Every year the Rock Church partners with the San Diego Rescue Mission to serve the homeless a traditional Thanksgiving meal, provide them with a few necessities, and give them the opportunity to hear the gospel in hopes to share with them the love of Christ and let them know about their Rescue Mission Program for a new start.
This will be our 4th year working with the Rescue Mission on this event and can only imagine that it will be even better than last years! Last year, with the help of over 250 Rock Church volunteers, we fed over 400 homeless men and women and passed out over 600 gift bags to homeless on the streets. And we want to be able to reach even more people this year with the love of Christ!
Donation Drive
We are in need of several things to bless the homeless men, women and children in our community. The first way you can help out is to give to the Donation Drive. These items will be given out on the day of the event to homeless on the streets and to those who attend the Thanksgiving Banquet.
The Donation Drive is every weekend after any service leading up to November 13. Donations are to be dropped off at the Donation Drive Booth outside of the Rock sanctuary in the parking lot. Please see below for the items being accepted.
High Priority Items: New t-shirts and socks of all sizes for men, women and children, as well as washcloths
Secondary Items: Bus tokens and hygiene items (lotion, foot powder, soap, tooth brushes, toothpaste, etc.)
Serving at the Banquet
Other ways you can get involved is to help out at the Thanksgiving Banquet on November 19. To help out, you must register beforehand at the Small Group Table at the back of the sanctuary or the Donation Drive Booth after any weekend service. You may also fill out the
Volunteer Form and email or fax it back to us.
Due to the overwhelming amount of responses thus far, our Food Serving Team and Volunteer Check-in Team have both been filled up. But we still need volunteers for our Outreach Team and Table Hosts. For the Outreach Team, you will be grouped with three others and sent to a designated area in San Diego to pass out gift bags to the homeless and invite them to attend the Thanksgiving Banquet.
The teams will be dispersed the morning of the banquet at around 9 AM (check-in is at 8 AM) and probably finish around 11 AM. Those who did this last year had a great time and saw God do amazing things through just giving a gift to someone in need. The other volunteer job still in need is our Table Hosts.
These people will sit at the tables with the homeless to eat and talk with them during the banquet. They will have the opportunity to show compassion and love through conversation and a listening ear. They may be able to pray for them and even share the gospel. Check-in time for this is 12:30 PM.
Please know that you will be trained for both of these opportunities the day of the event. So, if you are feeling intimidated or fearful, you will be given the instruction you need to carry out the job well! Most of all, it just takes a willing and courageous heart God is always faithful to work through us mightily!
We hope you will partner with us to make this event a huge success for those in need. If you have any questions, please contact Carolyn at the church office.
