Serving the City

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

Jeremiah 29:7

We love the Twin Ports!

We believe that the mission of Jesus must connect the people of our church to the needs of the city.

We seek to identify both a community’s needs and its dreams, affirming where God’s hand is already evident and building on existing strengths.

We want to declare the gospel with both our words and our deeds, being attentive to both outward (material) and inward (spiritual) needs.

 

How can I start serving?

Serving others is also a part of how God shapes us and forms us. We believe that community is the best apologetic to the world, so our City Groups create space where we can go with other believers on mission.

If you are looking for a way for your City Group to serve on a regular basis, consider these local mission opportunities and download our one-page guide to help you get started. If you want to go even deeper, Pastor Mike made a video for City Group Leaders on how we can live on mission.

Rock Hill Mercy Ministries

Rock Hill provides leadership and support for these ministries that benefit the poor, needy, and vulnerable in our community.

Celebrate Recovery

Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered, 12-step recovery program for anyone struggling with hurt, hang-ups, and habits of any kind. It is designed to help people point each other to Jesus for healing, and it also provides fellowship and accountability in all areas of life.

Weekly Gatherings: Meetings are on Wednesdays at our Lincoln Park campus (2401 W 5th St.) from 6-8:30pm. Childcare provided for ages infant through 12 years old.

Needs:

  • Food preparation and serving for meals (e.g. once per month)
  • Leading in simple, musical worship
  • Childcare so parents can attend CR
Saturday Meal

On 3rd, 4th, and 5th Saturdays, we serve a lunch at the Water’s Edge Church (2202 W 3rd St) and offer food pickup from Second Harvest Northland. The kitchen team prepares a meal between 9:30- 11:00, and the meals are distributed starting at 11:00 until 12:00. We serve about 80 meals per Saturday, mostly to low-income neighbors in Lincoln Park.

Needs:

  • Volunteers for food truck unloading and set up
  • Volunteers for food preparation and clean up
  • Assistance in buying food

Local Ministry Partners

We partner with many organizations that are doing good work in our city, providing them with volunteers and/or financial support.

Adult & Teen Challenge

Adult & Teen Challenge offers faith-based residential treatment and recovery options for adult men, and outpatient options for both men and women. The recovery programs include licensed treatment, mental health services, and assistance for long-term recovery.

Needs:

  • Volunteers to drive clients to appointments, assist the choir director in learning music, help with building maintenance, lead arts and crafts, and assist with recreational outings
  • Groups to assist with service events, improving facilities, and helping with administrative support projects
  • Financial donations to keep the mission running
Duluth Harbor Rescue Mission

Duluth Harbor Rescue Mission is a faith-based gospel mission that serves the neediest in Duluth with an emphasis on meeting basic immediate needs (e.g. food, shelter, clothing) and long-term spiritual needs. They also assist with situations of domestic abuse, addiction, and recovery.

Needs:

  • Volunteers for food service, program tasks like sorting/organizing, teaching or tutoring, laundry, or assistance with special events
  • Donate items from their Amazon Wish List or gently used items such as pillows, blankets, winter gear, belts, rain gear, and candles
  • Financial assistance to help purchase a new building
Hope Center

Hope Center is a mission center in Lincoln Park that provides material assistance through donated clothing, furniture, and household goods as well as spiritual assistance through biblical counseling and Bible studies. They also serve as a bridge between churches and those in need.

Needs:

  • Donations gently used items of clothing, household goods, and furniture, especially men’s clothing and new socks
  • Volunteers for sorting/organizing donations
  • Financial donations to keep the mission running
Lakeview Christian Academy

Lakeview Christian Academy is a private school that seeks to “train young champions for Christ — spiritually, academically, socially, emotionally, and physically.” LCA has 250 students from 3 years old to 12th grade, and 45 different churches are represented in the student body.

Needs:

  • Groups to assist with events, improving facilities, landscaping
  • Substitute teachers on a reserve list
  • Financial donations to keep the school running
Life 97.3 Radio

Life 97.3 is our local Christian radio station that exists to lead people to Christ and nurture believers in their spiritual growth through Christ-centered media. The Life 97.3 “Dream Team” is a group of volunteers who help with all sorts to tasks and needs to help keep the station growing.

Needs:

  • Volunteers to answer the phone during fundraisers (3x per year)
  • Volunteers at sponsored events like concerts (12x per year)
  • Financial donations to keep the station running
New Hope for Families

New Hope for Families seeks to create a community of support for all adoptive and foster kids and families and to inspire and empower the church to do the same. They provide emergency care for children, support for foster care parents, and many other resources.

Needs:

  • Donations for kids clothing and other items
  • Skilled and unskilled help with building maintenance
  • Meal train groups for foster parents
  • Financially sponsor foster families
Safe Haven Shelter and Resource Center

Safe Haven provides services to women, children, and all survivors whose lives have been affected by physical, emotional, sexual, and economic abuse. They provide emergency shelter, legal advocacy, safety planning, support groups, and more.

