Our Bereavement Support Team provides support for children from the age of 5, young people and adults who have experienced a bereavement. Consisting of paid counsellors, practitioners and student placement counsellors in training, the team provides one to one support to over 450 individuals across the Wyre Forest each year.

We are looking for an experienced Bereavement Support Team Leader/Manager will be responsible for supporting the team to deliver high quality support to our clients and in achieving our strategic aims.

We are looking for someone with:

• Minimum Level 5 Diploma, or equivalent, in Counselling.
• BACP or equivalent body accreditation.
• Experience of supervising or managing others. 

When you work with KEMP Hospice, the role you play here matters and you matter to us. Whether you’re interacting directly with our patients and clients as a counsellor, part of our Care Team, or slightly more removed as a driver for our shops, a Fundraiser or an Administrator, every minute of your time with contributes to us being able to achieve our aim of providing Exceptional Care and Support.

For further information on the role including contact details please visit the vacancy on our website. 

Volunteering Manager 
Birmingham, West Midlands 
£29,484 - £34,894 pro rata

7 Month Fixed-Term Contract

We are looking for an experienced Volunteering Manager to join our friendly and dynamic Volunteering team. Supporting a range of volunteer programmes across the UK, you will work with different teams to develop and deliver new and existing volunteer programmes at a time of growth and change for the organisation.

Your role is essential in ensuring we get the right people to volunteer for us and they are safe to volunteer with children, young people and their families. This includes line managing staff and matrix managing project teams to safely recruit, train and remotely support volunteers on a range of events and activities. As a member of the volunteering management team, you will be allocated lead responsibilities, and ensure team processes are maintained and updated to continually improve the delivery of our programmes.

The successful applicant will be an excellent manager who is committed to delivering a high-quality service that meets the needs of a range of stakeholders. We want an exceptional communicator with the ability to quickly build and maintain strong relationships with staff and volunteers.

You need to be committed to good practice in volunteering, adult learning and safeguarding, to help ensure that volunteers meet the needs of deaf children and young people at events and improve the services we offer. You will be very well organised and able to lead a team to manage a busy workload. You need experience of working in complex organisations with multiple stakeholders. An ability to use large volumes of data to analyse and report on team activity is critical, together with excellent attention to detail.

To apply for this role, you will have to complete an online application and specify how you meet the person specification criteria, as outlined in the job description. To do this, we suggest that you download the job description prior to starting your application (this can be found at the start of the application process).

Currently, the application process works best on desktop / laptop devices.

The closing date for applications is on Sunday, 1st December 2019 at 23:59.
We expect interviews to be held in Birmingham on Thursday, 12th December 2019.

A disclosure check will be sought in relation to the successful applicant for this post. This will be shared with Human Resources and may also be shared with the Safeguarding Manager and the relevant management team. All applicants must also complete a self-disclosure form.

We strive to provide an accessible recruitment process. If a disability or long-term condition makes it difficult for you to complete our application form, please contact us to discuss alternative formats. If you require reasonable adjustments for taking part in the interview, please indicate this in response to the corresponding question in the application form. Additional information about the support we offer is on our jobs page.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and committed to offering interviews to candidates who request to be considered under the disability confident scheme and meet the minimum requirements of the person specification.

The National Deaf Children’s Society is committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young adults and expects staff and volunteers to share that commitment.

We are also committed to promoting work-life balance amongst our staff.

To apply for the role of Volunteering Manager, please apply via the button shown. 

This job is being posted by Webrecruit on behalf of National Deaf Children's Society. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency. 

Other organisations may call this role Volunteering Supervisor, Volunteering Services Manager, Senior Volunteering Officer, Charity Volunteering Manager, or Volunteering Team Manager.

Volunteer Co-ordinator (Part Time, Contract)
Office-based in Kings Heath, Birmingham (with travel throughout the Sandwell area) 
£8.57 per hour Plus Paid Mileage

About Us

Royal Voluntary Service is an innovative charity that focuses on inspiring people to give the gift of voluntary service to support the NHS and older people at home and in the community. We are now looking for a Volunteer Co-ordinator to join our team on a part time basis for a contract until the 31st January 2021.

