Idaho church's annual Family Serve Week impacts community, church family

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Nampa, Idaho

From June 25 to 29, 175 adults and children met each day to serve together in a variety of ways for Nampa, Idaho, College Church of the Nazarene's Family Serve Week. 

"Missions and service has always been a priority for our church," said Johnny Hampton, Family Ministry pastor. "However, we thought we would try something that gave an intentional opportunity for intergenerational service - young and old rubbing shoulders, digging a trench to pour a curb, painting a house, and serving in local community organizations."

The participants were divided into 14 serve teams and completed more than 700 hours of service. Adults, children, and families of all types joined in to make a significant impact on the community and neighborhood.

"We wanted to expose families to the simple opportunities they have all around them to serve together, and to see how much serving together can enhance a nuclear family structure and also a church family as mentorships and intergenerational memories are created," Hampton said. "This Family Serve Week was less about how much work we accomplished and more about simply serving together."

Groups served at the Idaho Food Bank, Boise Rescue Mission, Hands of Hope Northwest, and the Salvation Army Community Family Shelter. They also continued upgrades and beautification to a park the church built for the neighborhood two summers ago.

"It was a fun week to see the different generations interacting with each other, helping others, and becoming motivated to do more like this in the near future," Hampton said. "The Family Serve Week was a huge success and we plan on doing more and more things like this as a church family."

The church's Family Ministry is focused on uniting the influence of the church with the influence of the home.

"This Family Serve Week was one of the ways we tried to accomplish that goal this summer," Hampton said. "What happens when children, teens, adults, parents, and grandparents brush shoulders serving together? Special memories are made, spiritual growth happens, people find a place to belong, generations influence each other, and families discover a craving for continued opportunities to serve together - which causes more memories, more spiritual growth, more belonging, and more influence."
--NCN News submissions

 

< back to USA/Canada

next article >