Needs:

  • Volunteers to serve dinner for residents, help unload food delivery packages, process new inventory and donations, or provide childcare for support groups as a positive role model for kids
  • Financial donations to keep the mission running
Second Harvest Northland

Second Harvest Northland works compassionately to end hunger by ensuring dignified and equitable access to food for our neighbors facing hunger. As our region’s only food bank, they are key to accessing and distributing food in the Twin Ports.

Needs:

  • Volunteers to pack, sort and label food in distribution center
  • Assist in delivering food to seniors and schools
  • Host a food drive and gather surplus food
  • Financial donations to keep the food bank running
Union Gospel Mission

Union Gospel Mission provides food (7,000 meals every month!), support services, and housing assistance. Many of their patrons come from food-challenged households, and the majority of these households include children or seniors on limited incomes.

Needs:

  • Volunteers to serve food, wipe tables, and talk with clientele
  • Donate items from their Amazon Wish List or gently used items such as warm clothing, blankets, hygiene essentials, and tents
  • Financial donations to keep the mission running

Campus Organizations

A lot of college students attend our church, so we love to support campus ministries at UMD, St. Scholastica, Lake Superior College, and UWS.

Seasonal Opportunities

We support and volunteer at a number of annual events that serve our city in a variety of ways.

Clean Yer Creek (Spring)

Every year, Duluth residents gather to comb through five creeks (Amity, Chester, Keene, Merritt, Miller) for abandoned trash, illegal dumping, and debris. It’s a great way to improve our local city watersheds as well as get to know our neighbors.

Lincoln Park Clean Up (Spring)

When spring is in the air, our Lincoln Park campus steps up to clean the park that’s just a block away! Volunteers can come after the 9AM or 10:45Am service to clean for an hour and eat lunch! Equipment is provided.

National Night Out (Summer)

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. We encourage our members to attend or even host a local neighborhood outing every August.

Aruna Run (Fall)

Aruna is an international human rights non-profit dedicated to creating lifelong freedom for survivors of human trafficking. The Aruna Run Race Series is the catalyst of the freedom process with 100% of registration fees and donations going to help free trafficked women.

Chester Bowl Fall Fest (Fall)

The Chester Bowl Fall Fest is a regional craft event with music, food, crafts, locally grown fresh produce, and vendors. Our Chester Park campus has hosted a booth there with a secure, comfortable place for moms to nurse.

The Reel Hope Project (Fall)

The Reel Hope Project makes high quality videos for youth who are experiencing foster care and awaiting an adoptive family. We’ve hosted Reel Hope many times in our Sunday services to highlight the importance of foster care and adoption.

Operation Christmas Child (Winter)

Every Christmas, Operation Christmas Child delivers millions of gift-filled shoeboxes to boys and girls around the world. Our church hosts a gift box assembly party, and our Superior campus building is also a collection site.

Want some other ideas for how to serve the city?

Here are some of the ways that people in our church have shown their love to the Twin Ports.

Host a neighborhood movie night
Host a neighborhood movie night
Bring kids to play at a nursing home
Bring kids to play at a nursing home
Visit the incarcerated
Visit the incarcerated
Run games for kids in the park
Run games for kids in the park
Host a neighborhood movie night
Host a neighborhood movie night
Bring kids to play at a nursing home
Bring kids to play at a nursing home
Visit the incarcerated
Visit the incarcerated
Run games for kids in the park
Run games for kids in the park
Christmas carols at a nursing home
Christmas carols at a nursing home
Host a neighborhood block party
Host a neighborhood block party
Host international students for dinner
Host international students for dinner
Make toiletry bags for the unhoused
Make toiletry bags for the unhoused
Donate games to Boys & Girls Club
Donate games to Boys & Girls Club
Christmas carols at a nursing home
Christmas carols at a nursing home
Host a neighborhood block party
Host a neighborhood block party
Host international students for dinner
Host international students for dinner
Make toiletry bags for the unhoused
Make toiletry bags for the unhoused
Donate games to Boys & Girls Club
Donate games to Boys & Girls Club
Make cards for hospital patients
Make cards for hospital patients
Bring a meal to a neighbor
Bring a meal to a neighbor
Help tutor in public schools
Help tutor in public schools
Volunteer at Grandma's Marathon
Volunteer at Grandma's Marathon
Make cards for hospital patients
Make cards for hospital patients
Bring a meal to a neighbor
Bring a meal to a neighbor
Help tutor in public schools
Help tutor in public schools
Volunteer at Grandma's Marathon
Volunteer at Grandma's Marathon
Pick up garbage in the park
Pick up garbage in the park
Donate supplies to public schools
Donate supplies to public schools
Walk and pray around neighborhood
Walk and pray around neighborhood
Snowblow for neighbors
Snowblow for neighbors
Knit/crochet hats for newborns
Knit/crochet hats for newborns
Pick up garbage in the park
Pick up garbage in the park
Donate supplies to public schools
Donate supplies to public schools
Walk and pray around neighborhood
Walk and pray around neighborhood
Snowblow for neighbors
Snowblow for neighbors
Knit/crochet hats for newborns
Knit/crochet hats for newborns

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?

Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

1 John 3:16-18