|
|
|
|
ROOM IN THE INN
at St. Stephen United Methodist Church
2007-08 Season
|
|
|
HISTORY
The Room in the Inn (RITI) ministry began at St. Stephen during the fall of 1996, the year that the program was conceived by the Charlotte Urban Ministry Center.
Since its first year, St. Stephen has participated by taking Friday nights for its night to serve. In the fall of 1999, the church added Saturday night for certain months and since then has been able to meet the number of volunteers necessary to fulfill all tasks.
OVERVIEW
As a host site, St. Stephen opens its facilities for one night a week in December and two nights a week from January – March to provide shelter and food for the homeless during the winter months. The church picks up assigned Guests from the Urban Ministry Center, offers a warm safe place to sleep, serves two meals (dinner and breakfast) and a bag lunch to go, and returns Guests the following morning.
The overall ministry is a community-wide program coordinated by the Urban Ministry Center located in uptown Charlotte. The Urban Ministry Center serves the needs of the homeless community in Charlotte by providing necessary services for them to survive spiritually, socially and physically. Started in Nashville, TN, the RITI program was modeled by Charlotte as a way to supplement the growing demand for shelter during the winter months (December – March). These months also cover the same time frame of the Charlotte Emergency Winter Shelter.
This year, the number of Charlotte sites offering shelter (usually once a week for approximately 10-12 individuals) has increased to over 90. Last year, RITI served over 900 homeless neighbors, providing approximately 14,000 beds and involving over 5,000 volunteers.
The RITI program is a unique way for people of faith to become directly involved with individuals who are homeless. The simple goal is to keep homeless people from freezing on cold winter nights. A greater goal is to provide hope and a loving relationship to the homeless, at least for one night. Simply put, RITI is a way to bring alive the biblical admonition to Love Thy Neighbor.
For more information about Room in the Inn, visit the Urban Ministry Center's website at http://www.urbanministrycenter.org or http://www.roomintheinn.com.
Congregational Coordinator
Brian D. Barger
Home: 704-841-8936
Work: 704-343-2072
Cell: 704-343-2072
brian.barger@hmw.com
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
As a volunteer church during 2007-08, St. Stephen will host approximately 10 homeless men, women and sometimes children on 31 separate nights at the church for dinner, a warm overnight bed and breakfast the following morning (with a bag lunch to go). The church also picks up and transports Guests to and from St. Stephen for each scheduled night.
St. Stephen hosts Guests every Friday night in December and every Friday and Saturday night in January – March. This is a large commitment that requires hundreds of volunteers. To find out more about how you can volunteer and be a part of this exciting ministry, see below.
Click HERE for Guidelines For All Volunteers
Click HERE for the Nightly Schedule -- (PDF)
Click HERE for Nightly Drop-In Coordinator Schedule -- (PDF)
Click HERE for Coordinator Contact Information -- (PDF)
NIGHTLY SCHEDULE
Every Friday Night (Dec. - Mar.)
and Saturday Night (Jan. - Mar.)
FRIDAY/SATURDAY EVENING:
|
| 5:15pm |
Congregational Coordinator or Drop In Coordinator arrives to unlock the Fireside Room for access. At this time, key lock the door from inside to permit entry from outside. Any other preliminary work is done by the Drop In Coordinator at this time (calls, checks, etc.) |
| 5:30pm |
Driver (must be a male) departs for the Urban Ministry Center (UMC).
Bedding Volunteers arrive to set-up bedding and lay out toiletries. |
| 6:00pm |
Overnight Hosts arrive to orchestrate the evening.
Food Volunteers prepare for dinner.
|
| 6:20-6:30pm |
Guests arrive at St. Stephen.
Overnight Hosts greet Guests and review rules, RITI layout and schedule/routine. |
| 6:45pm |
Dinner is served. |
| 8:00-10:00pm |
Free Time: Watch a video, fellowship, watch TV, bible study/devotional time, play cards/board games, etc. |
| 10:00pm |
Lights Out |
| SATURDAY/SUNDAY MORNING: |
| 6:30am |
Food Volunteers arrive and begin breakfast preparation. |
| 7:00am |
Wake-up. Have Guests help collect bedding.
