Making the gospel handy
“They know they’re not alone, that they’re important and loved by other Christians.”
Pauline Levert
Special to Spur Ottawa
“Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.” That quote, often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, defines the outreach model of a group of men from Grace Presbyterian Church, in Orleans.
The New Commandment Men’s Ministries is a group of guys who volunteer their time to bring “care receivers” hope and help them out in practical ways.
“A care receiver is a widow, widower, single parent, or elderly couple who has little or no support from immediate family or friends,” explains John Head, leader of Grace’s New Commandment Men’s Ministries.
They currently have 14 Christian men, ages 18 to 70, involved in the ministry. They meet one Saturday per month for breakfast and fellowship. After that, they go support their care receivers for a couple hours by doing chores, and offering encouragement and prayer.
Head says their ministry helps care receivers “have renewed hope that God will provide for their needs. It’s Christ’s love in action. I’m blessed to be used by the Lord to bless others. The receivers know they’re not alone, that they’re important and loved by other Christians.”
The group works in teams of two to four men, doing interior and exterior work. They trim and prune shrubs, paint, hang Christmas lights, rake, repair fences and gates, plant flowers and vegetables, help with computers; and the list goes on.
Their motto comes from John 13:34 and 35, where Jesus says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Brian, a team member, says he got involved because he wants “to make a difference, however small it may be. Love in action. It’s rewarding to know I’m helping someone in their difficulty. It positively affects their family, as they know someone is attending to their spouse or parent.”
Brian says serving with the New Commandment Men’s Ministries also helps him maintain a godly mindset about helping people in day-to-day life.
“It provides an opportunity for me to experience God through serving Him.”
“It’s a heart change I received in the process of giving. It also gives me a sense of accomplishment and makes me more appreciative of what I have.”
“It provides an opportunity for me to experience God through serving Him,” adds team member Dan.
Ultimately, their goal is to show love and support to help people experience God’s love.
Andrew, another member, describes it this way: “This is one way of thanking God for His sacrifice for our salvation and to show God’s love through our actions, which hopefully will attract the attentions of neighbours and inspire them to seek an intimate relationship with God.”
Similar Articles
Bridging quantum physics and faith
The Laurentian Leadership Centre is hosting a public lecture exploring quantum physics and Christianity, Tuesday, August 30. The Centre is bringing in Arnold Sikkema, a Trinity Western University (TWU) professor of physics and […]
Carleton student ministries kick off the school year with renewed prayer and unity
The night was strangely still. It was the most peaceful Cristi Dagenais had ever seen the campus of Carleton University, in the two years she has served on staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. The only sounds were […]
Workplace summit inspires believes to bring their faith to work
“Living out your faith in the workplace can be challenging. You can feel lonely. That’s why many Christians leave their faith at the door. We want to change that.” The Ottawa Workplace Network is hosting a summit to inspire believers to see their workplace as a mission field […]
Exposing China’s brutal crackdown
China has a notorious history of cracking down on religious communities. While many have heard of China’s past crimes, fewer people know of the atrocities they continue to commit. That’s why they were the focus of this year’s 6th annual Parliamentary Forum on […]
God’s love in a box to go
Early in the pandemic, the Ottawa Mission realized they could no longer serve clients the way they had previously. A serious concern among inner-city charities was the risk of the city’s most vulnerable going hungry. In the face of […]
Holy Spirit rising up in Ottawa
In the final days of 2017, more than 900 young adults will converge in Ottawa seeking spiritual growth and fellowship at the annual Rise Up conference. Hosted by Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO), Rise Up aims to inspire […]