Volunteer Highlight: Fatima Johnson
It is easy to understand how and why other people hurt—at least when they’re in your office, crumpled tissues in hand, the empathy flows. But sympathy and empathy alone can leave you in the realm of pitying people. And we have not been called to pity people. Our call is to "(a)dminister true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another” (Zechariah 7:9).
Partner Highlight: College Park Church
The beauty and effectiveness of this relationship is perhaps most keenly evinced by our collaboration on Refugee Adjustment Day, when the Clinic and College Park come together at the end of April to assist dozens of refugees in obtaining their green cards. These kinds of works are a natural consequence of the Body of Christ partnering with one another. Dale explains, “You do life together under the umbrella of the Gospel and really good things happen.”
Program Highlight: Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic
“Compassion is loving others … I’ve learned one of the most important things is to just hear someone’s story. To stop, put your pencil down, because life is so busy and hard and complicated that people don’t give each other time.”
Client Stories: Meet Guadalupe*, Adriana*, and Javier*
She tells us she and her children survived everything that happened to them by the grace of God, and that she knew He would not let her travel so far from her home only to find despair.
A Message from Executive Director, Chris Purnell: Compassion
God gave us emotions. Far too often, we either suppress them or glorify them. Jesus, however, chose a third way: he used them. Jesus sees the crowds, feels their pain in a genuine way, and tends to their needs. Thus, Christ demonstrates how emotions are tools we can use to showcase what the kingdom of God is like: plentiful, healing, restorative, and just.
Volunteer Highlight: Carrie Templeton
“The Clinic helped me realize the variety of ways there are to worship. It made me see that I didn’t have to separate the professional part of my life from…my faith and that they could enrich each other.” These two seemingly incompatible pursuits were now clearly working most effectively and edifyingly in tandem.
Partner Highlight: Trinity Church
Pomp and circumstance in appearances have little place at Trinity, which is devoted to the idea of “simple church.” This assists the staff in meeting another of their foundational goals: to give away half of what they bring in. But such generosity is much more than a numerical target. “Is [generosity] something that needs to be quantified?” Jeff asks cocking his head. “Trinity doesn’t hold onto money past what is necessary to pay staff and bills.”
Brackets-For-Good Video: Gratitude Edition
During our two-week run in #BFG15, #TeamJustice raised $18,656--all thanks to the support of our generous donors!
Program Highlight: Housing
“If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear.” — 1 John 3:17 (The Message) The Clinic takes this warning seriously. As such, we care deeply about Home. The generosity of our supporters shows that you, too, care deeply. It is written upon our hearts.
#BracketsForGood Video
Round 1 of Brackets-for-Good ends on Friday, March 6 at 7:59:59 PM and we need your help to make it to Round 2! Please support #TeamJustice during #BFG15 by clicking the following link, selecting "Christian Legal" on the top line, and scrolling down: https://indianapolis.bracketsforgood.org/?somerset-division