UAServe Volunteers Stack Up 5,127 Hours of Service, Dedication and Love in 2016

Feb 22, 2017 | UA News

Article and photo by Urban Alliance staff. 

In Matthew 22:36-39, a lawyer asks Jesus, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” Jesus answers him saying, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (ESV).

One of the greatest expressions of loving our neighbors is to step up to provide help and hope by volunteering. And, hundreds of people are doing just that through Urban Alliance’s volunteer program, UAServe.

In fact, 576 volunteers from age 2 to 87, from 18 churches, 7 schools and universities, and 4 organizations, ranging in abilities, contributed volunteer service that valued at $118,279.89 in 2016 alone. They served at 22 churches and ministry organizations that participate in Urban Alliance initiatives, that provide after-school programs, pregnancy resource centers, community health screenings, homeless outreach ministries, food pantries, residential homes and other needed programs.

Thank you to all of the volunteers who contributed to making the programs Urban Alliance works with stronger and more impactful. By volunteering, you are helping tens of thousands of our neighbors, friends, and community members become healthy and whole in every aspect of their lives.

Click to view or download the UAServe 2016 Impact Report, which is full of inspiring stories, photos of volunteers in action, and encouraging statistics! You’ll be happy you did.


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The staff at Urban Alliance are familiar with Pastor Frank because he is a regular attendee to many of the trainings Urban Alliance provides on subjects like domestic violence, addressing childhood trauma, and better counseling techniques. “That’s been so valuable to me to be able to bring that back, not only in my counseling but also in my teaching and preaching ministries, “ shared Termine.

Pastor Frank was also one of the original members of the Micah group, a group of pastors that meets at Urban Alliance to discuss and strategize about challenging issues that face the church today. One of those earlier discussions on justice, incarceration, and returning citizens was particularly memorable. “We all lamented the fact that these men and women were coming out of prison into our churches and just kind of being thrown there,” said Termine, “We could do better than this.” That discussion planted the seeds that eventually led to the creation of Second Chance Churches – an opportunity for churches to provide support and mentoring to returning citizens that continues today.

When we asked Pastor Frank what he would say to another church that was unaware of Urban Alliance, he said, “If you are looking to get out in the community and make a difference in the community, Urban Alliance is a super way to do it. We’re a small church … we can’t do everything. Urban Alliance is a pathway to get our people involved in ministries that are already doing it, doing it well, and just need extra volunteers.”

Pastor Frank Termine’s story embodies many things we are trying to accomplish at Urban Alliance: supporting organizations in the communities they serve with training, resources, and opportunities to make a difference. Pastors and non-profit leaders face a wide range of challenges and, therefore, need a wide range of help and resources. Your support can help turn stories of struggle into stories like you find at Calvary Church.

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