The Service Center
Welcome to The Service Center. It is our hope that we can add to your list of ways to reach out in love to your friends, family, co-workers and community. Any one of these items work on their own as an anonymous random act of kindness. But if you want to double your effectiveness, use these as ways to show a special kind of love and service to people close to you.
Winter Driveway Clearing
This is one my family and I have done for years. Simply take your snow shovels or snow blower with you and shovel the driveway of an elderly neighbor. We like to go out early in the morning and get the driveway done before the neighbor either gets up or starts their normal daily activities. Leave a card with your name if you don’t know the neighbor well. Put your church’s website on the other side of the card.
Donut Dropoff
Even though many of us are becoming mindful of the things we eat, we all know that when someone brings donuts we just can’t resist. Whether it is at your office or the office of your insurance agent, dentist (they eat them, too), or even the Chinese take-out you frequent, leaving a box of donuts (Costs like $5) will open lots of doors.
Mom’s Penicillin
We all know that when a cold or flu hits, there is no place like Mom’s. We all want to be held close and be pampered until we get better. We can't snuggle with the people we are reaching out to, but we still can extend love to them when they are ill. Cooking up a simple pot of chicken soup is an inexpensive, personal way of sharing the love of Christ. Giving a pot of soup tells the person, “I’m sorry you’re sick. I care enough to help you get well.”
Dollar Drop
At local malls where any sort of programmatic evangelism is not allowed, this is a way to get the attention of many quickly. We attach a connection card explaining our project to a dollar bill. We use Post-It note removable glue (available at local business supply stores). Then we go around the mall and nonchalantly drop dollar bills on the ground. For some free entertainment, stand a distance away and watch who picks up the dollar and how they respond to the message.
Source: www.servantevangelism.com
Downtown Cleanup
This is a group event requiring teams of at least two people each. You will also need enough latex gloves and plastic trash bags for each person, plus some extras. You also might want to wear shirts that identify you (not by name, but by group) so the local constables don’t get too nervous. This would work best with about 5 teams. An advance team should try to determine the best place to work. You are looking for a place with a fairly high level of foot traffic. You will also be looking for an area that is in need of regular trash cleanup. The rest is academic. Just be there cleaning up the streets. We did this in NYC’s Greenwich Village and lots of people talked with us about what we were doing.
Bottled Water Handout
This works well at just about any sporting event. All you need is a bunch of people taking part in outdoor sports in a park. Again, it is important that you identify yourselves to set people at ease. It also works well if you can attach a business card, sticker or some other means of identifying your group or church. It is especially important to have the church website on the identification. Handing out cold water (a rollable cooler with ice is an option) to a sweating athlete is a way to make an instant connection.