Rick Greene

MISSION FINANCE TEAM

Refugees are not a burden but an opportunity.



…be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. Most important of all,

continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude

of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or

a place to stay. God has given each of you a gift from his great

variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 1 Pet 4:7-10 

The Refugee Ministry Team (previously known as the Refugee Task Force) has a long history of assisting refugee and immigrant families with transitioning into life in Columbus. Since 1977, they have worked closely with resettlement agencies such as CRIS (Community Refugee and Immigration Services) and UsTogether to sponsor new arrivals and to assist with emergency funds for expenses and unexpected costs not covered by federal assistance. They also help special needs situations, such as in-home English tutoring for those unable to attend group classes.

In 2021, they began the work to form arrival teams at First Community. These Arrival Teams work closely with CRIS to help resettle incoming families to the Columbus area. Enough funds were initially raised to support at least three incoming families. 

How You Can Help

• Volunteer to be part of the team! The arrival team has many roles to fill and works with the family for a few months after arrival. 
• Items are needed to complete a Welcome Kit to give families upon arrival. 
• If you cannot volunteer or donate, contact the team leader, Shirley Barney, to see how else you can help!

A new family will be coming in October, and volunteer activities include:

• Pre-Arrival (e.g., welcome kits, pantry stock, seasonal clothing, and apartment set-up).
• Arrival (e.g., airport welcome, hot welcome meal, apartment move-in).
• Other activities include transportation assistance, budgeting help, and employment.

The Refugee Ministry Team meets monthly on the second Tuesday at 6 pm. The Team operates entirely on financial contributions from the church and community. Donations are accepted online at FCchurch.com/giving.

Shirley Barney

REFUGEE MINISTRY TEAM

Community Mural Contest

Amy Caskie

DIRECTOR OF MISSIONS

We are excited to announce a contest to design a community mural that represents the mission of our church, improves the appearance of First Community South, and promotes community engagement. 

The exterior of the Annex building at First Community South is not aesthetically congruent with the other two large buildings. Rather than try to disguise the building, we hope to use it as a blank canvas to celebrate the principles and ministries of our church. This project will provide an opportunity to integrate the community into the design and promote engagement in church activities. Research shows that public art benefits the community, encouraging a sense of ownership and belonging. Columbus has seen an increase in public art murals over the past several years, and we look to expand the effort.

The mural is proposed for the exterior brick wall of the Annex building, facing First Ave at First Community South. Depending on the resulting design, we will consider painting the rest of the exterior to coordinate with the artwork.

Artists should visit the site to take their own measurements and assess the medium for their mural. No appointments are necessary as the location for the mural is outside. 

The mural design will be sourced from community contest submissions. The resulting submissions will be narrowed down to a few that best depict the themes desired and are the most visually appealing. The church and community will be given the opportunity to vote from the small group of finalists.

Community participation is essential to this project and should be considered in project proposals. The mural will be physically completed in cooperation with the artist and volunteers in the Spring of 2024. Artists should estimate the time required to complete their project when submitting a proposal. The estimated cost of artist time and materials should also be included in proposals, as the church will secure funding for this project through private grants. 

Artists should consider the objective of the mural when creating their design. Submissions should include key images and themes provided on the contest webpage.

If you know any local artists, please pass along the information and encourage them to submit a design. We would especially love to see submissions from artists within the congregation. Look for details on your opportunity to vote on the final design in next month's newsletters!

Definition of Volunteerism

Volunteerism is the act of contributing free labor to conduct community service or support a nonprofit organization and is the principle of donating time and energy towards a greater cause. Volunteers help change the lives of those as a social responsibility rather than receiving a financial reward.

 Volunteering is important because it enables people to help and serve others selflessly. When individuals take the initiative to help people in the community and support philanthropic causes, it can improve the community by creating tighter bonds and forming lasting relationships. First Community Church utilizes groups of passionate volunteers to help make the world a better and safer place.

History of Volunteerism            

Today, volunteering is recognized as a highly effective form of giving, and there is a history behind how a simple act of kindness became so popular worldwide.

Acts of volunteering can be traced back to medieval times when churches were responsible for helping the sick and poor. It is estimated that at least 500 voluntary hospitals were established in England during the 12th and 13th centuries. Acts of volunteering then continued throughout the centuries; examples of organized volunteering only began to appear during the 19th century with the emergence of various charity organizations helping those in need, such as the YMCA and The Salvation Army, that were recruiting volunteers to fulfill their mission. The 20th century, particularly in the 1960s, saw the birth of many more voluntary organizations committed to making a positive impact. 

