God's heart is for the other, outcast, and overlooked. Christ calls us to advocate for and support and care for the marginalized in our midst. One of the ways that we do that is through foster care and adoption. This can look different for all kinds of different families and churches.

For us, it means getting involved in the life of foster families & children. Helping, serving, supporting, and caring. Stepping in and showing up for those in need. The Belong Project is a ministry of TLC dedicated to supporting, serving, and coming alongside Foster and Adoptive families. We aim to provide each family with a duffel bag, a meal, and a word of encouragement within 48 hours of placement.

In order to make this happen, we have two teams: a delivery team (people who pick up materials from church and drop them off at the home of a family) and a supply team (people who purchase and drop off needed materials regularly at the church). If you are interested in joining what God is doing at TLC to support foster and adoptive families, please click on the link below to sign-up!

Did you know that every spring for more than a decade, a mother duck has been nesting her ducklings in the courtyard of Ken-O-Sha Elementary School. When the time is right, mother duck pecks on the window and the staff then arrange for students to line the hallways as mother duck leads her ducklings out the courtyard, through the school, and into the wild. They call it The Running of the Ducks. We’re not lying!

All that to say, Ken-O-Sha is an awesome elementary school that we know, love and support here at TLC. There are needs there like anywhere else, but there is also beauty; God’s redemptive hand is moving there, and we have gotten to and will continue to participate in that together as a church. Here’s how…

There are three different ways that this takes place. Think of these three ways as on-ramps to getting involved in some way at Ken-O-Sha:

Staff and Teacher Appreciation
Examples include: staff snacks, meals, gifts, etc.

Student Engagement (during school hours)
Examples include: aiding in a classroom, helping at lunch time, playing at recess, Big Idea Assembly, coaching, etc.

School and Family Needs
Examples include: Toy/Uniform Drive, Spring cleaning/landscaping, Hand 2 Hand, etc.

Thousands of our neighbors in Grand Rapids are facing hardship when it comes to their housing situation. We want to help learn more about the affordable housing crisis in our community and provide practical ways that we can all help.

ICCF is an awesome non-profit that helps seek shalom in our city by providing affordable homes and thriving neighborhoods. God has called us to seek justice in our community in response to the saving love of Jesus Christ, that others may see His love in action. We do this together with ICCF by serving in part of their community homes initiative, hosting events at their Family Haven, and more ways!

The Bible says Jesus became flesh. In other words, He moved into the neighborhood where He was needed. Yes, He preached awesome sermons and did some other really cool things. But Jesus repeatedly stopped what He was doing to care for the sick, feed those who were hungry, and spend His strength on others. He wasn’t afraid to say the hard but healing words, love the hard but hurting ones, and do the hard but helpful things. As followers of Jesus, we are called to do the same. We must be His hands and feet in order that His message is heard and His love is experienced in a tangible way.

As a local expression of the universal Church, we are called to actively participate in the mission of God. Because of this, we pursue opportunities to holistically care for the needs of our city and our world. Access of West Michigan helps us do that. Access exists to strengthen and develop wholistic solutions to poverty by cultivating equitable systems through education and collaboration. Be looking out for the Walk for Good Food and other ways we join with them!