Mercy with a Mission Team (MMT)
Ni River's Mercy with a Mission team sponsors a dinner on the first of each month for the Thurman Brisben Homeless Shelter in Fredericksburg. While giving to the community, it is a win-win situation with the coming together of heart and spirit that returns as much as it gives. In addition to cooking and serving at the Homeless Shelter, MMT supports the Shelter residents throughout the year with backpacks and school supplies at back to school time, Easter Baskets at Easter, and sponsors a Christmas family.
Ni River Craftsmen (& Women!) Team
The Ni River Craftsmen (& Women!) Team works throughout the year on different craftsman projects. Many of these projects are a team effort between Rappahannock Area Agency on Aging (RAAA) and Ni River. RAAA alerts Rich Chandler, head of the Craftsmen Team, to the home repair needs of an aged community member. Rich then organizes the team, supplies and donations and dispatches to the property.
Ni River Prison Ministry
DeAnna Hamn, MMT member, and the head of the Ni River Prison Ministry, recently started a new Pen Pal Program. People of Ni River have volunteered their time to write to prisoners. A team has also recently been approved to begin ministering once a month at the Rappahannock Regional Jail. Ni River also contributes quarterly support financially to several prisoners that are members of the Ni River family.
Fredericksburg Area Food Bank
Ni River supports the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank throughout the year through Food Drives within the church. Ni River also supports families in need of emergency food supplies with referrals to the Food Bank.
ChildReach Ministries/Peru
Ni River reaches outside of the local community to partner with ChildReach Ministries to support several different ministries in Chilca, Peru. Hannah's Home, a home for homeless, unwed, pregnant teenage girls, Hannah's Hope an orphanage and Hogar De Ninos, also an orphanage, benefit from monthly financial support, as well as several missions trips by Ni River yearly. In October 2008 Ni River sent their first missionary family out to Peru, the Peterson family.
Habitat for Humanity
The Mercy with a Mission Team helps to support Habitat for Humanity with volunteers and helping to raise funds. MMT has hosted numerous Bake Sales for Habitat, including at Habitat's Ride VA 2008, and Habitat's Harvest Festival, where all Bake Sale proceeds where donated to Habitat.
Compassion International
Ni River supports many, many children through Compassion International. While on mission trips to Bolivia and Peru, many people of Ni River have visited their Compassion children (some more than once!). We have also donated funds to a Compassion Project in Bolivia for a total kitchen replacement.
Salvation Army
November 2008 was our first annual coat drive that benefited the Salvation Army. MMT will expand this drive in 2009 to include coats and sweaters. Michelle Whittaker, MMT's Champion Salvation Army Bell ringer, has organized an entire day of Bell Ringing staffed with Ni River volunteers for the past three years.
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
MMT partners with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. In addition to the Student Ministry Director visiting several FCA Huddles consistently, MMT provides breakfast for the Riverbend High School Huddle once a month. This breakfast, shared during the Huddle's once a month "social", is an integral part of the connection of the students and FCA. Bibles and Exam Goodies Bags have also been provided to the students.
Big Brothers and Big Sisters
For the past two years, Ni River has been a sponsor of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters (BBBS) annual Bowl-a-thon. Several Ni River teams participate in the fun bowling day while raising additional funds for BBBS.
Military
Mercy with a Mission supported our troops in Iraq with both personal supplies and toys and school supplies for Iraqi children.
Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child
MMT proudly supports Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child yearly by paying the shipping for the hundred plus shoe boxes donated by Ni River.
Local Community Members
MMT offers financial support, when able, to those in need in the community.
SALS,A
The SALS,A Team is the student led extension of Mercy with a Mission. SALS,A immerses itself into the community in many different areas, including partying with the children at the Homeless Shelter, making baby blankets for Bethany Christian Services, making and delivering cards to Mary Washington Hospital patients, baking pies to sell for Peru fundraisers and so much more!
MMT focuses on a specific ministry each month. In 2010 these include:
January - Prison Ministry
February - Celebrate Peru
March - Easter Baskets for Homeless Shelter
April – Church Wide Craftsmen (& Women!) Project
May - Cereal Drive for Food Bank
June - Seniors Support
July - Backpacks and School Supplies for Homeless Shelter Children
August - Backpacks and School Supplies for Homeless Shelter Children
September - Food Drive for Food Bank
October - Festival of Trees to benefit Hope House
November - Coat and Sweater Drive
December - Seniors Support
MMT is currently looking for a "Champion" for the new Seniors Support ministry, if interested contact MMT.
For more information, please email: mercyteam@niriver.org