A note from Pastor Bryan Hoke

"Just to give you some idea of the scope of it all here are a few numbers. 
I have no idea how many actual people were involved in some way on our Day of Compassion, September 2007, but we gave out 435 T-shirts.  That is probably our best indicator of how many people were involved. 

There were 19 official missions through our website and at least another 5 or 6 more that I was aware of that either individuals or small groups came up with on their own and served on those missions. 

Two of the official church missions had multiple locations to them. 
In Mission Nutrition, which was a food drive for Project Share, 20 neighborhoods were canvassed with flyers and food was collected in the neighborhoods from individuals
in our church. 
In Operation Clean Sweep 20 different groups went out to clean different streets in Carlisle.  Most cleaned an 8 block area of a particular street. 
Many other projects has 20-30 people involved in them.  It was just a huge day in terms of involvement and all that happened.

What an amazing day for the church!"

                                                                        Bryan Hoke  

Below is a list of the church-sponsored service opportunities that were highlighted for involvement on our first Compassion in Action Sunday, September 30, 2007.
We will keep these opportunities posted so that you can be informed and encouraged to continue serving in these ways and others as we journey together in the future

 Service Opportunity 1 (Mission Nutrition)

Mission: We collected food (non-perishable), paper products and toiletries to give to those in our community who could use a helping hand.

Description: This was done solo, with friend and small groups. The idea included delivering flyers in the neighborhood to explain this service opportunity and ask for items that they may be able to donate. this flyer instructed homeowners to simply leave their donations on the doorstep by September 30. These flyers were then delivered by Friday, September 28.

Then we simply went through our respective neighborhoods on September 30 in the hopes of finding goods that we could re-distribute to those who needed it the most. It's kind of like being Robin Hood without stealing anything!. We just needed to bring back our items to the church by 4:30 PM on September 30.

Who came?: Entire families, children, groups and service teams...or solo.

Service Opportunity 2 (Beautify a Home)

Mission A: We gathered at the home of an un-churched couple in need of help with their yard as they were struggling in other areas of their lives together.

Description: This young couple had a 2 year old boy and recently purchased a home at 431 South Pitt Street. They work difficult and numerous hours and had gone through many personal hardships, and had not been able to keep up with their once manicured "yard." We got together to weed and helped them distinguish between the "good" and "bad" plants in their space. This time also included cleaning up sticks, broken branches and some garbage, as well as pulling weeds. It was encouraged as well (but not necessary) to bring at least one plant that we could put in their space that added permanent or temporary beauty to their yard. People brought their gloves, spades and work clothes for this day in the yard.

Who came?: Groups, teams and persons old enough to be of help.

Mission B: We helped an elderly woman who had fallen and hurt her back and could no longer care for the outside of her home.

Description:  This project happened on Thursday, September 27.  Three or four people was needed to join the project coordinator at a home on Arch Street in Carlisle to help an elderly woman in Carlisle with basic home upkeep, particularly around the outside of her house.  After having fallen and hurt her back, she was not able at that time to do some of the basic upkeep which homes need.

Mission C: We helped a mentally handicapped couple in the care of their home.

Description:  This project was given to us through an organization who works with adults with mental retardation.  A mentally handicapped couple owned a home that was in need a great repair to the point where some of the repairs were jeopardizing their safety.  This home was located in Shippensburg, but because of the great need, we planned to serve them.  There was electrical work, household repairs, issues with the roof and many other small projects.  If you were skilled in any one of these areas you were used on this project.  The project coordinator visited this home in advance to have an idea of the scope of the work and how we could be helpful.  All were welcome, but particular those with skills in the building trades were needed. We needed 8-10 people for this service opportunity.

Mission D: We helped a person who was unable to do simple weed-wacking at his home.

Description: This Service Opportunity was made known to us through Hearts N Hands which aids families and children with cancer. This was a simple way to help a man who was unable to go outside at that time and do a little yard work. If we were able to get one or two people, we would be able to make a big impact in his life, and we did!