Bedding Volunteers arrive to assist with bedding take-down and general clean-up.
|
| 7:15am |
Breakfast is served. |
| 7:45am |
Drivers and Guests depart for the Uptown Transit Center with lunches. |
| 8:00-8:30am |
Clean-Up of Fireside Room is completed by Bedding Volunteers. Laundry is placed in the RITI closet for later pick-up. |
Overnight Hosts (click for more information)
Each night, two (2) volunteers stay overnight with Guests assigned and screened by the Urban Ministry Center. The main job of a host is to act as the "point person" throughout the night and morning to ensure that the experience is a positive one for both Guests and volunteers and to resolve difficulties, if they arise. The evening for hosts begins around 6:00pm in the Fireside Room, where hosts can assist with bed set-ups and food layout along with other scheduled volunteers. Overnight hosts should greet Guests when they arrive and inform Guests of general rules, the overall schedule, and the layout of the RITI area of the church (showers, restrooms and beds). Overnight hosts will also be spending the night, so wear comfortable clothing to sleep in.
Click here for the volunteer schedule for Overnight Hosts
Van Drivers (click for more information)
Van drivers transport Guests to and from the Urban Ministry Center (UMC) and St. Stephen.
In the evening, drivers collect van keys and depart the church by 5:30pm to pick up Guests at the UMC at 6:00pm for return to St. Stephen. In the morning, drivers arrive at the church by 7:45am, help Guests into the van, and return them to the Uptown Transit Center. Drivers will be supplied with a map and directions to the UMC and the Transit Center.
Please note: Per Urban Ministry Center policy, and because seating limitations in the church van only allow room for one driver volunteer (unlike years past), A MALE DRIVER IS REQUIRED.
Please note: EACH DRIVER MUST BE REGISTERED AND CERTIFIED BY THE CHURCH AFTER (1) COMPLETION OF SHORT VIDEO TRAINING AT THE CHURCH OR ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS; (2) PASSING AN ON-LINE TEST; and (3) COMPLETION OF A DMV DRIVING CHECK. THE CHURCH’S INSURANCE COMPANY REQUIRES THIS. THUS, DRIVERS MUST COMPLETE AND PASS THIS TRAINING PRIOR TO DRIVING THE CHURCH VAN.
When delivering Guests in the evening, help Guests out of the van and into the Fireside Room. Likewise, when returning Guests in the morning, help Guests out of the van at the Transit Center. Van drivers are encouraged and welcome to stay for dinner or to arrive in time for breakfast depending upon their route.
Click here for the volunteer schedule for Van Drivers.
Click here for directions to the Urban Ministry Center and the Uptown Transit Center.
Bedding Set-Up/Break-Down (click for more information)
The bedding team prepares the Fireside Room for Guests to spend the night.
The evening for Bedding Team members begins around 5:30pm in the Fireside Room. The Bedding Team arranges cots/mattresses and makes beds. The team is also responsible for placing toiletries out on a table for distribution, ensuring that a TV has been moved to the Fireside Room for entertainment, and making sure Bibles and devotionals are available for Guests. Bedding Team members are encouraged to bring their families and are welcome to stay for dinner with the Guests.
In the morning, the Bedding Team arrives at the Church at 7:00-7:15am and ensures that dirty linens and towels are collected into bags. Team members also stack the cots back in the Fireside Room storage closet, assist with clean-up including the sleeping/dining area and bathrooms, vacuum the carpet as needed, and arrange the Fireside Room for children's Sunday school.
Click here for the volunteer schedule for Bedding.
Bedding Coordinator
Susan Johnson
Home: 704-364-6629
suejohnson@carolina.rr.com
Food Preparation (click for more information)
The Food Team prepares Dinner on Friday and Saturday nights (schedule dependent) and breakfast and brown bag lunch on Saturday and Sunday mornings (schedule dependent).
Food and servers should arrive at St. Stephen by at least 6pm, and dinner should be ready by 6:45pm. In the mornings, food and servers should arrive at church by 6:30am. Breakfast should be ready by 7:15am. Brown bag lunches can be brought the night before. Just make sure someone who will be there in the morning knows where the lunches are being kept.
The Food Team also sets up tables for food preparation and eating. Plan for 18-20 members and Guests for dinner and breakfast. Lunches should be provided for 10.
Food Team volunteers clean up the serving tables and kitchen area after each meal. All servers are encouraged to eat with the Guests and are welcome to include any family member to join in with the meal.
Click here for the volunteer schedule for Food Prep.
|
Our Mission
The mission of St. Stephen United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. We welcome guests into our church, share with them the good news of Jesus Christ, prepare people for ministry, and send forth persons into mission in the world.
©2007 St. Stephen UMC, Charlotte, NC
This page is maintained by Kelly Keesling.
Last updated Tuesday, December 11, 2007
|
|
|
