Cold Weather Shelter Chaplains

From Miracle Hill:

The Cold Weather Shelter season at the Greenville Rescue Mission is here! We need teams of men to come minister as volunteer chaplains!

We are in need to men willing to come and minister to the unsheltered homeless who come in on cold nights. We average 120 unsheltered men on cold winter nights. We need people willing to serve by encouraging these men, praying, sharing the gospel, and practicing a ministry of presence.

Interested?? Watch the video and read on…

What is a Cold Shelter Worker/Chaplain at the Greenville Rescue Mission?

A chaplain is a volunteer who functions in a ministerial capacity at the Greenville rescue Mission by embodying the presence of Christ, showing the compassion of Christ, and sharing the good news of Christ with those who come through our doors.

 What is the cold weather shelter?

When the temperature is forecasted to drop to 40 or below, we open up our cold weather shelter to those experiencing homelessness still living outside. Many are broken, intoxicated, cold, hurt, hungry, and are looking for a safe warm place to sleep. We open at 8pm, and close it around 7am the following morning. We serve a meal, offer a shower, and a mattress on the floor to sleep on.

 What does a chaplain do at the Greenville Rescue Mission?

A chaplain is present when we open up the cold weather shelter, and he would stay from 8-10pm. While he may assist in serving food and handing out some supplies, his primary task will be to engage in intentional conversation with the guests and listen to, encourage, share the gospel, and engage in the ministry of presence with the many different kinds of people and situations in the cold weather shelter.

We would prefer the chaplain be able to commit to once a week, but it can be more or less often if need be. There is flexibility, and there will be periods where the cold shelter will not open due to warmer temps. The more often and consistent, the better it will be for the chaplain and the men.

How often do I need to come?

We would like to see if you have a group of men from your church who could commit to covering a certain night of the week when the Cold Shelter is open. Not all of the men would need to come every time, but you could have a couple of men you could rotate in and out every week to share the load together. We are very flexible on how this might work for your group or individuals interested.

What are the qualifications to be a chaplain at the mission?

A chaplain must:

-Be a mature believer in Jesus Christ

-Agree with Miracle Hill’s doctrinal statement

-Have a sense of calling to this kind of work

-Be willing to learn and receive constructive feedback

-Be willing to engage in cold conversations and be able to share the gospel 

Ready to find out more or get started?

Please reach out to me, Jeremy Huff, or our volunteer coordinator Huff Campbell if you are interested or have any questions.

Huff Campbell: hcampbell@miraclehll.org

Jeremy Huff:  jhuff@miraclehill.org