Recent News
Faith-based organizations believe in TeamMates
Close to 40 percent of Nebraskans volunteer, the second highest rate in the United States. Of that number, 39 percent volunteer with their faith-based organization. Similarly, the Lincoln TeamMates Mentoring Program finds that close to one-half of its more than 700 mentors claim a faith-based affiliation.
Faith-based organizations may find that the mission of TeamMates and the mission of their organization easily go hand-in-hand – reaching out and making a positive difference in the community and world.
In recognizing the similarities in mission, eight Lincoln churches have formalized a partnership with TeamMates. In the partnership, TeamMates supports the faith-based organizations’ efforts to recruit mentors and the faith-based organizations make concerted efforts to encourage the congregation to serve as TeamMates mentors in the schools. Several churches emphasize mentoring at a particular school.
TeamMates’ Lincoln faith-based partners and friends will be celebrating TeamMates during January, National Mentoring Month, by recognizing one of two Sundays, Jan. 17 or 24, as Teaming Up for TeamMates. The purpose is for the partners to work in tandem to create enough interest in TeamMates within their congregations to generate additional mentors for the nearly 300 students in the Lincoln Public Schools who still want a mentor. Mentors at the churches will tell their story of being a mentor.
Mentors spend just one hour a week during the school year with a student. The purpose is to provide friendship, positive attention, and to help expand their universe. As one mentor from a faith-based organization said: “It’s just one hour a week for 24 weeks during the school year. That’s a total of 24 hours for me that makes a world of difference to that young person.”
Churches involved in TeamMates include:
Saint Paul United Methodist Church
St. Mark’s United Methodist Church
Southwood Lutheran
Sheridan Lutheran
Grace United Methodist Church
Southgate United Methodist Church
First Plymouth Congregational
Westminster Presbyterian
New Covenant Community Church
Christ United Methodist Church