Volunteerism has a long and storied history in both the United States and the world as a whole. The verb “volunteer” first originated in 1755. Volunteerism in the United States stems back to the Revolutionary War when civilians chipped in to support the war effort. The Great Depression saw a mass mobilization of volunteers to assist the unemployed and impoverished.

According to the US Census Bureau, the top four national volunteer activities in the US are fundraising or selling items to raise money, preparing or distributing food, collecting and distributing goods or clothing, and mentoring youths.

Pictured left: Volunteers (Rose, Kathleen, Carla, Melody and Kitty) loading the van for Heart to Heart's Pop-Up Pantry

Benefits of Volunteerism

Volunteering connects people to others, is good for a person’s mind and body, can advance a career, and brings fun and fulfillment.

One of the more well-known benefits of volunteering is the impact on the community. Volunteering allows people to connect to their community and make it a better place. Even helping with the most minor tasks can make a real difference in the lives of people, animals, and organizations in need. It can also benefit individuals and families by dedicating time as a volunteer, making new friends, expanding their network, and boosting social skills.

Volunteering can help counteract the effects of stress, anger, and anxiety. The social contact aspect of helping and working with others can profoundly affect a person’s overall psychological well-being. Nothing relieves stress better than a meaningful connection to another person. 

When considering a new career, volunteering can help get experience in an area of interest and meet people in the field. Even if not planning on changing careers, volunteering allows one to practice essential workplace skills, such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving, project planning, task management, and organization. 

Volunteering is a fun and easy way to explore interests and passions. Volunteering can be meaningful and interesting, with a relaxing, energizing escape from day-to-day work, school, or family commitments. Volunteering also provides renewed creativity, motivation, and vision that can carry over into personal and professional life.

Pictured right:

Volunteers Kathleen and Marcy harvest garlic at the Share & Learn Garden

Additional Volunteer Statistics

• One out of four Americans volunteer, and two out of three help their neighbor, according to a study by The Corporation for National & Community Service.
• According to an Independent Sector Study, volunteers are worth an average of $28.54 an hour. Volunteerism has a value of over $184 billion.
• #GivingTuesday, 2017, processed more than $60.9 million from over 7,200 organizations. 
• Volunteers, on average, spend 50 hours per year donating their time to the greater good.
• Food preparation and distribution was the most reported volunteer activity, representing 11.3% in 2015.
• People who volunteer over 100 hours a year are some of the healthiest people in the U.S.
• Volunteering decreases the likelihood of high blood pressure development by 40%.
• 96% of volunteers reported that volunteerism enriched their sense of purpose.

First Community Church offers a variety of volunteering opportunities. Many people are needed for successful programs to operate successfully; church volunteers perform tasks that the staff doesn’t have the capacity or skills to accomplish and are vital to a healthy church. The Missions program offers many opportunities to volunteer at the Church. These opportunities include one-time participation, long-term commitments, monetary donations, etc. 

Over the next few issues of On the Mission! We will showcase some of the Missions programs and volunteer opportunities for these programs.

If you want more information about volunteering at First Community Church and its other Mission programs, please email us at mission@FCchurch.com.

Upcoming Events

this Fall

Monthly Mission Meeting

for All Ministry Teams

Everyone interested or currently volunteering with a Mission Ministry Team is invited to attend this monthly meeting. During the meeting, we have discussion time and announcements from all teams. Afterward, the teams break into groups to have their discussions.

If you're interested in working with a ministry team, this is an excellent opportunity to learn more about their activities from the leadership on that team. As many teams also have individual meetings with their leadership each month, this is also an opportunity for those working with the ministry to discuss face-to-face with the leadership to raise concerns or get more information.

Our Core Missions with these breakout sessions are Heart to Heart food pantry, Tri-Village Trading Post thrift store, and the Refugee Ministry Team. The Mission Finance Team also meets at this time to discuss grants and mission-related projects.

During our September meeting, the large group heard a short presentation from the Refugee Ministry Team. Afterward, the Mission Finance Team awarded two grants: Habitat for Humanity Mid-Ohio (Northwest Partnership) and Healing Arts Mission. They also voted for this year's Christmas Offering to be split between our own Refugee Ministry Team and Friends of the Homeless.

For more information on each team, please contact:

• Mission Finance Team - Joy Converse
• Refugee Ministry Team - Shirley Barney
• Trading Post- Beth Hanson
• Heart to Heart - Yohan Kim

The groups typically meet at First Community North on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 6 pm with a few exceptions. Below is a schedule of upcoming meeting days, locations, and topics:

You are welcome to join the meeting in person or on Zoom. If you would like a link to join virtually or if you have general questions about Missions, please contact the Mission Office.