Good Works, Inc.
HOPE AND POSSIBIITIES

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. 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 new program coordinated by Chip Guyton.

THE GOOD WORKS MISSION – “Good Works exists to connect people from all walks of life with the poor so that the kingdom of God can be experienced.” It is our intention to meet face to face with people in need and connect them with resources, opportunities and people in the community, which can assist them. By connecting these individuals with local resources this year, we will likely find the gaps in the services provided by the community. While some of these gaps can be met only by funding and larger government organizations, the local church community can fill some gaps. Our hope is to identify these gaps and to attempt to explore how local churches can meet some of these needs over the next year. Furthermore, it is our equal hope 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 need to help them.

The coordinator of HOPE AND POSSBIITIES will focus the first year 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 to place a person (Chip) in the community to talk face-to-face and by phone with needy citizens on a regular basis to assist them with information, referrals and connections. Some of Chip’s role involves listening with compassion. Some people simply need to be heard. A wise person once said, “Home is not where you live, it is where people understand you.” Some of his role includes helping to coordinate services; also his role entails advocacy, as he attempts to assist vulnerable and voiceless people through the maze of social services. Every effort is made to respect people’s dignity. It is our intention for Chip to become a kind of ‘expert’ with regard to resources and programs available to those who are in need. H&P is not intended to be a mental health crisis program; such a program already exists. While everyone will be able to call Chip, we intend to encourage people seeking assistance to have a face-to face meeting. Information is collected, available local programs will be explored, and Chip will provide the Pastor or church leader with the kind of information he or she needs to make a decision regarding financial assistance. Chip will pray with those who give him permission and will provide spiritual guidance to those who are open to this form of support.

 AVAILABLE TO THE PASTOR
 The second goal of H&P during its first year is availability to assist Pastoral leadership as each participating congregation attempts to serve those with emergency needs in our community. Chip will be available by telephone and will put calls coming from our partner churches (those phone numbers) as a priority to answer and respond accordingly. This year will be on a journey we have not taken before. There will be ‘ups’ and ‘downs.’ Chip and Good Works will need grace, patience, understanding and respect as we launch something we have never done before. We will make mistakes and from time to time, we will fall short. It is my hope that we can learn from our mistakes, discover and wrestle with the second generation questions and attempt to build a good model of service in this community.

 AVAILABLE TO THE CONGREGATION
 The third goal of H&P is to begin a one-year 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 will involve bible study, prayer, discernment and communication among the members. The dialogue will build 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. It is my sincere hope that the Pastoral leadership will make this request for several members of the congregation to participate a high priority this year with the hope that at least 4-6 individuals will participate in the dialogue this year. Listed below are the initial questions I believe will serve as a starting place. These individuals will meet with one another and with Chip throughout the year as well as meet up occasionally with others from another participating congregation. The goal at the end of year is to identify specific outreach initiatives from the congregation to the community that meet the needs of those in need in our community and utilize the spiritual and natural gifts God has given each body. I need to restate that this yearlong process will take time, but it must begin with a few willing people.

BENCH MARKS
 Because H&P is a one-year pilot program, it is important that we establish a few ‘bench-marks’ at the onset so that we can determine whether this initiative should continue after September 2008. It is our hope that all participating congregations work together to organize a “church summit” in the spring of 2008 to discuss progress and cast further vision. This is a question I would like to discuss after each congregation agrees to participate in this adventure.

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 know 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. There will be some situations, which are simply beyond our capacity. It is my clear intention to support Chip as he discerns which situations we can work with and which ones are beyond us. This is a larger subject than what I have written here, and I am happy to talk more about this when we meet face to face.

ABOUT CHIP GUYTON
 Chip is originally from Toledo, Ohio. He graduated from Marietta College with a BA in history, received a certificate in leadership studies and participated in the local chapter of Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship. He later attended and graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary with an M. Div. Since 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. He is a trained Stephen’s Minister. He has been a youth leader at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in the Toledo area and has served as a short-term missionary. 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.

GENERAL INFORMATION

  1. Chip started with Good Works in August 2007 with an orientation to Good Works. His first month was devoted to learning what people and resources are available in the community and the region (both government and non-government programs) for low-income citizens. He also spent time meeting some of the key contacts in the area and building relationships with different stakeholders.
  2. Chip has an office at the Good Works Luhrig Road location but will also work out of The Timothy House from time to time. He is available to meet with Pastoral leadership and needy citizens from time to time in your office.
  3. On October 15 th 2007, Chip began meeting face-to-face with individuals seeking emergency assistance 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.
  4. Chip will attend some of the local meetings in the community as they relate to emergency assistance in an effort to build relationships, establish networks and build trust.
  5. Chip is available by telephone at least 7-8 hours daily five days a week as announced on his cell phone message. Chip is also available from time to time “after hours” as needed to support Pastoral leadership with difficult situations.
  6. Chip will establish a volunteer service opportunity for people from participating churches to work with him as he meets with citizens each week.
  7. Part of Chip’s mission is to provide information, education and spiritual support to individuals seeking assistance. By spiritual support, I 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 calls and meets with him. At the minimum, these notes will 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.
  10. Chip has agreed to sign a two-year contract with Good Works. Participating churches are asked only to commit for one year.

PARTICIPATING CHURCHES
 Hope and Possibilities has begun initially with the support of six participating churches for the first year. Each church is requested to agree to the following:

  1. An annual contribution towards the cost of the project at a minimum of $100.00 per month. Good Works will commit to $10,000.00 this year. The year goes from 9/1/07 to 8/31/08. It is hoped that each participating congregation will contribute a minimum of $1200.00 over those 12 months. I recognize that some churches may be able to provide more, and this would be appreciated. Financial support will be sent to Good Works and specifically earmarked for H&P.
  2. Provide ongoing support and encouragement by the Pastoral leadership for members of the congregation to participate in an ongoing, 12-month dialogue with Chip, with one another and with other congregations regarding how the congregation can address the needs of this community. The dialogue begins with answering the following initial questions:
    1. What do we as a congregation want to do to serve our needy neighbors? What is our desire?
    2. What is our capacity as a congregation? Who is in our congregation? What gifts, abilities do they possess? What networks exist and how can they be utilized?
    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 12-month period is the process of working through the broader matter of discipleship.

Chip will primarily serve as a “coach” and support both the Pastor and the Pastoral leadership responsible to address the emergency needs on behalf of the church. Chip will make it a priority to have conversations with Pastors and Pastoral leadership by telephone and face-to-face on a regular basis. Chip will serve as a consultant providing the church leadership with information on existing programs available to those in need here in Athens County. He will also provide additional contact information and overall emotional and spiritual support as decisions are made regarding the expenditure of money by the church. Chip will meet with needy citizens referred by local churches as requested and have them sign a release of information so that information can be shared with the local Pastoral leadership.