Important Announcement, 2/22/2012:

Announcement on Measles Concerns & Response - We are OPEN FOR CHURCH THIS WEEKEND!

With the recent outbreak of measles in Hamilton County we are being proactive to help keep your family safe. We are taking every precaution possible to protect the health of our church community. Measles is easily spread from infected individuals to people who are not immune. Please take this opportunity to place the health of your family first.

We will be opening the Babies and Preschool Ministry for this weekend. Please understand that we cannot assure that we are a measles free facility. We recommend that any child that has not been immunized stay home for at least one more week.

Our facilities are completely safe and sanitized; this measure is due to the person-to-person nature of measles transmission. In other words, per the advisement of the Indiana Department of Health, we encourage participation only if you fit these criteria:

  1. You are fully immunized (one shot for adults, two for children) or otherwise immune from measles (e.g., from contracting it in the past)
  2. You are healthy and not pregnant
  3. You are older than age six

 

Click here to download information from state and county health officials. 

 

 

 

Our church has a tremendous burden for those who have been overlooked by others, "the least of these" as Jesus described them.  In our church, community and throughout the world, one specific group that can often be unnoticed and under-served are those who have special needs. In a world that attempts to normalize and sterilize humanity, Jesus is brightly reflected on the faces of those who might struggle with a physical, emotional, or mental challenge.

Many find themselves paralyzed by the intensity of the situation and lack the understanding of how to best meet the unique needs of this specific segment of our community. Jesus’ love compels us to not allow our ignorance or discomfort to sideline us from reaching out to all people. We must offer love, assistance, and support to these individuals and their families.

In 2012, we are attempting to invest 50,000 hours of volunteer service in ministering to those in our church, community and world with special needs.  We are currently remodeling space in our facility for our Special Needs Ministry, which will create accessibility and programming space for ministering to these individuals.  We are also in the process of establishing a partnership with Northwest Haiti Christian Mission, who has a strong ministry to individuals with special needs in their region of Haiti.

There are numerous ways you can respond with concern and care to minister to those with special needs in our church, community, and world.  Here are several specific ways.  Prayerfully consider how God is leading you to invest your heart and hands to be a conduit of God's love!

Ten Ways to Serve in the Special Needs Ministry at WRCC:

  1. In the Classroom - You can start today by volunteering to serve in the classroom.  We have 3 services that you may serve at - Thursday at 6:30pm, Sunday at 9:00 and 10:45am.
  2. As a Buddy - We are looking for buddies to help anyone needing a little extra assistance in any of our programs (Babies, Preschool, Elementary, Jr High, High School, Engage, Bible Studies, Small Groups, Serving, Adult Worship and many other areas).
  3. Respite Nights - A team will be forming to create a night for families to have a break.  This team will provide care for anyone with special needs and their families.  It will be a night of fun for the entire family.
  4. Camp Team - WRCC will be forming a team to help with our Special Needs friends at Camp Allendale this year. The camp is allowing us to provide one on one care for up to 12 students attending camp. 
  5. Family Support - We are looking for a group of people to be praying for and with our Special Needs families.  We would love for you to be able to contact each of the family members, including parents and other children, and support them with prayer, encouragement and simply listening to them.  We can match you up with a family and you can begin to support them today.
  6. Construction - If you would like to help with the construction of the new Special Needs space, we need your help. We are currently forming a team of people that are willing to help wherever is needed (e.g. painting, construction work, cleaning up, praying for the workers, etc.)
  7. Outing Team - We are forming a team of people that would be willing to help in different ways for families.  By accompanying a special needs family member on an outing arranged by either the family or WRCC, you would be enabling the families to do what they need to do, whether it be, grocery shopping, house cleaning, relaxing or even date nights.  You would have a direct impact in affecting both the family member with special needs and their family. 
  8. Special Olympics Team - This summer, at our WRCC church picnic, we will be hosting a Special Olympics swimming event.  If you are interested in serving on this team, we will begin planning the event soon.
  9. Publicity Team - If you are interested in publicity this is the team for you!  We will need to get the word out into the community that we are ready to show the love of Jesus Christ to anyone with special needs and their families.   We will soon be meeting to get the team together and create the plan to reach outside the walls of WRCC.
  10. Cleaning Team - The cleaning team will be responsible for keeping the Special Needs area clean and ready for use.  We will be cleaning the area every week and making sure we keep everything in order. This team will begin when the construction of the Special Needs Ministry space is completed.

 

One Heart at a Time
IMMEDIATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVESTING HOURS OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE:

 

We have created a thermometer in the church lobby to celebrate each investment of love in ministering to those in our church, community, and world with special needs. Each time you serve, we would invite you to place one heart into the thermometer indicating one hour of service.