Dear Members and Friends of FPCMA,
The Session has agreed to host a short-term mission and service project in our Fellowship Hall called Room In the Inn - A Winter Shelter in Mount Airy. This January and February, our church facilities can provide a warm place to sleep for those who do not have shelter or a heated-space to sleep during the coldest months of the year.
Homelessness is a big problem in Surry County. This problem becomes deadly when winter temperatures get into the teens at night. Our church is partnering with the MA Police Department, Northern Regional Hospital, Marantha Homeless Outreach ministry and other congregations to provide a temporary solution to this very real problem.
Each night during the months of January and February a team of volunteers from various congregations will host guests who need a place to sleep. Guests will sleep in our Fellowship Hall. They will be issued a cot or floor mat, blanket, and pillow. A meal will hopefully be provided each night by a restaurant partnering with the program.
The Session had two good conversations about this opportunity to serve our community and our brothers and sisters who live on the margins. There were many questions. Those questions turned into the conviction that God was inviting us to serve him by serving others. The session voted unanimously to move forward with this initiative. Let me share some of those questions and answers with you.
How can I be involved?
We are planning on having 10-14 partner churches who will serve to provide volunteers for 2 to 4 nights during the eight weeks of the program. You can sign-up to be on one of the teams from our church. Folks will be needed to be on teams to welcome guests, stay the night, provide transportation or complete the clean-up in the morning. This is a joint ecumenical, community effort.
What is the schedule for this program?
Guests must be here by 7 pm and leave by 6:30 am. Once here guests will be served a meal if one is offered. Then they will be issued bedding. Women/Children and Men sleep in different areas. Lights are turned out at a set time. There is a set wake-up time and a set clean-up routine.
How will people get to the church?
Guests who need a place to stay will meet at a few locations throughout the county. They will be transported to the church and then in the morning they will be given a ride back to those locations. This will minimize guest loitering around the church.
How will this affect existing programming?
Groups that usually use our Fellowship Hall will be relocated to the Scout Hut or other locations during these two months.
Have Safety and Sanitation precautions been considered?
Yes. Chief Watson, MAPD, is personally involved in this effort, approving the safety standards, as well as his patrol officers’ check-in’s during the Shelter operational period. Fire professionals have been consulted; maximum capacities will never be exceeded. Samaritan Ministries Shelter in Winston-Salem and Northern Hospital have brief our organizers of the most effective and safe methods to maintain a clean environment during and after the operational period. With special attention to bedbugs and any possible biohazards.
Doesn’t the Shepherd’s House meet this need?
Yes and No. The Shepherd’s House can only serve a certain population (mostly mothers and children) and has a limited capacity to do so. The Shepherd’s House routinely must turn away applicants due to being at full capacity.
What parts of the church will be used? Only the Fellowship Hall.
Have other congregations done this?
Yes, we are following a program format named, Room in the Inn. You can check it out here at https://www.roomintheinn.org/winter-shelter. The Room In the Inn project began with one church opening its doors during the cold months. It is now much larger with much bigger goals.
Who can I speak to if I have more questions or would like to get involved?
There will be a Question and Answer Session after worship on November 17th (in the Koinonia Room) for those who have specific concerns/questions about the Winter Shelter or are interested in being involved.
If you can’t be there or would like to ask a specific question, feel free to contact me or Nancy Dixon at 336-755-7045, [email protected].
Grace and Peace,
Griff
The Session has agreed to host a short-term mission and service project in our Fellowship Hall called Room In the Inn - A Winter Shelter in Mount Airy. This January and February, our church facilities can provide a warm place to sleep for those who do not have shelter or a heated-space to sleep during the coldest months of the year.
Homelessness is a big problem in Surry County. This problem becomes deadly when winter temperatures get into the teens at night. Our church is partnering with the MA Police Department, Northern Regional Hospital, Marantha Homeless Outreach ministry and other congregations to provide a temporary solution to this very real problem.
Each night during the months of January and February a team of volunteers from various congregations will host guests who need a place to sleep. Guests will sleep in our Fellowship Hall. They will be issued a cot or floor mat, blanket, and pillow. A meal will hopefully be provided each night by a restaurant partnering with the program.
The Session had two good conversations about this opportunity to serve our community and our brothers and sisters who live on the margins. There were many questions. Those questions turned into the conviction that God was inviting us to serve him by serving others. The session voted unanimously to move forward with this initiative. Let me share some of those questions and answers with you.
How can I be involved?
We are planning on having 10-14 partner churches who will serve to provide volunteers for 2 to 4 nights during the eight weeks of the program. You can sign-up to be on one of the teams from our church. Folks will be needed to be on teams to welcome guests, stay the night, provide transportation or complete the clean-up in the morning. This is a joint ecumenical, community effort.
What is the schedule for this program?
Guests must be here by 7 pm and leave by 6:30 am. Once here guests will be served a meal if one is offered. Then they will be issued bedding. Women/Children and Men sleep in different areas. Lights are turned out at a set time. There is a set wake-up time and a set clean-up routine.
How will people get to the church?
Guests who need a place to stay will meet at a few locations throughout the county. They will be transported to the church and then in the morning they will be given a ride back to those locations. This will minimize guest loitering around the church.
How will this affect existing programming?
Groups that usually use our Fellowship Hall will be relocated to the Scout Hut or other locations during these two months.
Have Safety and Sanitation precautions been considered?
Yes. Chief Watson, MAPD, is personally involved in this effort, approving the safety standards, as well as his patrol officers’ check-in’s during the Shelter operational period. Fire professionals have been consulted; maximum capacities will never be exceeded. Samaritan Ministries Shelter in Winston-Salem and Northern Hospital have brief our organizers of the most effective and safe methods to maintain a clean environment during and after the operational period. With special attention to bedbugs and any possible biohazards.
Doesn’t the Shepherd’s House meet this need?
Yes and No. The Shepherd’s House can only serve a certain population (mostly mothers and children) and has a limited capacity to do so. The Shepherd’s House routinely must turn away applicants due to being at full capacity.
What parts of the church will be used? Only the Fellowship Hall.
Have other congregations done this?
Yes, we are following a program format named, Room in the Inn. You can check it out here at https://www.roomintheinn.org/winter-shelter. The Room In the Inn project began with one church opening its doors during the cold months. It is now much larger with much bigger goals.
Who can I speak to if I have more questions or would like to get involved?
There will be a Question and Answer Session after worship on November 17th (in the Koinonia Room) for those who have specific concerns/questions about the Winter Shelter or are interested in being involved.
If you can’t be there or would like to ask a specific question, feel free to contact me or Nancy Dixon at 336-755-7045, [email protected].
Grace and Peace,
Griff