We're Heating Up Helping Others in Jesus' Name

Our congregation, St. Johannes Lutheran Church, has partnered with Next Steps of South Carolina and The Navigation Center to support a vital ministry in the Charleston area. The Navigation Center is a non-profit that began by serving military veterans and has since expanded to help anyone in crisis. The Center's mission is to empower our most vulnerable neighbors by helping them navigate the complex system of services needed to rebuild sustainable, independent lives.

By providing a volunteer counselor and financial assistance from St. Johannes and Next Steps of South Carolina, we join a powerful, collaborative network of over 70 organizations dedicated to this work. It is through this partnership that we can be part of true, lasting life change. Here are a few more stories of our neighbors who have been helped by this shared work.

Mary's Long Road Home

Mary (without glasses) is 62 years old and has been homeless for five years. Five years. When she came to The Navigation Center, she was desperate for a place to call home. She has worked hard to recover from serious mental health challenges and other difficulties, and that recovery is real and evident.

Several local charities came together to help raise the substantial amount needed to secure housing for her. St. Johannes and Next Steps were asked to contribute to that effort, and we were glad to do so. When we told her we would help, she was visibly moved. She is very sweet, and she deserves a home.

This is what the body of Christ looks like when it works together. Many hands, one purpose. We are grateful to be part of the network that is helping Mary finally come in from the cold.

Leroy: A Gentle Giant on the Rise

Leroy (with glasses) is what you might call a gentle giant. He has had a tough life with limited education and few job skills, but he has not let that define him. He made the decision to enter a live-in facility designed to help people transition into the workforce, and he has embraced that opportunity fully.

He now has a paid position with Goodwill, which is also investing in his future by training him for further employment. He just needed a little help with one week's rent while he gets his footing. St. Johannes and Next Steps were glad to provide that.

Leroy was very thankful. He is a good man, and we have a feeling that the people who get to know him will agree. We are rooting for him.

Sharon: Back on Her Feet at Volvo

Sharon (with glasses) is a proud mother of four adult children, all of whom are well-educated and doing well in their careers. She herself has had a great career at Volvo. Then a health emergency landed her in the hospital, followed by several months of treatment and medical leave.

The good news is that Sharon is back at work full-time. The challenge is that her first paycheck has not come in yet, and the bills from those difficult months have piled up. She has fallen behind in her rent and needed a little help to bridge the gap.

St. Johannes and Next Steps agreed to help. Sharon will be just fine once that first check arrives. Sometimes all someone needs is a steady hand to hold them up for just a moment. We were glad to be that for her.

Kathy Finds Her Way Through Grief

Kathy (with children) is 46 years old and has four children. She appears in the picture with her grandchild and child, and you can see the warmth in her face. But she has been through an enormous amount of pain.

Her mother and her fiance both died suddenly. Then, as if that were not enough, his family barred her from his funeral. The grief was simply overwhelming, and for a time she was unable to work. That is not weakness. That is being human.

Kathy has recovered. She is actively looking for work, and The Navigation Center is helping her find a job. Her ex-husband has not contributed to the family's expenses, so she needed some help with her rent in the meantime. St. Johannes and Next Steps agreed to help. She was very appreciative, and we were moved by her resilience. God is not done with Kathy's story.

Rick and Leroy: Neighbors Helping Each Other Forward

Rick (without glasses) is Leroy's roommate at the halfway house, and like Leroy, he is a genuinely kind person. He has a high school education, a pleasant personality, and a solid work history. When serious medical issues arose, he lost his job. But those issues have now been resolved, and he is starting at Goodwill next week.

He just needed help with his rent to get through to that first paycheck. St. Johannes and Next Steps agreed to provide that help.

There is something quietly beautiful about Leroy and Rick's story. Two men, each working hard to rebuild, living side by side and encouraging each other forward. We were glad to play a small part in supporting both of them.

If you would like to know more about this ministry or how you can help, please let Tom or Pastor Aaron know.