Urban Ministry Tour: Spring 2025 – Pontiac, MI
On Thursday, April 24, twenty-six tour guests gathered at the Gifts For All God’s Children Workshop in Rochester, MI to embark on a tour of ministries and missions in Pontiac. For many years, Trinity Utica and Gifts For All God’s Children have partnered to host Urban Tours each fall in Detroit and alternating a spring trip between Pontiac and Macomb. Our tour group represented members of Faith Lutheran-Troy, Trinity Lutheran-Utica, Rochester Christian Church, Heritage Church, Metro-Life Church, Harvest Time Christian Fellowship-Warren, St John Lutheran Church-Rochester, St. John Lutheran Church-Fraser and Kensington. Group members also represented organizations such as, House of Hope, We Shall Read, Good News Gang-Detroit, Motown Soup, Lutheran Women in Mission and more!
As guests checked in, light refreshments were enjoyed. Patti Jacques, Directoroft Gifts For All God’s Children shared their mission and volunteers provided tours of the various assembly and storage rooms. The tour highlighted the workshop’s impact and year round efforts to provide for more than 3,000 children annually. Assistance is provided in the form of hygiene kits, school supplies, summer camp scholarships, Summer Bible Camp, tutoring, Christmas gifts and more. The mission of Gifts For All God’s Children is to be a conduit of God’s generous love. We provide resources focusing on the needs of underserved children while connecting them to Jesus.
Due to a mechanical issue, the bus’s arrival was delayed. During this time, we had the opportunity to hear from Alyssa Waddell, Director of House of Hope Ministry. House of Hope supports “People Plants” in mobile home communities in Clarkston, Oxford, and Sterling Heights. These dedicated leaders choose to live within the neighborhoods they serve, forming relationships, identifying community needs, and bridging gaps. By opening their homes, they create safe spaces where residents feel heard, seen, and love by Jesus.
When Rachel, our bus-driver from Good News Gang-Detroit arrived, we quickly boarded and departed toward Pontiac. While traveling, guests shared about themselves, their churches and the ministries they have participated in or represented. Many of our guests are a part of a Prayer Shawl Ministry that spans several congregations. Another began a literacy program called We Shall Read with her mother, to help equip educators by providing easy to use and effective curriculum. Others participate in ministries focused on providing food, shelter, education, mercy and kindness by using the unique gifts and talents provided by God.We arrived at our first tour location, Grace Centers of Hope’s Women & Children’s Center, and we gathered in the dining hall for a presentation from Darin Weiss and Mark Cunningham.Grace Centers of Hope is a non-profit, Christian organization committed to positively changing the lives of the unwanted, addicted, and homeless through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, personal accountability, life skills, education, and work-related programs. In 2024, Grace Centers of Hope served 624 Residents a total of 79,576 Nights of stay and 238,728 Meals were served. We gathered together in prayer, toured the family areas and made our way back to the bus.
Proverbs 16 tells us that “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” To keep on schedule, our group was unable to visit the Micah 6 community: Building the neighborhood that Pontiac deserves. Micah 6 gardens produce thousands of pounds of produce to go directly back to the community. Children’s enrichment programs and neighborhood support helps serve the community. Our group proceeded directly to the lowest-barrier shelter in Oakland County, HOPE Shelters.
HOPE provides safe and judgment-free shelter, innovative programs and public advocacy to end homelessness. HOPE Recuperative Care Center (HOPE RCC) is a specialty homeless shelter for those exiting hospitalization, providing a safe and clean place to recover from injury, illness, surgery, cancer, etc. HOPE is committed to helping each guest resolve their homelessness and identify a network of supportive services delivered in a trauma-informed setting. We toured the current facility, discussed immediate needs (snacks, meals, etc), and learned plans of new construction for Rebuilding Hope: A Place of Healing and Rebuilding.
Our next stop plugged us into Power Company Kids Club, where we had lunch, followed by a presentation and tour. PCKC guides inner city, at-risk youth toward healthy, successful, sustainable independence. By helping at-risk kids discover and develop their own strengths and talents “empower children” by focusing on “building champions.” Thousands of marginalized families are seeing their kids graduate from high school, attend college, and become godly leaders. It takes years of weekly training and in-home visits, but it’s worth it to impact countless generations to come.
As our journey proceeded, we learned how our driver, Rachel, had been a child served at Good News Gang in Detroit. Through leadership development, she now works to help establish relationships in the community and shares the love of Jesus with at-risk youth. Power Company Kids Club and Good News Gang follow the same ministry model and work together making a difference in the communities of Detroit and Pontiac. Another similar ministry exists at Key of Hope located in Durban, South Africa, connecting youth with Jesus and changing generational habits.
We proceeded to the next check-point, St. Paul Community Lutheran Church, where Pastor Jerry Corbett shared the mission and ministry taking place. This multi-cultural church serves a diverse community by offering weekly Bible study and Family Night dinners, Clothing Closet and a Food Pantry for those in need. St. Paul Pontiac is a direct recipient of Trinity-Utica Food Ministries. In partnership with Family Dinner Night, Vacation Bible School Lunches and additional distributions, St. Paul feeds the community in body and spirit sharing the love of Christ in service.
Our final stop took us to Oakland Hope Food Pantry and Thrift Store. This location operates as the largest food pantry in Oakland County by providing to more than 12,000 people each month. Oakland HOPE provides volunteer opportunities and job development in the community as well as raises funds in order to operate. A row of cubicles are lined up as you enter the store providing space for community organizations to offer services (cell phones, health care, financial literacy, etc) to store patrons. We toured the client-choice pantry, furniture resale space and donation sorting areas. HOPE Kitchen also provides daily meals. Oakland Hope is “Motivated by the love of Jesus to alleviate hunger and empower lives.”
During our journey, tour guests learned about different organizations in our community. We discussed the immediate and long-term needs and challenges that each organization faces. On this tour our senses helped form memories of smells, sights or sounds. Stay tuned for the Fall ‘25 Ministry Tour Date as we embark from Faith-Troy to experience missions and ministries serving the Detroit community.
