Community

Engagement

Love Works Day

Saturday, May 11

Join us as we serve our local community in service projects around Fairfield county on Saturday, May 11th. Most projects will run from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM unless another timing is noted in the sign up. This is an annual event for our entire church family to come together to serve our neighbors. Projects include yard work for seniors, litter pick-ups, supporting local non-profits, etc. This is a way to be the hands and feet of Christ and to put our love for our neighbors into action. Join us in our mission to serve our world!

Begin the sign up process below to see a list of all of our sites.

FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD 

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:14-17

At Black Rock, we want our faith to be ALIVE. Jesus loves our community, and so do we. On YOUR street, in YOUR neighborhood, in YOUR town there are people who need the love of Jesus – how will you step out in faith with Jesus to impact our community?

Find out more about our partners and sign up to serve below!

MEET OUR PARTNERS

HomeBridge Ventures: They provide comprehensive trauma-informed healing, job training and placement, and a supportive environment for formerly incarcerated residents.

Pivot Ministries: Pivot Ministries is a Bible-based in-residence recovery program for men. We treat drug and alcohol addiction as a spiritual problem and return the men to their families usefully whole.

Hopeline: Hopeline is a Christ-centered, pro-life pregnancy center that offers hope and support to women and their families facing unplanned pregnancies.

Urban Impact: Urban Impact is made up of volunteers who tutor and mentor at-risk youth in the low-income, PT Barnum, public housing community of Bridgeport.

Operation Hope: Operation Hope provides services to our neighbors in Fairfield who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Bridgeport Rescue Mission: Bridgeport Rescue Mission provides vital services to men, women, and children facing hunger, homelessness, and addiction by offering help to heal and return to the community whole.

Kairos Prison Ministry: Kairos Prison Ministry exists to share the transforming love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ to impact the hearts and lives of incarcerated men, women, youth, and their families.

Partnership To End Human Trafficking: PEHT provides survivors of human trafficking a pathway toward healing and independence through community outreach, residential recovery, and economic empowerment.

Want to learn more about our Community Engagement initiative? Click below to get more info, sign up for texts and emails, or sign up to serve!

SECOND

SATURDAY

SERVING

Every second Saturday of the month, we will have a church-wide service project: We set up the project, you show up at the church, and we will serve our community together! Make sure to join our email list so you know about each upcoming project.

 Mark your calendar! The next project is:

  • May 11 – Love Works Day! See more info above. 

 

FIFTH

SUNDAY

DONATIONS

Through this opportunity, God is inviting us to be a part of providing for the physical needs of our neighbors and local partners! On every fifth Sunday of the month, we will let you know what kind of item we are collecting (food, clothes, school supplies, etc.) and then you can bring it to the church on your way to service! Join our email list to know what item to bring each month. Your generosity introduces people to the love of Jesus!

The next Fifth Sunday is June 30.

 

Local Serving Finder

Please use the filters to find a serving opportunity that is right for you.

Need help finding the right opportunity? Click the button below and we'll help you!

Ministry Type

Mainly Serving

Day of Week

Time of Day

Ministry Name

Bridgeport Rescue Mission - Community Pantry
Ministry Type: Meals
Mainly Serving: Children/students, Women, Men
Location: Bridgeport
Day of Week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Time of Day: Morning, Afternoon
Time: 9:00 AM-12:00 PM or 12:00 PM-3:00 PM

Assisting with registering community guests, unloading food rescue deliveries, packing produce bags for distribution, stocking shelves and refrigerators, helping the community guests through the pantry, helping community guests find more specific items, helping community guests carry their bags, and praying over guests, etc.


Bridgeport Rescue Mission - Game Nights
Ministry Type: Meals
Mainly Serving: Women, Men
Location: Bridgeport
Day of Week: Friday
Time of Day: Evening
Time: 6:00-8:00 PM

Once a month, serve with a team from Black Rock to host a game night with the BRM residents.


Bridgeport Rescue Mission - Meal Service
Ministry Type: Meals
Mainly Serving: Children/students, Women, Men
Location: Bridgeport
Day of Week: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Time of Day: Morning, Afternoon, Evening
Time: Breakfast 8:00 AM-10:00 AM, Lunch 11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Dinner 4:00 PM-6:00 PM.

Prepping food to help support the success of meals being served to our residents and community guests. Tasks can include but not be limited to pre-meal preparation, serving food, sanitation measures, clearing tables, interacting with the community, and engaging with our community.


Homebridge Ventures - Skilled Volunteer Opportunities
Mainly Serving: Women, Men
Location: Bridgeport
Day of Week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Time of Day: Morning, Afternoon, Evening
Time: varies; between 9:00 AM-6:00 PM

More opportunities coming soon!


Hopeline - Patient Support
Mainly Serving: Women
Location: Bridgeport
Day of Week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Time of Day: Morning, Afternoon
Time: varies; in 3-4 hour increments

Greeting patients, answering phones, setting up appointments, giving patients resource kits, and helping with clerical work. Generally, for in office volunteers, women are preferred because of the nature of the ministry. Nursing volunteers or Spanish and Portuguese volunteers are a major need.


