We talked with Missions Entry Points Program Director Stewart Curtright about some of this Saturday's FaithWork opportunities. To see the full list go to www.cor.org/faithwork.  FaithWork is Resurrection’s entry point into serving locally and provides a meaningful way to serve God by serving others.

At the Heritage of Overland Park, volunteers can bake cookies with dementia residents.

Stewart: I get the most feedback on this serving opportunity, families love to serve at Heritage.  The sense of smell brings back memory with the dementia patients. The smell of chocolate chip cookies fills the air and creates this incredible new dynamic of engagement with folks who have dementia. People always share that this is a great experience.

Special Serving Opportunity: Volunteers can place door hangers on houses around Troost Elementary to invite the community to discuss rebuilding the playground.

We have had a long standing relationship with the area around Troost Elementary. This is an intentional opportunity to invite the neighborhood to have a picnic so that the neighborhood is engaged with this playground for the kids.  Our goal is to encourage the community’s participation and investment in the rebuilding of the playground at Troost. FaithWork volunteers can be a valuable part of making a difference in the Troost community.

My Father’s House: Volunteers can help assemble Kitchen Kits and Cleaning Supplies and other fun and meaningful activities that offer a ‘hand up” to those who are in need of household furnishings.

My Father’s House is the Resurrection’s Furnishings Ministry. They rehab and repurpose donated furniture and household goods. They make it available for people in transition.  There is a beds ministry that ties in too.  People are referred by a case manager with partnering agencies and show up on Saturdays to “shop” with a Resurrection volunteer to pick out items that they need. What is beautiful is the interaction. There is more dignity in allowing folks to pick out what they need than just giving them what you think they need.  Everyone there at lunchtime on Saturday has the opportunity to sit down and share a meal together- those who are serving and those receiving furnishings. I think that’s a great way for barriers to come down, stories to be shared, and for people to come closer together.

At the Salvation Army Children’s Shelter volunteers get to play games and crafts with children and help prepare and serve a meal.  It is suitable for adults and children 12 years and older.

This was eye-opening for me because I don’t typically think of children being homeless. Some of the children are there because their parents may be incarcerated or in rehab or just temporarily unable to take care of their children. So these are children whose life situation is difficult if not desperate.  Being able to play games with children is always fun for volunteers because attention is a gift that’s easy to give, and what child doesn’t need attention?

At Kingswood Manor Nursing Home volunteers can visit and play bingo with residents.

People always tell me that the residents there really take their Bingo seriously. Families can serve together at Kingswood and the residents are always happy to see us, especially since we provide chocolate treats to share with the Bingo winners.

Assemble a meal for Gentlemen of the Round Table:

GRT is made up of men, many with criminal backgrounds, who demonstrate a sincere desire to change their lives. They work with the Kansas City CO-Op, a recipient of Resurrection’s Easter Grant this year.  The grant from Resurrection will create job opportunities and provide on-the-job training for members of GRT as they work on rebuilding two vacant homes in the KC urban core. FaithWork volunteers help assemble a meal for their weekly meeting in Kansas City. Many of these men are homeless, and many walk 30-45 minutes to show up at a meeting. While committed to making a better future for themselves, they are also contributing to a stronger community through the building projects that they work on. Families and small groups can also provide the meal on non-FaithWork days and help support the great work that is going on at the GRT.