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Dedicated
volunteers abound daily
offering help in Gwinnett area
By Jan Kennedy
Special to GwinnettForum.com
PEACHTREE CORNERS, July 30 -- My husband and I have lived in one
of Gwinnett's "golden ghetto" areas - Peachtree Corners
- for 20 years. For about the last 15 years I've seen many areas
and people with serious needs. I've also been privileged to be part
of and to observe many groups which help meet these needs. Mostly
these groups have been Christian ministries, either part of individual
churches or separate transdenominational ministries.
I'm writing this partially in response to previous articles in "Gwinnett
Forum" where writers lament that we have great needs around
us, yet so few people willing to help. There are probably more complacent
than compassionate conservatives in Gwinnett. Partly because of
our population growth with many people from other countries, we
have many unmet needs.
However, I submit that an army of dedicated volunteers from over
300 churches and ministries ARE making a difference....day by day,
week by week, in the lives of thousands of Gwinnett residents. Motivated
by their faith in Jesus, these people demonstrate the true love
of God! Without it, even our "promised land" would be
a very dreary place.
Some examples are:
- English Classes at churches: they're held at Annistown
Road, Buford First, Duluth First, Lawrenceville First, Norcross
First, and Oak Hill Baptist Churches. Norcross First UMC, St.
James Lutheran and the North Gwinnett Hispanic Center offer them
as well.
- Children's Services: Mothers of Preschoolers meet at
Calvary Baptist, North Metro Baptist, Cannon UMC, Lilburn First
Baptist and others. Middle school children receive after school
care at Berkmar UMC, Calvary Christian, Salem Baptist, and Norcross
First UMC in partnership with SafeHouse Outreach Ministries.
- Crisis Care: This includes the death of a loved one,
divorce, job loss, health problems and so on. Many churches, such
as Peachtree Corners Baptist and Perimeter, offer the caring one-on-one
listening of a Stephen Minister and/or support groups.
- Holistic Health Care: Parish nurses and health ministries
operate at Christ Episcopal, Duluth UMC, Fairview Presbyterian,
Mary Our Queen Catholic, Hopewell Baptist and others.
- Senior Services: Lilburn Alliance, Snellville First UMC,
Landmark and others provide Alzheimer's respite care, rides to
doctors or nursing home ministries.
- Financial Help: Our churches have always been on the
front lines. Many maintain food pantries and help with other emergency
needs. They are also the backbone of the cooperative ministries
around Gwinnett County, which use a myriad of volunteers.
- Prayer Ministries: At Duluth FBC, Perimeter and Lilburn
Alliance (and others!), anyone from the community can be assured
that their needs are being communicated effectively to God!
Churches of several denominations support these ministries of the
Gwinnett Metro Baptist Association: The Pregnancy Resource Center
helps young pregnant women in need. The Prison Ministry ministers
at the Gwinnett Correctional Center. The Disaster Relief Ministry
sends trained people to help in times of tornado, flood and fire.
A BIG need in Gwinnett County is for individuals, churches and ministries
to be able to communicate easily with one another. We now have the
technology to do a better job of it! I provide a once or twice a
month e-mail newsletter, "Gwinnett Ministries Network News,"
which reports opportunities among churches and ministries around
Gwinnett. It's also a resource referral for those in ministry work
and those needing help. You may contact me at (770)448-0982 or at
jan@kenneco.com.
My challenge to the community is: What do we as churches need to
do BETTER? What are you doing that I don't already know about? What
else are YOU willing to do? Thank you, and God bless you!
-- 30 --
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