Hopeline - Recovery Ministry
Mainly Serving: Women, Men
Location: Bridgeport
Day of Week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Time of Day: Morning, Afternoon
Time: varies; in 3-4 hour increments

Hopeline provides Biblical healing for men and women who have experienced abortion, who have been victims of sexual trauma, and who have walked through child loss. Men and women who are interested in becoming a facilitator must apply and go through an interview process. Thorough training will be provided. Spanish and Portuguese speaking volunteers are a major need.


Kairos - Monthly Meetings
Ministry Type: Other
Mainly Serving: Women, Men
Location: Virtual
Day of Week: Saturday
Time of Day: Morning
Time: 8:00 AM

On the third Saturday of every month, volunteers meet virtually to pray for incarcerated men, women, and youth. They also pray for the corrections officers and prison administrators. Until the prisons reopen to Kairos, these meetings are a means of honoring Kairos’ commitment to pray for God’s forgotten children and introduce the ministry to people who may be interested in serving.


Kairos - Weekend Trips
Ministry Type: Other
Mainly Serving: Women, Men
Location: varies
Day of Week: Sunday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Time of Day: Morning, Afternoon, Evening
Time: All Day

ON HOLD while we await permission from the state to reenter the prisons. If you would like to join an interest list for once the retreats resume, follow the link below.

Three and a half day weekend retreat with about thirty other Christians from other churches around the state. Retreats are held at five of the sixteen CT prisons. Team preparation requires 36 hours of training. Team meetings begin 6 – 8 weeks before the retreat weekend.


Kairos - Women's Outside Retreat
Mainly Serving: Women
Location: Colebrook
Day of Week: Sunday, Friday, Saturday
Time of Day: Morning, Afternoon, Evening
Time: All Day

Kairos Outside provides a safe place for women whose lives have been impacted by incarceration. Kairos Outside encourages and supports its guests through the transforming love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. The next retreat is taking place May 17-19. Training required in advance.


Operation Hope - Baked Goods
Ministry Type: Meals
Mainly Serving: Varies
Location: Fairfield
Day of Week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Time of Day: Morning, Afternoon
Time: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Provide treats for Food Pantry patrons such as cookies, brownies, muffins, etc., baked in batches of a half dozen, labeled with ingredients.


PEHT - Volunteer Interest
Mainly Serving: Women
Location: Bridgeport, Hartford
Day of Week: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Time of Day: Morning, Afternoon, Evening
Time: Varies

Join us in welcoming our new Local Partner: PEHT! PEHT provides survivors of human trafficking a pathway toward healing and independence through community outreach, residential recovery, and economic empowerment. We are still working with their staff to determine the best way for our church to engage on a volunteer level. In the meantime, we are working to get volunteers trained and cleared to serve. If you are interested in serving with PEHT join our interest list.


Pivot Ministries - Cooking
Ministry Type: Meals
Mainly Serving: Men
Location: Jane Street, Bridgeport
Day of Week: Thursday
Time of Day: Evening
Time: 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Cooking and serving a meal at Pivot. On every third Thursday of the month, a team from Black Rock heads down to Pivot to cook a meal in their kitchen. They get to serve the residents and eat alongside them. If there is lots of interest, we will expand to do more days.


Urban Impact - Kid Power
Ministry Type: Tutoring
Mainly Serving: Children/students
Location: Bridgeport
Day of Week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Time of Day: Morning
Time: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Work under the direction of a teacher as a classroom helper or tutor, helping students with various subjects either individually or in a group as needed.


Urban Impact - Primetime
Ministry Type: Evangelism, Mentoring
Mainly Serving: Children/students
Location: Bridgeport
Day of Week: Monday
Time of Day: Evening
Time: 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Prime Time is a Christian Mentoring Program for students grades 6-8. The hope is that volunteers who come out will connect and share their faith with their mentees. During Prime Time Sessions a gospel message is shared and mentors will be expected to help their mentees understand the message and process it so the students can grow in their faith. The kids also engage in a variety of recreational activities. The mentors will be expected to engage with the kids and talk with them about school, life and the gospel.


Urban Impact - Primetime Junior
Ministry Type: Evangelism, Mentoring
Mainly Serving: Children/students
Location: Bridgeport
Day of Week: Monday
Time of Day: Evening
Time: 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

Prime Time Junior is a Christian Mentoring Program for students grades 3-5. The hope is that volunteers who come out will connect and share their faith with their mentees. During Prime Time Sessions a gospel message is shared and mentors will be expected to help their mentees understand the message and process it so the students can grow in their faith. The kids also engage in a variety of recreational activities. The mentors will be expected to engage with the kids and talk with them about school, life and the gospel.


Urban Impact - XLR8
Mainly Serving: Children/students
Location: Bridgeport
Day of Week: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Time of Day: Evening
Time: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

XLR8 is a homework/tutoring program. Volunteers will be expected to help the student who is assigned to them with their homework. In some cases they may need to tutor the student in math/literacy because the student may not understand the assigned work. There is also a recreational portion of the program that the mentors will be asked to engage in. Mentors are expected to put in an effort to build relationships with the students.