Help us Launch Refugee Ministry
Tax deductible
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. Many of these people have gone through unimaginable suffering and loss and yet are precious in God’s sight and often exude great joy!
The Problem: Resettlement agencies and caseworkers are stretched thin and desperately need caring volunteers to assist refugee families in the resettlement process. The Church has a golden opportunity to step up and minister in the name of Christ. Unfortunately, much of the Church has been woefully unengaged. Hence, the tremendous need!
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). GBRM is a 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, God willing, the first Open Table will take on our first refugee family this April!
A Word from Dave: I personally am very excited about the GBRM. I believe it will make a big difference, not only in the lives of our refugee brothers and sisters, but also in the lives of the volunteers, who will no doubt receive as much as they give!
Please help us as we launch! For further information on GBRM please click here .
Thank you!
Dave Kimball
P.S. The photo above was taken last summer at Revere Beach.
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. Many of these people have gone through unimaginable suffering and loss and yet are precious in God’s sight and often exude great joy!
The Problem: Resettlement agencies and caseworkers are stretched thin and desperately need caring volunteers to assist refugee families in the resettlement process. The Church has a golden opportunity to step up and minister in the name of Christ. Unfortunately, much of the Church has been woefully unengaged. Hence, the tremendous need!
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). GBRM is a 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, God willing, the first Open Table will take on our first refugee family this April!
A Word from Dave: I personally am very excited about the GBRM. I believe it will make a big difference, not only in the lives of our refugee brothers and sisters, but also in the lives of the volunteers, who will no doubt receive as much as they give!
Please help us as we launch! For further information on GBRM please click here .
Thank you!
Dave Kimball
P.S. The photo above was taken last summer at Revere Beach.
Organizer
Dave Kimball
Organizer
Boston, MA
Emmanuel Gospel Center, Inc
Beneficiary