You’ll discover that we make a difference every day and support those who need us the most. Utilising the generous gift of time that our volunteers donate, we strive to improve the lives of older people and particularly those who have become isolated or are in, or are just returning home from, hospital.

The Role

As a Volunteer Co-ordinator, you will support the delivery of our Supporting Your Recovery service to older residents of the Sandwell area who are leaving hospital or have recently been discharged.

The service may support people with nutrition and hydration information and chair-based exercises to support a successful discharge and also supports engagement with patients’ communities and activities of interest. The service also supports those who have experienced a health crisis to enable them to live independently at home.

The overall aim of the service is to reduce recovery times and readmissions. Volunteers who deliver the service will also seek to impact upon feelings of loneliness and isolation that may be felt after prolonged stays in hospital.

Some of your duties will involve:

- Supporting the recruitment and co-ordination of volunteers and their activities
- Meeting with older people in their homes and identifying how we can best support them
- Networking and building partnerships in the Sandwell area
- Ensuring we comply with key statutory standards
- Completing a range of admin tasks

About You

Interested? To be considered as a Volunteer Co-ordinator, you will need:

- Relevant experience of working with volunteers and supporting and motivating them on a daily basis 
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills 
- A great eye for detail 

This is a part time role, working 26.5 hours per week, Monday - Thursday 9.30am – 3pm and Fridays 9.30am – 2pm.

The closing date for applications is the 6th December 2019 with interviews scheduled for the 17th December 2019 in Kings Heath, Birmingham.

To apply for the role of Service Co-ordinator (Part Time, Contract), please apply via the button.

This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency.

Other organisations may call this role Charity Service Co-ordinator, Community Support Co-ordinator, Hospital Services Co-ordinator, or Volunteer Support Co-ordinator.

Volunteer Co-ordinator

16 hours per week

£23,388 per annum pro rate - £10,113.73 per annum actual for 16 hours per week

Birmingham

This is a permanent contract but funding for this post will end on 1 September 2021

Do you want to be part of a charity? Keen to be part of a new and innovative mental health and wellbeing service?

A fabulous opportunity has developed within The Children's Society for a volunteer coordinator .The successful Pause service run in Digbeth, to the campus The University of Birmingham, due to wining a grant from Office for Students (OfS) in partnership with the university and local NHS services

You will be part of 'Pause at University of Birmingham' service to create an innovative and unique mobile 'hub' of wellbeing practitioners and volunteers with mental health experience to provide interventions for students in comfortable, open-plan safe-spaces. The Hub will utilise early-intervention approaches to enhance student mental health and wellbeing on campus, allowing students to timely and flexibly access to support, and the help they need. No waiting list? Students can just drop in.

The volunteer coordinator role seeks someone:

-Who is motivated to recruit, encourage and support people for the community to want to work with 18- 24 years old to support with wellbeing and mental health issue.

-Passionate about mental health and wellbeing

-Is creative in creating a diversity volunteer team

-Able to work 16 hours a week

-Happy to work in a fast paced environment and has good computer Skills.

-The post will be based at the University of Birmingham.

-Please note we will not be able to accept any student university of Birmingham student to this post. Two week annual leave will have to be taken when the university closes.

In this post, you will work alongside other coordinators with The Children's Society to ensure that a good training package is provided to volunteers along with supervisions. The service will provide you will regular supervision, and you will work within a rewarding environment where you can leave work each day knowing you have made a difference to the lives of students.

If you are interest in the volunteer coordinator please apply following the link; If you would like to find out any more information about this role, please email Joanne Gill on [email protected]

Closing Date Midnight on 20th November

Interview date TBC

About us
Crisis is the national charity for homeless people. We know that homelessness is not inevitable. We know that together we can end it.

Our housing, education, employment, wellbeing and mental health services help people leave homelessness. As well as one-to-one support, advice and courses we offer for homeless people in 11 areas across England, Scotland and Wales.

Crisis Skylight Coventry deliver centre based and outreach services for people who are homeless or who are at risk of becoming homeless. This is an exciting time in the development of the Skylight as the coverage of service delivery expands to reach even more homeless people in the city.

