LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR MONTH
“We are called to share God’s love by participating in the ministry of Jesus in the world and in His church.” - Rooted pg 112
February is LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR month at Calvary!
Calvary is going through the 10-week Rooted Experience and during February, each Rooted group will choose a serving project in our community as part of Week 6. Over 400 people will intentionally love their neighbor through their Rooted projects and we are so excited to see what they will do!
Even if you aren’t participating in a Rooted group, you are still invited to participate in our Love Your Neighbor month!
The challenge is to love your neighbor this month... intentionally.
Who is your neighbor? It might be your physical neighbor - someone who lives near you. It may be someone you work with, someone from your kid’s sports team, a classmate, or a local organization. Most of you are already living on mission and loving your community but this month, would you add something in? Below is a list of ideas, but the best ones come from prayer and asking the Holy Spirit to reveal something to you. Most of us know someone with an emotional or material need so ask God how you might serve that person this month.
Bring someone a meal.
Shovel someone’s sidewalk.
Bring cookies or treats to the office staff at a school.
Pray for your neighbors.
Provide a free night of babysitting for young parents.
Leave encouraging notes on your coworkers’ desks.
Pay for the person behind you in the drive-thru.
Get a grocery store gift card and look for someone shopping to give it to.
Volunteer at a local non-profit.
Clean out your closets and donate clothing (in good condition) to a local clothing closet.*
Donate blood.
Make time for good quality conversations.
Send thank you cards to local first responders.
Be extra kind to a server or cashier.
Take a single parent’s car to get an oil change.
*We recommend the new clothing closet at Riverside Covenant Church or the From My Hands to Yours Ministry at Mt. Hope Church.
Spiritual Gifts Testing
We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10
As you think about how God has created you to do good works, you may be wondering what gifts you have been given. The Bible tells us that each of us has been given spiritual gifts - leadership, teaching, hospitality, administration - there are many spiritual gifts and also many tools to help you identify your gifts. Taking a spiritual gifts test can be helpful but it’s also important to ask God to help you know what gifts He has given you, invite others to share what gifts they see in you, experiment using different gifts and see where and how God is using you. Below are a few links to spiritual gift assessments. If you have questions about your test results, any of our staff would love to talk to you. Remember, these tests are just a tool and are meant to be helpful not limiting.
Help us meet needs in our community & church.
Click the link below to be added to the Love Your Neighbor group on our Church Center App.
This group is open to anyone who wants to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community! Formerly the "Help Text" that was created during Covid, this group will receive messages when a need arises (see examples below) and can comment if they are able to help.
Within the group, there will be various message threads to sort out needs. Our goal is to have 200 people in this group so that we can all share in meeting the needs. Over the past few years, our "Help Text" has met 100+ needs, big and small!
When you join the group, it's important to make sure that the Church Center App is on the homepage of your phone with the notifications turned on. When a need is posted, you will receive a notification and can check to see the request. If you can help, you can comment. If you can't, there is no action needed. With so many in the group, if everyone meets a few needs every year, we can make a big difference working together!
If you know of a need, please don't post it in the group. Instead, text or email the need to Amy Anthony at 765-430-4453/ aanthony@yourcalvary.church, and she will pass along the request if it is appropriate for the group.
Examples of needs:
-picking up a grocery order and dropping it on a porch
-collecting small toys for a mission trip
-furniture needs for families in crisis
-clothing needs for Bravely Women's Health
-small moving needs
-random projects around the church
If you know someone who needs help, let us know at yourcalvary.info/help.
followers making followers of Jesus