EMT - Encouragement Ministry Team

Who among us hasn’t needed a spiritual or emotional “pick-me-up” from time to time? You know how it is … one day life is bright and promising and the very next day the storms of life blow like Hurricane Ivan. A failing marriage, a rebellious child, a premature death, a bad report from a doctor, an accusation, a bout with depression or loneliness and before we know it, all turns dark, cold and wet. How we got in this condition really doesn’t matter. What does matter is that we are not alone… or at least we hope not.

We used to ask our pastor to meet these types of needs in a church. But today we have realized that our church is too big to expect one man to carry such a load. So we have created our EMT (Encouragement Ministry Team). This ministry team currently consists of 22 people and is lead by Verda Raley.

Our EMT has a single passion to be the arms, feet and love of Jesus to members of our congregation who are experiencing a tempest’s blast in some area of life. Their encouragement comes in a variety of different forms: cards, phone calls, visits and prayers. But in each instance, the EMT prays that their ministry will be received as a hug from Jesus.

The team receives information about encouragement needs from the pastoral staff and from the notes that many of you are writing on the EMT request forms (included in the bulletin each week).

Although this is a relatively new ministry, the blessings are already pouring in. Here are just a few: During an encouragement phone call, an EMT member found out that the lady she was talking to hadn’t made any social connections during her time at Hessel Church. The EMT member invited her to come to a picnic that she was having in her back yard. and the lady accepted the invitation. A few days after the picnic, she shared with the host, “I’ve been going to Hessel Church for 18 months, and this was the first time that I’ve been invited to a home for fellowship and friendship.”

One of our EMT members regularly visited and cared for one of the women in our congregation. One day, when this senior widow didn’t answer the phone, the EMT member went to her house. There she discovered the woman unconscious on the floor, after having had a probable stroke. Our EMT’er called 911 and then went to be with her at the hospital.

If your heart and spirit are moved by ministry like this, we invite you to call Verda Raley at 762-7829 for more information and to learn how you can join this ministry team. Remember to pray for both the members of the EMT and those they seek to encourage.

Pastoral Staff

Rich Cundall
Senior Pastor
Andy Sodestrom
Associate Pastor
Harry Ecklund
Music and Worship Pastor
Todd Baker
Seniors and Administration Pastor
Bern Velasco
Pastor of Young Adult Ministries
Kyle Waggoner
Pastor of Student Ministries
Ken Little
Children's Ministry Pastor

Ministry Directors

Bob Reynolds
Men's Ministry
Kathy Sodestrom
Women's Ministry

Office Staff

Yvonne Aaseth
Ashley Jackson
Darlene Machgan
Pam Danelz
Trinity Berruto
Shawna Swafford

Facility Staff

Steve Danelz
Facility Manager
Norm Hansen
Debbie Logan

Contact Us

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