Benevolent Ministry

​Benevolent Ministry

This ministry connects people to the presence and power of Jesus Christ by demonstrating His love and mercy through providing assistance to individuals and families for their basic needs during a time of hardship. Assistance may include financial counseling, training in household budgeting, debt management, or other financial education that would help the individual or family avoid potential hardships or crises in the future.

The assistance from the Benevolent Ministry is intended to cover an individual’s or family’s basic needs. The Benevolent Fund is not designed to support multiple requests from a single individual or family. More than one annual request, or multiple requests over time will be considered at the prayerful discretion of the mission pastor and his/her team. Individuals with outstanding warrants will not be assisted.

Needs that may not be met by this ministry include:

  • Business investments, debts, or anything that brings financial profit to the individual or family.
  • Paying off credit cards. Exceptions can be made when an individual has had to use a credit card in a crisis or emergency (e.g. hospitalization, death, etc.)
  • Legal fees or fines related to criminal behavior.
  • Gambling debts.
  • Penalties relating to late payments or irresponsible actions.

Application and Approval

Individuals or families seeking assistance from the Benevolent ministry shall follow the steps below:

  1. Contact St. Andrew’s Church either in person at the information desk (440 Whilden St., Mt Pleasant), by calling 843.284.4310, or emailing Office@StAndrews.Church.
  2. Agree to submit to Charity Tracker scrutiny or other investigation.
  3. Complete an interview and/or appropriate counseling with the Benevolent committee members.
  4. Provide all supporting documents and information requested by the committee.

Review and approval of the application, as well as communication of the amount and form of assistance, shall be done at the earliest possible date.

Guidelines for Disbursement of Funds:

This fund is intended as a source of last resort when those requesting assistance have explored all other possibilities of assistance from appropriate sources such as family, savings, or investments. Those requesting assistance must be willing to receive financial, family, or other appropriate biblical counseling. We will not provide help to anyone who, in our estimation, will have a negative or irresponsible behavior reinforced by the financial assistance. Those requesting help must be willing to grant us permission to follow up on any of the information provided to us. We will be sensitive to confidentiality issues.

All disbursements from the Benevolent ministry shall be made directly to the party to whom payment is due and not in the form of cash given directly to the individual or family requesting assistance.