Large Enough to make a Difference, Small Enough to Care
“I just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the help you have given my family and I during lockdown. Two weeks ago, I received groceries and blankets from your church. I was so blessed by the help we received during this difficult time. I was sick for almost a month, my husband was working in Kaikoura, and my oldest son (age 9) was looking after me. My family and friends didn’t help me because they thought I had coronavirus (COVID19), but I tested negative twice. During that time, we had little food, but we had faith in God to look after us. When I was in bed one day the only thing I could think of was – I am going to die, but if I die who will look after my kids! I opened my Bible and read Psalm 27:3-4, and it gave me strength. Soon after a lady called me from City Impact Church and wanted to help us. Thank God He answered my prayers. Thank you City Impact Church for being there for me when I needed help. May God bless you for all you have done for us and others who need help.”
Family from Panama Road School
One of the phrases that you’ll often hear around City Impact Church is that we’re ‘Large enough to make a difference and small enough to care.’ Our heart is that we use what God has placed in our hands to make a real difference in our community, showing His love in a practical way.
We started doing Community Impact Days in 2008. Four times a year, around 700 volunteers mobilise across our campuses to go out and make a difference in the lives of families and individuals in our community. Whether cleaning windows or mowing lawns, our heart is to help them practically and show them that God cares about them! In 2020 in response to the hardship many were suffering in lockdown, our community projects grew to include ‘Here to Help’. Here to Help is an initiative to providing food and groceries to families who are struggling and in need of food.
At our most recent Community Impact day in August 2022, we fed 463 people and helped 35 families around their homes. That’s a total of 162 families that we got to bless in just one day! Over the 12 months from mid-2021 to mid-2022, we gave out over 900 vegetable boxes, 600 blankets, 1100 Christmas boxes and 600 pairs of warm PJs; that’s 3350 families who’ve experienced the love of Jesus in a practical way!