Good Works, Inc.
HOPE AND POSSIBILITIES

The Mission of Good Works Hope and Possibilities is to assist both our neighbors struggling with emergency financial needs and the local churches from whom they seek assistance. Loving our neighbor, legitimatizing their request for assistance and improving the stewardship of resources in local churches are ways in which this ministry glorifies God.


INTRODUCTION
During the mid 1990s, Good Works sponsored a special program to meet face-to-face with local citizens in need. We met several times a week for several hours and listened, guided, prayed and connected people with resources and opportunities. The program was called Hope and Possibilities, because we wanted to instill hope in each person who came to us for help. We attempted to establish a relationship with each person who came for assistance, and we made an intentional effort to direct each person to opportunities (possibilities) in the community that could further help them. In addition to learning about the people coming for help, we attempted to learn about every program available to low-income people with emergency needs and established key relationships with stakeholders in the community ranging from utility companies to landlords to social service agencies and local churches. Hope and Possibilities (H&P) is the also the chosen name for this current initiative of Good Works coordinated by Chip Guyton.

It is our intention to meet face-to-face with people in need of emergency financial assistance and give them hope by connecting them with resources, opportunities and people in the community, who can assist them. By connecting these individuals with local resources, we will likely find the gaps in services in the community. While some of these gaps can be met by social service agencies, civic groups and government organizations, it is our view that, working together, the local church community can fill some gaps. Through H&P, we identify these gaps and attempt to explore how local churches can meet some of these needs. Furthermore, it is our desire to connect the body of Christ in our community with the needs of those struggling with poverty and its effects. As much as the poor need our help, equally so, we, the body of Christ need to help them.

HOPE AND POSSBILITIES focuses on three major arenas:

  1. AVAILABLE TO THE PEOPLE
  2. AVAILBLE TO THE PASTOR
  3. AVAILABLE TO THE CONGREGATION

AVAILABLE TO THE PEOPLE
The first goal of H&P is for Chip to meet face-to-face with community members and by phone with neighbors with needs on a regular basis to assist them with information, referrals and connections. While Chip is based out of the Good Works Hannah House, he sometimes meets them at our Friday Night Life program.  Sometimes people simply need to be heard, Chip’s role involves listening with empathy and compassion. A wise person once said, “Home is not where you live, it is where people understand you.” Some of his responsibilities include advocacy and assisting in the coordination of services, as he attempts to assist people who feel vulnerable and voiceless through the maze of social services and government sponsored programs. Every effort is made to respect people’s dignity. Chip has become a kind of expert with regard to resources and programs available to those who are in need. H&P is not a mental health crisis program; such a program already exists. Initially, those in need call Chip, and he makes an appointment to meet them face-to-face. Information is collected, available local programs are explored, and Chip provides a participating Pastor or church leader with the kind of information he or she needs to make an informed decision regarding what kind of financial or other assistance they are able to provide the person. Chip also prays with those who give him permission and provides spiritual guidance to those who are open to this form of support.

AVAILABLE TO THE PASTOR
The second goal of H&P is to be available to assist Pastoral leadership as each participating congregation attempts to serve those with emergency needs in our community. Chip is accessible by phone and responsive to the leadership of participating churches, intentionally maintaining thorough communication with them. 

AVAILABLE TO THE CONGREGATION
The third goal of H&P is to create a dialogue with each participating congregation on the subject of how we as a body can assist the poor and needy in our community. This dialogue can involve bible study, prayer, discernment and communication among the members. The dialogue builds upon what each congregation has already realized and what each congregation is already doing. The goal is to take the conversation to the next level.

WHY WE CAN NOT HELP EVERYONE
Every once and a while, I suggest to those on the ‘front lines’ of loving and serving the poor that we close our eyes, click the heels of our shoes together and say the following: ‘I am not the Messiah. Jesus is the Messiah.’ For us to do what we do well, we must learn what we should not do, what our limitations are and under what circumstance people “cross the line.” Jesus sent his disciples out in twos, and I believe that our staff will continually need to consult on some cases that they cannot (and should not) handle on their own. There will always be some people we cannot help either because of our limitations (both financial and time restraints) or because their attitude and approach is not something we are willing to work with. Some people are downright nasty, and we will not work with those who make threats and who treat us with disrespect. In some cases, people who “use the system” intentionally select strategic times to ask for help; times they know are most inappropriate, times when there is no one available and the Pastor is put in a manipulative situation of guilt. Finally, there will be some situations, which are simply beyond our capacity.

