The work of our Serving the City ministry is one concrete application of Grace Church Seattle’s vision, “To see the city of Seattle become more like the city of God.” Serving the City (STC) exists to disciple our congregation into service in the community, care for our neighbors and neighborhoods, and support people who have been marginalized, recognizing that this kind of active love is an integral part of life as followers of Jesus of Nazareth.  

We do not have the answers or ability to ‘fix’ anything; that is not what STC is about. However, we are convinced that God’s power is made perfect in weakness, and as we move out into the community as guests and neighbors who reliably show up, we can witness God bringing abundance out of scarcity. 

We believe the impact we can have is magnified and improved by a spirit of partnership. Alone, we do not have the expertise or resources to adequately meet the needs of our city. STC accomplishes our work by forming long-term active partnerships with other churches and non-profit organizations in the community.

While financially supporting our partners is a portion of the work, we believe that what we do must be relational. There are different kinds of scarcity. While financial and time scarcity often receive the most focus, relational scarcity has a significant impact on human health and flourishing. Acknowledging this, Serving the City endeavors to bring relationships to the forefront of what we do. We are committed to actively showing up as volunteers. We place emphasis on encouraging the staff at our partner organizations because we know they do important work and carry heavy burdens. We value prayer and believe that loving action and contemplation complete and inform each other in a vibrant tension. As a result, we are also committed to regular prayer for our city, the staff of our partner organizations, and the people that they serve.

If you are interested in getting involved, email Drew.

There are three key communities that we are actively serving and a fourth area of work that we are actively exploring. Read further for more details:

Foster Care

We feel called to support children and families in the foster care system. Our primary partner in this area is Olive Crest. Also, we work with a local group of pastors and volunteers as a part of the Foster Support Faith Alliance to offer support to the staff and clients of the MLK office of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families. 

People Exploited by the Sex Trade

We feel called to support people who work in the sex trade in Seattle and those who are trying to gain freedom from sex trafficking. Our primary partner in this area is REST (Real Escape from the Sex Trade).

Housing and Homelessness

We are called to support our unhoused neighbors in Seattle. This is such a critical need in our city and is significantly interconnected with our other areas of emphasis. Our primary partner in this area is New Horizons.

Immigrants and Refugees

Finally, the STC committee feels a sense of call to find ways to care for immigrant and refugee communities in Seattle. This has been an active area of discernment for us in the recent past and we are working to identify a good partner organization and discover how we can best serve this community in our city. Please pray that we would find the right partner and develop a clear pathway to service in this area.

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