From: Muriel Luedeman
IIAW Moving Forward July 10, 2023
Hello, IIAW and Unity Center Friends,
Four plus years into our vision, IIAW is beginning a new phase of service. Bishop Dennis Cato confirms, "We are just getting started." To ensure our success, we are making necessary changes.
Saralee Rhoads will be taking over posting IIAW emails. We introduced her in February 2023 as the organizer of EXTENDED HANDS COLLABORATE, (EHC). She has developed a website for EHC. You will see her name and contact information as Communications Administrator, officially by August 1st. Saralee will be developing a website for the IIAW and will let you know how and when to access it.
Debi Waters will be handling various public relations tasks. Debi has a personal vision from the Lord which she works daily, and is a devoted IIAW volunteer. She will be interfacing with local church leaders who are focused on Kingdom building community service and offering IIAW assistance toward their efforts. If you, individually, or your church group are spearheading a community project, let Debi know about it. She will arrange for IIAW support. For Example, if you organize a trash pick up event in your neighborhood, IIAW can send volunteers to assist. If your church has widows who need assistance with yard work, the IIAW can provide volunteer support. Her contact information is: Debra Waters, dannewaters@gmail.com.
Pastor Brian Carline gave me some excellent counsel regarding our future thrust. "We need to work on encouraging those we already have on board to be fully committed, giving consistent, regular, long term service. The Beloveds, as do all other Kingdom building actions, require consistent, long term service. Sporadic service is needed and good. Consistent, committed service is best for Kingdom goals." For instance, we need volunteers who will commit to admin hours for the Unity Center at least 5 days a week. We need someone to service a hotline for people in need. We need 50+ committed volunteers who will faithfully show up for the 2nd Saturday Clean Up events.
Pastor C. also said our position at IIAW is to offer our knowledge and services to churches and ministries saying, "What are you working on with your members for the Kingdom community? This is what we have to offer. What can we do to help you succeed with your vision and work?" IIAW's main aim is to serve, not to be served. We do not exist to have our needs met, but to serve the entire community with whatever we have in our hands. When we approach a pastor with something to help him do his/her job, rather than asking something for ourselves, that minister is blessed, he/she turns into a friend, and then a relationship of collaborative interaction begins. Churches and groups mutually support the IIAW platform and naturally assist and become committed servants, thus all needs are met in a very organic way. This is the way to unity in Christ.
Here is what IIAW can offer:
A directory of social service groups in Independence
Speakers from the Leadership Team to share their stories and testimonies of God's blessing their service
A list of protocols for mobilizing church and group members to serve in the community
A list of volunteer events at the Unity Center to fill ways church members' needs to help
A list of videos that share God's love, encourage, inspire, motivate, foster, and transform people and groups
Donations of goods through EXTENDED HANDS to churches and groups
Volunteers for individual churches' service projects
A program to develop neighborhood care groups using church members through their homes
Information on how to bless the community as a whole
Opportunities to serve the homeless, neighborhoods, and widows
IIAW's motto is:"Improving the quality of life in Independence, one person, one family, one neighborhood at a time." We have been about service from Day 1; we are here to serve, not to ask for service. As we move forward, we want to clarify that message further, adding: "Improving the quality of life in Independence, one person, one family, one neighborhood, one church or group at at time." Our service extends to all churches and community minded groups and businesses.
The IIAW has developed needs in the past 4 years, i.e. Ruth House, committed volunteers, and funds to cover Unity Center operating expenses, however, we leave these needs in the hands of God to bless and provide for them. Our mission is to see and identify needs and meet needs, individually and collectively, believing that support for the IIAW will happen as a natural outgrowth of our commitment to persons and groups in the community. Providing for group needs creates a bond of fellowship and brotherhood and ultimately unity in the body of Christ. This way of speaking takes all the pressure off of IIAW members to make things happen ourselves. We can share IIAW needs when we are asked. Let the Holy Spirit guide us as we move forward.
This is a Biblical approach, for Jesus came to give and to serve, not to be served, and he gave and served abundantly and sacrificially. He willingly gave. As His disciples, we can do nothing less. We serve, preferring one another over ourselves, and God then blesses all His Sons and Daughters. We give personal, committed, consistent service to God, and through the IIAW, we blend that committed service into IIAW's expanded collective commitment. If we do this in the name of Jesus, we will never lack for any good thing.
Praise Him!
Muriel Luedeman
Communications Secretary
mur6202gmail.com
816-726-8425
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