1. Present the Sheltering Church Ministry to the pastor(s) and deacons.
Explain how it works and discuss how your church could fit into the ministry. The ministry cannot exist without pastoral and diaconal support.
2. Hold a ministry introduction meeting for interested church members.
Schedule a congregational meeting to detail the Sheltering ministry and encourage participation for service.
3. Distribute the Church Skills Survey to determine the potential help available from within the congregation.
This tool will reveal the variety of vocational and avocational interests represented within your church. The range of available skills will help you to develop an effective ministry representative of your congregation.
4. Complete a Community Resource Survey to discover the social service assistance agencies in your area.
There are a number of helpful, tax-supported social service benefits available to women and their dependant children.
5. Based on the interests and skills revealed through the Membership Skills Survey, determine the types of assistance your church will offer in the Sheltering Church Ministry.
The ministry can begin small and grow as the congregation gains the vision of service to others.
Don't underestimate what your congregation is capable of doing. Ministry goals should challenge, but not frustrate, the congregation.
Some existing ministries of your church may fall under the heading of Sheltering Church Ministry (e.g. food pantry, clothing distribution, needy fund, etc.).
6. Include the needs of the Sheltering Church Ministry in the church budget.
The financial needs of SCM will be determined by the types of assistance your church offers. Consider financial support for existing PCCs, fees for volunteer training, costs for material supplies, advertising and other promotional costs, etc.