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Blessed to Be a Blessing
2024-9-10 | Ronda Ooms
Acts 20:35 “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Have you ever done something for someone else and realized that it made you feel good? Research shows there are many reasons why doing something for someone else can make you feel good, including:
• Endorphins
When you do something kind, your brain releases endorphins, which are chemicals that make you feel good. This can trigger a positive feeling similar to the pleasure you get from exercise or laughter.
• Neurotransmitters
Acts of kindness can also increase serotonin and dopamine, which are neurotransmitters that can make you feel satisfied and well.
• Social connections
Helping others can help you feel like you're part of something bigger and can help you create, maintain, and strengthen your social connections.
• Perspective
Helping others can help you keep things in perspective and improve your outlook on life.
• Compersion
Compersion is the sympathetic joy you feel when someone else is happy, even if it doesn't directly benefit you. This can be the opposite of jealousy or possessiveness.
In August, schools across the area began the 2024-2025 school year. Since 2007, ECC has partnered with Miller Elementary School in various capacities. That means this is our 18th year!!! God has been faithful over the years, and we have been blessed by our participation in the school as we have sought to bless others!
Ninety-two percent of students that attend Miller School qualify for free or reduced lunch. Many of the families struggle to make ends meet. Life is hard. Going into the school is a simple way that we can help. It can be weekly or periodically as you are able. The children love to have adults who care come in and spend time with them and it’s a blessing to the teacher.
Have you considered being a part of our Community Outreach Team? Are you ready to do something different or outside of your normal activities? I invite you to start praying about joining us in the exciting ministry that God has allowed us to be a part of!
This past Sunday morning we showed this video that Erin Phillips, the principal, and Greg Louk, the assistant principal shared with us about Miller and how our ministry there is important.
There are many ways that you can be a part of our outreach ministry. Opportunities are available to help in individual classrooms, the library, at lunch or recess, with afterschool tutoring, to be a mentor, a MakerSpace helper or a sub for our food backpack ministry. We will be continuing our monthly family night meals at Miller and will need volunteers for food prep and serving. We also plan to begin our Afterschool JAM ministry back up in October and would love to have a few more people to help during homework time.
Spending an hour a week or time monthly to participate in our outreach ministry at Miller can help you grow closer to God and help you grow as an individual. As you reach out and help others you will learn more about yourself, grow in compassion and be a part of something bigger than yourself. If you would like to be a part of our outreach ministry, you can sign up here.
We are so blessed by our participation at Miller Elementary School. It will be exciting to see how God uses us this new school year. We hope you’ll be a part of blessing the wonderful staff, students and families He has allowed us to partner with. Please email me at rooms@ecclife.net or give me a call at the church office at 474-4842 if you have any questions. I’d love to connect with you to talk about what might be the best fit for you.