About the role
As Volunteer Coordinator, you will recruit, train, support & manage the volunteering offer at Crisis Skylight Coventry & Warwickshire. Working closely with staff in a multi-disciplinary team, you will be the key person in ensuring our volunteers, both external and our own members, have a fulfilling and worthwhile volunteering experience with us.

You will also play a crucial role in our Crisis at Christmas project, recruiting, training and managing volunteers to deliver a high-quality project for our guests. You will also be part of the wider volunteer coordinator network at Crisis and actively contribute to and implement the national volunteering strategy.

About you
To be successful in this role you will have extensive experience of developing volunteering programmes that include a wide range of volunteering roles and opportunities. You will have a good understanding of volunteering best practice and be able to apply that knowledge to local services.

You will have excellent people skills with experience of building relationships with staff to inspire them to provide meaningful opportunities for volunteers to engage whilst captivating audiences externally to join Crisis in its plan to end homelessness.

You will be known for your problem-solving skills and creative thinking to meet the needs of a fast paced service but most importantly you will have a passion for wanting to end homelessness.

Benefits
As a member of the team you will have access to a wide range of employee benefits including:

• Interest free loans to purchase a train season ticket or a bike or for a deposit to secure a tenancy
• Mandatory pension scheme, with an employer contribution of 8.5%
• 25 days’ annual leave which increases with service to 28 days (Pro rata)

Alongside our excellent staff benefits, we will support your ongoing development to build your skills, experience and career.

How to apply
If this sounds like the opportunity for you, please visit our website to apply online. The job description is available on our website by clicking on the 'Vacancy Details' button.

If you need to request an application in an alternative format, please contact the HR Team, contact details can be found on our website.

Closing date: 24 November 2019
Interviews will be held on Thursday 5 December 2019

We value diversity, promote equality and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of homelessness.

For more information about our work please visit our website.

Registered Charity Numbers: E&W1082947, SC040094

Fixed term contract - 18 months

Based Central Birmingham

The role

At the Canal & River Trust, we believe that life is better by water. We take care of 2,000 miles of canals and rivers, and those waterways have a vital role in the health and wellbeing of local communities and economies. Every role here plays its part in transforming our canals and rivers into spaces where local people want to spend time and feel better. And your role is no exception.

A new position within the team, our CRM Data Manager will ensure that our charity’s data management practices are consistent, reliable, and first-in-class. Reviewing a system that handles customer data from waterways up and down the country, you’ll make sure that we’re equipped to deal with complex, varied data sets. You’ll define our data structure and run regular audits to make sure it’s well-maintained. You’ll improve our handling processes wherever you can – and you’ll even help colleagues understand data management, ensuring everyone knows all they need to about data integrity.

The most exciting thing? Because you’re joining us in a new role, at a time when we’re reviewing how we handle our data, this is your chance to implement your own vision. If you’ve got the drive to improve what we do, it’s the perfect opportunity to make change and help us provide an even better service, as we work to protect the UK’s waterways.

What we look for

It goes without saying that you’ve got a wealth of knowledge when it comes to data management. You’re experienced in implementing systems, in handling collation, and in making sure data management systems are in line with wider GDPR policy. You’ve got a real eye for detail, ensuring accurate data entry, and you’ve honed your skills in both SQL and Excel data manipulation.

But ultimately, it’s not just about your data management expertise. It’s also about how you support your team. A natural communicator, you can clearly and confidently put your ideas across for any audience, whether it’s colleagues or stakeholders, and you know that great co-operation makes your whole team stronger. That’s why you share your advice and experience wherever you can, to nurture high standards across our organisation. And in the end, you’re proud that your efforts mean a better service for our customers, and for every community that uses the waterways.

The impact you’ll have

The waterways we look after contribute to the health and wellbeing of local communities and economies, creating attractive and connected places to live, work, volunteer and spend leisure time. These historic, natural and cultural assets form part of the strategic and local green-blue infrastructure network, linking urban and rural communities as well as habitats. Our waterways are on the doorstep of 8 million people and reach some of the most deprived communities within the UK. By caring for our waterways and promoting their use we believe we can improve the wellbeing of our nation. Come and be part of it.

Our diversity

We aim to represent the diverse communities we are part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community. We strongly believe that a diverse workforce brings with it a diversity of ideas, thinking and ways of working which enhances what we do.

