Ministries PageIn Palestine, since 1999, Heritage has helped with school programs designed to help local people learn English, get jobs, new homes, and build partnerships with churches in the United States. The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF), a new interdenominational organization in the U.S., is assisting the rapidly-shrinking community of Palestinian Christians in all these ways, opening up for them a doorway of hope. Many of them are refugees--some fled or were driven from their homes a half century ago. The HCEF recently sent a letter to Heritage thanking us for our prayers and financial support of its rehabilitation and educational programs.
For a specific example of how this ministry can help, see the story of John Moris Mattar and Yousef Hanna Yousef Awad.
Reverend Joshua as he was known to us while he fellowshipped with Heritage during his graduate work in Christian Education at Virginia Seminary, has returned to India and for the last five years has been developing Ruth Home. Ruth Home is a school for the education of Indian girls. He is now taking on a new challenge, that of reaching out and training Sunday School Teachers for the Presbyterian Church in all of India. In 2003, he has asked for our support in this endeavor. The Mission Committee has agreed to support Rev. Joshua in his efforts. We have added him to our Mission Support Team that is listed in our Sunday Bulletin.
Ruth Home, located in Tamilnadu, South India, is dedicated to the care and education of poor, orphaned and other under-privileged children. Ruth Home serves as a day school for up to 200 boys and girls who live with their parents, but who would otherwise be unable to afford to send their children to school. It is also a residential home for 40 girls, often abandoned, between 5 and 10 years old who are cared for by house parents and tutors and attend school classes along with the day school students. Ruth Home was developed by Rev. Joshua Inbakumar and his wife. We learned about this project in 1996 while Rev Joshua worshiped with us while he was a graduate student at Virginia Seminary. The operating budget supports several students each year as several members do through separate contributions.
RUTH HOME UPDATE: The construction for
Ruth Home is finally completed. There were several setbacks along the way with heavy rains damaging the walls, caused in part by the temporary thatch roof not being able to keep the moisture out. With God's help, generous gifts from many individuals, and years of hard work by many others, the damaged walls were rebuilt, and the building, including the permanent roof, was completed in the spring of 2000.
Good News Jail & Prison Ministry is a non-profit organization committed to preaching and teaching the Gospel to prisoners in jails and prisons in the United States and overseas. This organization trains and places professional Chaplains in a jail or prison to meet the spiritual needs of prisoners. In addition, Chaplains also reach out to meet the spiritual needs of the correctional staff in the facilities in which they serve. The Chaplain is also responsible for training and working closely with lay people who volunteer their time inside the jail. Since 1976 Heritage has been an active supporter of this ministry in the Alexandria jail. Funding is provided in our operating budget and lay ministry is conducted by a team of men. They show religious videos and lead Bible Studies. Work is under the guidance of the Good News Mission Chaplain. The Outreach Committee annually hosts a Good News Mission luncheon at the Church. (Contact: Dave Lyons )
Established in 1969, UCM, is a nonprofit, nonsectarian social services agency that serves southeastern Fairfax County. Their mission is: "To assist families and individuals to improve the quality of their lives in a matter that builds self-esteem and fosters their ability to function at the greatest level of their capacity - socially, economically and emotionally." UCM is constantly expanding to meet community needs. Some of its programs include: Adult Computer Training School, The Back Porch Thrift Stores(7838 Richmond Hwy), Supportive Housing, Bryant Early Learning Center and Outreach/Youth in Action. Heritage has supported UCM since 1980 both financially, within the operating budget, and with donations of nonperishable food through "Second Sunday Sharing" and "The Heritage Pantry". (Contacts: Pat Ladehoff and Rea Ayers)
Established in 1977, as Route One Corridor Housing, a grassroots community response to homelessness, New Hope Housing has grown into a multifaceted agency. New Hope Housing provides hope and hospitality to men, women and children struggling to make the jouney out of homelessness. Since 1978 Heritage has focused its support on the Mondloch House part of New Hope's programs. Mondloch House was the first homeless shelter in Fairfax County and has expanded to over 60 beds. Heritage provides financial support as part of it's operating budget and members take turns monthly in providing refreshments for the residents. (Contact: Rae Ayers)
Rising Hope is a racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse mission and congregation of the United Methodist Church serving the Route One community. This community experiences some of the greatest needs in Northern Virginia. The vision of Rising Hope is to minister to the needs of the whole person, both spiritual and material. The idea of starting a congregation among a population "sometimes served in mission but rarely drawn into membership" began in 1993. By 1996, Rising Hope was chartered as a United Methodist Congregation with the mission to be Christ's holy church for the disenfranchised, homeless, and low-income population along the Route One Corridor in Fairfax County. Keary C. Kincannon, founding pastor, has been working with the poor and homeless for seventeen years. Last year Heritage Outreach placed Rising Hope among our many mission efforts under "Route One Ministry". We support this congregation both financially and through contributions of food during our Thanksgiving Food Harvest. Rising Hope is located at 8605 Engleside Office Park. Phone number is 703-360-1976. (Contact: Chris Geren)
