Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Continuing to serve in the midst of despair...




As one of CSM NYC's regular ministry partners, Bethel Gospel Assembly, mourns the loss of two of its church members who were killed in a building explosion on March 12. 

A gas leak caused the building, located at 116th St. and Park Ave in Harlem, to explode. This week, our CSM group was able to prepare lunch in their soup kitchen for hundreds who would be coming from the neighborhood and sort and help pick out clothing for their guests. We also worked in their food pantry, handing out bags of groceries to those in need. Since the explosion last week, their number of participants needing services more than doubled! 

It was such a blessing for us to be able to provide help for them in a very tangible way. With the increase in need, came a desperation for volunteers and the Lord placed us right in their path. 

When speaking with Julie Girard, the Program Coordinator, she expressed how much their church is grieving, but also how much God has begun to provide them with His healing and restoration. 

Please, please, please continue to pray for them as they tirelessly work to meet the needs of their community. You can read more about the story here.

- Marquita Farmer, CSM New York City Director

To further assist this crucial ministry, please considering sending a donation to:
The East Harlem Disaster Relief Fund
c/o Bethel Gospel Assembly, Inc.
New York, N.Y. 10035
Attn:  Rev. Joan M. Williams- Jarrell

Please note: The East Harlem Disaster Relief Fund must be noted in the memo section of your check.

In addition to financial donation, they are asking for donations of the following non-perishable items:
  • Toothbrushes
  • Combs
  • Hairbrushes
  • Toothpaste
  • Lotion
  • Deodorant
  • Lotion
  • Bath Soap
  • Towels
  • Washcloths
The above referenced items can be mailed to the same address above or dropped off at Beth-Hark Christian Counseling Center during the following hours:

Tuesdays 10 a.m.- 12 noon
Thursday  3;00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Giving up the beach


Last week, Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts came to Philadelphia with eight students and two leaders to spend their spring break in Philadelphia. Ashlee Downing, who was returning for her second CSM trip, was interviewed for the school's newspaper about why a group of college students would forsake the beach, raise money, and travel hours and hours on a train to serve in Philadelphia. You can read what she wrote here... 

I greatly enjoyed being able to host this group of diverse and dynamic students, and being allowed to become a part of their group for a week was such a blessing!  Thanks for your service.

- Nicole Engelhardt, CSM Philadelphia Associate City Director


Keep updated on all that's happening at CSM Philadelphia - follow them on Facebook or Twitter!


Friday, March 14, 2014

Ministering in the midst of crisis

This past Wednesday, a building explosion occurred in an East Harlem neighborhood. A couple of groups serving with CSM New York City were working with ministries just a few blocks from where the explosion happened. Gratefully, everyone was fine and out of harms way. They were able to help prepare to emergency services to people in the neighborhood. 

As of yesterday, there were 4 who have lost their lives, 63 injured, and 9 people unaccounted for. This has hit our CSM NY team hard, as they have found out that 3 of the 4 who died were members of one of our partnering churches, Beth-Hark Christian Counseling Center

Our contact at Beth-Hark let us know that they are all grieving and feeling the tremendous loss. CSM has had a group serving there since the explosion and the church is so thankful that they are coming. This group has been such a blessing to Beth-Hark over these last two days. 
  • Please say a prayer for the families that are affected by this. 
  • Pray that the Lord would continue to use our groups in a mighty - through this church and as they feed and pray for people in the neighborhood. 
  • Pray as we continue to minister to the neighborhood, as they grieve the loss of their loved ones.
To stay updated, please visit CSM New York City's Facebook Page for updates.