To find out more and apply, visit our website.

Please quote reference 2019-6019 when applying.

Closing date for applications: 24th November 2019.

Interviews will be held on 5th December 2019 in Birmingham.  Candidates must be available on this date to attend.

Job title: Community Manager 

Contract: Full time

Reporting to: Europe Director

Location: Birmingham, UK

Who are we

Christian Vision (CV) is an international Christian organisation, founded in 1988 in the United Kingdom. Our organisation has offices in more than 35 countries of the 7 regions: North and Latin Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific, CIS and Middle East. Today over 400 employees worldwide work in CV.

As part of our mission and vision to introduce a billion people to Jesus, we specialise in projects using modern technologies, in particular, Internet resources. One of our key activities being yesHEis.

Our team consists of passionate Christians, who love Jesus and use their gifts and talents to tell people about Him. See more information about us on our website www.cvglobal.co

Job Overview

We are looking for a Community Manager.

The Community Team are engaged in the development of partnerships with churches and denominations within the Christian community, in the UK and across Europe, as well as building awareness of and promoting the products of Christian Vision. The team are also responsible for the development of the resources which enhance growth and expansion of local church communities.

The Community Manager is responsible for the delivery of all aspects of the community strategy across the region.

Strategic Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the Community strategy;

• Developing relationships for partnership engagement with CV’s projects;

• Participation in the development of new products and resources of the organisation;

• Launch and coordination of representatives in the countries of the region;

• Communication and exchange of experience with the organisation’s offices in other countries;

• Deploying the strategy to the UK team and representatives in the countries of the region.

Operational Responsibilities

• Leadership and team management;

• Achievement of goals and growth of KPIs of the department;

• Searching and implementation of communication technologies (CRM, chatbots, messengers, etc.);

• Development and maintenance of operational reporting and budgeting;

• Regular web conferences with global operations;

• Organisation and coordination of events;

• Providing systemic and professional communication for internal teams and external partners;

• Regular participation in conferences and events.

Essential Skills/ Experience/ Education

• Team management and leadership (3+ years);
   
• Experience in project management and Proficiency with MS Office / Google Docs;
   
• Sociability, strategic thinking, responsibility, autonomy in work, openness to innovation.
   
• Experience in the Corporate environment (3+ years)
   
• Strong Christian faith is an occupational requirement 
   
• Graduate education;

What We Offer

CV offers a dynamic and unique working atmosphere, with a lively team focused on using the internet for evangelism and mobilising Christians to share their faith. Teams contribute to a well-funded and resourced global strategy, to use the latest technologies and online best practices, to create demand in Christian faith and connect interested individuals to church networks for follow up and discipleship.
 

• Work in an international Christian organisation;

• Creative and friendly team;

• Training and opportunities for professional growth;

• Comfortable office / cutting edge vibrant office culture / posh coffee and annual hot cross buns and mince pie tasting.

Applicants must send a CV with a covering letter.

Salary and Benefits: Discussed at interview, based on experience and expertise of the candidate

Closing date for applications: Tuesday 19th November 2019

Please, send your CV, with a portfolio of experience and examples with a cover letter to the address provided.

By submitting a CV for this vacancy, you consent to the use of personal data by the organisation in the framework of the current legislation of the UK. CV EU guarantees the confidentiality of applications and the negotiation process when selecting candidates for the vacancy.

Job Title: Marketing Manager

Contract: Perm

Hours: Full time- 35 hours a week

Location: London or Brimingham

We are a youth charity whose mission is to help young people transform their lives by developing the confidence and skills, to live, learn and earn. This year we will support more than 70,000 young people through a range of proven programmes, with three in four achieving a positive outcome!

This exciting marketing manager role will play a key part in supporting the delivery of one of the largest initiatives in our history.
As part of our mission to work with one million young people over the next 10 years, we will support 10,000 young people into health and social care careers over the next 4 years. Our new marketing manager will lead the marketing planning and tactical implementation to achieve this.

You will join our team to work on this ground-breaking project that will see The Prince’s Trust work in partnership with health and social care organisations across England to be part of solving the health and social care workforce challenges, and encourage young people to start a valuable career in the health/care sector.

