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YOUR CHURCH
Encounter is a community of 6th-12th grade students focused on our church vision of Authentic Worship, Authentic Community, and Authentic Community Service. Our Wednesday night services include worshipping God through music, in-depth Bible teaching, and Life Group time to help dive deeper into God’s Word and build genuine relationships. We believe every student should have a place to be known and belong. At Encounter, each person is a part of the family because we know that all of us are uniquely loved by the God who created us.
Students can take an active role in leading Encounter, so it’s truly a ministry by students, for students. We’re also a little goofy, and we like to #keepencounterweird, so we hope that’s okay with you. Throughout the year, we also have special trips and events designed just for high school students or just for middle school students, which gives you more opportunities to grow in your faith and build relationships with other students and leaders. Our leaders live a life above reproach and are screened and vetted for the safety of our students (background checks are required for all volunteers).
We want to engage, equip, and empower our high school and middle school students so that you can turn your world upside down for Jesus!
ENCOUNTER ADULT LEADERS
The backbone of Encounter is our team of adult leaders. These leaders are a consistent presence every Wednesday, and their goal is to build relationships with students so that we can make disciples who make disciples. We have a variety of leadership roles based on your skills and available time, but our primary role is Life Group Leader. Each Life Group Leader co-leads a small group of students during Wednesday night Encounter and focuses intentionally on those specific students.
All our leaders are required to go through a background check for the security of the students and to fill out an application that provides more information regarding background, service, etc. (application link below). This is mainly to ensure that all our leaders live a life above reproach and have a healthy, strong relationship with God before leading teenagers.
Serving at Encounter is a fantastic opportunity to build relationships and to pour into the next generation. Our leadership team is made up of many different people. We embrace diversity in our team, as it allows students to have opportunities to connect with a variety of people. If you feel called to work with high school students, we’d love for you to fill out an application below so we can connect with you!
SERVING OPPORTUNITIES
- Life Group Leader
- Support Team
YOUR CHURCH
As followers of Jesus, we believe we are called to clothe, feed, and care for those in need. We also deeply believe it is our duty as the local church to address the issues of poverty facing our community. We accomplish these missions through the 5000 Ministry by showing compassion and building relationships with the homeless and those in low-income communities. Our ministry partners with local nonprofits who provide for the needs of our community every week. Those involved in the 5000 Ministry also build and foster relationships with individuals in poverty during the week. Volunteering with this ministry requires a lifestyle committed to integrity, sensitivity, dependability, and responsibility; We require all volunteers to be on time, follow directions (for safety purposes), and commit to serving for a set time.
When volunteering with the 5000 Ministry, there are various places to serve. From helping to set up, serving food, talking and praying with people, and leading Bible studies. The key to this ministry is to truly and consistently build relationships that invest in the lives of those in need.
SERVING OPPORTUNITIES
- Cook
- Food Prep
- Floater
- Bible Study
- Setup and Teardown
- Prayer Team
The 5000 Ministry meets on the first Sunday of every month from 8:30am-10:30am at the Shelbyville Soup Kitchen.
YOUR CHURCH
On our Kitchen Team, we strive to take care of those serving each weekend at ECC. We are thankful to those who step up each weekend to teach, lead, and serve, and we want to provide for them in return. From picking up catered food to prepping meals to cleaning up at the end of the day, the Kitchen Team helps physically feed those spiritually feeding the Body of Christ at ECC.
Each weekend, we have various serving times. When you volunteer with the Kitchen Team, you will arrive before service to help set up, prep, or pick up the meal for that service, then stay until it is time to transition to the next meal or until clean up is complete.
SERVING OPPORTUNITIES
Saturdays: Kitchen Team volunteers will pick up catered meals and bring them to the church before services begin. We also need people willing to oversee and take care of the kitchen area until clean up is complete.
Sundays: We have serving times starting as early as 7:00 am. Kitchen Team volunteers will prep breakfast for the 8:00 am, transition from breakfast to lunch during the 10:00 am service, or manage the kitchen area for the 12:00 pm service until clean up is complete.
YOUR CHURCH
At Stepping Stones, we assist women and children who are experiencing homelessness. We help provide them with the next steps toward healing and stability through the love of Jesus Christ. From being an overnight hostess at The Experience to helping with meals and transportation, volunteering with Stepping Stones can make a huge impact on the lives of women and children in Rutherford County.
YOUR CHURCH
In Emerge, our mission is to make sure every child and student with special needs has an opportunity to hear the gospel and feel the love of Christ. We believe EVERYONE deserves to have a purposeful experience with Jesus while at church. This ministry also allows parents to truly rest in God’s presence, knowing their child is in a safe and loving environment. In Emerge, we use a one-on-one buddy system to ensure that each child is immersed in an inclusive environment with the comfort of a buddy to walk with them throughout our weekend services. Our goal is to meet each child where they are and provide them with the services they need to understand the gospel at their level.
To learn more about Emerge, please view the special needs tab.
SERVING OPPORTUNITIES
- Emerge Kids – Weekends
- Emerge Students – Weekends
YOUR CHURCH
In Emerge, our mission is to make sure every child and student with special needs has an opportunity to hear the gospel and feel the love of Christ. We believe EVERYONE deserves to have a purposeful experience with Jesus while at church. This ministry also allows parents to truly rest in God’s presence, knowing their child is in a safe and loving environment. In Emerge, we use a one-on-one buddy system to ensure that each child is immersed in an inclusive environment with the comfort of a buddy to walk with them throughout our weekend services. Our goal is to meet each child where they are and provide them with the services they need to understand the gospel at their level.
To learn more about Emerge, please view the special needs tab.
SERVING OPPORTUNITIES
- Emerge Kids – Weekends
- Emerge Students – Weekends