Service Opportunity 3 (Helping Children)

Mission: We collected items of need to distribute to needy children through Cumberland County Children & Youth

Description: When children enter the foster care system, they often come with very little or nothing from their previous living situation. Many of the things we all take for
granted - toothbrushes, soap, teddy bears, shoes and socks, crayons and coloring
books - are all left behind. We wanted to collect items like these in drop boxes between church services on September 16th, 23rd and 30th.

We will also wanted to collect items for infants to be donated to Diakon Adoption & Foster Care and Birthright. Women who often face unexpected or unwanted pregnancies do not have the resources to provide even essential newborn needs. This was a great way to get them off to the right foot. We collected these items during the final 3 September church services.

Who came?: Everyone. We needed some volunteers to man the drop boxes between services and answer questions, but we encouraged everyone to give. This was a great way to have our own children worship God through giving, and a perfect opportunity for those not interested in physical labor.

Click here for an entire list of specifically suggested items to donate

Service Opportunity 4 (Worship at Manor Care Nursing Home)

Mission: We brought joy and love to the residents at Manor Home Nursing Home on Walnut Bottom Road through our gifts and talents.

Description: Between 2:00 and 3:00 PM we brought our own version of America's Got Talent to the nursing home. We began by providing a devotional, prayer and worship time for the residents. We were all able to partake in this.
But then the fun really began. We were asking for any persons, families or children with musical ability to come and share their gifts with the residents in an informal time of singing. You could have your children share by dancing, singing, playing an instrument, or simply reading. This was an opportunity to bring much joy to the residents of Manor Care through the outreach of our families and children. 

Who came?: Everyone, especially children.

Service Opportunity 5 (Operation Clean Sweep)

Mission: We beautified the downtown area of Carlisle by ridding the streets of trash and debris.

Description:  We all know how much trash can accumulate in any one area if people do not do anything about it.  And after a while, that trash has a way of piling up and making an area look run down and uncared for.  We cared for the downtown area of our town by collecting the trash and getting rid of it.  People were invited to join in Operation Clean Sweep and make a difference in our community through beautifying it. 

Who came?: Anyone of any age who could do this mission as an individual, as a family, or in any other size group. 

Service Opportunity 6 (Bless a School)

Mission: We gave elementary school supplies to a school and their children who desperately needed them.

Description: LeTort Elementary School has the highest level of poverty of all the elementary schools in the Carlisle Area School District. Most elementary schools rely on donations from parents to keep classrooms well-stocked. We took this opportunity to "Bless a School" and give those items that the families of LeTort were unable to give.

Who came?: Everyone and anyone. We wanted this to be a special emphasis for our children of the church to be involved in donating items to other children in the community who may not have the same opportunities.Also, this was a perfect opportunity for those who did not want to do physical labor on Sunday. 

Click here for an entire list of specifically suggested items to donate

Service Opportunity 7 (Dairy Queen Invasion)

Mission: We gave residents at Forest Park Nursing Home a yummy treat while socializing with them and hearing about their lives.

Description: Residents of nursing homes are always looking for someone to talk with and share about their lives.  How much better would it be to have someone to do that with while eating a DQ ice cream at the same time?  At 3:00 PM on Sunday September 30 there was be a special Dairy Queen Invasion at Forest Park Nursing Home (700 Walnut Bottom Road, Carlisle) so that the residents, and even those who served, enjoyed one of their favorite treats.  A minimum of 8 people were needed to help with this project and all ages were welcome. (A big thank you to Dairy Queen for providing us with these treats free of charge!)

Who came?: Anyone and everyone. Family participation would be ideal.

Service Opportunity 8 (Help Kids Read!)

Mission: We donated new or slightly-used books for pre-school age children to be dispersed through our local Head Start Program.

Description:  Head Start assists low income families that may not be able to read with their children because they cannot afford such a luxury. The Head Start program provides child development services to economically disadvantaged children and families, with a special focus on helping preschoolers develop the early reading and math skills they need to be successful in school. In 1995, the Head Start program was established to serve children from birth to three years of age in recognition of that the earliest years matter a great deal to children's growth and development. And the exciting part is not only does it provide child development, but they also engage parents in their children's learning and help them in making progress toward their own educational, literacy and employment goals. Significant emphasis is placed on the involvement of parents in the administration of local Head Start programs.