To learn more about the role please visit our website

The Prince’s Trust is committed to safeguarding, protecting and promoting the welfare of the children and young people we work with. Successful applicants to roles at The Prince’s Trust will be subject to criminal vetting checks, and where necessary for the role, a check at an enhanced level will be required.

To apply for this vacancy please complete the online application.  To help you with the supporting statement section, you may want to visit our website to download a copy of the Prince’s Trust Behavioural Framework.

A NOTE FOR RECRUITMENT AGENCIES

We prefer to hire people directly, but we do have a preferred supplier list for when we'd like a helping hand. We'll be in touch if we need you.

Service Manager (Contract)
Kings Heath, Birmingham (with travel throughout the Sandwell area)
£22,501 per annum

Royal Voluntary Service is an innovative charity that focuses on inspiring people to give the gift of voluntary time to support the NHS and older people at home and in the community. We are now looking for a Service Manager to join us for a fixed-term contract from January 2020 to January 2021.

If you are a collaborative individual with experience of managing and motivating teams of staff and volunteers, this is the perfect opportunity to enhance your skills with our incredible charitable organisation.

In this exciting role, you will have the chance to lead a passionate team of staff and volunteers and deliver pivotal service.

As the Service Manager, you will oversee the Supporting Your Recovery service for older people across the Sandwell area.

The Supporting Your Recovery service is a volunteer supported programme for older people being discharged from hospital or who are at risk of re-admission. You will ensure that patients are accompanied home after a hospital stay and are provided company and reassurance once they are back home.

Specifically, you will:

- Recruit, motivate and manage a team of volunteers
- Line manage two part time Co-ordinators
- Promote the service to all NHS contacts and build strong relationships
- Manage the service budget
- Deliver growth and uptake of the service
- Increase numbers of people able to volunteer
- Build a stronger partnership with health and social care

To be considered, you will need:

- Experience of managing and motivating teams of staff and volunteers
- To be commercially aware with relevant experience of managing a similar service type
- Knowledge of the needs of the community and the groups, providers and bodies within it, including health and social care providers
- An understanding of how to use basic data to monitor trends and provide forecasts

As the Service Manager, you will have excellent communication skills and be able to work on your initiative. You will be able to motivate staff and volunteers and establish positive and effective relationships with both internal and external parties.

This is a full time role, working 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

The closing date for this role is the 6th December 2019. Interviews scheduled to be held on the 17th December 2019 in Birmingham.

To apply for the role of Service Manager (Contract), please apply via the button shown.

This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency.

Other organisations may call this role Community Service Manager, Community Services Manager, Volunteering Supervisor, Volunteering Team Leader, Community Support Manager, Volunteer Manager, Volunteer Supervisor, or Volunteer Team Leader.

We have a new exciting opportunity, not to be missed! At DEBRA we are currently looking for an Area Community Support Manager to join our team based in the Midlands.

About the Area Community Support Manager role

You will provide a community support and advocacy service to people whose lives are affected by Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) through effective communication and liaison with all sections of the community and other stakeholders.

You will also be a resource to the EB community and DEBRA team on the subject of an area of special interest to be agreed eg Welfare Benefits.

Key responsibilities as our Area Community Support Manager:

On appointment each area manager will agree and be appointed an area of special interest in relation to their role as a DEBRA community support manager. The aim is for each manager to have a different area of interest in which they can develop knowledge and expertise so they can act as a resource to the team.

Areas of interest may be schooling, housing, benefits, work place, social isolation, bereavement, knowledge of others organisations/services that could benefit the EB community, developing self-help publications and DEBRA web site info that supports the community etc.

What we’re looking for in our Area Community Support Manager:

- Relevant experience working face to face with the public within an advisory or health and social care setting

- A willingness to gain expertise in EB, welfare reform, community support

- A commitment to continued professional development in order to maintain knowledge require for the post

- Ability to put people at ease and build trust

- Ability to use efficient and appropriate planning techniques to achieve team and organisational goals in a cost efficient and timely manner

- The ability to travel throughout the required area/areas, and further afield occasionally.

- Knowledge of current welfare provision and understanding of statutory organisations and their responsibilities is highly desirable

The Benefits!

