Join the Dinner Ministry to receive email up-dates!

About The Ministry

Lake Elsinore, CA
Every Saturday evening at 4pm, the Life Groups at Venture Christian Church show praise for our Lord and Christ our Savior, by serving a fulfilling dinner and sharing God's everlasting love. By spreading the word of the Gospels to God's children, we are blessed to plant seeds of faith! Join our email list by entering your email address above for current up-to-date information regarding the Dinner Ministry. This is a non-profit Ministry. To help serve with the ministry, please email melissa@venturecc.com.

Attention Life Groups:

Attention Life Groups:
The ministry supplies will be delivered to the Life Groups Leaders location each Wednesday. The items should be returned to Venture Church each Sunday in order for the supplies to be cleaned and replenished for the next Life Group.

Life groups are encourage to take this opportunity to spread God's word by either a mini sermon, sharing their testimony, or by worship music. This is a wonderful way as Christians to praise His glory and show His love to others! It is helpful to bring a bible, some of our friends have been given incorrect information. A bible helps to show them a visual. There is a red prayer journal to write down prayer request. One of the servers can approach individuals and ask if there is a prayer that we can write down in the journal for us to pray over. Each Saturday they can see the answered prayers scratched off.

It is important to take certain precautions to help prevent the spreading of germs. When seconds are served, always serve the meals on a fresh a clean plate. This will ensure the food is not contaminated by the serving utensils touching used plates. There is a bottle of hand sanitizer, please place the bottle near the drink jugs for our friends to use. If coffee is being served, please have our friends use stir straws instead of spoons. When serving, those who are handling the food are required to wear serving gloves. Another safe step is have those serving bring the plates to those eating, this also gives them the feeling of respect.

There is a blue create that has emergency supplies. It is important to keep the blue create in your car while the dinner is taking place, otherwise the items are up for grabs. In the create are a few small cans of food items in case one of our friends attends late and the food has already been disbursed. Something is always better then an empty stomach. There may be a few items that may be requested, feel free to hand those items out as needed.

If your Life Group is unable to serve the committed weekend, please give the ministry 72 hours notice to find a replacement team, Thank you!

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Support our Troops When They are Active and Return Home!

   After bravely placing their live on the line to serve and protect others, it's hard to leave combat behind at the enemy lines. When troops comes home with no visual wounds, that doesn't mean they come home unwounded.

     Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, commonly known as PTSD, haunts the soldier day in and day out.  A part of them will always be at the front lines, fighting a war that they are no longer physically present at. A solider can still see, smell , and taste the combat zone once they return home for the rest of their life. PTSD gravely effects their home life, if not treated. Growing up as a daughter of a Vietnam veteran, I thought all daddies duck and take cover when a balloon pops. Apparently that is not normal.  That was just one of the many red  flags of someone with PTSD. The government recently started recognizing PTSD, and are developing resources for those who return home to be able to cope with the disorder. That said, many went untreated and unaware why the are forever haunted.  Or with the resources that are provided,  they are still unable to cope.  PTSD and other forms of mental and emotional issues, can lead to troubled relationships, high divorce rates, lost of jobs, loss of faith, substances abuse to try to escape the daily torture, homelessness, and suicide. 

     The 2011 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count Report revealed that the number of homeless veterans has risen in the past two years.  Today there are 909 female veterans who call the streets their home, that is a 51% increase! Sadly, among male veterans, homelessness increased by 22%. Numbers tell a story, in 2009 there were 5,939  homeless male veterans, today there are 7,221! The numbers are military members who fought from wars in the past to present, from Vietnam, Iraq, to Afghanistan Operations. The number of homeless veterans between the ages of 25-54 are most likely to had serve in Iraq and Afghanistan. Those who fall under that age range make up for 61.2% of our homeless veterans; the number had increased by leaps and bounds.

    We can show our support for our troops who are currently in combat and to those who are home.  If you see someone who is wearing the veterans cap, tell them thank you for serving and God Bless (I highly discourage anyone going up and start patting them on the shoulder or back, although this is a kind juster, this can  trigger of a flash back).  If you see a homeless veterans, give them the same respect. Some of our friends at the park are veterans, by serving with the ministry, you are showing them kindness and God's love. That our Lord is there at their darkest hour walking with them in their valley holding their hand along the way.

There is a wonderful program that provides treatment to our heroes called, New Directions, INC. Feel free to explore there web-site to learn more about PTSD and ways you can help!
New Directions, INC

God Bless and thank you for serving the ministry! You truly are making a impact in their lives!

To present and past military members, thank you for protecting and serving!







          
Posted by at
Reactions: 

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)