Refill with Randy – Volunteers critical for many ministries, including Hands 4 Hope
By Randy LeBaron
Good morning! Grab your favorite cup. Fill it up. And let’s start this week right… TOGETHER!!!
Today I would like to talk about an integral part of any service-oriented organization and will use the Hands 4 Hope Street Ministry as an example. Previously I have shared about how H4H launched almost 9 years ago under the leadership of John “Jack” Burris & Kevin Lemcke (my only contribution was the name 😇).
I have discussed it’s mission to be a beacon of hope in our community by going where the need is and offering people food, clothing, and prayer, and I have told you the testimonies of those who have received help over the years. This time however I would like to shine the light on those who are so vital to the sustainability and long-term success of H4H—the volunteers.
To say that H4H would not exist without volunteers is an understatement. We all know that volunteers are the lifeblood of any good mission organization, but I would argue even more so in this case because week in and week out every single task is done by volunteers. From purchasing and putting together food shares, sorting and boxing up clothes, loading up the van, setting up all of the tables and benches at each location, manning the prayer table, handing out tickets, assisting anyone who needs help carrying their bags, and so on, volunteers get it done. Some are regulars who are there almost every week and others are committed to certain locations, but everyone works together to offer hope and to show the love of Christ through tangible, practical means.
Is it rewarding? Yes. But is it also draining at times and it would be impossible to accomplish any of it without the many volunteers who commit to coming out anywhere from 1-4 times each month, who help with fundraising and other special events like the recent Red Jacket Rally, and who are not only willing to give up their Saturday mornings but also some holidays. Since people rely on H4H to keep their schedule of stops each month we have worked hard to always be where and when we say that we will be, that has meant having to get creative during the Covid quarantine and, a few years ago, showing up on both Christmas morning and New Year’s. FYI – it was so worth it!
I know that H4H is certainly not the only organization that relies on others willing to donate their time and talents to serve others. (Shout out to Orleans Koinonia Kitchen in their effort to provide food and fellowship every Thursday including the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.) But H4H is one which I have personally participated in for a long time. It was for this reason that I had initially wanted to interview several of the long-term volunteers, but I soon realized just how long that list was and how many might inadvertently be left off. Instead, I decided to focus on a couple who are newer to the ministry but who have found passion and purpose in learning to serve others.
I first met Matt Caldwell and Rebecca Ugorek when they showed up at my church, New Hope Community (First Baptist Church of Medina until recently), a little over a year ago. At that time Matt was a self-proclaimed atheist who had felt led to check out this church which was literally in his backyard. Well, a lot has changed since then and even in the past couple of months both Matt and Rebecca were baptized and became members.
One of the many reasons leading to this life change and spiritual growth was becoming involved with H4H. New Hope Community had made a decision to be outward focused and to find ways to serve the community and support area missions. One of those was H4H and it was decided that in addition to promoting the ministry and collecting donations that we would commit to having church members serve at the Medina location (across from The MAAC Depot) every first Saturday of the month.
Along with several others Matt and Rebecca showed up and started right in helping out in any way necessary, that was when they started to feel God calling them to more. In Matt’s own words, after sensing that they should plan to serve at all four locations each month, he said, “I think for both of us it was because we had both been through seasons in our lives that we could have used what H4H offers, so now being able to help others out of the bad places, which we knew intimately, feels good and right. The praying came later, and I didn’t think I was capable (I still don’t lol), but when asked to do it by Jack, I said I would try. I didn’t know what I was doing, but God does, and I could feel him moving through me and using me. I was an infant in my faith at the time, but I was willing to try. The experience strengthened our faith because every week we showed up and God used us. He kind of nudged Becca to take charge of set up, organization, and helping people on the line while he continues to put me in a position to listen to hurting people and pray with them from a place of understanding, having been on some of their roads.
I went from never praying to praying for others because coming to know God taught me humility. Reading his word and discussing it with others and beginning to live his word. Our God has listened to our cries for thousands of years despite how often we get it wrong and sometimes outright deny him as I did for most of my life. Still he is faithful and loves us. Our God is almighty, but at the same time humble because he forgives and loves us without limit.
C.S. Lewis once said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” Changing the position of the word “less” in that statement is such a profound shift in perspective. It’s also very similar to something Jesus himself said. ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself’ (Matt 22:37–39) I didn’t pray with others before I knew God because I did not know these things, but now that I know these things to be true in my heart I can’t comprehend how I could listen to God’s example and not do for others as my Lord has done for me.” 
If you would like to join Matt, Becca or the many other volunteers feel free to show up at any of the following locations on Saturday mornings from 10:30 a.m. to noon (1st – Medina at corner of Starr & Orient, 2nd – Holley Square, 3rd – Albion at Hoag Library, 4th – Albion at Lydun Dr. Extension).
See you in 2 weeks!
Pastor Randy
