First, in this case, INC does not mean incorporated; it means In the Name of Christ. Love INC is a nationally respected nonprofit organization. Their mission is to mobilize the Church to transform lives and communities In the Name of Christ. The church doorstep is a frequent destination for people in desperate need. But most churches cannot fully meet the needs of every homeless family, single mom, or hungry child who asks them for help. That is where Love INC comes into the picture.
Love In the Name of Christ enables churches in a community to pool their resources and outreach services so that those in need are not turned away. The strategy is simple. Bring community churches together across denomination lines and inventory their collaborative resources, ministries, and talents of the people of the congregation. Next, match those resources with people in need.
Love INC currently has more than 130 affiliates in 30 states, representing a network of over 8,000 churches, 5,000 community-based organizations, and 200,000 volunteers meeting more than one million needs each year.
The Livingston County affiliate of Love INC serves as the clearinghouse for all of the 42 partner churches. The Clearinghouse facilitates connections between those who seek help and those who can provide it.
Requests for help, whether from a church, community organization, or person in need, are Referred to the Love INC office. A trained staff person collects information, assesses the situation, verifies the need and then refers the request to an appropriate service provider (network church or community-based organization).
That is where Shepherd of the Lakes comes in. We are one of the Love INC partner churches. Each of the partner churches provides a different gap ministry. It is called gap because it meets a gap that is not covered by another church or agency in the community. Our gap ministry is our very own Personal Needs Pantry. Some of the other gap ministries in Livingston County are furniture, gas vouchers, bedding, auto repair, utility assistance, rent assistance, and transportation.
When a client is referred to the Clearinghouse and it is etermined that they are not able to purchase their own personal need products, the Clearinghouse employee schedules an appointment for them to come to our church to visit the Personal Needs Pantry.
Once they are here, we are able to meet one of their tangible needs, but we are also able to model Christ by loving our neighbors. since our Pantry opened on December 4, 2008 we have served over 400 people. Well done Shepherd of the Lakes!
In this time of unprecedented growing need in our county, there is unprecedented opportunity for the Church, the Body of Christ, to work together in His name. Love INC enables us to truly be disciples by expressing through our words and actions the love and hope that God offers. What could be better than
OUTREACH
LOVE INC
