Charis Overview
Ministry Purpose
According to North Shore Bible Church’s Constitution…..”the purpose of North Shore Bible Church is to develop Christ-like people who are experiencing the abundant life offered by Christ. Our focus is loving God, loving others, serving together and reaching out to those who don’t yet know Jesus. Our ultimate goal is to do all things for the honor and the glory of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”
It is with this overarching purpose for the church in mind that the Charis care ministry was created. Charis is a Greek word that means “grace” or “favor”, and in the Bible, it signifies God’s unmerited favor and merciful kindness.
According to North Shore Bible Church’s Constitution…..”the purpose of North Shore Bible Church is to develop Christ-like people who are experiencing the abundant life offered by Christ. Our focus is loving God, loving others, serving together and reaching out to those who don’t yet know Jesus. Our ultimate goal is to do all things for the honor and the glory of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”
It is with this overarching purpose for the church in mind that the Charis care ministry was created. Charis is a Greek word that means “grace” or “favor”, and in the Bible, it signifies God’s unmerited favor and merciful kindness.
The charter for this ministry contains the following Purpose statement:
“North Shore Bible Church believes it has a scriptural and moral obligation to serve the needs of others, …” contributing to the needs of the saints…” (Rom 12:13, NASB) and “as we have opportunity, … to do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Gal 6:10, NIV).”
In this broken world, sometimes individuals experience major life disruptions such as illness, divorce, death of a spouse, or loss of a job which leave them unable to temporarily pay their bills and routine living expenses.
To help address this need, NSBC establishes the Charis care ministry, the purpose of which is to provide essential, emergency financial assistance to NSBC members and regular attendees who have need of such temporary support.
“North Shore Bible Church believes it has a scriptural and moral obligation to serve the needs of others, …” contributing to the needs of the saints…” (Rom 12:13, NASB) and “as we have opportunity, … to do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Gal 6:10, NIV).”
In this broken world, sometimes individuals experience major life disruptions such as illness, divorce, death of a spouse, or loss of a job which leave them unable to temporarily pay their bills and routine living expenses.
To help address this need, NSBC establishes the Charis care ministry, the purpose of which is to provide essential, emergency financial assistance to NSBC members and regular attendees who have need of such temporary support.
Ministry Vision
The ministry will be rolled out over time in three distinct phases. Phases I and II will benefit members and regular attendees of NSBC along with their immediate family members. With Phase III the ministry will provide “yet-to-be-determined” services to both believers and non-believers across the Chelan Valley.
Illustrative examples of potential service offerings by Phase:
- Phase I: Emergency financial support for items such as rent, medical expenses, utility bills, vehicle-related expenses, groceries, etc.
- Phase II: Sunday transportation to/from NSBC worship services, in-home visits for prayer, fellowship, communion, shopping for essentials, etc.
- Phase III: Community dinners, Biblical counseling, targeted outreach events for young adults, modest home repair & landscaping, etc.
Engaging Services
If you or a loved one are in need of urgent financial support, download and print the Financial Assistance Application form found at the “northshorebc.org” website. Once completed, seal the form in an envelope addressed to Charis at NSBC and deliver it to the church office or hand it to any of the Steering Committee members.
All efforts will be made to keep confidential the names of the beneficiary and the related circumstances driving the need for assistance. Please be aware that supporting documentation may be requested in order to substantiate the request for financial assistance. Wherever possible, financial assistance payments will be made directly from the NSBC Charis care ministry directly to the creditor(s).
Resources
For the ministry to be effective over time, adequate funding and an established volunteer pool will be necessary. For more information on how and where to donate funds, see the Giving link.
For Phase I, no volunteers will be needed based on the nature of the work involved. However, as we begin to build out the Phase II and III service offerings to be provided, informational meetings will be offered after Sunday services. In the meantime, you can register your interest now in possibly becoming a volunteer by going to the Volunteer link. This way you will be sure to receive all communications regarding volunteering and also pre-register the potential service areas in which you may be interested.
Governance
Charis is overseen by a 5-person Steering Committee, of which two will be current members of the NSBC Board of Elders. This committee is guided by the Charis Care Ministry Charter and is accountable to the NSBC Board of Elders. Policy statements and standard operating procedures ensure consistent application and delivery of services. In addition, written monthly reports will be provided to the Board of Elders. Current members of the Steering Committee are:
- Jim Gorzalski - Chair
- John King - Member and Elder
- Dave Odom - Member and Elder
- Steve Patonai - Member
- Janell Wood - Member
Learn More
If you are interested in learning more about Charis, check out the FAQ link. If you cannot find the information you need there, you can send your questions via an email to [email protected].