Sharing your Blessings... the Share Ministry

But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Hebrews 13:16

When Disaster Strikes

One day everything in your life is fine. The next thing you know, your house has burned down or you have lost your job. Your children need clothes, food and shelter, and you aren't sure how you will provide for your family. There are times when we all need a little help getting back on our feet after such unanticipated crises.

Then there are those who are less-fortunate than others. Consider a struggling single mom who needs a stroller for her child, or an unemployed person who needs a good suit for a job interview, or even a homeless person without shoes or a jacket.

The Donations Ministry, Share, lends a helping hand to the families and individuals of the Rock Church who are in need or who have fallen on hard times. But it doesn't stop there. Everyone can benefit from Share. Through clothing swaps and rummage sales, everyone can take part no matter what their financial situation may be.

Share is not a charity, but as founder Marce Hanson says, "It's families helping families."

Taking Action

At the Rock Rummage sale, over $3000 was raised to help send Rock missionaries to Costa Rica

In just a little over five months, from December 2004 to May 2005, Share has distributed over 13,000 items to families and people in need.

The ministry gives clothing, shoes, baby formula and many other donations to families and individuals at the Rock who are in need of such things. Share also helps out other ministries, including Bread of Life, the Homeless Ministry.

Share recently took part in "Women Serving Women," an event where homeless women were able to go into a booth and choose items they wanted or needed. Marce shared how the women were amazed to find out that they didn't have to pay for any of the items they selected.

Share also donates to outreaches, orphanages in Mexico, and other churches. There is always a need to be met.

How It Started

Marce Hanson, founder of Share, said that the idea for the ministry hit her one day after one of Pastor Miles' messages. You may have heard it, too. The gist was, "If you're sitting idly in a chair, then this is not the church for you."

The message made such an impact on Marce that she began to think about a ministry that would lend a helping hand to people in a way that wasn't happening at the Rock Church at the time.

Then, one Sunday at church, Pastor Miles walked up to Marce and her husband and she mentioned her idea to him. Pastor Miles told her he had been praying for just such a ministry, and Share was born.

Sweet Success

Share held its very first rummage sale on Saturday, May 14, 2005, to help finance the Rock Church mission trip to Costa Rica. Held on the grassy stretch of Ruffin Road, the sale was a huge success!

"The generosity of the Rock congregation was incredible," said Marce. "The Share donation bin overflowed almost daily the week before the sale and phone inquiries kept my phone ringing throughout the days preceding the sale. We had everything from a five- foot-tall teddy bear to a top-of-the-line mountain bike donated."

Every ministry was invited to participate. Besides the Share Ministry, the Single Parent Family, Step Up, Apologetics, Arts, Surf, Deaf and Women of the Rock ministries joined in to help raise funds.

Eager buyers rolled in early to make purchases even before the sale was officially set up for business, and hundreds more followed as the day progressed.

Many buyers from the surrounding neighborhood took advantage of the chance to ask representatives of the Rock numerous questions about our church, our beliefs, and why the crowds attending services seem to be increasing weekly.

Marce affirmed, "I have no doubt, as a result of the enthusiasm of our answers, those growing numbers will include many of the Rock rummage sale customers!"

Fifty percent of the total proceeds of the sale went toward the Costa Rica Mission Trip. In fact, nearly $3,000 was raised to support the team heading off to Costa Rica in July.

"Praise God for blessing us with the donations to pass on," Marce said. "And that's exactly what we want to do-help others share their blessings!"

Share Needs Your Help

Share is a ministry for everyone. Just like everyone can benefit from sharing and swapping belongings, everyone can find some way to help. Even your children can take part. Any small amount of time or effort can help! You can donate anything from clothes and food to your vehicle or storage space-or even your private plane! There is no end to what you can do to be involved in Share. All it takes is a giving heart.

Jesus said, Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

If you are unsure about what to donate to the Share Ministry, just think of the familiar saying, "If you haven't used or worn it in a year-give it away."

Consider the test I gave myself. I thought about what to give and decided that some of the things I bought on sale (which I thought were pretty cute at the time) were good candidates. I then surveyed my closet and thought, how many pairs of shoes do I really need? I was on a roll. I even remembered those unwanted Christmas presents from last year.

After all, one man's trash is another man's treasure.

If you don't have the time or transportation to bring in your donations, the ministry will have someone pick them up. Otherwise, donations are taken at the Rock Church in the back notch of the sanctuary.

Airplanes Anyone?

Thousands of the gifts Rock members contributed were given to Luv Em Ump Ministry's outreach in San Tomas and the also to women in need

To date, Share has received an enormous amount of donations. The people of the Rock Church have been very generous, and Share would like you to keep it up! The only problem is the storage space.

Currently the cost of the rented storage space will come out of the Rummage Sale funds. If anyone has or knows of someone who has storage space available, Share could really use a space that is free of charge.

There is also a need for trucks and people who are willing to pick up large donations and furniture.

In the future, the Share Ministry would like to be able to donate to other parts of the world, but they need a way to transport the donations. A private plane (complete with a pilot, of course) would make this possible.

This is why Share is everyone's ministry. No matter how you help, you are taking part in extending the love of Jesus Christ to others. You may not think it's a big deal, but it is!

A Bright Future

Share would like to eventually open thrift shop and donate all proceeds back to the Rock Church to sponsor other ministries, scholarships and after-school events. But the ministry will always be available to help out anyone in the time of a financial hardship.

If you just can't wait to join in, you're in luck! In June, Rock Small Groups will be promoting a church-wide donation drive within for shelters and charitable organizations throughout San Diego and Mexico. They will also be collecting food and medicine for the Rescue Mission.

The Donation Drive begins Saturday, June 4 and runs until Sunday, June 12. For more information about this event, contact Paul Garrison at paulg@therocksandiego.org.

Share is also planning two upcoming boutiques for later in the summer. One will be for women at the Rock, and one will be a back-to-school event for families at the Rock with school-age children. Remember, Share is a ministry of families helping families. Anyone can donate and anyone can benefit!

If you have need of the Share Ministry you can contact the Rock Church office or email shareministry@therocksandiego.org.