Servant Network
"The Spirit of God has got hold of me, and is urging me to take on a special task; to share good news with the poor; free the prisoners; help the handicapped; and smash the shackles of the oppressed." Luke 4:18-19
The Servant Network is a movement of people (both Christian and non-Christian) who want to play a part in building a better Brisbane. Consisting of a diverse network of communities, each community responds to an acute need, e.g. homelessness. The backbone of every community is its volunteers, which also is diverse, ranging from professionals, students, retired and the unemployed. Auspiced by Wesley Mission Brisbane, the Servant Network is the diaconal arm of the Albert St Uniting Church and Community Services, WMB. The network was established in 2004 and currently consists of three communities.
The Servant Community
There are just under 9,000 people in Brisbane who are homeless. They sleep on the streets of Brisbane, couch surf at friend's places or stay in boarding houses. Members of the Servant Community are committed to supporting the homeless improve their standard of living and move into accommodation.
The community is focused on three areas:
• Visiting food van stops and slums and building relationships with homeless people
• Visiting residents in boarding houses and supporting them
• Visiting and supporting people who were homeless to continue in independent living units
The Hospitality Community
Hospitality is a true value of Australian society. The Hospitality Community takes this value seriously by providing a free three course weekly meal in Fortitude Valley for isolated people from the Brisbane community. We are looking for volunteers who enjoy talking to people whom they may not normally come across. Or volunteers who are happy help out in the kitchen and serve the guests food. Many of our guests are homeless or suffer from a disability.
The Hospitality Community values:
• Inclusiveness
• Belonging
• Sharing
The Servants on the Margins Training Community
Dedicated to the education of Uniting Church leaders in community development, the Servants on the Margins Training Community trains students from the Servant Network and the wider Uniting Church. The part-time course is over 28 weeks, in which upon satisfactory completion the student is awarded a recognised qualification. Currently there are 17 students in the 2007 course.