Friday, March 07, 2014

FAQs regarding Sustainability

Over the past few years, youth leaders have asked some wonderful and tough questions that have helped us to grow as an organization. We strive to work with consistency to support the work of local ministries and organizations that are pursuing justice in our cities and welcome this dialogue as it helps us to understand each other and refine God’s purpose for CSM.
Below are our responses to a few of the tough questions we receive every year. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out to us. We strive for transparency and, as a member of the living body of Christ, we are committed to continued growth, refinement and development through the shared wisdom and insight of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
How Is CSM Different From Other Organizations?
Our City Staff live in the city year–round. This means that CSM is a part of the community you will serve in. Our staff is in constant contact with our partners to discern their volunteer needs.
We only partner with existing organizations. CSM teams become a part of the work that is already happening for the restoration in the city. Groups will be serving and learning from local leaders who are committed to working on behalf of the people of the city long–term. While we acknowledge the gifts and blessings of our guests who are coming to serve, it is important that our teams defer to the leadership of local organizations in order to be a blessing and a light in the specific city of service.
Is The Prayer Tour A Way To Put Poverty On Display?
No, is the short answer to this question. Since the people writing our prayer tours are residents of these communities, it is very important to them that their neighbors aren’t alienated or exploited in any way. This is a labor of love. We truly believe that the prayer tour is our first ministry opportunity in the city. It is an education and introduction to each city. We give statistics and historical facts. This is our opportunity to give the teams the background information necessary to serve our cities with love.
We invite you see these cities through God’s eyes during the Prayer Tour. He is present and invites us to see the beauty in the midst of the brokenness. We’ll tell you about the problems we face in our communities, the joys we celebrate here as well, and invite you into our story so that you are able to understand why we do what we do and why we feel the way we feel about the city.
How Will My Kids Actually Make An Impact When They’re Only There For A Short Time?
By partnering with existing organizations, students are able to come alongside ongoing work. The work does not begin when they arrive, and it keeps going for years after they leave. Your teams fill volunteer positions that are already open in organizations that have been working in the city for a very long time. The organizations we work with would cease to exist without volunteers to help them with day to day operations – whether it’s serving dinners at a soup kitchen, tutoring kids in after school programs, helping the elderly remain independent in their own homes or helping out at a homeless shelter. We are filling existing needs and closing volunteer gaps to make sure that the organizations that make a difference in our communities continue to do so for a very long time!
Could Our Work Actually Hinder The Work Of Those Who Are Working Here Long–Term?
Our goal is to be used by the Lord to support the work of those who are working here long–term. The health, growth and development of our host communities is the reason we participate in this kingdom work. Our full time staff is involved and communicating with our partners year round to maintain and build trusting friendships where honesty is pursued and valued. If at any time our partners, who are pursuing reconciliation in communities, feel that we are more of a burden than a blessing, we welcome that conversation! We work exceptionally hard to make sure we do not burden organizations with our volunteers and have stepped back from partnerships in order to help them pursue their mission.
What Value Are We Really Adding To The Community?
You serve as witnesses of Christ and sowers in the development of fruit. Some of our partner organizations receive increased funding and volunteer support from local sponsors because people from across the country are coming to serve with them! Your service increases their local profile.
It is also important to remember that people notice you. The neighbors we serve are in tough situations. Oftentimes they are lonely and feel unseen, forgotten and unloved. Your presence and commitment to traveling to a city shows them a small taste of the love that God has for them and plants a seed of worthiness. Your actions are small and may not always feel impactful, but your presence speaks to the love of a God who will spare nothing to make sure that each and every one of his children knows they are cared for, no matter what has happened in their lives.
How Can Short Term Mission Trips Be Relational?
This depends on each person’s willingness to be open to loving his or her neighbor.We rely on and try to equip team leaders and team members to prayerfully and boldly welcome our local community into their lives. A conversation and a kind word can change a heart. At some point in each of our pasts, a person has spoken love into our lives in a way that seemed quite small to them, but changed everything for us as receivers. We encourage you to share love throughout your trip. Remind someone that he or she has value! Your kindness matters and even the smallest kindnesses can save a life.
We also encourage our groups to place themselves in a place of need and allow themselves to be served. This is generally the hardest, but most important, lesson for our groups. Jesus placed himself in need throughout His life and His ministry in order to allow others to feel their value and worth. You have that same power. This is mostly a long–term goal of transformation as a result of seeing the impact that stepping out of your comfort zone can have on a community.
We pray that our groups will see the amazing healing that comes from honest and open partnerships. We also pray that they will cultivate similar relationships in their hometowns and churches as they become the standard–bearers of Christ for the next generation.
Are We Taking Away Jobs That Could Be Helping The Local Economy?
Since we are only filling existing volunteer opportunities, our groups are actually helping local organizations stay operational and impactful in the community. In fact, many organizations can continue to hire staff (though limited) because of the consistent base of volunteers that CSM provides. We also patronize small restaurants usually run by local families, many of whom are immigrants. They are doing their best to provide community and preserve their culture. Our groups are not only exposed to their home country’s signature dishes, but we provide these establishments with steady business throughout the year and help to keep them in business.
Are We Disempowering People And Keeping Them In A Place Of Need?
Because of our local partnerships, we are constantly evolving our ministry in conjunction with local leaders to make sure we are encouraging and empowering people. We recognize that we do not have all the answers and that we are background support for the amazing healing work they have dedicated their lives to building.