Apopka Highland Seventh Day Adventist Church

What is Adventist Community Services  ?

Adventist Community Services (ACS) is the social services and disaster response agency for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America. ACS has a network of nearly 20 ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency) affiliate agencies, 237 Community Services Centers, nearly 30 inner city programs in addition to health screening vans in more than a dozen major ities. Last year over 995,000 persons were aided by ACS.

How are Volunteers Involved?

Volunteers do everything from counseling people about health risks, assessing community needs and distributing food and clothing, to providing information and referrals, resettling refugees, and transporting elderly. After the recent Oklahoma City bombing, volunteer chaplains ministered to the victims, their families and even to the rescue workers.

While ACS operates agencies and programs all across North America, many agencies serve the cities. Cities influence life far beyond their geographic limitations because of their predominance through media, commerce and education. They are the dominant force in culture in both the developed and undeveloped world countries. All of this can be labeled "urbanism."

Urban ministries focuses on meeting the needs of people living and working in cities, which presents special challenges and opportunities. All problems (i.e. homelessness, crime, drug abuse, violence, poverty, hunger, alienation and anger) are heightened to extreme levels, making ministering to city people especially difficult.
Volunteers in this practical ministry are the most effective in reaching city people with help, hope and
healing--meeting physical as well as spiritual needs. Supported by thousands of volunteers performing hundreds of roles, Adventist Community Services is active in urban ministries.

In addition, a growing number of people are volunteering for full-time leadership assignments. Through the Center for Volunteerism, Hew and Carolyn Lipscomb found an assignment to south Georgia where they are developing a new ACS agency. Robert and Myeong Gunn were referred to ACS to work full-time with New York City Van Ministires. These and other full-time volunteers serve as urban "missionaries" right here in North America.

Adventist Community Services can operate only through the support of volunteers who give their precious time and valuable talents to help the Church serve the hungry and hurting in Christ's name.