected 70 rolls of toilet paper, 59 pair of tube socks, and 107 pair of underwear for City Union Mission
- collected diapers, wipes, and kleenexes collected for Synergy House
- collected items for the Baptist Home in Chillicothe including: 14 crossword and word search books, 70 wash cloths, 4 bars of soap, 40 bottles of skin conditioner/lotion, 38 assorted combs and brushes, 4 cards of bobby pins, and a 1000 piece puzzle
- provided lunch for volunteers who were painting a senior adult's home
- collected diapers and baby wipes for a young family
- collected New Mom's Care Packages for the Lakota Indians in South Dakota. We sent 7 full diaper bags completely filled with items for a newborn
- collected items for Project Warm Embrace for Lakota Indians in South Dakota including: 48 coats, 48 hats, 4 hats and gloves sets, 7 scarves, 2 pair pajamas, 1 sweat suit, 27 pair socks, 90 pair gloves, 1 afghan, and 3 blankets
- workday at a senior adult member's home
- collected enough items to fill 38 shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child
- adopted a young family for Thanksgiving
- collected items to run a "Christmas Store" at Golden Oaks School
- adopted Gladstone family of four for Christmas
- children made sacks and treats to be given away in the food pantry
- tweens group made cookies and brownies to be given away in the food pantry
- provided clothing to victims of house fire
Intergenerational Mission Trip
During the week of July 19-25, a team from Englewood will travel to Helena, Arkansas to work with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's "Together for Hope Rural Poverty Initiative." We will spend the week working with local churches and other mission teams from around the country. Activities for the week include Vacation Bible School, construction projects, literacy ministry, a blessing ministry, and teaching children to swim. In the past five years 600 children have been taught how to swim. The week will begin with worship in on Sunday in one of the local churches and conclude on Thursday night with a community block party.
In the summer of 2006, a team from our church traveled to Nada, Kentucky to work with the "Together for Hope" team. Nada, Kentucky is tucked away in the glorious mountains of the Daniel Boone National Forest. The Nada community takes pride in its crystal clear natural spring waters that flow out of the mountain and their famous Nada Tunnel. It is a small community of approximately 200 people and although it is small, it is mighty in beauty and hospitality.
Our team enjoyed a week of service and relationship building with the wonderful community of Nada. The Nada community gave our team a warm welcome and familiarized them with the beautiful mountains of Kentucky. Two of the youth of the community even took part of the group on an adventurous hike through some Kentucky "hollers." Another member of the community bravely agreed to cook a hamburger lunch for the team. The team ate well that day.
Our team was honored to hold a community rummage sale where over $130 dollars were raised for the Nada Mission Church. They also offered times of fellowship and recreation for the adults and children of Nada. Some of the activities included a Vacation Bible School, Family Movie Night, Community Cookout, and swimming. Although the team contributed various acts of service in Nada, their most fond memories are of the warm and friendly people of the Nada community that spent so much time sharing their lives with the team.
