Love Charleston
What is Love Charleston?
It’s the idea of the local church being the local church. It’s having our hearts anchored in Christ while our hands are buried deep in the dirt of earth – bringing the joy and healing and life of His Kingdom into this world. Its goal is to commission every person, every LifeGroup and every cluster with the Gospel mandate to transform our culture.
“Love Charleston” reflects our belief that the Lordship of Jesus Christ extends to every aspect of life. Jesus is Lord not only of the church; He is Supreme over human society at large. For this reason, we do not withdraw from the world. Instead, we seek to equip every Christ-follower to participate in the world for the transformation of our society to the honor and glory of Jesus Christ. We are the bearers of God’s image. We are to fill every bit of the earth with the knowledge of God our creator and redeemer.
The information below is the product of our local missions team – following the leading of the Spirit – who have discerned ways in which we may collectively engage and love Charleston.
Local Missions Endeavors
St. Andrew’s has identified these ministry partners as a first step in encouraging members to serve in the community.
East Cooper Faith Network (ECFaithNetwork.org)
Fix it Partnership
East Cooper Faith Network serves the community by connecting faith and community partners with community needs. The Fix It Partnership provides homeowners in need with essential home repairs as well as wheelchair ramps via the coordination of skilled volunteers and the collaboration of community agencies.
ECFN has provided a list of unsafe and inadequate low-income homes that have been fully vetted. Each home has a repair plan and the costs for the work has been developed. They will help our volunteer team leaders in selecting projects within our capabilities.
For more information about how you or your Life Group might get involved, please contact Sarah Wendell (843.772.7566).
East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCOCharleston.org)
When local neighbors are facing financial hardship, East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO) provides help and hope. Whether it’s one single service provided like food or financial assistance or years of walking through hardship, the ECCO team will encourage, advocate, and develop a system of support focused on helping our neighbors navigate through life’s challenges. ECCO’s ministry of “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” aims to improve the quality of life in our community in a compassionate way that respects the dignity and worth of every person.
For more information about how you or your Life Group might get involved, please contact Lou Smith (843.557.4461).
IAM Ministry (RisingWinds.org)
International Abba Ministry (I.A.M. or IAM) is dedicated to sharing the Good News with the vulnerable, brokenhearted, and homeless of our local community. We initiate this mission by hosting weekly Bridge Church to engage and love the needy living on the streets of Charleston. From there, IAM operates a growing number of residences, that we first renovate, and then open the doors as Christ-centered, sober living homes where homeless men and women can reside in peace, with hope, and a heartfelt sense of belonging to the Lord’s body.
As the Lord’s body, we spend our time, energy and resources to provide these children of God with the opportunity to be discipled and grow in relationship with our Lord Jesus. We also offer avenues to fundamental life skills essential for re-engagement into our local community. We realize that we are in the harvest and the Lord calls us to go to our brothers and sisters in need. We trust and walk by faith that His plans are for good and that He is setting people free and saving souls in this ministry.
For more information about how you or your Life Group might get involved, please contact Ben Johnston (benjohnston32@gmail.com or 843.991.5594).
Lowcountry Pregnancy Center (LPCFriends.com)
Lowcountry Pregnancy Center (LPC) exists to provide life-affirming reproductive health and family services in a compassionate Christian environment. LPC believes in the sanctity and value of every human life, and believes that no woman should have to make a pregnancy decision out of fear or desperation. LPC offers free pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, options counseling, STI testing, parenting classes, fatherhood mentoring, and baby supplies to support women and men in the community. If you’re interested in learning more about LPC, you’re welcome to visit the North Charleston office for a tour.
For more information about how you or your Life Group might get involved, please contact Karen Young (Charleston2@comcast.net).
The Navigation Center (TheNavigationCenter.org)
Homelessness and near homelessness rates are increasing in the Tri-county area as rising rents and the cost-of-living force families and individuals to move. The number of available, affordable homes and apartments is inadequate. The Navigation Center serves all, but especially homeless mothers with children. They not only help to provide and furnish a home or apartment but also assist in job placement and connecting families and others with available and needed social services and assistance.
For more information about how you or your Life Group might get involved, please contact Marie Elana Roland (855.355.1200).
Windwood Family Services
Windwood Family services provide help , hope and healing to children in the lowcountry. Offering essential behavior , educational, and therapeutic interventions as they recover from abuse, neglect and trauma.
For more information about how you and your life group might get involved, please contact Luanne Rodgers (843.991.0676)
Lifeline Children’s Services
Lifeline Children’s Services equip the body of Christ to manifest the gospel to vulnerable children. Our main focus is to help christian families in the adoption process. We believe that a Gospel-centered family is an amazing window to children’s salvation. Our desire is to come alongside Christian missional families with resources they will need to find and nurture their children, as they become disciples who make disciples.
For more information about how you and your life group might get involved, please contact Cathy Leeke (843.737.6929).
Hope to Home Furniture Resource
The mission of this organization is to deliver essential home furnishing to displaced and homeless individuals and families who secure housing. Transforming their empty living space into a comfortable home. Also helping local veterans, families coming out of domestic violence, sex trafficking or tough situations become sustainable.
For more information about how you and your life group might get involved, place contact Tom Young (630.430.2106).
God’s Goods Mt Pleasant
God’s Goods is a local thrift store that provides funding to local, national, and international non-profit partners. They write, “Our model is to engage local churches as mission partners. Since we are self funded we are not looking for any funding, but we have found that when a church adopts us as a Mission Partner, we see an increase in donations, volunteers, and shoppers from within the congregation. This is the lifeblood of our store which allows us to Kingdom work in this space. In exchange local churches are given a seat on our funding committee which allows them to support other Mission Partners that they feel passionate about.” For more information contact Ralph Wetherell (RalphWetherell@gmail.com or 843.708.7711).
Photos by David Martin, Nina Strehl, Morgan Bastian on Unsplash.