Paul further elaborated on the above principle in the verses that followed: “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” This is a truth that each of God’s people should remember as we go through life, knowing that there are good results that come from the good that we do. “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:7-10). In light of this verse, the Good Works program, since its inception in 2003, has sponsored projects that have benefited both United Church of God members, and communities around the world. Verse 10 has been our guiding principle as we’ve prioritized projects, but donating money (which we greatly appreciate) is only a part of what we do.

Jesus Christ addressed a multitude of people who followed Him, eagerly waiting to hear the wisdom that He came to bring. The words that He spoke to this particular multitude, as they sat in front of Him on the side of a hill, were not prophecies yet to be fulfilled; He brought them blessings. And in those blessings were instructions for life: “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

Since 2000, United Youth Corps has sent hundreds of volunteers all around the world to fulfill this admonition from Jesus Christ—to let our light shine before men. After collaborating on multiple projects it became evident that United Youth Corps and Good Works were fulfilling similar roles; they provided a means to serve our members and reach out in communities. So these two service arms have officially joined forces: Good Works provides the funding that makes these projects possible, while United Youth Corps functions as the service arm, providing volunteers for various projects.

Both components are necessary for us to successfully serve God’s people and our communities. Money is needed to provide the necessary materials, and the volunteers are needed to complete the projects. We’re always looking for new projects (we have two deadlines for projects proposals—November 30 for our summer projects and May 31 for our winter projects), and we’re always looking for volunteers to staff our projects. You can keep up with the work we’re doing on our website (ucg.org/members/outreach/good-works) and on our Facebook page. If you have any questions or great ideas for a project contact Lena VanAusdle at Lena_VanAusdle@ucg.org.