Caring Community Ends Policy 

Biblical Basis:
Mark 12: 29-31  Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is One Lord; and you shall love the Lord you God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength.  The second is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  There is no other commandment greater than these.

Matthew 24: 35-36, 40  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”  Then the righteous will answer him. “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing?  And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?  And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”

 

1 John 3:18  My children, our love is not to be just words or mere talk, but something real and active.

 

Background Information:

God’s commandment requires that we love God, others and self.  Our caring community will nurture a sense of compassion to reach out to those in need of comfort.

 

Ends Policy:

  1. Our caring community will enhance the understanding and skills of its caregivers (education/training)
  2. Our caring community will actively model Jesus’ love for others (participation)
  3. Our caring community will respond with programs to serve those in need (framework/programming)
  4. Our caring community will intentionally enable/assist people to live in an intimate relationship with Christ and others (spiritual growth)

Reasonable Interpretation:  The purpose of Lord of Life Caring Community end policy will be:

  1. Create awareness and a sense of compassion and caring for those individuals, couples and families in need of comfort and healing …

a.   that makes clear that providing care and compassion to those in need of comfort and healing is a biblical mandate (Matthew 24: 35-36, 40);

b.   that encourages everyone in the congregation to demonstrate care and compassion in their daily lives;

c.   that recruits and provides appropriate training, support and encouragement for those who are called to special leadership positions in various care-related ministries;

d.   that monitors and assesses existing care community programs with respect to relevance and effectiveness;

e.   that envisions and implements program relevant to the assessed needs of the local community (defined as the metropolitan Twin Cities area).

 

Next Steps – Initial Caring Community Ends Policy Initiative

 

1.   Implement Caring Community strategy based on approved “reasonable interpretation” of Community Care ends policy that includes:

a.   program goals

b.   specific activities to achieve goals

c.   quantitative/qualitative measures

(i)       number of programs & attendance (regular basis)

(ii)      written evaluations at 6 months and 12 month increments

(iii)     participant interviews at 12 months

d.    financial and personnel resources to achieve goals

e.    time frame for next initiative

2.   Pastor David will coordinate the implementation of needs assessment strategies that include focus group/survey instrument

3.   Pastor David will coordinate Caring Community ends policy with Outreach ends policy