- 10% non-contributory pension

- 5 weeks’ holiday + BHs

- Life assurance – 3 x salary

- General sick pay

- 33% discount in DEBRA shops

- Flexible working

DEBRA is the national charity that supports individuals and families affected by Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) – a painful genetic skin blistering condition which, in the worst cases, can be fatal.

Our vision:

We have a vision of a world where no one suffers from the painful genetic skin condition EB.

Until that day, DEBRA focuses its work in two areas:

- We fund pioneering research to find effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure for EB.

- We provide care and support to individuals and families living with EB.

We couldn’t do any of this without raising substantial funds, which is why you will be so integral to our success.

If you are enthusiastic about the contribution you could make and would like to join our team as our new Area Community Support Manager please click ‘apply’ today – don’t miss out, we’d love to hear from you!

As we enter a new phase in the Association’s development and growth, we are seeking an experienced and enterprising individual to play a pivotal role in managing, developing and growing a broad range of community projects, services and enterprises that meet the Association’s strategic objectives.

You will be successfully implementing the Association’s development strategy, responding to new business opportunities and expanding the scope and scale of services that maximise community impact. You will be working alongside, as well as leading, motivating and developing a talented staff and volunteer team.

Department: Business Development

Contract Duration: 6 months

Citizens Advice offers confidential advice online, over the phone, and in person, for free. Through our national network of charities, we give people the knowledge and the confidence they need to find their way forward – whoever they are, and whatever their problem.

Citizens Advice is a leading provider of debt advice and financial capability services across England and Wales.  In the last year, we helped 380,000 clients with 916,000 debt issues through our local network and had 3.2m page views of our debt content on the Citizens Advice Website.

To support this work, Citizens Advice has a team focused on money advice development team covering debt and energy advice alongside financial capability. Reporting to the Head of Money advice, this role is responsible for the development and delivery of the programmes of work under the debt and financial capability strategies.

We are seeking an exceptional candidate with significant experience of debt advice and financial capability work whilst the current postholder is on secondment.

It is crucial that the successful candidate has highly developed project management and strategic thinking skills and has significant experience of managing effective organisational design and change, particularly where there is a high level of public interest in the outcome.  The successful candidate will be experienced in using their analytical and judgement skills, with the ability to develop and compare alternative courses of action and arrive at well-reasoned recommendations.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented throughout Citizens Advice. We are a member of the race equality campaign at Business in the Community, the Prince’s responsible business network and are committed to improving employment opportunities for ethnic minorities across the UK. We also welcome applications from, LGB and Trans and non binary candidates. We have made a positive commitment to employing disabled people and guarantee to interview all disabled candidates who meet the minimum essential criteria for the role as set out in role profiles.

Interview date: 2nd December 2019

Do you have a heart for serving Jesus in a community setting?  We’re looking for a Bar and Events Manager to join our team at Rowheath Pavilion, Bournville, Birmingham.

Who we are

Rowheath Pavilion is part of the George Cadbury legacy, and is the heart of the Bournville community, set in its own park and playing fields.

The community café and bar provide opportunities to serve and engage with different parts of the local community. The Terrace Room is a popular venue for weddings and parties. Rowheath Pavilion also hosts its own events, including Street Food Fridays, ale and food festivals, community days and our popular fireworks event.  The playing fields are home to a number of football clubs, a rugby club and running club.

Trinity Christian Centre, a charity set up by Rowheath Pavilion Church, runs Rowheath Pavilion on behalf of the Church for the benefit of the whole community.  We serve the community as we follow Jesus.

The role

This is a new position: we’re looking for someone who is an excellent team player, able to work with the existing events team to deliver our food and drinks events, as well as manage our community bar and front of house for weddings and parties. It would help to love sport as well.

The person

The role requires someone with excellent people skills, who is hard-working and tenacious, has the ability to work on their own initiative, can think on their feet, with excellent organisation, financial and time management skills and who thrives in a busy yet small team environment. Bar and events management experience would be an advantage. Passion to serve the local community is essential.

There is an occupational requirement attached to this job for the successful candidate to be Christian and able to uphold our Christian values serving the community in God’s love