Does, or would, your church work with groups representing different faiths on community service projects?

Question

I use the word "church" to keep the question short, but I'm really asking whether your place of worship--be it a church, synagogue, temple, Islamic center, fellowship, etc.--works, or would work, with peoples of different faiths (or no faith) on community service projects. Tell us about some of the projects you've worked on. Were there any problems? What were the results? Would you do it again?

I'll offer some examples from my own area.

Our Humanist Community teams up quarterly with the local Islamic center, one Episcopal church, the Quaker community, two Unitarian Universalist fellowships, the local branch of the Hands On Network (http://www.handsonnetwork.org/), and Interfaith Alliance (http://www.interfaithalliance.org/) to assemble packets of basic hygiene items (toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, shampoos, brushes, towels, washclothes, etc.) for a battered women's shelter. Many of the women and children arrive there with nothing.

Our Humanist Community also helps the local Episcopal church with its community outreach program, which helps people regardless of their faith.

We also work with Habitat for Humanity, which, though it's a Christian-based organization, doesn't limit its help to Christians and welcomes help from anyone, regardless of faith, who is willing to help.

We all know that our beliefs are different. Instead of spending our time debating those differences, we choose to focus on what we have in common. We all know people in our community are in need, and we all want to help. Each person may have different reasons for becoming involved. That's fine. That's a matter of taste and conscience. What is important is that we become involved and make a difference. And along the way we might gain a little better understanding of the way others think and worship.

azar_and_bath: "Immediate needs are met ... with the express understanding that Christ is the only way one can better his life & situation. If the person isn't interested in developing a relationship with Christ, the services certainly aren't terminated, but continued abuse of the services will not be tolerated."

As I read your response, your church is solely interested in helping fellow Christians or finding potential converts. It saddens me that you apparently consider all non-Christians to be "abusing" your time and resources.

Answer 1

My mosque participates with Habitat for Humanity as often as it can get volunteers (which is quite often), and is often teamed with other religious communities. We also have participated in soup kitchens for Thanksgiving and (of course) during Ramadan and Eid. I want to say Christmas too but I'm not 100% on that. We've really done alot with interfaith organizations. I'm really proud of what our mosque has done with the rest of the community, because there are quite a few that seclude themselves from everyone else and never do anything involving non-Muslims. Don't take that as meaning almost all are like that, lol, they're not. But even one is too many.

Also, though it's not my mosque, one in Atlanta has opened a battered women's shelter for those of all faiths. Unlike other religion-based shelters I've heard of, you're not required to participate in religious matters to be welcomed there.

I haven't heard of any problems occuring except the occasional Islamophobic shout from passers-by, in which our partners of other faiths were more than willing to stand up for us. Which makes sense because if someone has ill feelings toward us, they're likely not going to work with us on any type of project.

I have to keep editing because as I read other's posts it reminds me of more we've done, lol!
We also held many fundraisers and requested donations for Hurricane Katrina victims. Though some things were specifically meant for Muslim victims (specific types of clothing, Qur'ans, etc) there were also general donations for all (toiletries, money, food, general clothing/bedding, etc).

After 9/11 we began doing an annual open-house inviting all faiths not so much for convincing them, but to teach them what the media doesn't (a.k.a. reality). We've also participated in other's open-house gatherings.

Answer 2

We live in a small town, there are only three churches total.

Christian, Methodist and Baptist.

Each year we come together for a few things.

Sunday School is combined every year and has been for the past 20 years. Each Church alternates years to be the host church and the other two provide the volunteers and the other items needed to offer the weeklong classes and activities.

At Easter, each church takes a day of the holy week and hosts different services, if one church is the host, another churches pastor is the speaker.

Because all three of our churches in town work closely together in our community, we seem to always be together when something needs to be done. It is not coordinated that way, but always seems to happen.

A good neighbor is a good neighbor, no matter their style and mode of worship.

Answer 3

Yes indeed!

My church has worked on P.A.D.S., Public Action to Deliver Shelter for several years. The volunteers are from some other churches in the community.

When serving as Ministry Leader of the PADS project, my co-leader was a Jewish man whose wife was a Lutheran member. IN this mission, our goal is to feed, clothe and house the homeless for the night. We also try to bring them hope and peace during their stay.

Anyone with a gracious heart could offer these gifts to the homeless. Why not open up your worship center to all volunteers?

We also worked on a project to help a woman who was handicapped. The men's group went over to clean up her yard and make it presentable after being neglected for so long. That only took 2 hours on a Saturday. Anyone with a little muscle could offer this service to handicapped or elderly neighbors in need. We were very successful and yes, we would do it again.

Answer 4

Places of worship have varying reasons for community outreach.

Christian churches, in general, support the poor, homeless, & otherwise downtrodden, as examples of Jesus' love for mankind.

But, we also know that if we feed the hungry, they can still die from spiritual starvation & go to Hell.


Immediate needs are met (food, clothing, shelter) with the express understanding that Christ is the only way one can better his life & situation.

If the person isn't interested in developing a relationship with Christ, the services certainly aren't terminated, but continued abuse of the services will not be tolerated.

Christians cannot be enablers - we help when help is truely WANTED. That includes WANTING to make a better life for oneself. Many who come with sob-stories are simply making the rounds.

We have a responsibility to be good stewards of our organization's resources. Offering continuing services to those who just want a hand-out may take away from those who are truely trying to change.

As a Christian involved in outreach ministries, I have worked with other Bible-believing organizations, as well as secular organizations who don't opporate in opposition to our values, to service the community. We maintain our annonymity from the secular services, but we will not refuse to work with a group simply because they are not Christian (or Southern Baptist, in my case).

Answer 5

Oh yes most definitely! Our churches have organised inter-religious dialogues with other denominations and religions on a friendly basis and each do not outwit each other as to which is the best religion. We visited each other's religious organisation to see what activities we can help each other in and also have an overall view of what each other's religion is all about...eg..a muslim visiting a buddhist temple and understanding each others religion. We have also organised inter religious fun-walks similar to a marathon and get to know each other other than a religious base....In all these activities, there were no problems but religious harmony..

Answer 6

It does. There are many such endeavors. Christians in Action ministry, The Kings Daughters, The Pregnancy Care Center, The Womens and Childrens abuse shelter, and a food pantry, just to name a few.No problems and I would do it again and again. In fact we are still doing it, oh and we are helping to rebuild churches destroyed in Mississippi and Louisiana.

Answer 7

For the Health Ministry at my church, I took people's blood pressures and advised them when they needed to see the doctor. There were no problems, but one young lady needed to be sent to the hospital right away. She didn't want to go and ended up not going at all. I would do it again. I love helping people

Answer 8

I don't think the Baptists are into strapping on bombs and going after the politicians with the Islams. That is community project.

Answer 9

Ours does and has on many occasions. We've done mission trips to other countries that have worked out great.