Gregg Detwiler is fundraising
Help Us Launch Refugee Ministry!
Help us build bridges between the Church and the nations at our doorstep!
The Opportunity: 70,000 refugees are resettled in the U.S. each year, 2,000+ in Massachusetts. Families arrive every week from places like Iraq, Burma, Bhutan, Somalia, Sudan, and Syria. These people have gone through almost unfathomable suffering and loss and yet are precious in God’s sight.
The Problem: Resettlement agencies and caseworkers are stretched thin and desperately need caring volunteers to assist these families in the resettlement process. What an opportunity for the Church to step in! Unfortunately, much of the Church has been woefully unengaged.
The Solution: For the past year and a half, a coordinating team (convened and led by Intercultural Ministries at Emmanuel Gospel Center in Boston) has been in an intense period of Research & Development, meeting with government agencies, resettlement agencies, community organizations, refugees, and volunteers. Through this process we have developed a new ministry initiative that will call on the Church of Greater Boston to collaborate at a high level. The new ministry will be called Greater Boston Refugee Ministry. GBRM is holistic "wrap around" model of ministry that will form church-based "Open Tables." These Open Tables will be comprised of 8-12 members from local churches who will form a loving community of "ambassadors" to walk alongside our refugee friends as they adjust to life in a new place and culture. The tables will focus on supporting in areas such as English learning, job readiness, adult education, children and family, health, housing, finance, cultural learning, spiritual support, and transportation. The central GBRM team will help recruit, train, mentor, and multiply Open Tables in churches throughout Greater Boston. During our two-year pilot period we hope to start 10 church-based Open Tables.
The vision is now being shared with churches. And our first Open Table will likely take on our first refugee family this April!
A Word from Gregg: I personally have never been more excited about any project that we have undertaken. I believe this project will make a difference not only in the lives of our precious refugee brothers and sisters but also in the lives of our volunteers who will serve and receive much more in the process.
Please help us as we launch! For further information on GBRM please click here .
Thank you!
Gregg Detwiler
P.S. The photo above was taken at a recent training event.The picture is a real-time reunion of a refugee (Abraham) and a volunteer (Nelson) after not seeing one another for a few years. The joy is priceless.
A Portion of our GBRM Team with our Case Manager, Colleen Damico
The Opportunity: 70,000 refugees are resettled in the U.S. each year, 2,000+ in Massachusetts. Families arrive every week from places like Iraq, Burma, Bhutan, Somalia, Sudan, and Syria. These people have gone through almost unfathomable suffering and loss and yet are precious in God’s sight.
The Problem: Resettlement agencies and caseworkers are stretched thin and desperately need caring volunteers to assist these families in the resettlement process. What an opportunity for the Church to step in! Unfortunately, much of the Church has been woefully unengaged.
The Solution: For the past year and a half, a coordinating team (convened and led by Intercultural Ministries at Emmanuel Gospel Center in Boston) has been in an intense period of Research & Development, meeting with government agencies, resettlement agencies, community organizations, refugees, and volunteers. Through this process we have developed a new ministry initiative that will call on the Church of Greater Boston to collaborate at a high level. The new ministry will be called Greater Boston Refugee Ministry. GBRM is holistic "wrap around" model of ministry that will form church-based "Open Tables." These Open Tables will be comprised of 8-12 members from local churches who will form a loving community of "ambassadors" to walk alongside our refugee friends as they adjust to life in a new place and culture. The tables will focus on supporting in areas such as English learning, job readiness, adult education, children and family, health, housing, finance, cultural learning, spiritual support, and transportation. The central GBRM team will help recruit, train, mentor, and multiply Open Tables in churches throughout Greater Boston. During our two-year pilot period we hope to start 10 church-based Open Tables.
The vision is now being shared with churches. And our first Open Table will likely take on our first refugee family this April!
A Word from Gregg: I personally have never been more excited about any project that we have undertaken. I believe this project will make a difference not only in the lives of our precious refugee brothers and sisters but also in the lives of our volunteers who will serve and receive much more in the process.
Please help us as we launch! For further information on GBRM please click here .
Thank you!
Gregg Detwiler
P.S. The photo above was taken at a recent training event.The picture is a real-time reunion of a refugee (Abraham) and a volunteer (Nelson) after not seeing one another for a few years. The joy is priceless.
A Portion of our GBRM Team with our Case Manager, Colleen Damico
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