Christ House, a 32-bed medical facility, is the only agency in the Washington, DC metropolitan area offering a full range of medical and social services for sick, homeless men and women in a residential setting. Founded, in 1985, by Rev. Allen Goetcheus and his wife Dr. Janelle Goetcheus, Christ House treats the whole person, not just their physical maladies. Referred from local hospitals, clinics, shelters and medial outreach projects, an average of 247 patients are treated annually. Along with 24-hour medical care, other supportive services include case management, housing placement assistance, and nutritious meals. Christ House is staffed by 54 employees (including seven full-time volunteers) and 300 active volunteers. The majority of the annual operating budget is raised from individuals, churches, community organizations, and foundations. Heritage has supported Christ House as part of its Inner City budget since 1990. Since opening their doors, Christ House has been a place of physical, emotional and spiritual healing. The goal is that patients will leave Christ House with a new sense of hope and dignity and live independently in the community. For more information, contact Christ House, 1717 Columbia Road NW, Washington, DC 20009. Phone number - (202) 328-1100. Web site: www.christhouse.org. (Contact: Chris Geren)
D.C. Central Kitchen has the unique mission of safely recovering approximately 1.5 tons of food a day from local restaurants, hotels, caterers and other food services business to feed children and adults at social service agencies though out D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. The food is recombined into balanced meals by on-staff chefs and volunteers while at the same time training unemployed individuals in basic culinary skills. This program produces 3,000 meals a day that are distributed to over 140 agencies. The job training has helped 100 men and women obtain jobs. Heritage has supported this program as part of its Inner City budget since 1998. For more information visit their web site - www.dccentralkitchen.org. (Contact: Dave Lyons)
Jubilee Housing was formed in 1973 as an outreach project of the ecumenical Church of the Saviour in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to provide affordable, permanent, rental housing to low income persons and families in the Adams-Morgan area. Jubilee Housing has saved well over 300 apartments. Over two-thirds of the residents are currently employed. 82% of the residents meet or exceed their rental obligations. This occurs entirely through private support, as Jubilee Housing receives no government funding. The organization has nurtured and participated in a comprehensive network of human services in the Adams-Morgan area. Jubilee also offers its residents childcare, teen counseling, music, educational, and tutoring services. Since 1990 Heritage Church, as part of its inner city outreach efforts, has supported Jubilee Housing through yearly financial contributions. (Contact: Karen Morris)
Heritage is dedicated to reaching out to help those in need. Last December, Heritage joined efforts with Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church to assist a family make the transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency in a period of two years. As many of you know, Mount Vernon has had this program with seven families for a number of years. In cooperation with the Robert Pierre Johnson Housing Cooperation, they lease seven apartment units and rent them to low-income and homeless families. Church members offer time, talent, furniture, household items and financial assistance to rehab the unites. Applicants are carefully screened for selection. They must be willing and ready to work toward an independent life. They are first assisted in developing a "life-pattern" that is very specific for the next 12 months in all areas of living: job development, financial stability, parenting, education, health, community involvement, personal enrichment, and meeting spiritual needs. Where possible, these goals are broken down into steps in an order of priority. This becomes the family's agenda. With this agenda, the family must be willing to work with a church partner who will meet with them once a month. This partnership is by agreement for covenant and is to hold the head of the family accountable for his/her agenda. This program has helped many families and is recognized as a Christian model. Heritage has followed this sister church's progress over the years and now has asked to be a part of this calling.
Rebuilding Together (was Christmas in April) is devoted to the repair and rehabilitation of the homes of low-income, elderly or disabled homeowners. The approach is simple: months of planning and preparation culminate in a National Rebuilding Day, the last Saturday in April, when volunteers, both skilled and unskilled, in communities across America come together to repair and rehabilitate the houses of needy residents in their community. Heritage has participated in Christmas in April since 1994. In 1997 we began a partnership with Calvary Presbyterian to supplement our work force so that we could take on larger projects. In 1999, 45 participants repaired two houses owned by senior citizens in our Gum Springs neighborhood in a day long project. It takes many hands to accomplish such tasks in one day. We have knowledgeable and skilled team leaders but we need willing workers of all skill levels to carry out the tasks. (Contact: Dave Lyons)
Did you know that Heritage has been assisting poor people to successfully setup their own micro-businesses thus helping themselves and others out of poverty? Since 1985, Heritage has done this by investing in shares of the Ecumenical Development Cooperative Society (EDCS), renamed Oikocredit as of January 2000. Oikocredit provides a channel for churches, church organizations, nonprofit organizations and individuals to help the poor become self sufficient. We provide our support via the Presbyterian Foundation (PCUSA). To date money has been loaned by Oikocredit to qualifying poor people primarily in Africa and Asia to assist them in establishing their own small businesses. This program has been very successful with 90% of the loans being paid off.
Updated 27 Jan 2005