Dear Church,
This Sunday is going to be an amazing time of worship. This is the weekend to invite your friends, family, and neighbors, who are far from God. I’ll tell you a secret, if you invite them, they will come. The gospel and the hope of heaven will be crystal clear from Ephesians 2:11-22. We have a very special song we are going to sing together that will bless you tremendously. I can’t wait to gather for worship and to experience together, the hope that comes in knowing Jesus.
Eight Days of Hope – we are asking everyone to register to help rebuild homes in the 4B area as part of the Eight Days of Hope collaboration. Here is a list of frequently asked questions that will help you as you consider serving.
How do I register to volunteer for the “Eight Days of Hope” (EDOH) project?
Go to: www.eightdaysofhope.com/volunteer
The last day to register is Sunday, March 4.
EDOH is requiring a “three day minimum” to volunteer but I can’t serve three days in a row. How do I indicate that info during registration?
You DO NOT have to sign up for three consecutive dates of service. You can serve on three Saturdays or two Saturdays and a Sunday or any combination of days. During the online registration process, you are asked to indicate you “Arrival Date” and your “Departure Date”. Indicate the FIRST date you plan to serve and the LAST date you plan to serve. As long as they are at least two days apart, the system will move forward.
Please understand, you do not have to indicate EVERY date you plan to serve. You are just supplying the first and last date during registration. EDOH is not expecting you to show up each day between the Arrival and Departure dates.
What if I signed up to serve on a particular day and then I am unable to do so?
No worries. If you are unable to serve on a specific day you do not have to contact anyone. If you happened to be available to serve on a day for which you did not register, please come on. You will be put to work!
Is there a cost to volunteer for this project?
Absolutely not! All services are provided free of charge to volunteers including t-shirts, training, materials, meals, etc.
Where do I go to serve on my first day of service?
EDOH project headquarters for this project is:
Grace Community Church
14505 Gulf Fwy
Houston, TX 77034
On your first day of service, you should plan to report to the “EDOH Registration” door at Grace Church between 5:30am and 7:00am. Locate the check-in area to receive your project t-shirt and proceed to Orientation.
What will I learn in Orientation?
On your first day of service, you will attend a mandatory Orientation that will last about 20 minutes. You will receive basic instructions on the process and directions for your next steps in the process to begin serving.
How do I receive or choose a Job Assignment?
Following Orientation, you will move to the “Job Assignments Area” where 16 different categories of service are highlighted. Not all jobs are construction oriented. Some involve office administration tasks, food preparation, tool check-out and check-in, delivery of materials, etc.
Can I serve with friends or am I on my own?
When you go to the Job Assignments Area, there will be sign-up sheets available with a “Project Lead” person identified. Each sheet usually has 10 spaces for volunteers. You can sign up with several friends as long as there is space available.
What about meals?
All volunteers are invited to Breakfast each morning, March 10-24, from 5:30am to 7:00am at Grace Church. Lunches are prepared and sent out with work teams when they leave Grace Church for their assignments. Dinner is served at Grace Church each evening starting at 5:30pm for all volunteers and the residents of the homes they are serving in.
Should I bring tools or will there be tools available to use?
If you have appropriate tools for the type of jobs you will choose, please bring those with you. If a particular assignment requires tools you do not have, there is a “Tool Truck” onsite where tools can be checked out for use and returned at the end of the day.
For additional questions, please visit www.eightdaysofhope.com/ and click on the “FAQ’s” tab at the bottom of the page.
You are loved!
Pastor Brian