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

  1. Chip started with Good Works in August 2007 with an orientation to Good Works. Since his arrival Chip has continued to spend time with key local contacts and strengthening relationships with different organizations in the region (both government and non-government programs) working with low-income citizens.
  2. Chip’s office is in the Hannah House at the Good Works Luhrig Road Location. He is available to meet with pastoral leadership in church offices.
  3. Chip attends local meetings in the community as they relate to emergency assistance in an effort to build relationships, establish networks and build trust.
  4. Opportunities for volunteer service for members from participating churches to work with Chip will be developed.
  5. Chip is available by telephone 8 hours a day five days a week as announced on his cell phone message. Chip is also available “after hours” as needed to support Pastoral leadership with difficult situations.
  6. Chip meets with individuals seeking emergency assistance in person, from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Monday – Friday at the Good Works Luhrig Road Hannah House facility. Participating churches can direct needy individuals to contact Chip and meet with him. Chip spends time examining the issues, investigating the situations but does not distribute money. The final decision to either contribute to the needs of the person seeking assistance or not is entirely up to each church. 
  7. Part of Chip’s ministry is to provide information, education and spiritual support to individuals seeking assistance. By spiritual support, we mean prayer.
  8. Chip is involved in helping citizens make connections with opportunities, programs; information and support in an attempt to not only “provide a fish but to teach individuals to fish.”
  9. Chip keeps case notes on each person who meets with him. At the minimum, these notes include the name, sex and age of the person seeking assistance, the nature of the request, the dates of contact, the person or persons they were referred by and connected with and any outcomes.

PARTICIPATING CHURCHES

Hope and Possibilities has the support of several participating churches. Each church agrees to the following:

  1. Provide a monthly or annual financial contribution towards the cost of the project at the level to which each particular church is able and willing to commit. Good Works is a faith-based ministry and there are no grants providing funds for Chip’s salary. Church support is primarily directed toward the salary of Chip and office expenses. All financial support of Hope and Possibilities needs to be sent to Good Works, Inc. and specifically earmarked for H&P. 
  2. If requested by the congregation, we are willing to provide ongoing support and encouragement to the Pastoral leadership and members of the congregation to participate in an ongoing, dialogue with Chip, with one another and with other congregations regarding how the congregation can address the needs in the community. The dialogue begins with answering these initial questions:
    1. How do we as a congregation want to serve our needy neighbors? What is our desire?
    2. What is our capacity as a congregation? Who is in our congregation? What gifts and abilities do we possess? What networks exist and how we can utilize them?
    3. What are our resources? What financial resources are available? What other resources can be made available? How can we use our facility?
    4. What are we willing to do? Specifically, what will we commit to doing and when will we start doing it?
    5. Who in the congregation will be the point person? Who is willing to step up? Who has ownership? What level of commitment will this require? Are these people willing to make this commitment?

Working through these questions and other questions over a period of time is a process of working through the broader matters of discipleship.

CONCLUSION
Hope and Possibilities is designed primarily to help local congregations as they assist people who are seeking financial help. Chip primarily serves as a “coach” and supports both the Pastor and the Pastoral leadership responsible for addressing emergency needs on behalf of the church. Chip makes it a priority to have conversations with Pastors and Pastoral leadership by telephone and face-to-face on a regular basis. He serves as a consultant providing the church leadership with information on existing programs available to those in need here in Athens County. He also provides additional contact information and overall emotional and spiritual support as decisions are made regarding the expenditure of money by the church. Participating churches retain the authority to make decisions regarding each situation.  Chip meets with needy citizens referred by local churches as requested and has them sign a release of information so that information can be shared with the local Pastoral leadership.

ABOUT CHIP GUYTON
Chip is originally from Toledo, Ohio. He graduated from Marietta College with a BA in history.  He later graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary with an M. Div. After graduation in 2006, Chip served on the staff of The Rock Church/La Roca United Methodist Church in Lexington directing their prayer ministry and working with the poor in the city. During 2000-2002, Chip served on the staff of FOCUS, an outreach services agency, in Toledo working with ten local churches coordinating urban service projects, recruiting church groups to participate in urban service projects and facilitated a volunteer task force in developing volunteer programs. Chip joined the staff of Good Works in 2007.

Good Works exists to connect people from all walks of life with the poor so that the kingdom of God can be experienced.

TRUE STORIES IN ATHENS COUNTY 2008: A webpage with some examples of Chip's work in Hope & Possibilities in the community.

Updated  2010