And although it is a national program, Carlisle has its own Head Start program which benefits families in our own neighborhood and they need our support and donations.

Who came?: Anyone. This is a great idea for children to be involved in serving other, more needy children in our community.

Service Opportunity (Serving Women and Children in Need)

Mission: We served those who have recently experienced domestic violence through cleaning the domestic violence shelter and interacted with the women and children

Description:  Where do women and children go when their home is not a safe place?  The Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland and Perry County's answer to that question is a home where women with children can go and live while they try to get their lives back together and be able to support themselves.  This project traveled to that shelter and helped to clean it both inside and out.  Individuals could also come to interact with the women there and play with the children who reside at the shelter.  Because the location of this shelter is not public, we needed to sign a waiver upon arrival that we would not reveal the location to others.

Who came?: Adults and families who would be willing to work and interact with the families who are in the shelter.

Service Opportunity 10 (Operation Park Beautification)

Mission: We cared for our community by helping to clean some of the local parks and help them become more people friendly.

 

Description:  We went to serve in multiple parks in Carlisle and South Middleton.  Following this description are a number of different parks and what needed to be done at each on September 30.  People signed up for the specific park in which you they wanted to serve.

 

Seven Gables Park:  Located on Giant Lane in Carlisle, this park has a path for walking and running which has become over grown and needs to be cleaned up.  People brought clippers, gloves and other tools and help prune mother nature back so that the path is more usable again.  5-8 volunteers was needed for this project.

 

South Middleton Park:  Located on Park Drive in Boiling Springs, the hope was to give this park a face lift by painting the baseball field dug outs and other general clean up.  The paint was provided but brushes, rollers and other paint supplies were needed.  There was also some general park cleanup accomplished on that day so other tools were needed.  10 volunteers were needed for this project.

 

Spring Meadows Park:  Located in Boiling Springs along Rt. 174, this park was in need of some weeding in its flower beds and help in making those beds come back to life.  Gloves, shovels and other tools were needed to rid the ground of those pesky weeds. 
2-4 volunteers were needed for this project.

 

Butcher Tot Lot:  Located off of Chester Ave. in Carlisle, this park was in need of a face lift.  Some weeding and spreading of mulch did the trick to give this park just what it needed to keep the kids and community coming back.  This project began at 1:30 PM.  People needed shovels and other tools to spread the mulch.  5-6 people were needed.

Borough Hall:  This wasn’t a park, but the same types of needs existed there.  Weeds needed to be pulled, areas needed to be mulched.  We beautified the building which symbolized what happened here in Carlisle.  It was located on W. South St.  10 people were needed.

 

The Community Center:  Located on Franklin Street in Carlisle, this building houses many activities for local residents.  However, the outside was in need of some help.  Weeds had taken over beds and new mulch needed to be spread.  We were the answer to this problem with a shovel and a little time.  10 people were needed.

Mooreland Athletic Field:  Some areas of this park near Mooreland Elementary School in Carlisle had become overgrown by weeds and other vines, particularly along a path which many children used to walk to school.  The task was to clean that area up, particularly the path, so that kids had more space to walk along the path and have an easier time getting to school.  Clippers, shovels and other tools were needed to clean this area up.  10 people were needed.

 Service Opportunity 11 (Operation Learn to Dance)

 

Mission: We broght joy to residents of Thornwald home through a dance demonstration, lessons and personal interaction.

 

Description: We brought our dancing shoes to the Thornwald Nursing home (442 Walnut Bottom Rd., Carlisle) at 2:00 PM on Sunday September 30 and we were ready to interact with the residents of the home.  First a free dance swing dance demonstration was given for the residents and all volunteers and then we were asked to join in.  After that time of fun, all volunteers were able to visit with the residents and we even went the rooms of those who were not able to come for this fun event.  This was a great opportunity for anyone of any age to visit with residents of the home and learn something in the process.

 

Who came?: Anyone and everyone. Family participation would be ideal.