Engage Middle Tennessee around the corner and I wanted you to hear from Vicki Howell who coordinates the event for us. Prayerfully consider using this opportunity to invite along the lost and searching friends, neighbors, and co-workers you and your group know and have been praying for. It is often easier to invite into a service project rather than deep Bible study or accountability groups. Don’t miss this great opportunity to grow your group and evangelize your sphere of influence. If you’re willing to take the lead on a project, then please let Vicki know. Without further ado, Vicki:
Hey Everyone!
I cannot believe that it is already the third week of March and Engage Middle Tennessee is only a month away!  I wanted to send you all as promised a list of projects that are originating out of the Brentwood Campus; however, they are, as always, open to everyone.  There are several projects on here the list your groups may want to be involved with or learn more about, and if so please jump in or let me know what questions you may have.  Below is also a registration link that we have created for you to easily distribute to your groups by email or you can sign your group up all at once.
I am so thankful for each of you and as always if you have any questions or if there is anything that I can help with please do not hesitate to ask.
https://brentwoodbc.wufoo.com/forms/p1784x511dchlc8/
Many Blessings,
Vicki Howell

Engage Middle Tennessee Projects and Ideas

Children

Path Project Easter Party – (Franklin) Through a Easter Party for kids coming to the Path Project.  The Path Project runs an afterschool program in the clubhouse of Franklin Estates Trailer Park in Franklin.  There are several hundred trailers in this predominantly Hispanic community and the Path Project has done a tremendous job building relationships.  For this project, think classroom party with games, snacks, Bible Story, craft, etc.  This project would happen earlier in the week Thursday, April 11 2:45-4:00PM – Kindergarten and 4:15-5:30PM 1st and 2nd grade.
The Branch of Nashville – (Antioch) Come prepared to work in our pantry and to Provide Easter bags with filled Easter eggs for 120 families.  Could be just 12 eggs per bag. Put a very simple message of Easter in the bags. It could be a children’s book or any other creative way you can think of to speak the simplest version of the hope of Easter. It could be: (Jesus rose from the grave to give us life) These are mostly English learners so keep it simple.
Pantry on that day will serve from 50-60 families and the remaining bags will be given out on the following Tuesday.
Youth for Christ – (Antioch) A community Easter egg hunt in the Antioch area at the Southeast Community Center – near Ford Ice rink.  Will have booths, food, music for all ages and Easter egg hunt for all the kids as well.  Youth for Christ will be handing out free Popsicles to those who attend and have a tent/prayer booth set up for those who want someone to pray with them.  Volunteers can help pass out the popsicles and interact with kids and parents at the event.
NAHT (Nashville Anti-Human Trafficking) – (TBD) Camp Trunk – We are sending some children from the motel to camp and would love help getting trunks and items to fill for camp.

Social

Special Needs Ministry – Recycling Project – (Brentwood Campus) The special needs ministry would like to partner with the church to, not only help keep the earth healthy, but to support our students and adults with special needs. In partnership with the church our adults and students will learn several skills including; job skills, communicating with others, working together, sorting and most importantly feeling empowered, contributing members of their church community.
Hope Clinic for Women – Blessing Bags – (TBD) Create blessings bags with donated items for self-care for pregnancy clients (April 13: 9-11:30am)
Rescue 1  (INFL Draft Community Canvassing and Trafficking Facilitator Outreach) – Every community in the world is gripped by Human trafficking. It is supported daily by our markets, fashions, and pleasures -especially our sporting events. Yet, because of its subversive nature we deny it, misidentify it and fuel it. For this reason, millions are enslaved and trafficked daily. Rescue 1 is going to help lead a city-wide effort in collaboration with Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies to launch trained volunteers all over Nashville in various engagement efforts to increase awareness, thwart victimization, identify and recover victims, and bring traffickers and buyers to justice. These efforts will be Pre, During and Post NFL Draft April 25-27.

Creative

Community Outreach Ministries – Participate in Somerby Senior Living Sunday afternoon worship service 3:00 – 3:45. Opportunities include lead worship, serve communion, lead a devotional, pray, give a 5 – 10 minute talk, or just be present and visit with the residents. (Sunday afternoon project 2:45-3:45)
Corner to Corner – Script to Screen is a unique literacy program that helps kids fall in love with reading by teaching them to write their own script…and then film a movie.  And what’s a movie without props?!?  On April 11, 2019, volunteers will bring items to McGruder Family Resource Center that can be used as props. Nothing is off limits – this semester we might make a movie about a bank heist…but next year it might be a Western! Kids can get pretty creative.  The day of the event, volunteers will help us collect, organize and sort these props and learn more about Script to Screen.  

PCY

NAHT (Nashville Anti-Human Trafficking Group) – Landscaping at the motel where we volunteer on Murfreesboro Rd. They have raised brick beds – we would love to add plants and a garden are for the residents. 
Men of Valor – Men of Valor works to serve men that are or have been in prison and their families.  Help on April 13 to clear path through woods for a walking path for this ministry.
Bethany Christian Services (Unaccompanied Minor Transitional Foster Care)- This program is new to Nashville with a facility built and designed specifically to meet the unique needs of these children.  Come help with some of these finishing touches by assisting with wall decals and some furniture assembly.
Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home – Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home houses several students through this residential foster care in cottages and apartments.  On April 13 come help to deep clean some of these areas, paint a room and organize books and supplies in a combined space.
Metro Safe House – When children are removed from their home and before they are able to get into a foster home they will come to a “Safe Room”.  In this place they are able to breath, get clothing, toys, and basic supplies and simply know that they are safe.  During Engage Middle Tennessee, we will be able to help develop a new room size “safe room” at the main office.  Furniture items have been donated however the room will need to be painted and put together to be the “safe space” it will be used for in the days ahead.
Rescue 1 (Install and Paint Trim) – As people are rescued from their trafficking situation there are a few “safe places” to go to for gospel centered healing, recovery and discipleship for successful reintegration, etc.   These safe houses need to feel like a home as these individuals unpack their stories and learn how to move forward.  We are looking for a team to help Install and paint baseboards and shoes mold throughout Grace Oasis #2 as we prepare to open it to receive and accept trafficked survivors.
Rescue 1 (Sand & Paint Kitchen Cabinets/Faux) – As people are rescued from their trafficking situation there are a few “safe places” to go to for gospel centered healing, recovery and discipleship for successful reintegration, etc.   These safe houses need to feel like a home as these individuals unpack their stories and learn how to move forward.  We are looking for a team to sand and paint the kitchen cabinets and to install white Faux Wood Blinds in Grace Oasis #2 as we prepare open it to receive and accept trafficked survivors.

