Focus On Volunteerism
One Temple Talk Later... It was about a year ago that Ann Kujawa, Orlando suboffice director for LIRS-affiliated Lutheran Services Florida, spoke to a local church about refugee sponsorship. Now a family of newly arrived refugees is reaping the fruit. Orlando’s Trinity Lutheran Church had a growing interest in refugee ministry, and Ann tailored her talk to their needs, making a few pointed suggestions. The congregation caught the vision that is, says Ann, “just the beginning of a new ongoing refugee ministry.” This ministry began with an empty apartment on church property that held potential as a transitional home for refugee families just starting their new lives in the United States. Nicholas Spagnuolo, a Boy Scout looking for a good Eagle Scout project, took on the job of renovating the apartment. Nicholas cleaned, sanded, painted, stocked shelves and recruited others to help him in the effort. He put up a giving tree in the church with messages of what the new apartment and its family would need. Children in vacation Bible school and Sunday school also collected household items and other donations. Finally all was ready, and on August 12 the congregation welcomed a Bosnian family of four to the beautifully renovated apartment. In her talks to volunteers and potential sponsor groups, Ann makes a point of using catchy titles for her job assignments. Members of the Sunshine Committee are recruited to help the new family have fun—preferably inexpensive fun, even in the land of Mickey Mouse. The Quartermaster Corps is responsible for collecting supplies by visiting garage sales, calling businesses or calling on fellow church members for donations. Trinity Lutheran looks forward to making refugee
sponsorship a regular part of the congregation’s ministry.
From the seed of Ann’s temple talk vibrant new volunteerism
has sprung to life.
«
Previous Article | Next Article »
|
 No. 230
|