Bethel Adopt-a-Student Program
Our aim
The Adopt-a-Student program invites Queens, RMC, and St. Lawrence students to be adopted by Bethel families and adults, and is designed to get our students connected with the church family at Bethel. Once matched with a family, adopted students will be invited by their hosts to meals, coffees and outings at least four times during the school year. This program has been known to work especially well for new students who are away from home.
I’d like to be adopted! What do I need to do?
Although we would love to match up all the students, we do not currently have enough volunteer families, so we ask that sign-ups be limited to students who are new to the community or who do not currently have other connections (such as being in a small group or participating in volunteer life at Bethel.)
If this applies to you, contact Fred Grendel (fred@kingston.net), and leave us him your name and email address. After that, if possible, we’ll match you with someone and you can respond to them when they contact you. Having your own transportation is not usually necessary since your hosts will often provide this for you.
I’ve adopted a student! Now what do I do?
First, thanks for taking part! This is a great opportunity for you to be involved in the life of our students, and we know that both you and they will grow as a result of it.
Once you have been matched, we ask that you contact your student(s) and arrange the times of your visits with them.
Inviting students into your home and cooking a meal for them is wonderful, but feel free to “think outside the box” (i.e. invite them out a restaurant, coffee, bowling, movie, hiking or other activities). You can do whatever is useful as a platform for you to pour yourself into the students’ lives, and to allow them to pour themselves into yours.
We are asking adopters to try to arrange a minimum of four meetings between now and the end of the school year. If possible, include an offer to transport them.
How does Adopt-a-Student fit into the 3Gs?
The purpose of Bethel Church is to love God passionately and serve others significantly. This plays out in our “3G” discipleship process of Growing in Intimacy with God (GG), Growing in Intimacy with Others (GO), and Growing in Acts of Service (GS). For the students this is a GO activity, while for our “adopters”, it is a GS activity. By signing up for this program you are taking part in the 3Gs!
Any questions? Want to sign up and adopt?
If you wish to adopt a student and have not yet done so, or if you have any questions at all, please contact Fred Grendel (fred@kingston.net)
Any questions or comments welcome!