Food

Path Project Fuel Bags – Fuel Bags for Franklin Estates – Franklin Estates is a 3 Phase Trailer park area with about 300 trailers.  The residents are predominantly Hispanic although not entirely.  We will be working to meet a need as discovered by GraceWorks to create and organize fuel bags for kids in the trailer park throughout the summer.   Fuel bags are typically received during the school year on weekends for children that may not have access to food at home.  This will help to fill the gap for several hundred children throughout the summer.   We will meet and assemble on the Brentwood Campus.  All ages are welcome to participate.
Cul2vate – Come join us on the Cul2vate farm for the morning! With your help, we can plant potatoes that will feed the hungry right here in the Nashville area! Feel good about planting food that will nourish those in need. There is always also a need for weeding and harvesting and clean up on the farm. There will be no shortage of tasks!
Hope Clinic for Women – Meal for Class – Provide a meal for one of our education classes (TBA, Probably April 11 or 12)
NAHT (Nashville Anti-Human Trafficking) – Food – Sponsor our women’s bible study lunch.  We provide lunch for the women we have bible study with at the high-risk motel we serve on Murfreesboro Rd.  It’s NAHT lead every Wednesday at 11AM. 
Young Life Capernaum – Young Life Capernaum serves as the Special Needs arm of Young Life club.  We have been blessed to have them meet on the Brentwood Campus throughout the school year.  YLC would love to invite your group to serve a meal at their Monday night club (April 8).  The club meets in the children’s ministry area from 6-7:30 so plan to be there early to set up the food and prepare to serve the students.  You will enjoy getting to know, worship, learn and play with this group. 
CKO (Care Kitchen Outreach) – Rescue food from several kitchens, college campus food services and catering companies and deliver the viable, often gourmet, food to ministries (volunteers are needed for 8-12, 12-4 and 6-10)
One Generation Away – (April 6: Poplar Grove Elementary)15,000-25,000 lbs. of food will be dropped off in a parking lot, where volunteers will be waiting to sort and distribute it all to our neighbors in need. We pride ourselves on providing fresh and healthy foods, as well as things that are easily prepared and cooked. We do not ask questions or have requirements for people who can receive food.
Volunteer from 8:00am to sort, bag, and organize food. Distribution starts at approximately 9:30am.
Fill a Freezer – (Brentwood Campus) Over a dozen ministries we work with are in constant need for food for their ministries.  Sometimes these needs are big and sometimes small.  We asked our ministries if it would be a game changer for them in their ministries if they had a freezer of prepared meals to have have access too and use.  The answer for many was a resounding YES!  On April 13, we will prep and pack 5 freezers for local ministries to receive.  This will be an on-going initiative and will hopefully allow opportunity for these ministries to be able to receive food more often from various resources.  Come and be a part of the prepping and packing fun!

International

ILC (International Learning Center) – TBA
The Branch of Nashville – Current English students will get an intensive day of English relative to daily life. Students will be grouped by level and “travel” from session to session. Sessions would include cooking class, job themed class, fun and games, health/medicine, Easter, etc. The sessions would run concurrently, and each group would visit each session. We would have separate activities for children. We would use your volunteers to teach/facilitate the sessions and the children’s activities.
Volunteers would include a minimum of 6 teacher/facilitators, plus 6 children’s teachers/workers. If you have interest, more of each would be great, plus a lunch team who would bring/prepare/set up and clean up

Combination of Categories

Project Connect Nashville (Love in) – Come join a team at Lexington Gardens Apartments to “Love in” at a local impoverished community.  On this day you will have a chance to do one of several things….work in a community garden, clean-up, repair the playground area, grill hotdogs and hamburgers for the community, provide games and activities for kids, etc.

  1. Community Garden Work Day
  2. Build pergola and picnic tables for community of need
  3. Prep food for freezing (we have access to large commercial kitchen)
  4. Grill food on site at Lexington
  5. Easter Egg Hunt, activities with kids

Begin Anew (Williamson Co.) – Begin Anew works with Men and Women in various areas of town as they seek to pursue their adult education, in many cases providing for opportunities that will change a family’s future.  On April 13 we will visit our Williamson Co. location to: Writing cards to students enrolled in Begin Anew’s adult education ministry of prayer and encouragement, help to clean by washing windows and cleaning at Walker Baptist Church, one of the church locations for Begin Anew and help to provide snacks for students and their children enrolled on our program.

Additional Ideas

  • School Appreciation Event for Teachers
  • Community Clean Up
  • Laundrymat Love
  • Backyard Kids Club
  • Soccer/Sports Event
  • Visit a Nursing Home facility
  • Visit Local Transportation Systems giving water/snacks/etc.
  • Adopt a Widow or Family with special circumstances helping with identified needs.
  • Do a neighborhood gathering